Sunday, December 25, 2011

Robotics club wins $1000.00 grant

     Congratulations to Mrs. Persad and the robotics club for being awarded a $1000.00 grant by Partners in Education (P.I.E.). The robotics club also recently competed in their first robotics competition, where over 40 teams competed. They respresented CeVMS well by bringing home the first place hardware. Congratulations Robotics club members. Keep up the great work and keep having fun while you do it. Picture: Mrs. Persad with the first place plaque.

Parent resources

In an attempt to provide parents with multiple resources meant to assist you with a pre-teen/teenage student both in an out of the classroom, we have established three locations for your use. The first place established to provide you valuable resources is our Parent Resource Room. In this room (located next to the Principals office), you have access to a computer with internet connection, paper, pencil/pen, and a desk to conduct research in a quiet environment. This room can be used by parent’s everyday from 7:30 to 5:00.


The picture below displays our parent library with relevant books and articles that are free for anyone to checkout.  There are several well written books that are excellent resources for a family with a growing teenager. These books and articles can be of assistance with issues seen in both the classroom and at home. You can find various ideas and suggestions to assist your student both academically and behaviorally. If you are interested in taking a book are articles home please check with Mrs. Guillory and she can assist you.  More books and articles are located in the library. 


Located (on the wall) outside the counselors office are several pamphlets’ that can be of assistance for various issues that parents and families are faced with on a daily basis.  Some of the flyers provide information about:  College preparation, foster care, various counseling services, nutrition, family care, teenage issues, and various other topics.  If you believe these flyers can be of any assistance to you and your family please check with the counselors (Mrs. Eickbusch or Mrs. Roberston) and they will get you the correct information.

 

Construction Update

Everything is going well with the construction of our new weightroom, restrooms, and gym.  They are scheduled to be complete this summer.  James Myers our on-site construction manager is doing a wonderful job communicating and teaming up with CeVMS.  As we left for the holidays, they were placing the crossbeams and in the gym and had just finished placing the roof on the weightroom.  Exterior brick will be the next thing they complete.  Below are some pictures of the most recent construction footage.

Weightroom to the right and gym in the background

This will be the new hallway leading outside.  Gym door on the right side of the picture.

4 year High School plans

     Mrs. Roberston and Mrs. Eickbusch visit classrooms in order to teach students about 4 year high school plans. The students learned what a credit is, what types of electives were offered and how they are tied to academies, how to get college credit, dual credit, advanced measures, the different graduation plans, and how to earn high school credit in middle school. Mrs. Robertson (428-2312) and Eickbusch (428-2314) did an excellent job laying a foundation. I encourage parents to call either one of these ladies or myself (428-2307) if you have questions about RRISD graduation plans and or academies. Below are pictures of Mrs. Eickbusch speaking with a 6th grade class about high school plans.  The link will take you to RRISD's course catalogue where most questions about graduation requirements can be answered. 

https://www.roundrockisd.org/modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=30914



Albert Ramon (KVUE meteorologist) visits CeVMS

     Mrs. Lyons an eighth grade science teacher and our horizontal leader (curriculum leader for the eighth grade science team), invited Albert Ramon to be a guest speaker. Mr. Ramon shared his expertise, video, and pictures of meteorology with all the eighth grade students. Mr. Ramon did a wonderful job teaching and enriching CeVMS students about the power and au of weather. Thank you to both Mr. Ramon and Mrs. Lyon's for this experience and for differentiating the subject of meteorology for the students of CeVMS.


Read Mr. Ramon's biography by clicking on the link below: 

http://www.kvue.com/on-tv/bios/78339172.html

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Veterans Day Assembly - Pictures


Veterans standing for the pledge of allegiance.


Navy Veterans standing as the CeVMS band plays the navy song.  Veterans from other military branches sit in the honorary front row section.  We had approximately 30 veterans attend our assemblies.  Several veterans from Horizon Bay (Assisted living community) were also able to attend our assemblies.


A few of our theatre art students preforming a skit at the assembly.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Reaching for the STAARs

     As you may already know, the state of Texas has changed the name of our annual assessment tool from TAKS to STAAR.  STAAR stands for the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness.  This new assessment will bring about a few changes.  I have attached a pdf file from the Texas Edcuation Agency (TEA) to help explain the new testing requirments/changes.  I also included a couple of links as additional resources (TEA and Lead4ward).  Lead4ward is a company that provides services to school districts (in this case STAAR implementation).  Feel free to call me at 428-2307 if you have any questions. 
STAAR presentation:  http://209.184.141.5/cedarvalley/pdf/OVERVIEW%20OF%20STAAR.pdf

Texas Education Agency:  http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/

Lead4ward:  http://lead4ward.com/

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Our first Pep Rally of the year. What fun.

     Our first Pep Rally of the year was an extremely fun time for all students and staff.   Several students were able to showcase their talents as the audience was able to see performances from the band, dance team, school mascot, and cheerleaders. Some teachers and student spectators got into the action as we hosted our usual spirit stick competition. It was a special time for all. The cross-country, volleyball, and football teams each has representatives speak about their respective seasons. I have walked the halls at several campuses over the past 15 years and it makes me wonder how many talented young people I have passed by without being privy to their talents.  I would like to send a special thank you to all the parents and teachers behind the development of those skills and talents. I am proud of each one of our students for the personal bravery they exhibited by performing in front of a large crowd, their sense of togetherness, and the spirit they displayed at our first Pep Rally of the school year. I look forward to seeing everyone at out next Pep Rally. 
Thank you to Mrs. Fowler and Mrs. Moore for all the hard work that you put into organizing the Pep Rally.

Jaggie (our school Mascot)

The Band

Cheerleaders

The Dance Team

Mr. Kind (Winnner of Mr. School Spirit)

Mrs. Cook (Winner of Mrs. School Spirit)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Cyberbullying during lunch

     Mrs. Eickbusch (one of Cedar Valley's awesome counselors) and Officer Colburn (our school resource officer) gave a presentation today during all the lunches about cyberbullying. They did a great job providing examples and better ways to communicate with peers. I was proud of how our students appropriately reacted to the mean girls video (produced by ABC) that they watched during the presentation. I have attached the video if you would like to watch it.   Thank you Danny and Celia for taking the time to discuss and educate our students today about the growing issue of cyberbullying.  Keep up the great work.  Below is a picture of Mr. Colburn talking with the students at lunch today about cyberbullying. 

http://abcnews.go.com/WhatWouldYouDo/girls-bully-teen-facebook/story?id=13094996


Construction Update

     The construction workers have closed in our old outside vent with new cinder block, moved one of our old exterior doors so that it is now a door going from the old gym into the new gym.  They have also begun constructing the walls to both the new gym and the weight room. I attached pictures below which show the progress over the past month.



Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Veterans Day Assembly and Breakfast with the Principal

     Cedar Valley is hosting a Veterans Day Assembly on November 11. As much as we would like to have our program kick off at 11 am in honor of the 11th hour, we must have 3 assemblies (one per grade level), due to the size of our gym and the number of people who attend this event. All veterans and their families are welcome to attend one or more of the assemblies. A special area has been reserved for all current and past members of the military.  Mrs. Baker and our Fine Art department have organized a tremendous program to honor both our veterans and current members of the military. Please join us at 8:30, 9:30, and/or 10:30 a.m. and watch the talents and skills of our band, choir, orchestra, theatre arts, and dance students as they perform during this time of remembrance.

     Veterans you are invited to have breakfast (donuts and coffee) with Mr. Groff from 7:45 to 8:15 in the library. My dad was in the military for 22 plus years and I would love to exchange stories with you on your special day.  I look forward to visiting with you and creating new memories.
   

Monday, October 10, 2011

Sidewalk Chalk

Ten students from the Art Club at CeVMS participated in an art event this past weekend.  Mrs. O'leary and the students worked together to develop the masterpiece you see below.  Good teamwork and vision guys.  I wish I was that talented.  Story has it they finished the piece just minutes before the rain on Saturday.  I am proud of your work and thank you for representing CeVMS in such a positive and productive way. 

Saturday, October 8, 2011

The front entrance has a new coat of paint.

If you were able to visit us on Thursday or Friday then you may have seen the "face lift" to the main entrance.  The painting is being done by Mrs. Watson.  Students and parents, we hope that you find the front entrance more inviting and filled with school spirit.  Mrs. Watson plans on being finished with all the painting on Monday October 10.  I attached a picture just in case you were unable to see the updates this past week.  Have a great weekend. 

Are you having a hard time helping your son/daughter with math or science homework?

When your son or daugther comes home from school and tells you they are struggling in math and you struggle with it yourself, what do you do?  Ask your neighbor, hire a tutor, call the counselor?  Well, Khan Academy is a non-profit, on-line resource, backed by Bill Gates and Google, that provides students, parents, and everyone else a way to easily navigate through several types of math and science curriculum.  It has over 2,600 video tutorials to assist you and your son/daughter with things like solving for x, slope intercept, adding and subtracting integers, and many other mathematical problems.  Try it as a resource to help you help your student.  Learning is fun and it is more fun learning with your son/daughter.  Visit khanacademy.org today.  Good luck.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

First dance and Volleyball update

     It has been 3 years since my last 6th grade dance. I must say it has not changed much. A ton of smiles, LOUD music, food, candy, and energy. They never seem to run out of energy. I am sure the students could run, play, and dance all night if it lasted that long. Well, the first dance is over and I want to thank all the parents who gave up what could have been a quiet night at home to join us for a few hours of fun. Thank you to Mrs. Embry for organizing such a successful dance. The 7th and 8th grade dance will be held on October 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets will be sold in the cafeteria (the week of the dance) for five dollars or six dollars at the door. Mrs. Macharia will organize this dance. If you would like to help please e-mail her or call 428-2300.
      The 7th grade volleyball B team played in their first tournament this weekend at Ridgeview middle school and came home with a 3rd place trophy. They went 5 and 1 in pool play beating Hopewell, Chisholm, and splitting games with Grisham. Only 4 teams qualified for the tournament. In our first round match up against Walsh we fell short but came back strong against Chisholm to win the third place trophy. The 8th grader B team also played in a tournament this weekend. They went undefeated beating Grisham, Deerpark, Chisholm, Hopewell, Ridgeview, and Canyon Vista to win the Championship. Great job Ladies. Way to bring home some hardware. Be sure to tell Coach Philen, Petty, and Cook thanks for all they do.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Opportunities to serve and join in.

What a busy week it was last week. I found myself wanting to blog but never found the time. If you have not signed up for E-news please make sure you visit RRISD's website and sign up. I want to share with you ways you can serve our school and community as well as provide you with some information about good organizations you can join.

Ways to serve:
1. Special Olympics has a need for volunteers for upcoming events.  Contact Katie Bivens at 428-7632 if you are interested in helping. These events are well organized and wonderful to be a part of. 

2. I know it is not cold yet but I did enjoy those few days last week when it was 57 degrees in the morning. What a great reminder they were that winter is on the way.  Coats for Kids is having a coat distribution at the Dell Diamond on November 5, from 8 to 1. You need to preregister if you plan on helping with this event. Pre-registration is between October 20 and November 4 at the serving center (1099 East Main Street – 10 to 4 M-F and 9-12 Sat). Call Cynthia Flores at 244-2431 for more information.

3. The PTA at CeVMS is having a BACKPACK and BINDER drive for the victims of the Bastrop fires. Please bring any and all backpacks and or binders to the office at CeVMS between today and Friday September 16. If you have questions you can call the front office at 428-2302.

Join in:

1. The Girl Scouts are looking for young ladies interested in growing and working together as a team to serve the community. If you would like to join you can call Mrs. Stewart at 490-2346.

2. CeVMS is having a professional development day on Oct. 10. We are going to have several breakout sessions covering various topics such as school safety, quality of instruction, STAAR testing, and several others topics.  Please come join us and attend one or more of the breakout sessions.  If you would like to attend please call Mrs. Guillory at 428-2302 and she can answer any questions you have and share the schedule with you.  I look forward to seeing you.

3.  Join the PTA.  They do a lot of spectacular things for our school and the community.  Call Carolyn Lawrence at 245-8556 if you would like to become a member. 

Upcoming Events:

Football vs. Canyon Vista September 13

Living History – Theater Arts 6:30 in the cafeteria

Early Release – September 14 - Please remind students not to visit the elementary schools

Volleyball vs. Deerpark – September 15

School Pictures – September 15

6th grade dance - Friday September 16 (Constitution Day)

Volleyball tournament – Saturday September 17 at Ridgeview and Hopewell

7/8 grade dance – Friday October 7

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Open House

    
What a fantastic night!  I had a wonderful time meeting and greeting everyone.  I wish we had more time to visit with each of you.  If you were unable to make it tonight and you have questions, please remember that my door is always open so feel free to stop by. 
     When I was hired to be the Principal of Cedar Valley MS I knew I was going to work at a special place.  Well tonight it went beyond knowing it, I saw it and felt it.  Thank you to all the parents for supporting your children by taking time to meet their teachers.  It is evident by the turn out tonight, that you value their education.  Please know that the teachers and the staff here at CeVMS have the same goals you do.  Thank you for sharing your time with us tonight.
     A common question that I heard tonight:  When will Home Access Center (HAC) be ready?  We are looking into that as a district and will hopefully have an answer for you soon.  As soon as it is up and running, I will send out an e-news.  If you have any questions about grades, please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Letter to Parents

Dear Parents and Friends,
What an awesome first week of school.   That sounds a little bizarre since we are starting our third week of school, but this past week was my first official week at Cedar Valley Middle School.  Let me start by saying, I am so blessed to be here at CeVMS.  I cannot think of another community I would rather work with and for.  I would like to officially thank everyone who has supported me over the years and here recently.  Thank you to everyone who has stopped in to congratulate me and wish me their best.  I appreciate all the kind words.  If it was not for you I would not be here today.  It is nice to be back among so many familiar faces.  I am looking forward to reestablishing relationships with those of whom I already know and beginning lasting relationships with those of you who I will soon meet.

I want everyone to know that I have an open door policy.  Please feel free to come discuss anything and everything with me at anytime.  I believe in quality instruction, relationships, positive attitudes, and interdependency.  Thomas Guskey an educational leader talks about the importance of starting school off right.  In the attached article by Guskey he emphasizes the importance of celebrating success during the first two weeks.  I want to take the time to reflect on some of Cedar Valley’s successes this past year.  Cedar Valley is a TEA rated “Exemplary” school.  We are currently ranked the 40th best middle school in Texas (out of 1889 schools) by School Digger. You can find their results on the following website: http://www.schooldigger.com.  We earned 5 TEA Gold Star performances: 


1.  Commended performance in Reading/English Language Arts  
2.  Commended in Mathematics  
3.  Commended in Social Studies  
4.  Commended in Science 
5.  Attendance Rate. 


              Greatschools.org awarded us a rating of 10 out of 10 and they take into account several academic and facility factors.  I know there are other successes worth mentioning and I look forward to hearing about them in the days and weeks to come.  One last thing you should celebrate is how well each of the staff and community members stepped up and got the job done during the transition without a school Principal.  I am proud to be a member of such a wonderful community, team, and family.


I am excited about continuing that level of success here at Cedar Valley and look forward to working with each of you to make our school a model for others to emulate.  My initiatives this year are to be the type of leader that will strive to meet the needs of every student, to insure that our teachers are providing the best tier 1 instruction, to encourage our students to be active lifelong learners, and to not only be visible but be a part of community. 
To reach these goals I intend to provide the leadership that will facilitate a school environment that focuses on meeting the needs of every student.  The educational program must be academically challenging, engage every student by linking the curriculum to prior knowledge and experiences, and also be stimulating enough to promote further exploration. I am confident that if we strive to build forward (continuously improve) and move in the same direction we can make Cedar Valley an even better learning environment than it already is.  
Article by Thomas Guskey on Celebrating Success early.
  https://kyp20nxgla.wikispaces.com/file/view/School+Admnistrator+Article+Guskey+SA+11+Starting+Year.pdf


Matthew Groff                                                                                                                                                                 Principal of Cedar Valley MS
An Exemplary School                                                                                                                                                              512-428-2307

Friday, September 2, 2011

Have you ever walked on walls?

Well, I went wall walking today at Cedar Valley.  If you have ever done this before then you know what I am talking about.  Basically when you visit a classroom and you look to see what the teachers and or students have posted on the walls, you are "Wall walking".  I am enjoying every minute of my new job and when I went into the classrooms today to see what kind of instruction was going on, I was reminded of why I love it here.  The teachers of Cedar Valley MS are doing a wonderful job educating the students.  Today I want to share with you some "Wall Walking" pictures.  I hope you enjoy and have a wonderful 3 day weekend.
Mr. Dehlar - Student work - Right Triangle exercise 




Word Wall in Mrs. Winn's room


Essential Questions


Learning Goal and a challenge question


Organizer for World Geography


KWL activity


Word Wall in Mrs. Johnson's room

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Have you seen our new lobby area?

Hello,

     If you have had a chance to walk through the front doors of Cedar Valley this year, then you have seen one of our recent upgrades.  The new lobby and receptionist area is designed to help keep the students of Cedar Valley safe.  When you walk into the building on the west side (the side facing Horizon Bay) you will enter into what we are calling our lobby.  Once you are in the lobby you will need to sign (to your left) in using the security system (remember to bring your drivers license - first time users).  After signing in and checking with the receptionist, you may enter the building.  Mrs. Beal will buzz you in.  The door on the far side (furthest to the right) will unlock.  As soon as you walk into the building our new attendance office will be on your left.  Mrs. Johnson, our attendance secretary will assist you.  I have attached a series of pictures to help visualize the changes.  
Entrance


Lobby


Receptionist (Mrs. Beal)


Attendance (Mrs. Johnson)


Monday, August 29, 2011

August 30, 2011

            Please bear with me as I begin blogging for the first time. I hope to use this blog as a way to communicate with the parents and community members of Cedar Valley about our high level of instruction and our many activities.
Speaking of activities UIL teams are in full swing. Volleyball has a scrimmage this Thursday and football begins their season next week by playing Canyon Vista.  Go JAGS!  The band kicks-off their fundraiser tomorrow (please show your support). I attended the executive PTA Council meeting tonight and I must say that I am impressed with their commitment to support the teachers and students of CeVMS. I look forward to working with them throughout the year. Please show your support by volunteering and or joining the PTA. Annual dues are $10.50. I saw some good instruction today as I walked the halls.  Dr. Z’s Orchestra class sounded excellent and Mrs. Popov was dancing right along with her dance class today. 
Please take time to check out the updated web-page.  If you want to receive information about the happenings at CeVMS, sign up for e-news by clicking on the link located on the right side of the front page of our website.  You have to sign up each year in order to receive the information. This Thursday (September 1), I am hosting a “Meet and Greet” session from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. It is an informal come and go type meeting.  Open house is on the 6th of September from 6:30 to 8:20.  We will have a PTA meeting to discuss this year’s budget starting at 6:15. 
As you may know we have been and are still under construction. Thankfully all the interior construction is complete (except for some finishing touches).  The construction of our second gym and weight room are well underway. I attached a picture so you can see its progress. The GC is doing a wonderful job communicating and working with me and the staff.  I am excited to be a part of both the academic and physical growth of CeVMS this year and for years to come.  Welcome back to another successful and productive year at CeVMS.