Cedar School News and Updates 10/14/22

Share our Story

This section of the memo is intended to share our story at Cedar. We invite parents, guardians, and caregivers to share their stories too, by communicating with us and one another. 

Inclusive Schools Week

Inclusive Schools Week is next week and is another way Cedar students further develop a culture of caring and inclusivity. Simply put, this is another call to love one another and treat everyone with dignity and respect. There will be a variety of activities that will help us celebrate Inclusive Schools Week. Some of these activities will include sharing the book All Are Welcome, participating in a grade-level assembly that centers around inclusion and disability awareness, and providing students the opportunity to share their story.

First Community Meeting

Ms. Clements and I are excited about our first community meeting with students at the end of the month. We will have the opportunity to share important information with students, including discussing what it means to be a Super Friend at Cedar. Students will hear messages that will include being safe, being kind, and following the plan. The PBS framework is used at Cedar to create an environment that further promotes positive relationships, effective communication, and social problem-solving. We will be sharing more information towards the end of the month about how your child can be a Super Friend at home. 

Important Cedar Information and Events

As an important reminder, both Tuesday and Thursday of next week are Early Release Days for our kindergarten and first-grade students. Dismissal on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, for both half-day and full-day kindergarten, as well as first grade, will be at 1:00 pm. Dismissal on Thursday, October 20, 2022, will include half-day kindergarten at 11:30 am, and full-day kindergarten and first grade at 1:00 pm. Preschool sessions will follow their typical schedule next week. 

Spirit Day

The first Cedar Spirit Day will be next Friday, October 21, 2022. The theme will be “Fun Sock Day!” We encourage students and staff to wear their most unique or wildest pair of socks!

Book Fair

The Fall Book Fair will be held from October 24-October 27, 2022. Students will visit the Book Fair during their scheduled literacy block to view and shop. Parents who have cleared the CORI process will have the opportunity to come and shop with their child during a specific block of time. Please click on the Schedule link in order to determine what day/time your child will have the Book Fair.

Volunteers

The Cedar PTA is looking for a few additional volunteers to help during the upcoming Book Fair. The primary role of the volunteer will be managing student purchases and assisting with the cash register. If you’re interested in supporting the Book Fair, please complete our Sign-up Genius.

Special Guest

We are excited for guest speaker, Ryan Haack, to be joining us during Inclusive Schools Week. If you would like to learn more about how Ryan encourages inclusion and disability awareness, please visit his website: http://www.livingonehanded.com/speaking/

Pumpkin Stroll

The Pumpkin Stroll is a new event at Cedar this year. The event will be held on Thursday, October 27^th, and is open to all Cedar families. Kindergarten and first-grade students will have the opportunity to design their own Jack-O’-Lantern in art class and bring that design home to share with their families. Preschool students will have the opportunity to create artwork with their teacher.  This design can be used on a real pumpkin, or the family can decide to create their own design. Families who decide to bring a pumpkin to the event should drop their pumpkin off behind the Cedar building between 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm on October 27^th, in preparation for the evening event. The Cedar PTA will provide candles in order to illuminate each pumpkin. This is not a drop-off event. Families will be able to visit Cedar and view all the great artwork during the following times:

We are excited to announce that the Book Fair will also be conducted on the evening of the Pumpkin Stroll, which will provide all families with the opportunity to shop with their child(ren). Families can visit the Book Fair in the gymnasium after they have viewed the pumpkins. I ask that families please adhere to the times listed on the above chart in order to reduce the overall congestion in the school parking lot. 

General Reminders

We look forward to seeing you at Cedar next week for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Please contact your child’s classroom teacher if you have any questions or concerns. 

Understanding student growth and achievement is a critical part of understanding the strengths and needs of each learner. The iReady and DIBELS diagnostic screening tools allow staff to monitor student progress throughout the school year and collect important data. Individual student reports for both iReady and DIBELS will be available in Aspen on Monday, October 17, 2022. Please know that kindergarten iReady reports will be opened later in the month. Additional information regarding accessing this information will be shared with you on Monday, October 17, 2022. 

Upcoming Dates/Events at Cedar

As we journey towards the end of October, please remember that this statement is closely connected to our Inclusive School Week, "All are welcome here!"

Have a wonderful weekend.

Best,

Jesse Craddock
Principal