Congratulations, Nathaniel Purdy!

A big apology goes to Nathan Purdy and his parents for his name being overlooked when the awards for 11th grade students with a grade point average between 4.0-4.9 were being called out!

Nathan could not have handled the situation with more grace and dignity! He was delightful and very forgiving. Nathan, thank you for demonstrating such fine character!

I want to share that Nathan is not only an outstanding athlete, but also an outstanding student academically. He is a member of the Cedar Ridge National Honor Society. Nathan conceived of  and is coordinating a plan for football players (and other students who want to participate) to receive special tutorial to help keep their grades up. I love his motivation and initiative!

Congratulations to Nathan for having a grade point average 4.0 or above!

Next Gen Math Class- What's Ms. Overman's Class Up To?

The following was shared by Ms. Overman-

"Even though we lost tablet connectivity due to network updates this week, we still went next gen using 3D glasses and some Geogebra applets that I created to show cross sections of 3 dimensional solids created by the intersection of a plane. Students have difficulty visualizing 3 dimensional objects and being able to create a 3D virtual model really helped them to understand the difference between a cross section and a silhouette."

Raiders Join CR Librarians at the Texas Teens for Libraries Conference

Our fabulous librarians took several Raiders to the conference for Texas Teens for Libraries, recently. Ms. Uselman and Ms. Hall shared the information and pictures below:

TT4L 2015! Texas Teens for Libraries is the annual statewide gathering of teens who love reading and libraries! 10 of our very own Cedar Ridge Students joined 700 other teens from around the state along with the 8,000 librarians in attendance at the annual Texas Library Conference held in Austin this year.

TT4L was a day packed with fun events and activities for teens to take part in, including meeting authors, attending author panels, exploring the TLA Exhibition Hall, getting books signed, hanging out with other teens, and reading new books! 

Our attendees had the opportunity to chat informally with authors of young adult novels in a small group setting. They shared their love of reading and sought tips for being successful writers. At the Author Panel, popular YA authors such as Scott Westerfeld, CC Hunter and PJ hoover answered questions that you "wouldn't usually ask an author."

Our teens left with more books than they could carry and more importantly, memories that will last a lifetime! 

Cedar Ridge Represents at District Cross Fit Competition!

Please congratulate the following students for doing a great job at Round Rock ISD's High School Cross Fit Competition yesterday! Students spent the day doing pull-ups, lunges, sit-ups, dumb bell snatches, sprints, and many other athletic events.

They also cheered me on during the principals' competition event. I couldn't have done it with out their encouragement!

Their coaches, Ms. VanderLaan and Ms. Mullins did a terrific job of preparing the students for the event!

A special congratulations to Justin Worth, who received special recognition at the event for having been the male student who stood out for encouraging and cheering on students from all of the high schools. Justin, thank you for demonstrating such fine character!

The Cedar Ridge students also received the event's Spirit Award for having the most overall spirit of all of the high schools during the games! What a great way to represent! Go Raiders!

Gabriella Diaz

Brandi Medina
Chelsea Edwards
Ariana Oliveros
Madelaine Hunt
Jordyn Roberts
Inioluwa Adekoya
Gabrielle Ledesma
Asia Posey
Elisa Melendez
Bethany-Ann Hill
Hailey Boots
Gloria Martinez
Margarita Munoz
Zulema Hernandez
Daniela Avila
Lauren Hammers
Kaela Barrera
Jordan Cruze
Deja Andrews
Kayla Martinez
Kayla Moffett
Shaw Barnett
Travis Tilger
Jadon Little
Josh Johnson
Lorrin Graham
Rogelio Sauceda
Melvin Coleman
Azende Altermus
Jacob Mata
Daniel Chavez
Adrian Falcon
David Jaime
Alex Prikryl
Tim Curry
Jayshauh Bush
Andrew Nguyen
Keaton Backus
Justin Worth
Rigoberto Albiter
Muhammad Ali
Zaid Iman
Asad Kudia
Jhavian Jackson
Isaiah Padilla
Gonzalo Salgado

Pictures of the Law Enforcement and Safety Academy's Visitors

Please visit this site to view a photo gallery of yesterday's amazing Law Enforcement & Safety Academy event. We so appreciate Mr. De La Rosa organizing such an informative and fascinating opportunity for his students to meet and learn from the professionals who are are called upon to keep the public safe.

https://roundrockisd.org/raider-students-enjoy-law-enforcement-demonstration/

We also thank the Round Rock Police Department’s SWAT Team and Austin Police Department’s Bomb Squad & Air Support Unit (including a helicopter) for coming out and so generously sharing their jobs with us, as well as allowing our students an up-close look at their equipment. It was a great success!

Several local news crews covered the event. Mr. De La Rosa and a few of his students did a terrific interview on KXAN. You can view the interview by going to the KXAN website and searching for "Training exercise gives students an up-close view of law enforcement." I have copied the site below:

http://kxan.com/2015/04/21/training-exercise-gives-students-an-up-close-view-of-law-enforcement/

Biology Classes Working Together!

Our Biology teachers shared pictures of their Biology End-of-Course Assessment preparation and review sessions. Teachers combined classes and had students work through various "stations" of activities in the Lecture Hall. Students assisted one another with peer tutoring, while teachers were able to provide small group and one-on-one assistance to those who needed it. Freshmen will be taking the Biology EOC May 6, 2015.

More Academic UIL Successes!

We are happy to announce our Raiders' academic successes for UIL 6A District have grown to include the following:

Hadiqa Zafar will advance to the Regional UIL Spelling Competition. She is coached by Ms. Jipp, one of our English II teachers, and our Student Council Sponsor.

Raunak Pillai will advance to the Regional UIL LD Debate Competition. He is coached by Ms. Johnson-Petrinec, who teaches Social Studies and Debate for Cedar Ridge. Raunak has also served as our UIL Academics President for the past two years.

The Regional UIL Academic Competition for 6A schools will be held at Baylor University, April 23-25, 2015.

Cedar Ridge Hosts Special Visitors- Tuesday, April 21- RR PD SWAT Team and Austin PD Bomb Squad, with Air Support

Cedar Ridge High School’s Law Enforcement & Safety Academy welcomes Round Rock Police Department’s SWAT Team and Austin Police Department’s Bomb Squad & Air Support Unit (including a helicopter) on Tuesday, April 21st, 9:30 – 11:30 A.M. Law Enforcement Academy students will observe a training exercise on the CRHS grounds, as well as have an opportunity to hear the teams present and answer questions about their jobs and training.

We are excited that we will have these prestigious quests on our campus, but we also did not want to alarm or panic our parents and/or community. 

Many thanks to Mr. De La Rosa, the teacher over the CHRS Law Enforcement & Safety Program, for bringing his program alive and arranging such wonderful opportunities for our students learn about their future possibilities!

Mardi Gras at the Ridge! Spring & Prom Fashion Show- April 18

Prom ticket special- ONE NIGHT ONLY!!! 

On sale at the Spring & Prom Fashion Show-

$65 - Individual Ticket

$90 - Couple Tickets

Dancing With The Teachers Tickets- on sale at Project Graduation Fashion Show, too!

Computer Sciencen and Chorale UIL Results!

Ms.Windell, who teaches Computer Science at Cedar Ridge, reported that last Friday four of our computer science students competed at UIL. All four placed in the top ten individually and won 2nd place overall as a team. Congratulations to Ms. Windell and her students for an awesome job!

Today our Cedar Ridge Chorale competed at UIL Concert & Sightreading Contest where they received straight 1s from our judges for another Cedar Ridge Sweepstakes! Congratulations, Ms. Rodriquez and Chorale! Great job!

Exciting New Courses In The Arts Starting At Cedar Ridge 2015-16

EXCITING NEW COURSES IN THE ARTS STARTING AT CEDAR RIDGE

More information regarding the Texas Cultural Trust developing the curriculum for these classes as well as a course catalog descriptions are available at http://www.txculturaltrust.org/programs/arts-education/

**DANCE & MEDIA COMMUNICATION** Course #7149

Do you love technology and media? Love to dance? Cedar Ridge is one of the 1st schools in the state to offer a new course called Dance and Media Communications! This course will be include state-of-the-art devices for student use in conjunction with movement projects involving state of the art technology. Dance and Media Communications provide rigorous and relevant experiential study of dance history, dance technique, and choreography with student learning in media literacy and technology applications. Creation and analysis of student performances is balanced with explorations into contemporary practices in digital media. Students learn how to integrate traditional movement and choreographic skills with current technology applications to create new media such as animations, digital images, multimedia presentation, digital video, websites and interactive performances.

It will be taught by Karen Searles who was selected to be a NexGen Trailblazer teacher giving her a NextGen digital classroom and a class set of devices. She has attended rigorous training for this class for 2 years and is so excited Cedar Ridge will be the first school to have it in RRISD! Contact Karen_Searles@roundrockisd.org in G128 or see your counselor to add it to your schedule today! Course # 7149

Don’t miss out on this groundbreaking course in the arts! No dance or tech experience required. Fulfills your Fine Arts credit. Open to all grade levels. PLEASE HELP CEDAR RIDGE BECOME A TRAILBLAZER BY ADDING THIS COURSE TO YOUR SCHEDULE TODAY! GET A FRIEND TO JOIN YOU! SPREAD THE NEWS! We appreciate your support and hope to see you in Dance and Media in 2015!


**MUSIC AND MEDIA COMMUNICATION**

Innovative Music curricula designed to provide access to rigorous and relevant instruction in music and media-based skills to those students entering high school who may not have an extensive background in music. The standards-based curricula provide access to instruction in fundamental music skills and knowledge. Students explore and discover their own connections to music and their musicality using technology- and media-based resources for listening, recording, sharing, composing, and making music.
Contact Cayla_Cardiff@roundrockisd.org for more information.


**ART AND MEDIA COMMUNICATION**
Art and Media Communications combines rigorous and relevant experiential study of modern, post-modern, and contemporary visual art and design with student learning in media literacy and technology applications. Creation and analysis of student artworks will be balanced with explorations into contemporary practices across the visual and commercial arts fields. Students will learn how to bridge traditional hand skills with current technology applications to create new media such as animations, digital images, multimedia presentations, digital videos, websites, and interactive or site-based installations and performances. Furthermore, student work will culminate in a capstone project that investigates an issue relevant to the student and uses art, design, and visual communications to address a problem within the community or effect a change. This project will afford students an opportunity to learn and practice creative research skills, develop a narrative, engage an audience, and connect an online community to their project.
Contact Tim_Lowke@roundrockisd.org for more information.


**THEATER AND MEDIA COMMUNICATION**

Theatre and Media Communications I and II provide students with a rigorous and relevant experiential study of theatre coupled with video and audio design. Creations and analysis of student performances are balanced with explorations into contemporary practices in digital media. Students learn how to bridge traditional stagecraft with current technology applications to create new media such as animations, digital images, multimedia presentation, digital video, websites, and interactive performances.
Contact Kristie_Copeland@roundrockisd.org for more information.

Cedar Ridge Women's Choirs Perform Exceptionally Well for UIL and HOSA Students Excel at the State Competition!

It was a great day for our Women's Choirs at UIL today! Both the Non-Varsity Treble and Varsity Treble received straight ones (1st Division - Superior) in both Sightreading and Concert, earning a Sweepstakes trophy.

                                              

Please congratulate the the following students on their performance at the state HOSA conference this past weekend! This is the first time we will be sending so many students to Nationals, which will be held in June in Anaheim, California! It's a great day to be a Raider!

Kayleigh Nerhood, Sunitha Konatham, & Sneha Sabu - Community Awareness-1st place

Anthony Gacasan-Home Health Aide-2nd place

Leah Cochran, Sunitha Konatham - Health Care Issues (current events) Top 10% statewide

Lots to Celebrate! Theater Awards, Athletes Signing, Choir Singing, and Band Playing!

Cedar Ridge students have been very busy lately!

The Raider Band sent three performing ensembles to the UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest last week. All three groups earned straight ones! The groups that competed were the Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, and the Symphonic Band. The students earned Sweepstakes trophies!

Last night,our theatre and musical theatre students celebrated the success of this year's musical production, BRING IT ON, at The Greater Austin High School Musical Theater Awards Ceremony at the Long Center. Cedar Ridge received twelve nominations this year and walked away last night with numerous awards including Best Leading Actress (Lena Owens), Best Lighting Design, and Best Choreography. In addition, Stephen Hamilton won an award in student design for his work as a graphic designer and several students won scholarships for their talents in musical theatre including Mickey May, Allie Mitchell, Jayda Cournoyer, and Stephanie Nwaneri. We are so proud of these students for their accomplishments!







Today, our Varsity Men's Choir competed at UIL and earned the following scores:

1st Division Superior- Stage

2nd Division Excellent- Sight reading




And finally, today, seven Cedar Ridge Raider athletes officially signed with universities and colleges.

Brianna McClure, Track and Field- University of Texas @ Arlington




Tyra Banks, Basketball- University of Texas@ Dallas




Monae Smith, Basketball- Oklahoma Baptist University



Gabby Ginapp, Volleyball- Henderson State University



CeCe Garza, Swimming- St. Francis University



Jackson Roberts, Track Cross Country- Adams State



Scott Roberts, Swimming- Kalamazoo College




Congratulations, Raiders, for a job well done!