Caroline Howard

On Jan. 30, CP Night will be held to aid incoming freshmen with course selection. “While we focus a lot on incoming 9th graders, we encourage all of our grade levels to come out because we’ll highlight ACC, advanced programs, [and] all of our extracurricular options,” Colman said. “Anyone who is still struggling with a decision about what to do [or] how to progress [have the option] to pick and choose.”

Taking the next step and transitioning from middle to high school can be stressful, but with the aid of Cedar Park High School’s counselors, assistant principals and staff, students as well as parents are able to understand what high school looks like and become accustomed with the programs within Cedar Park. 

CP Night will be hosted this year on Jan. 30 from 6-8 p.m. in the library, lecture hall, cafeteria and PAC. Geared towards incoming freshmen, the event is an opportunity for students to learn about all that Cedar Park has to offer and what is available to them. 

“CP Night is a way for our incoming families to get a chance to be on campus, meet the staff, hear about our programs, get to visit the CTE classroom,” lead counselor Sarah Cable said. “[That] is a big thing especially when they’re trying to decide what pathways and elective classes that they want to take, and ask questions about athletics and band so that they know what to prepare for and what to expect. It helps that transition from middle school to high school because they’re not just showing up here the first time on the first day of school. They have multiple opportunities to be on campus and have exposure, and start feeling like a Timberwolf.”

While CP Night stands for Cedar Park Night, there is also a double meaning of Course Planning Night. The entire focus of the event is for students to learn about all the courses available to them and the programs that CPHS contains.

“I think the most important [thing] is getting to learn about all the stuff,” Dean of Instruction Jennifer Colman said. “There’s so much that goes with choosing your classes but also preparing for college or postsecondary options. Getting the information available is always [useful for the future].”

Going into the 2024-2025 school year, Cedar Park will experience a lot of zoning changes. Many students that went to middle schools such as Henry Middle School and Running Brushy Middle School will now be attending Cedar Park High School. This transition is likely to feel worrisome for many, however, with CP Night, these students have the opportunity to get a first glance at what their high school will be like.

“With our transfer kids it’s important for them to feel familiar with the campus and start to feel a little more at home,” College and Career Transition Coordinator Chriss Hexter said. “For some of our parents this will be the first opportunity they have to see the inside of Cedar Park High School. That’ll help them feel a little more [in] the Cedar Park community.”

All students have the opportunity to learn about advanced courses and what college credit looks like in high school. With college courses taken through Austin Community College or Advanced Placement programs that offer college credit, students have a plethora of options available when it comes to getting a head start on their future.

“While we focus a lot on incoming ninth graders, we encourage all of our grade levels to come out because we’ll highlight ACC, advanced programs, [and] all of our extracurricular options,” Colman said. “Anyone who is still struggling with a decision about what to do [or] how to progress [have the option] to pick and choose.”

Career and technical education programs are highlighted throughout the night. What programs such as ROTC, culinary arts, health science and more have to offer are explained to students. For many students, this will be the first time they get to hear about these programs in high school and start thinking about what extracurriculars they want to partake in as well as what programs peak their interest.

“I think it’s important to come on campus and see staff and see the building because when all you do is have a paper choice sheet, that’s just words, but when you meet the people and you see the classrooms and you see what they accomplish in those programs it’s a very different feeling, you can know if it feels right or [if] it doesn’t,” Cable said. “When they get to see what’s going on in the room they’re like ‘yeah, that’s really what I want to do’ and it gives them an opportunity to do that before they pick out the classes.”