Cedar Park 5K Launches Effort-- KingPins Raffle this Week

The countdown begins to our Cedar Park 5K fundraiser, scheduled for Thursday, 10/4.

Materials regarding the 5K went home with students last Friday.  The Cedar Park 5K is the Parent Teacher Club (PTC)'s only major fundraiser of the year.  Funds support all the amazing stuff that keeps Cedar Park awesome-- such as enriching field trips, art lit, and the classroom support not covered by the school's regular budget.

Still not sure?  Check out what was purchased last school year.

KingPins Raffle, Thursday, 9/6

The first of four drawings is this Thursday evening. ALL STUDENTS with an online fundraising page are automatically entered into our first drawing-- a bowling party for six at KingPins Beaverton!  (Thank you KingPins for this generous donation!)

So take a moment and set-up your student's fundraising page at https://www.firstgiving.com/event/411287/2018CedarPark5K. Parents have through Thursday, 9/6 to set up their student's page to be entered to win.

Questions? All your info is at www.cedaparkptc.org/fundraising or check your student's backpack for the Cedar Park pledge envelope and handout.  Feel free to email Karen, 5K Chair at cedarpark5k@gmail.com.

Metro Principals Outline New Expectations for Middle Schoolers at Football Games

The Metro League principals released new expectations for elementary and middle school students attending Friday night football games, which include Beaverton and Sunset high schools.

Attending middle schoolers will need an accompany adult in order to enter and must remain in the stands (unless at restrooms or concessions).  No backpacks, skateboards, or outside beverages will be permitted.

See below for the full letter from the Metro League principals. A pdf version is right here.

Important First Semester Dates- Fall 2018

Please mark your calendars for the following important dates at Cedar Park through the first semester of 2018-19.  

More detailed information and additional dates will be sent throughout the year.

New Student Family Reception  Thursday, August 23

This informal, drop-in event is geared toward our new families from 5-6:30pm.  A sweet treat will be provided as students will have an opportunity to "walk" their schedule, explore Cedar Park and meet other CPMS families. 

 

First Day of School (6th Grade Only)    Monday, August 27

Sixth graders will have the school (and the bus) to themselves as they experience CPMS for the first time.  WEB leaders (8th grade mentor/leadership team) will lead them through ice breakers and other fun activities.  Students will have a shortened schedule to meet all of their teachers. Students do not need to bring anything except a lunch. CPMS' school day begins at 9:15am.

 

First Day of School (7th & 8th Grade)  Tuesday, August 28

The seventh and eighth graders will join the sixth graders on 8/28.

 

Health Preview/Back to School Night   Thursday, Sept 13

Swing by the school at 5:30pm to preview the health materials for the year.  The organized Back To School event begins at 6pm.  Parents will hear from administrators, as well as walk their child's schedule to listen to specific class info from individual teachers.

Cedar Park PTC Mixer    Monday, Sept 17

NEW THIS YEAR! Join fellow CPMS parents for an informal gathering to broaden our Cedar Park community.  We're in this together, so we might as well get to know each other.

AVID Family Night/Family Fun Night     Thursday, Sept 20

A special gather for our AVID families begins at 5:30pm.  The annual CPMS Family Fun Night is getting a fall reboot this year.  Stay tuned for more info regarding this teacher-led evening event, which will begin at 6:30pm

 

Outdoor School (6th Grade)    Sept 24- 28

Our sixth grade is lucky enough to have a fall Outdoor School date, meaning this experience will team-building and an adventure to remember.  More info (and paperwork) to come.  6th grade teams are assigned a specific camp.

Coffee & Tea with Dr. Anderson     Monday, October 1

NEW THIS YEAR!  Join Dr. Anderson for an informal gathering with other CPMS parents.  This is an excellent opportunity to have your questions answered and hear more about policy, strategy, and news at Cedar Park.  Morning session at 8:45am.  Evening session at 6pm.

Cedar Park 5K    Thursday, October 4

The PTC's only major fundraiser will take place on Thursday, 10/4 (NEW DATE!).  Volunteers will be needed to manage the chaos and ensure a successful event. Our goal is to make our full annual budget so we can sit back, relax, and watch our donations being spent for the rest of the school year.

Parent-Teacher Conferences     Wed, Oct 10 & Thurs, Oct 11

Our fall conferences are invite-only, meaning your child's teacher will contact you if they'd like to meet personally.  Conferences run from 5:30-8pm on 10/10 and 8:30am- 8pm on 10/11.  NO SCHOOL FRIDAY, 10/12.

Parent Teacher Club (PTC) Meeting     Monday, October 22

Our first PTC meeting of the year will feature Safety Resource Officer, Matt Cline, who will discuss online safety for kids and parents.  Starts at 7pm in the Cedar Park library.

Cedar Park Soccer Tournament & Latino Family Night    Thursday, Oct 25

The soccer excitement begins at 4pm.  Join our Latino community for a family-friendly event at CPMS, beginning at 7pm.

cedar park's day @ BSD clothes closet     WED, OCTOBER 31

Join other CPMS parents as we staff the Beaverton School District's Clothes Closet from 9:15-4:15pm.  Volunteers will sort donations as well as work the store. Look for shift sign-up soon.  More info regarding this valuable BSD program can be found here.

Coffee & Tea with Dr. Anderson     Tuesday, November 27

NEW THIS YEAR!  Don't miss out on Dr. Anderson's generous offer to sit down and chat about all things CPMS.  Have your questions answered!  Morning session at 8:45am.  Evening session at 6pm.

Additional dates will be added, including Volunteer Orientations and choir/band concerts.  Be on the look out for more info as the school year progresses.

Looking for the District's 2018-19 calendar?  FIND IT HERE.

New Family Reception THIS THURSDAY, 8/23

All new CPMS families are invited to a New Family Reception, this Thursday, 8/23, between 5-6:30pm. This informal, drop-in event is a perfect opportunity for incoming Cedar Park families to wander through the halls, find all their classrooms (and bathrooms!) and generally ease any new school jitters.   

A sweet treat will be provided, courtesy of the Cedar Park Parent Teacher Club (PTC). Don't miss this chance to better acquaint your child to Cedar Park before their first day of school.

CPMS First Lego League Info Meeting this Thursday, 8/23

Cedar Park's First Lego League will be holding a short newcomer informational meeting this Thursday, August 23rd at 6:30pm (directly after the New Family Reception) in the Media Center at Cedar Park Middle School. 

At this meeting you can learn what First Lego League is about including:

• potential teams
• meeting times/places
• team support
• cost
• time commitment
• duration of the season
• learning gains
• overall enjoyment of the program that the current team members can share.

Prior to the meeting, please consider volunteering, mentoring, or coaching part of a team, or if you know of anyone that is connected to the space industry that could be a contact for the research our students will be conducting, please email Christina Schulz (caschulz@gmail.com). 

These teams are run on parent volunteers and will not be possible without parent coaching.  Anyone who doesn’t mind working with middle school students can be an excellent FLL coach. The more support offered to our students, the better!

Get a feel for the Cedar Park Middle School Robotic Timberwolves by exploring their twitter feed,  More info regarding First Lego League can be found at http://www.firstlegoleague.org.

Thank you for showing interest in Cedar Park’s FLL Lego Robotic team, and we hope to see you this Thursday!

Advice from the Trenches: Veteran Parents Offer Insight

Let’s face it, folks.  Middle school can be scary and intimidating for parents and students alike.  As part of our community survey last spring, we asked CPMS parents to share any hard-earned knowledge. Here’s that sage advice from our veteran parents who have spent time in the tween trenches.  We can all learn a thing or two to up our game!

Supplies

• Buy the biggest binder you can with a zipper, no matter what the teachers tell you.

• Buy lots of tape-- your kids go through it fast.

• Remember that your kid has a PE shirt which may need periodic washing. Also, go bigger on the shirt size so it lasts three years. Put your name on it or you will never see it again.

• Don’t get the spirals with perforated pages that come out easily-- they all rip out with constant use.  And buy a few extra spirals at the beginning of the year. The kids have to replace them several times during the year and it’s nice to have some on hand at home.

Canvas/ParentVue

• Figure out ParentVUE and Canvas as soon as you can. Use it often!

• Set up a Parent Observer account on Canvas.  Even if you don’t check regularly, the system sends you a kind of weekly recap, which is a great conversation starter with your middle schooler about their assignments.

• Think about getting the ParentVue app.  Makes it easy to check things.

Communication with Staff

• Be in touch with teachers and your child’s counselor about concerns. Teachers like students to email them directly with questions too.

• Play an active role in your child's success by communicating with your child's teachers and counselor from the very beginning. Let them know what your child needs to be successful and how you will partner with them. Do not hesitate to be your child's advocate for fear of getting over-involved. You can always back off later.

• There are many different ways that teachers communicate - makes it difficult to know what’s going on from class to class. One teacher uses google classroom, another canvas, another remind. It takes awhile to figure out who does what!

• Look through your child’s spirals every now and then to find out what they’ve been up to.

• It's super important to proactively reach out to the teachers with questions, concerns and clarification. They have so much to juggle that some kids may not get the attention they need because they are just getting by--don't be afraid to ask for updates.

• Attend Back to School night!  Gives invaluable information!

Volunteering

• Volunteering is a great way to see what your kids are doing every day, meet teachers and school staff.

• Middle schoolers are incapable of being quiet or still for long. If you volunteer in the classroom, adjust your expectations.

• Middle school volunteering looks different than in an elementary school.  The volunteer opportunities are less frequent (especially in the classroom), so prepare to feel less connected to your child and the school.

• Do not listen to your child if they tell you not to get involved. Involvement is just different at the middle school level, but still critical for helping your child navigate their way through.

• Even if your child doesn’t want you at school, there are a lot of ways to volunteer that don’t directly involve them, which means you still get a feel for the school, but your child isn’t embarrassed.

• Don’t be afraid to reach out to a teacher and just volunteer your time, even if they haven’t sent anything out.  They might have something for you!

Parenting Tween/Teens

• Emotions run high during these years. Your job is to be the steady oak in the midst of that storm. Don't get sucked in to their drama, but do make sure you are a refuge for your child and that you have their back if they need support.

• Know your child and their strengths and weaknesses. Advocate for them. Encourage your child to strive to be a better, more compassionate person.

• Talk to your kids. Middle school is awkward for everyone and it is the time your kids need an adult in their life to help them navigate challenges at school, with friends, with changing hormones...find a few minutes a day and just talk to them.

• Your child should be prepared to be self reliant and organized.

• Do some reading on executive function in teens (just google it).  There is so much development happening in their little brains that it’s important to know what to reasonably expect from them.

• Do your best to let them be their own advocate with their teachers.  THEY should be emailing with questions about an assignment. THEY should talking to the teacher about a late paper.  Your student will probably hate that, but it’s important to set the example that they are in charge of their own learning and assignments. You can always step in later, but give them the chance first.

• Grades are secondary.  The most important thing to be teaching them right now are study skills and organization.

• Since IB grades are 1-8 and most are year long goals, don’t be surprised if scores are low at the beginning of the year. Twice a year, those numbers are converted to grades ie 6.5-8 = A, etc.

• While tempting, this is NOT the time to back away from our kids. Stay as informed as you can about their life and struggles.

Social

• Have your kid do after school activities with other Cedar Park kids - it's about the only way you'll meet other kids and their parents.  

• After school clubs start in October so keep a look out for the sign-ups!

• Get to know your kid's friends. Have them over to your home after school/weekends.

• Don’t worry about your child having to share a locker. They get to spend time getting to know their classmates before a choice is made for a locker-mate.

• If your child is placed in a team with few to no good friends from elementary school, he/she will be fine. My daughter has made a whole new set of friends this year on her team and still has all her good friends from elementary school.

Chromebooks

• Realize that the kids all have a google account through BSD, which means they can go to google hangouts whenever they want.  

• Be sure you are monitoring what they are doing on their chromebook at home because they probably have more access to things then you think.

• Per Dr. Anderson, PARENTS are in charge of the chromebook at home.  At school, teachers have a program that tells them if a child is on a site that is not a part of the curriculum.

Other

• Read the emails that are sent to you!! It has a lot of great info :)

• It's not scary. Staff are super supportive.

• Add as many neighbors as you can to your emergency pick up list.  When there’s snow closures, it’s nice to carpool with neighbors and not have to have the office call you to authorize.

• If your child is burning through their lunch account, maybe just check online to see what they’ve been purchasing.  It will probably shock (and horrify) you!

• The bus app is actually pretty helpful.

• Contact Transportation directly if you have bus-related issues.

Online Student Info Verification Opens Thursday, 8/9

BSD parents and guardians have the ability to verify their child(ren)'s enrollment information through the parent portal,  ParentVUE, beginning this Thursday, 8/9.

TO SAVE TIME AT WOLF DAY, it is easier to have this verification already completed prior to attending.  However, computer kiosks will be available at Wolf Day, 8/16, for parents needing to verify student information.

Feel free to watch a helpful video or view this flyer (English | Spanish) to help you through the process.

If you have not created your ParentVUE account yet:

Contact Cedar Park to obtain your activation key code. With your key code in hand, go to the ParentVUE login page, click I am a Parent, select Activate my Account and enter the requested information such as your email address.

If you do not have an email address, contact CPMS to manually create your User Name and Password.

 

After logging into ParentVUE:

Click on the Messages link to access your child's enrollment information. 

You will be presented with the Review/Submit page to verify your child's enrollment information. You can click through each of the sections (e.g. Family, Parent/Guardian, Emergency, and Students) to edit the information for each of your children. Click Review and edit data.

Once confirmed, click Submit to complete your child's enrollment information.

 

Questions?

Learn more about online verification HERE.

Follow How-To Steps HERE.