Jaguar Tales

Hello, Jaguar Family!

Last week was a great week, filled with many opportunities to connect with families. We were bummed that the first track meet of the year was cancelled, but in the end, we know it was the right move. The field conditions were poor and the weather was simply not going to cooperate. We're hoping our track teams get to show us their talents very soon!

Please remember that choice sheets are due for rising 7th and 8th graders this Friday (2/21). Take some time to review the information shared to make the best selections for next year. Please remember it's not a race, but you do have to get it in by Friday, Feb. 21. Also, please be sure about your selections, as only your first submission will be accepted.

Lastly, please remember that there is no school tomorrow. Both staff and students have the day off in observance of Presidents Day, so all campus and district offices will be closed. Enjoy the day! We look forward to classes resuming on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

Go Jags!

Larissa Ortiz

Cedar Valley Middle School Principal

Larissa_ortiz@roundrockisd.org

512-428-2307

Helpful Tip: Some editions of Jaguar Tales are longer than others. If you are viewing the newsletter in your email and it seems to randomly cut off, please click on the title of the newsletter (Jaguar Tales) in your email. Doing this will link you to the full newsletter on the Smore site. You can also click on "View entire message" at the bottom of the email. 🙂

Cedar Valley had 9 students compete on Saturday, Feb. 15. Four of them (Priscilla C., Jennifer Z., Atri J., Anton N.) competed in the "Team" round and placed 4th. They will be heading to the State competition in March!

Atri J. also placed 5th individually!

Way to go, Mathcounts Jags!

Cedar Valley's TAME and Girls in Engineering students represented our school at this weekend's TAME Regional Competition. Way to represent!

Our staff would like to extend a sincere thank you to the parents of the Chinese Community for including us in the Chinese New Year traditions. From the lunch provided on January 28 to the morning treats provided on Feb. 12, we are grateful to celebrate the traditions with our families.

The Cedar Valley PTA treated our staff to a Valentine's Day themed luncheon that featured a wide array of pastas, salad, and dessert. Everything was delicious and everyone felt loved and appreciated. Thank you to everyone who donated time and /or supplies! We loved it! 💕

We had many people step up to donate their time and/or supplies for the Valentine's Day Dance. Thank you to everyone who helped out in some way to make this event a success. The kids had a blast!

We received calls and emails this week regarding unsafe driving during the morning drop off time. Understandably, when the weather is bad (extreme cold or rainy), there are more car riders, which leads to more cars headed to campus. This leads to long lines. Unfortunately, for some, this led to unsafe maneuvers. As a community that prioritizes safety, we ask that everyone work together to practice patience and prioritize safety above all else.

Some reminders:

• Unsafe driving and traffic concerns can be reported to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office.
• We monitor the traffic lines on bad weather days and extend grace to students arriving after the tardy bell (when the lines are long). Please take your time and play it safe.

Thank you for doing your part to keep everyone in our community safe!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the parent meetings last Tuesday. Please see the parent information below if you were not able to attend.

Rising 7th Grade Parent Meeting Presentation

Rising 8th Grade Parent Meeting Presentation

Cedar Valley Middle School Counselor Website

Important Dates:

Feb. 14 - Choice Sheets incoming 7th/8th sent out through advisory

Feb. 21 - Choice Sheets due to school counselors - Online Only

Our students will be taking the state-mandated STAAR tests this Spring. We kindly ask that our families avoid scheduling appointments on the days when their students are testing. Also please note, campus visitors will be limited on these days.

April 10 - ELA STAAR - Grades 6, 7, and 8

April 15 - Science STAAR - Grade 8 only

April 17 - Social Studies STAAR -Grade 8 only

April 22 - Math STAAR - Grades 6, 7, and 8 (includes Algebra 1 EOC)

More information about the STAAR tests can be found here.

If you have campus-specific questions about the STAAR test, please contact the campus testing coordinator, Jennifer_Bingham@roundrockisd.org.

Cedar Valley will be hosting a dodgeball tournament Tuesday, February 25th from 3:45 to 5:45 to raise funds for the 8th grade field trip to Six Flags.

Teachers are organizing teams to play in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade brackets, with the 8th grade champions playing against a team of teachers.

Admission will be $5, and students may purchase a meal of two slices of pizza, chips, and a soda for an additional $5. Tickets and meal packages will be sold during lunches Thursday (2/20), Friday (2/21), and next Monday (2/24). Other concessions will be sold after the event.

*Tickets are limited - only 400 will be sold. Act fast!*

ALL ARE INVITED! Mrs. Fooshee is hosting an Education First trip for students and parents to Berlin, Prague, Krakow, Budapest, and Austria! Our Spring meeting will be at 6pm on Tuesday, Feb. 25! Please plan to attend to get more information! Click the link below to register for the meeting!

https://bit.ly/4jDJRx5

This trip is going to be an incredible opportunity for students AND parents to explore new cities, cultures, and languages TOGETHER and we can’t wait for everyone, especially our students, to discover more about themselves, gain leadership skills, and grow more confident in the process.

By attending the meeting there will be discounts and a raffle for more discounts on the trip! STUDENTS AND PARENTS are welcome to travel!!

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email me @ travelefwithjami@gmail.com

***THIS IS A Non-RRISD AND Non-Cedar Valley sponsored trip***

Camp Build will be held in Austin June 2-6. Students have hands-on projects such as creating lamps, stepping stones, and doghouses to be donated to the local community. They also learn about the Construction career field. DETAILS

March 10 - 14 - MHS Course Verification (HAC) / Course Change Deadline - March 14

March 24 - 28 - RRHS Course Verification (HAC) / Course Change Deadline - March 28

If you are interested in cheering in high school at MHS, please join Coach Mendez as well as the rest of the MHS Cheer team for practice from 4:40-6:40 pm in the MHS N wing Cheer Gym. The dates are listed under "Spring Semester" in the form below. The sessions are free of charge. Please click on the link for more information.

MHS Cheer Interest Form

For any questions about the cheer clinic, please contact MHS Head Cheer Coach:

Courtney Mendez, courtney_mendez@roundrockisd.org

As high school information is shared from the high schools it will be included here (ex: presentations). If you have specific questions about any of the programs or information shared, please reach out to the high school directly.

MHS IB Information

MHS Advanced Academics Parent Night

Save the Date for the 8th Grade End-of-Year Celebration!!

This year's formal dance will take place on Saturday, May 3rd, from 7-10 PM at Cedar Valley MS!

Admission is FREE, along with snacks, great music, and much more!

This is a PTA and 8th grade parent sponsored event, exclusive for 8th grade Cedar Valley MS students only. No outside guests or students from other grades will be allowed to attend. Parents can attend as volunteers only. Look for additional information on volunteering, donating, and reserving {free} tickets coming out soon.

Spiritwear is now available to purchase through our online store! You can place an order anytime and it will be delivered to your child's advisory class within a few days!

Check out our new shirt design for the 2023/2024 school year! The shirt was designed by an eighth grade art student at Cedar Valley! Help support our school and teachers by purchasing a shirt today!!!

One of the best ways to show your student that education is important to you, is by volunteering at their school. There are lots of different ways to contribute your time, support and resources.

Please fill out the Volunteer Interest Form below to help us match your interests with the school's needs (such as Staff Appreciation, Concessions, Fundraising or School Dances).

CeVMS Volunteer Interest Form

This does NOT commit you to anything other than possibly receiving emails when we need help in your areas of interest.

Beginning the 2024-25 school year, PTA Memberships will be completed and paid directly from the Texas PTA site.

For further Information, please visit Memberships.

All events at Cedar Valley can be found on the Cedar Valley Master Calendar.

Did you know that you can add the Cedar Valley Master Calendar to your calendar? Simply click on this link to access it and add it to your calendar!

Visit our Cedar Valley PTA Online Store to make donations and purchase your Cedar Valley merchandise at our one stop shop! Merchandise will be back online shortly.

To join PTA, click here. We're happy to have you on board!

Vision: Fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners

Website: https://cedarvalley.roundrockisd.org/
Location: 8139 Racine Trail, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-428-2300
Facebook: facebook.com/rrisd.cedarvalley
Twitter: @cevmsjags

Front Office Staff

Administrative Associate - Principal's Office: Ms. Cristol Alvarez, 512-428-2316

Administrative Assistant - Counseling Office: Ms. Marilyn Beal, 512-428-2348

Attendance: Ms. Dana Harrison, 512-428-2305

Receptionist: Ms. Allison Samuelson, 512-428-2301

Registrar: Ms. Vicky Escruceria, 512-428-2315

Counselors

6th Grade Counselor: Ms. Gabrielle Kerr

7th Grade Counselor: Ms. Heather Mills

8th Grade Counselor: Ms. Elizabeth Guidry

Administration

Principal: Ms. Larissa Ortiz

6th Grade Assistant Principal: Ms. Jennifer Bingham

7th Grade Assistant Principal: Mr. Marc Scott

8th Grade Assistant Principal: Mr. Andrew Carroll

Nurse Clinic

Campus Nurse: Nurse Mina Shimomura

Records Specialist: Ms. Kristie_Rocheleau