Jaguar Tales

Hello, Jaguar Family!

As we look ahead to next week, we are looking forward to honoring our veterans on Nov. 11. The talented members of our fine arts department have collaborated to create a meaningful assembly. As mentioned in the information below, families are welcome to attend. There will be three assembly times for each grade grade level. Thank you to all veterans near and far for your service!

Please also don't miss the opportunity to snag one of the newest Cedar Valley hoodies. It can only be purchased through the pre-order process and the deadline has been extended till Sunday night. Act fast! More information can be found below.

Have a great weekend! Go Jags!

Larissa Ortiz

Cedar Valley Middle School Principal

Larissa_ortiz@roundrockisd.org

512-428-2307

On Friday, members of the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees visited our campus to see the great things our students and staff are doing. Their visit focused on CTE (Career and Technical Education), Advanced Science, and Advanced Math. They visited three classrooms: Mrs. Taylor's Gateway class, Mrs. Saltzgiver's Geometry class, and Mr. Baeza's Tech Apps II class. Our guests were impressed with our students!

8th grade A team won their basketball game vs Chisholm Trail by a score of 68 to 22. Players of the game were Liam H. with 19 points, Tallen L. with 13 points and Luke M. with 13 points

8th grade B team won their game vs Chisholm Trail with a score of 56-27. Player of the game was Avishman K.

7th grade A team lost their game to Chisholm Trail with a score of 29-51. Players of the game were Vivan A. and Isaiah O.

7th grade B team lost their game to Chisholm Trail with a score of 37-48. Players of the game were Wyatt G., Jesus M., and Ishain G.

On Wednesday evening, the Lady Jaguars took on the Chisholm Cougars. All four teams won, kicking off a great start to the season:

The 7th grade B Team won with a score of 30-1.

Top scorers for the game:

Sofia G. with 8 points.

Emma J. with 6 points.

Hadley H. with 4 points.

The 7th grade A Team won with a score of 31-24.

Top scorers for the game:

Bradley D. with 8 points

Joelle Y. with 6 points.

The 8th grade B Team won with a score of 40-9.

Top scorers for the game:

Mia P.L. with 8 points.

Samma W. with 6 points.

Brooklyn G. with 6 points.

The 8th grade A Team won with a score of 51-6.

Aly H. with 13 points.

Mackenzie H. with 10 points.

Jaishree L. with 9 points.

Way to go Lady Jags!!!

Two weekends ago, members of the boys and girls JV and Varsity Choirs auditioned for a spot in the Region Choir. The competition was fierce and we are beyond proud of everyone who auditioned.

Congratulations to the following students who earned a spot in the region choir and participated in the clinic and concert last weekend!

8th Grade Treble Choir: Aashi G. (first chair), Harine J., Laynie H., Rylee M., Madeline S., Makenzy H., Savannah J., Sofia L., Sophia M., Violet R., Alexis P., Sruthi V., Prajna H., Anika B., Rithika D., Scarlett Q., Isabelle B., Dhanya K., and Madison S.

7th Grade Treble Choir: Sahana K, Nila M, Rylen T, Emma S, Sarah P, Rebecca D., Adrienne K., Aditi N. (first chair), Izzy P, Isaura V., and Julianna L.

7th/8th Tenor Bass Region Choir: Atharv S., Peyton B., Srikar P., Vincent S., Daniel D., Lewellyn A., and Vihaan I.

Last Saturday Cedar valley had 37 students audition for placement in the All-Region Band. 330 of the top students from all over our region were competing for only 220 spots.

Cedar Valley had 26 members of our Jaguar Band place high enough to earn a spot in the All-Region Band! Additionally, 3 students placed high enough to gain an invite to the All-Region Orchestra Concert & Clinic, meaning they were in the top 8% of all those auditioning. 4 of our musicians placed 1st chair overall in their section!

Please congratulate these students! Their names are listed below:

(Bold indicates All-Region Orchestra)

Flute-

Ada Y.

Jenny H.

Jaslin C.

Oboe-

Jennifer Z. - 1st chair overall

Clarinet-

Joe A.

Maybelle Y.

Katie J.

Aryan S.

Alto Sax-

Thomas H.

Tenor Sax-

Isaiah O. - 1st Chair Overall

Sean J.

Bari Sax-

Manu G.

Trumpet-

Satvik K.

Rishi K.

Advait S.

Horn-

Luke P. - 1st Chair Overall

Eddie R.

Holly S.

Trombone-

Ashutosh D.

Arjun S.

Marshall P.

Brooks F.

Brody H.

Euphonium-

Anna K.

Percussion-

Jeffrey L. - 1st Chair Overall

Joy L.

Our band students work under the direction of Mr. Pete Alvarado and Mr. Jeff Owen.

On Monday, November 11th, Cedar Valley will hold its annual Veterans' Day assembly.

Bella Voce, Honors Band, Intermediate and Advanced Orchestras, Varsity Theatre, 6th Grade Art students, McNeil High School ROTC, and guest speaker Joshua Wilson of McNeil High School AFJROTC will all be part of this event.

An assembly will be held for each grade level.

• 8:15am - Veterans from our neighbors at Brookdale Assisted Living will be in attendance at the 6th grade assembly during 1st period.
• 9:10am - 7th grade will attend during 2nd period.
• 10:07am - 8th grade will attend during 3rd period.

A reception will also be held in the Library from 9:00-11:00 am for Veterans from our Cedar Valley Family as well as Veterans from Brookdale. All adults attending the day's events on campus please check in at the front office.

Brown Santa donations: Monday, November 4th - Friday, December 6th

Starting November 4th, Cedar Valley will be hosting donation buckets for Brown Santa, a non-profit organization founded by the Travis County Sheriff's Office that brings holiday cheer to families in need. Every year, Brown Santa collects donations of toys and other essentials and distributes them to children and families who may not have the means to celebrate Christmas.

This season, let’s come together as a school community to make a difference! Here’s how you can help:

What to Donate: New children’s toys, stuffed animals, blankets, craft supplies, clothing, and other holiday essentials.
Where to Donate: Find the Brown Santa donation buckets placed in Jag Lobby
Other Ways to Help: Scan the QR code on the donation buckets to make a direct donation or browse Brown Santa's Amazon storefront to purchase items they need.

By giving a little, we can bring joy to families and make someone’s Christmas truly special. Let’s make this holiday season a brighter one for everyone—one donation at a time!

This toy drive project is a partnership between McNeil High School DECA and Travis County Sheriff's Office.

The referral window for students to be considered for gifted services is from November 11, 2024 through December 13, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. You will find the registration link on the Round Rock ISD TAG website. On the morning of November 11th at 8:00 a.m. the links will be live and you can submit registration requests. After completing the online form, you will receive email confirmation of your referral for gifted services. Please keep a copy of the confirmation email for your records.

TAG Referral Information:
TAG Referral Information – English
TAG Referral Information – Spanish

Please feel free to reach out to our TAG Counselor, Heather_Mills@roundrockisd.org if additional assistance is needed.

The CeVMS Cheerleaders are hosting a cheer clinic on Friday, December 6th from 4-6pm in the big gym. Cost is $20 and there will be a showoff performance at 5:45pm for family and friends to come see what students learned.

Signup is through the school store and a letter will be delivered to your student with more details after signup.

We can't wait to meet you and please reach out with any questions.

Attention: 8th Grade Students and Parents

Each year, Early College High School visits each middle school three to four times

· During the school day to recruit with our Student Ambassadors

· In the evening to present for parents

· For Admission Day

· For Degree Plan Review (choice sheets)

ECHS Ambassadors will be at Cedar Valley November 13 to present to 8th grade students.

Early College HS recruitment process:

· Each year the ECHS Counselors and Student Ambassadors visit all 11 middle schools to recruit prospective 8th graders.

· Our recruitment season is October-January.

· Application opens in November.

· Our deadline is January 31. The application requires recommendations from a teacher, a counselor, and an administrator or community member.

· Requirements for admission to ECHS include 1. Be a resident of RRISD 2. Complete 8th grade.

· Students are chosen through a lottery in February. All students with completed declarations are included in the lottery.

· Counselors and/or administrators return to each campus in March to announce who has been admitted.

· Counselors return to each middle school in April to complete Degree Plans Reviews.

(Includes Associate of Arts & Associate of Science)

Recruitment Literature available:

Seniors 2020 Retrospective Video

Information Brochure: Spanish and English

Podcast Episode

Webinar

ECHS Website

ECHS Counseling Website

The IB Diploma Programme model (figure below) shows all of the components of the IB Diploma. Completing the IB pathway at McNeil HS will help students develop skills that will differentiate them from non-IB students in college admissions. Colleges recognize these skills as integral to college success.

What do colleges say about IB?

“As an IB parent and the Assistant Dean of Admission at Stanford University, Debra Von Bargen has firsthand experience working with many IB graduates. As her son began the IB Diploma Programme, she saw him do things he never thought he could do. In her role as the Assistant Dean of Admissions, she is excited to see how a student has taken on the IB and knows that IB students show very high success rates during their first year of university.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS4BUi3Exog

What are the benefits to an IB Education?

• By Texas law, IB Diploma recipients earn min of 24 college credits toward public colleges.

• “One thing is for sure; by taking the IB Diploma, you automatically rise to the top of the admissions pool.”

• “US colleges love good grades, but what they love even more is to see that you’ve pushed yourself to get them.”

• “Universities appreciate the IB’s rigour and they know it takes hard work and dedication to perform well, particularly in Higher Level (HL) subjects.”

Source - Crimson. IB Student Acceptance Rates At The Top 25 Us Universities. 2018

How does IB compare with the other Advanced Academic options in RRISD? Check out this chart that compares AP, IB, Dual Credit (ACC), and On Ramps UT).

Attention McNeil Feeder Campuses - Students and Parents/Guardians

RRISD Freshmen Program of Choice Info Night

Especially for eighth-grade students and their families - learn how your rising ninth-grader can gain an associate degree, college credit, and career certifications while earning their high school diploma at little or no cost.

> Add Nov. 7. Freshmen Program of Choice Family Info Night at Deerpark Middle School to your calendar

>Add Nov. 12 Freshman Program of Choice Family Info Night at C.D. Fulkes Middle School to your calendar
>Join Nov. 14 Freshman Program of Choice Virtual Lunch & Learn

If your student would like to start on the IB prep. pathway, please fill out this form with some basic information for the IB Diploma Programme Coordinator. NOTE - filling out this form does not mean that your student will be automatically placed in the IB Diploma Programme at McNeil. It merely indicates that you are interested in the IB pathway for your student.

Dr. Baker (Lead Counselor at McNeil) and Mrs. H (IB Diploma Programme Coordinator) will be visiting all McNeil feeder middle school campuses starting in January.

Reach out with any questions:

IB Diploma Programme Coordinator - Emilee Hinegardner - emilee_hinegardner@roundrockisd.org

McNeil High School Lead Counselor - Dr. Sonia Baker - sonia_baker@roundrockisd.org

We look forward to having a crowd to cheer on our sports teams this year!

Boys Basketball Schedule

Girls Basketball Schedule

The CeVMS 2024 - 2025 hoodies are available for pre-orders ONLY through this Sunday 11/10/2024 at on the CeVMS PTA Store website.

Hoodies will be offered in 4 colors this year. The colors are white, gray, black and heathered purple. The design is slightly different from the white T-shirt and they are the soft fleece material. Hoodies are $30 each, are available in adult sizes XS - 3XL, and can only be purchased via pre-order.

A discounted bundle is available if purchasing this year's white T-shirt with a hoodie. Delivery is estimated for 11/22/2024 and will be distributed to your student via their advisory teacher.

Questions can be directed to membership@cevmspta.org. If you have not already joined the PTA, be sure to add a parent and/or student membership during check out. Every membership counts. GO JAGS!

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