Cerro Villa Vikings Newsletter

The Viking Culture and Vision at Cerro Villa is to "Win the Day". We challenge all students and staff to pick 1 goal each day to accomplish. When you have succeeded with that 1 goal, you have "Won the Day!"

Here are a few ways to "Win the Day"

• "Flip the Script" on struggles/challenges and make them successes!
• Follow "Kaizen" - strive for continuous improvement each day!
• "Be Kind" - smile, say hello, look out for your fellow vikings! Remember - everyone is going through a battle we may not know.. Be Kind Always!
• Be a "LEARNER" - always strive to improve no matter the challenge!

Link to "Win the Day" - Mark Batterson

1965 - 2025

This school year marks the 60th Anniversary of Cerro Villa opening!! Exciting 60th year celebrations are in the plans!

Did you attend Cerro Villa? Have friends or family who attended CV? Or did you work at CV?

Cerro Villa is looking for alumni (students and staff) who would like to receive information on future 60th anniversary celebrations! If interested, please complete the below google form. Spread the word and share the link to other CV alumni's!

60th Anniversary Cerro Villa Alumni google form

Congratulations to Ms. Baird, Mrs. Buchness, and Mrs. Gore for receiving a grant from the OUPSF (Orange Unified Public School Foundation)! And Thank You OUPSF for your support and generosity! OUPSF granted $50,000 district wide!

Winter Music Assembly - Great Job to all of CV's Musicians!

CV Staff had FUN with their own Secret Spirit Week!

Mon = Wear All Black Day, Tues = Crazy hair or Hat Day, Wed = Anything but a Cup Day, Thur = Holiday Sweater Day, Fri = Hawaiian Day!

Tanenbaum Thursday and Freestone Friday - School / Student Engagement

LOST and FOUND - The lost and found is FULL! All items left after this Friday (12/19) will be donated. Please stop by and recover your lost items!

Vikings are celebrating Winter Spirit Week this week! Show your spirit and participate in each daily theme!

• Monday: Green vs Gold
• 7th Grade = wears Green, 8th Grade = wears Gold
• Tuesday: Twin Day!
• Twin with as many friends as you can
• Wednesday: Sports / College Day
• WIN Wednesday with your favorite team
• Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser
• Thursday: Holiday Attire
• Wear your favorite holiday attire
• Friday: Free Dress & Minimum Day!

On Wednesday, December 17th CV's next restaurant fundraiser is happening! Grab some Chick-Fil-A and a % of sales comes back to CV!

Friday, December 19th is a minimum day. Dismissal is at 12:34 pm. Enjoy your Winter Break!!

Minimum Day

Period 0: 7:30 - 8:11

Period 1: 8:15 - 8:47

Period 2: 8:51 - 9:23

Period 3: 9:27 - 9:59

Nutrition: 9:59 - 10:14

Period 4: 10:18 - 10:49

Period 5: 10:53 - 11:24

Period 6: 11:28 - 11:59

Period 7: 12:03 - 12:34

CVTV is Cerro Villas video production class with the theme: "Student Led, Student Made". CVTV has been guided by Mr. Tayag for the last 15 school years and continues to thrive. In CVTV, students are responsible for the script, segments, edits, music, and final product. Throughout the school year, CVTV will produce multiple episodes, highlighting the daily activities of Cerro Villa.

• CVTV Season 15 Episode 11

Got Snacks? We need'em!

The student store is running low and looking for donations of non-chocolate candy (full sized, single serving), individual bags of chips (Hot Cheetos please), and no-sugar Gatorade.

Every donation helps! Donations can be dropped off at the front office! Thank you for your support!

CARES @ CV (The Forge)! AM and PM care is available.

We’re excited to share that Cerro Villa Middle School has been awarded the ASES Grant! 🎉 (Flyer attached)

• PM Program: FREE for all students – attendance required is 3 days per week for grant compliance.
• AM Program: $135.00/month

Registration is now open

View flyer for details

The FORGE - CARES program at CV

Check out the Winter Enrichment Courses at The Forge!

OUSD is holding auditions for the Intermediate Honor Choir. Mrs. Oh (Villa Park Choir Teacher) will be holding auditions on Wednesday, January 21st! Check out the flyer for information.

OUSD Intermediate Choir Flyer

Save the Date!

Cerro Villa Showcase / Open House is scheduled for Tuesday, January 27th!

• Taco Man: 5:00 - 7:00
• CV Book Fair in the Library: 5:00 - 7:00
• 5:00 - 5:30: Meet and Greet Admin/Counselors (incoming families)
• 5:30 - 7:00: Open House / Showcase throughout Campus (ALL families)

Showcase Flyer

Save the date for Cerro Villas Book Fair, coming January 26 - 30th!

Viking Families,

We are committed to providing the best possible educational experience for all of our students, and your input is essential to help us achieve this goal. As part of our ongoing efforts, we invite you to participate in the OUSD Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Survey.

The LCAP Survey is an important opportunity for parents, guardians, students, and community members to share their thoughts on how we can improve academic programs, school facilities, student support services, and more. Your feedback directly impacts decisions that shape our schools and ensures we continue to meet the needs of all students.

How You Can Help:

- Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and let us know your thoughts.

- Your responses will help us prioritize areas of improvement for the upcoming school year.

• Take the Survey Here:https://tinyurl.com/OUSD-LCAP-Family
• Survey Deadline: 10/27/25 - 1/16/26

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and help us build a brighter future for our students.

Students will take the student survey through PE class on Friday, October 31st.

• OPT-OUT Form for students (please return to main office prior to Friday, October 31st)
• ENGLISH Opt-Out Form
• SPANISH Opt-Out Form

CV Shelf Life December Newsletter is now available! Check out the happenings of CV's wonderful Library!

Join CV's Book Club! Ask Mrs. B for details!

Each week in this newsletter, an AVID Study Tip will be highlighted along with additional AVID resources.

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) strategies are modeled schoolwide through classroom instruction, following the WICOR acronym: Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading.

This Weeks Tip:

Give yourself a Reward! This reminds you you're making progress!

Homework help begins this week! Need assistance with school work? Stop by in the morning or after school.

• AM (7:40 - 8:10): Ms. Itani, room 109
• PM (3:00 - 4:00): Mr. Tanenbaum, room 122 (Begins on Thursday)

December 15: Athletics

• Football HOME vs El Rancho, 3:00 pm
• Volleyball @ El Rancho, 3:00 pm

December 17: Student of the Month, 1:45 in Auditorium

December 17: Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser

December 19: Minimum Day, 12:34 dismissal

December 22 - January 9: Winter Break

January 12: Return to School

January 26 - 30: CV Book Fair in the Library

January 27: Showcase / Open House: 5:00 - 7:00

1. 2025-2026 Athletics Schedule
   

Sports Waiver

GAMES: Monday, December 15th, 3:00 pm start

• Flag Football (girls/boys) HOME vs El Rancho
• Volleyball (girls/boys) @ El Rancho

Student must turn in the 5-page sports waiver packet to their PE teacher prior to tryouts. https://www.cerrovilla.org/activities/athletics

All athletes looking to try-out for after school sports need to turn in a Sports Waiver form to the coaches. Sports Waivers can be found here OR picked-up from their PE teachers.

https://www.cvpfso.org/ - visit the PFSO website to learn about all the opportunities to get involved.

What is the PFSO?

The Cerro Villa Parent Faculty Student Organization (PFSO) is a non-profit organization that assists the faculty and staff in enhancing the education experiences of our children.

​The PFSO assists with many programs around the school, including dances, Student of the Month, Honor Society, and the 8th Grade Promotion Party. Without your support, these events would not be possible. Most importantly, the PFSO also supports the faculty and staff at Cerro Villa in acquiring items they need for their classrooms in order to enhance our children’s educational experiences.

PFSO Membership

Cerro Villa appreciates all our volunteers and would love for you to be part of our wonderful PFSO!

PFSO Membership link

Follow PFSO on Instagram!

"CerroVillaPFSO"

Plan to Volunteer at CV? Go on a Field Trip with students? Chaperone a dance??

All volunteers MUST complete the mandatory trainings prior to participating in a school event! OUSD is offering a variety of in-person trainings to support all parents! For questions, please reach out to Mrs. McKee, jill.mckee@orangeusd.org

Cerro Villa has a student store where students can redeem their 5 star points for awesome items!! PFSO and ASB are asking for donated items to help supply the student store! Please use the following link or QR code to check out how to donate!

CV WishList Link

The CA School Dashboard is now available for public viewing. The dashboard reflects growth or decline in the following components: English Language Arts, Mathematics, English Learner Progress, Suspension, and Chronic Absenteeism.

Link to CA Dashboard for Cerro Villa

Cerro Villa Highlights:

• ELA = increased 10.1 pts
• Math = increased 3.4 pts
• EL Progress = increased 15.9%
• Suspension = declined .8%
• Chronic Absenteeism = declined 3.5 %

OUSD Highlights:

• Graduation Rate:
  Graduation rate has increased to 97.2%—a 2.6% gain and one of the highest in the region.
• College & Career Readiness:
  58.8% of OUSD graduates are classified as “Prepared,” a 4.5% increase from last year.
• Academic Performance:
  Students scored 14.3 points above the state standard in English Language Arts (up 5.2 points from last year), and maintained strong results in mathematics, with notable gains among English Learner and Students with Disabilities groups.
• School Climate & Engagement:
  Chronic absenteeism declined by 2.2%, and our suspension rate is now at just 1%. We continue to meet or exceed state standards for school climate, academic standards, and family engagement.

Principal Honor Roll Stats:

• 397 students earned 3.5 GPA or higher = 53% of Cerro Villa's total enrollment!
  • 185 students earned 4.0 (straight A's) = 25% of total enrollment and 47% of Principal Honor Roll Recipients
  • Overall GPA for ALL STUDENT BODY: 3.29!

OCDE and OUSD have shared information to help support families who may be experiencing food insecurity or homelessness due to the non-funding of CalFresh/EBT benefits.

Below is information on local foodbanks and food supports.

1. Use the What I Need App to locate foodbanks near you or near Cerro Villa. This app can be found in your APP store online. Look up the "What I Need App" and set up the App to connect to your local area.
2. Use the Findhelp.org search engine at findhelp.org by findhelp - Search and Connect to Social Care. You only need your Zip Code to access resources near you. Make sure to look at the resources to ensure the resource is still open, what times they are open, and what their eligibility might be.
3. Homeless Resources - Shelter App - ShelterApp.org is another phone app that you or your families can us to access local food resources.
4. Feed America also has a great map navigator to food resources here: Find Your Local Food Bank | Feeding America

In addition, you may utilize our OUSD community partners and school site resources:

• El Modena Family Resource Center (CAP OC Programs)
• Friendly Center (Holiday Registration and Food Resources)

An additional Resource:
Second Harvest Food Bank (City of Orange, page 18)

Get your CV Hooded Sweatshirt now! Sweatshirts are on sale through the Viking WEB STORE!

$20 each!

For the 2025-2026 school year, Cerro Villa will be a Cell Phone Free School. Cell phones will be "OFF & AWAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY" .

• To help everyone stay focused and connected to learning and each other, phones and AirPods must be off and in backpacks all day.

• ✅ Need to contact home? - Students can use the office phone, and parents can always call the school office directly.
• 🚫 Using phones or AirPods during the school day may lead to consequences.

WHY is this important?

• Assembly Bill 3216, known as the Phone-Free Schools Act, was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 23, 2024. This legislation requires all California school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education to develop and adopt a policy by July 1, 2026, that limits or prohibits student smartphone use during school hours or while under school supervision.

• Cell phones/social media during the school day leads to distractions and non-learning behavior
• Through the school year, we will share data on how cell phones/social media has led to social isolation among teens (including a 50% drop in adolescents' in-person interactions with friends), sleep deprivation that causes depression, anxiety, irritability, cognitive deficits, poor learning and lower grades (Haidt, 2024)

How can parents help?

• Communicate and support CV's cell phone free expectations
• Do Not call or text your students during the school day
• Call the office if you need a message delivered to your child
• Attend parent workshops provided by CV on the importance of limited social media for students 16 and under.

Consequences and Rewards?

• Consequences for not following CV's Cell Phone policy will result in:
• phone confiscated, parent called
• after school detention, parent pick-up cell phone
• Saturday School, behavior contract
• Rewards!
• CV will have many challenges (homerooms / grade levels / school wide) to reward students following the cell phone expectations
• rewards include Free Dress Days, extended lunch, 5 star points.. and more

Let’s keep CV distraction-free and ready to learn!

Resource:

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

by Jonathan Haidt (Author)

Please review with your student CV's TOP 3 Expectations. Adhering to CV's Expectations will help support a welcoming, safe, and positive culture at CV. (Expectation Assembly will review all school wide expectations on 1st day of school)

1. Cerro Villa Electronics policy: "ELECTRONICS OFF AND AWAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY"

• Cell Phones and all mobile devices and electronics shall be TURNED OFF when entering school campus

• Cell Phones and all mobile devices shall be kept in a student’s backpack – not in clothing pockets

• Cell Phones and all mobile devices are not allowed to be used throughout the entire school day

• If a student needs to make an emergency call during the day, they are to come up to the office

Consequences: 1) phone confiscated, parent called, 2) after school detention, parent pick-up cell phone, 3) Saturday School, behavior contract

2. Follow Cerro Villa's Uniform Policy (review of Uniform policy will take place at expectation assembly)

Consequences: 1) Alternate CV clothing provided to student, 2) #1 plus parent contact, detention, 3)#2 plus 2 detentions assigned, 4) #3 plus parent meeting with admin

3. Attendance - On time every day all day

• Attendance matters! Please have your student at school prior to 8:15 each day.
• Students have 4 minutes to travel from class to class. Tardy sweeps will randomly occur and students who have continuous tardy's will have discipline consequences

Cerro Villas mission is to build positive, responsible students. As students meet school expectations, positive rewards and acknowledgement will be provided!

• 5 star program - students can earn positive points for portraying positive behavior throughout campus. Students will have an opportunity redeem their positive points for prizes in CV's Student Store!
• Free Dress Day - Mr. Jones and Ms. Fernandez love challenging our students to achieve school wide goals which can earn the student body FREE DRESS DAYS!
• Pizza / Donut Party's - Students achieving positive academics or social skills can earn a pizza / donut party!
• Student of the Month - students are celebrated by teachers and staff each month!
• plus much more... just keep up the positive behavior!

Celebrate your students Birthday on the electronic Marquee! Students names will be published for the entire week of their birthday! Complete the following form and return to the office with payment ($20)!

Birthday Marquee Flyer eng

Birthday Marquee Flyer span

School Uniform Policy:

• 2025-2026 CV Uniform Policy
• CV webpage with School Policies: https://www.cerrovilla.org/about/additional-info

Uniform Store

• Kustom Imprints

Student Calendar:

• 2025-2026 OUSD Student Calendar

Cerro Villa Calendar & Events - Cerro Villa

*Every Wednesday is an Early Release Day

Student Bell Schedule:

• 2025-2026 Cerro Villa Bell Schedules

Please visit the OUSD Parent Corner webpage for information on:

• News & Bulletins
  
• OUSD News
• Student Information & Services
• Public Notices
• Addressing concerns and formal complaints
• Title IX Information
• Uniform Complaint Procedures
• Proclamations by the Board of Education
• Employment & Internships

Did you know that the CV PFSO can receive “free money” from Ralphs every time you shop? This summer we received $31.51 from just 8 participating families' grocery runs. Imagine how much more we could earn if you, your friends, and family sign up too!

This one-time sign-up will take just a few minutes of your time:

Step 1: Go to www.ralphs.com
Step 2: Sign in or create an account with your Ralphs Rewards account number (found on the back of your shopping card)
Step 3: Go to My Account, then to Community Contributions
Step 4: Enroll for free and designate "Cerro Villa PFSO" as your program of choice
Step 5: Forget about it! You just shop as usual from now on in-store or online :)

For more information, visit: https://www.ralphs.com/i/community/community-contribution-program

And if you have any issues, please email cvpfso@gmail.com - we're happy to help get you set up. Thanks! - CV PFSO

June 15 2025 .. Aug 3-16 v1 ..Aug 17-23 v2 ..Aug 24-30 v3 ..Aug 31-Sep 6 v4 .. Sep 7-13 v5 ..... Sep 14-20 v6 ..Sep 21-27 v7 ..Sep 28-Oct 4 v8 ..Oct 5-11 v9 ..Oct 12-18 v10 ..Oct 19-25 v11.. Oct 26-Nov 1 v12 ..Nov 2-8 v13 ..Nov 9-15 v14 ..Nov 16-22 v15 ..Nov 23-Dec 6 v16 ..Dec 7-13 v17

Email: CerroVillaPrincipal@orangeusd.org
Website: https://www.cerrovilla.org/
Location: 17852 Serrano Avenue, Villa Park, CA 92861, USA
Phone: 714.997.6251