Dear Cedars International High School Families,
I am thrilled to share some incredible news with our community. Cedars International High School, part of Education Region 13—one of the 20 Educational Regions in Texas—encompasses 13 counties and 102 school districts and serves over 400,000 students. On Friday, October 11, Region 13 honored our educator, Claudia Acevedo, with the prestigious Region 13 Teacher of the Month award! What an incredible and well-deserved recognition. Mrs. Acevedo is an outstanding educator and a passionate advocate for her students. She teaches 9th and 10th grade Social Studies and Sponsors the Key Club, among many other activities she leads at CINGHS. We are proud of her unwavering dedication to her students, fellow teachers, families, and the school community. Please join me in congratulating Mrs. Acevedo on this remarkable achievement!
Raptor of the Month: We are delighted to announce that 9th grader Elliott Brake is the Raptor of the Month for September. Dr. Trinidad nominated Elliott for his outstanding demonstration of integrity. Elliott's actions not only helped Dr. Trinidad communicate more clearly with the first-year students but also contributed to a more cohesive and understanding school community. Thank you, Elliott, for your positive contributions to our school community!
Important Dates:
- October 17: Mr. Ray will host a Virtual College Information Night. On the event day, he will send out the link to join.
- October 18, 12:00 - 2:00 PM: Our annual Family BBQ! We invite all parents and guardians to join us and your student(s) for a free get-together. We will serve BBQ Chicken, Hot Dogs, Potato Salad, Beans, and Watermelon. There will be games and activities, and the Key Club will host a Book Giveaway. Feel free to bring a dish or dessert if you want to contribute. This is a beautiful opportunity to connect with our school community and have fun together!
- October 29, 30, 31: Final Exams are coming up. Please note that students will have early release at 1:30 PM on October 30 and 31 during those final days.
- November 1: The House Olympics will be held, and this is also an early release day at 1:30 PM. If you would like to volunteer for the House Olympics, please contact Mr. Ray, and we will add you to an event.
Attendance Reminder: As we approach the end of the semester, we want to gently remind all parents and students about the importance of regular attendance. Attending school daily helps ensure your student stay on track with their academics, and being present consistently can make a big difference in their overall success. We appreciate your efforts to make attendance a priority.
Additionally, we want to remind everyone about the 90% rule in the Texas Education Code (TEC), which applies to all students from kindergarten through grade 12. TEC Section 25.092 states that a student may not receive credit or a final grade for a class unless they attend 90% of the days the class is offered. This rule applies to all students even if the absence is excused. If your student accrues too many absences to receive credit for a class, they will be required to stay after school to make up the lost time to receive the credit.
Finally, thank our fantastic cafeteria team, Mrs. Lavani and Ms. Zuniga, for their hard work in providing our students nutritious and tasty meals. They often arrive before the sun is up to begin preparing for the day’s meals. We sincerely appreciate their dedication to ensuring our students are well-fed and ready to learn.
We eagerly look forward to your participation and support at these events, which are not just school activities but opportunities to come together as a community and celebrate our shared values and achievements.
Thank you for your continued support of Cedars,
Steven Zipkes
Principal