Reminder...
CEDARCREST HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM NIGHT
Today September 8, 2021
We are so happy to welcome our students into the building this year for in-person instruction! Hopefully in the near future we will be able to go back to in-person curriculum nights, but for now, we are continuing with a virtual night.
Please take time to view the videos prepared by your students’ teachers which will be available on the following link on Wednesday September 8th at 4pm. These videos will be available to view until Friday September 10th.
Cedarcrest High School opened its doors in 1993 and was recognized as a National Blue-Ribbon School shortly after. The recognition was due to the innovative and responsive programs put into place at that time. We are proud of our past, but also proud of the fact that we have evolved as a school since 1993 and will continue to evolve to meet the needs of our students into the future. This challenge has never been more evident than it has in the past 18 months, as we have moved to remote learning, to a hybrid model, and now back to in-person learning. It has been quite a ride for all of us! Last year in my welcome email I mentioned that during this time we have had to completely reinvent a public education system that has technically been in-effect for over 100 years. Well, this year we continue to look at how we can change education for the better. As a staff we are focusing our work this year on providing an equitable learning environment for all students. This includes working as a staff in professional learning communities to develop curriculum, establish common assessments, and share best practices for teaching and learning.
As has been a focus for the past several years, we will be centering our instruction around student discourse. We know that when students are talking, explaining, debating, describing, asking questions, and sharing, they are learning. This is a primary focus for us, that is, to encourage students to be a primary element in their own learning.
Our mission, “To provide all students the opportunity to learn, grow, and prepare for the challenges of the future” remains unchanged. What our mission has always meant, in essence, is that we will educate all of our students to the best of our ability and to bring out their potential so that they are prepared to move on to the next phase of their lives with the tools they need and the confidence to use them. Facing the “Challenges of the Future” is what our students will be all about. It will be a wonder filled, thought-provoking, ever-changing world they are a part of.
At CHS we have always believed that developing positive relationships with our students is the best way to motivate students to perform to their best ability. Our teaching staff has always been selected based not only on their content area knowledge, but also because we believe they know how to develop positive relationships that help inspire students. We will always be a school that sees positive relationships: student to teacher, student to student, and staff member to staff member, as the most important aspects of a healthy, innovative and growth minded school environment. I have to say that I witness these interactions daily and am consistently impressed.
I have been a staff member at CHS for over 20 years, as the Principal and Assistant Principal, my wife and I raised three children in the valley that attended CHS, and I can say that I truly believe it is one of the best high schools in Washington and in fact, a top tier school in the nation. Last year, our graduation rate of 98% was one of the best in the state of Washington. Something we are all very proud of. Once again, welcome to Cedarcrest High School, version 21.22, we are glad you are a part of our family, and we are honored to be a part of your students’ education.
I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce our administrative team who are always available if you have questions or need assistance:
Mike Ruhland, Assistant Principal/Attendance and Discipline
Jason Frederick, Assistant Principal/Athletics and Discipline
Scott Petersen, Assistant Principal/Career and Technical Education
I am Ray LaBate, and I am honored to be the Principal at Cedarcrest High School.
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