Cedar Reader

Greetings Cedar Park Families,

I hope this first official Cedar Reader for the 24/25 school year finds you excited and positive. All the BSD middle schools are navigating a lot of change this year, and it is change that will best support our students, our schools, our communities, and our overall needs.

1. We have a new bell schedule that allows our core teachers 88 minute class periods. This extended time allows them to add variety into instruction, develop depth in student engagement, and really get to know their students as learners.

2. We have WIN (What I Need) time built into the schedule that supports teachers to assess student needs and deliver focused, targeted supports for academic gaps, academic extensions, social-emotional work, and team building.

3. We have grade level teams! This is imperative to the middle school approach to developing students prepared for high school and beyond. We lost this valuable system several years ago, and are super-excited to have it back. In the next few weeks, students at each grade level will be voting on a name for their team that will last for several years. This team community will carry them through the end of middle school.

4. New teachers; new garden; new facility improvements. We are excited to welcome 4 new teachers to Cedar Park this year. Their vigor for education and fresh lens on classroom practice is a welcome addition. We have a new garden that will be supported by the Cedar Park Rachel Carson program throughout the year. Look for information regarding our dedication program. We have an outside facelift with new paint, and our PTC is working to get our outdoor dining area covered so students can enjoy it year-round. This funding is only possible through our annual PTC sponsored 5K fundraiser (this year it is October 1st).

Our staff is committed to create a safe, nurturing, and enriching environment for our students. We are focused on making sure every student at CPMS feels belonging, they believe in their potential, and they achieve their goals. As a staff, we are focusing on implementing best practices in every lesson and classroom: AVID strategies, routines, consistency across grade levels, the school, and social/emotional health.

Additionally, I want to thank our support staff: cafeteria team, the office team, the maintenance/custodial crew, have worked all summer to make sure our building is beautiful, organized, and ready to operate to support student success.

I would also like to acknowledge the incredible support we have received from parents and guardians. Your active involvement in your child's education is invaluable, and it truly makes a difference. Your commitment to their learning journey is deeply appreciated.

As we move forward in this school year, I want to encourage you to BE at school: volunteer, go on field trips, attend evening events, have a voice in PTC meetings and decisions, attend Principal Chats and ask questions. We want our students to feel like they belong, but we also want their families to feel belonging.

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to connect with us.

Thank you.

Dr. Shannon Anderson, Principal

Sept 10 - PTC meeting @ 6:30 PM (school library)

Sept 25 - Family Fun Night @ 6:00 PM

Sept 25 - Oct 1 - Spirit Week

October 1 - CPMS Annual 5K Fundraiser!

Funds provided in September:

$200 per classroom

New recess equipment

School supplies for students in need

Breakfast for 1st day teacher return

Introduction:

Hello Cedar Park Community! My name is Amelia Carnahan, and I am your School Nurse. I am excited to have the honor of serving your families during the 24-25 school year!

What is a School Nurse?

A school nurse serves as a medical bridge between school personnel, families, health care providers, and the community. My job is to advocate for student health and a healthy school environment. My goal is to advance the health, safety, and academic success of our students.

When to reach out to your School Nurse?

Please inform your School Nurse of any severe allergies, surgeries, accidents, or new health problems that occurred during the summer months or that may occur during the school year.

Important information for families:

Illness-

Please remember to keep your child home when ill. Please be familiar with our “Too sick for school” guidelines found here.

If your child is sick with a diagnosed communicable disease, please notify the school as soon as possible. This notification will greatly assist others, who, due to medical reasons and/or treatments, have weakened immune systems and may require immediate and specialized care.

Medications-

Medication may be administered to students who require it during the school day. Parents must transport medication to school in the original container and complete a Medication Authorization Form. Please provide emergency medication if prescribed for your student.

Students may be allowed to carry and self-administer some medications IF permission is obtained, and the Self-Administration Medication Authorization form is completed and on file in the school office.

More comprehensive information regarding medications at school found here.

Immunizations-

Please review your student’s immunization record with your healthcare provider and provide any needed documentation. More information about required immunizations can be found on the Beaverton School District website.

Please feel free to contact me regarding any health-related question or concern. You can reach me by email at: amelia_carnahan@beaverton.k12.or.us

Amelia Carnahan, BSN, RN

District Nurse

Serving Bonny Slope Elementary School and Cedar Park Middle School

What is the best way to preserve your school memories? Buy a yearbook!

It's that time again to buy your student's yearbook, questions ➡️ joely_yaptangco@beaverton.k12.or.us

The book last year was beautiful, and we are positive that we'll be able to put together an even better book this year!

We are excited to have this year's yearbook be created and designed by our awesome students who are prepared to donate their own time and work hard in order to capture their peers' memories and special moments! Yearbook Club will meet after school; applications are available on Canvas.

Yearbook prices will increase throughout the year, so reserve yours today!

Semester 1 $25

Semester 2 $35

Last 2 weeks of school $40

Parents and chaperones who volunteer for school activities are welcome and encouraged to share their pictures throughout the year!

We still have school supply kits, t-shirts, and yearbooks for sale. Click on the link below to order. Have your student bring the receipt to the front office and we will get them all set up!

BSD InTouch Online Payment System

*Don't forget to pay your technology insurance ($20) or request a waiver. We had some students incur over $400 in repair fees last year.*

Importance of Attendance: Attendance is an essential component to a student’s academic success. At Cedar Park Middle School, we are committed to student achievement. We are concerned when a student misses school for any reason. We teach our students that good attendance is of utmost importance to their success in learning. We hope you will help us in stressing the importance of education and school attendance to your child.

**New tardy code this year: Students who are more than 10 minutes late to class (without a pass) will be marked LAT (Late After Tardy). Middle schools have requested this addition to track data on students who wander the halls or hide out in bathrooms to avoid going to class.

Reporting All Day Absences:

Here are two ways to report an all day absences:

1. Call Attendance at 503-356-2560

2. You can excuse ALL DAY ABSENCES via ParentVue

• Please note that when using ParentVue, it is for ALL DAY ABSENCES ONLY. You may not use ParentVue for tardies or early release, or for excusing past absences. See below for more instructions

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

• Student’s full name
  

• Student’s six-digit ID number

• Your name and relationship to the student (parent, guardian, etc)

• Reason for the absence
  

• Personal/Family Illness

• Medical/ Dental appointment

• Family emergency

• Death in the family

• Religious observance

Parents/Guardians need to excuse an absence within 48 hours of absence, otherwise, the absence will remain an Unexcused absence for the year.

If your student has been marked absent in a class by mistake, they should contact their teacher and have the teacher email the attendance secretary.

Arriving Late to School:

If students are late to school, they must sign in with the Attendance Secretary and provide a note or a parent phone call to excuse the tardy. They will be given a Late Pass that allows them to go to class excused from tardiness. If a student arrives without a note or phone call, the tardy or absence is marked unexcused. The school’s auto-dialer will alert parents to the absence. Once a note or phone call from the parent is received by the front office, the tardy or absence is excused.