![Walking through the tunnel created by the cheerleaders and Celebrities, senior Frances Tran smiles as the soccer team is sent off during DEN for their playoff game against Rouse tonight. Tran said the wins against Smithson Valley and Alamo Heights gave the team a morale boost to take on the Raiders tonight. “I know we were not 100% confident in those games,” Tran said. “But, Rouse is a big opponent for sure. We’re definitely going into tonight with a lot of morale [because of the previous wins].”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/frances-tran.jpg)
![Holding a bucket of materials in one hand and a roll of tape in another, anatomy and biology teacher Tyler Terry prepares for a lab. Terry said his proudest moments are when his students are happy to see him. “When I take my wife to a football game or something and a bunch of students want to say hi to me or they like to smile and wave and it just makes me feel good that the students are really kind and supportive of me,” Terry said. “[I’m also] proud when I see students perform really well in their extracurriculars because I can see how hard they’re working in my classes, [so] when I see that they’re also working so hard in other things. Like they’re winning band competitions or they’re getting awards for their theater productions, or I see them put on their choir shows, that’s like, wow, you guys are incredible.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rags-6.png)
![Catching a ball, junior Alivia Robinson plays at the Cedar Park vs Glenn game. Having played since she was 5 years old, she is dedicated to softball and has committed to UTPB for softball. “When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide where,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, and UTPB is my fit. When [I committed] I knew I was going to be loved and supported.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lilly-Adams-3.13aliviaedit-901.jpg)
![Holding her dog, Nova, senior Ariana Balakrishnan poses for her senior pictures while Nova wears a bandana with her college decision. Balakrishnan applied to 18 colleges in total, but she decided on Columbia in the end. “Right before I clicked the button to open Columbia’s letter, I literally looked at the camera and go ‘This is just gonna really suck because I wanted it so bad,’ and I clicked it and all of a sudden you hear trumpets,” Balakrishnan said. “There’s a video that plays when you open it and I actually didn’t watch the video, I just watched the screen go black, because every day of December before ED [Early Decision] I would go on YouTube and watch the acceptance video to manifest it, so immediately when the screen went black, I started screaming and jumping up and down. And my parents in the video are like ‘What are you doing, where’s the letter,’ and I was just screaming ‘I got in, I got in.” I just started crying, and it just felt like everything in the world came together.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ariana-2-300x217.jpg)
Joe Ciccarelli, former Assistant Principal, has left Cedar Park in order to take on his new job as the Principal of Four Points Middle School, the newest LISD school. Ciccarelli is currently in the process of hiring faculty and staff, and making additional preparations so that teaching can begin in the fall of 2010 when this new school is scheduled to open its doors.
“I’m new to the position, I’m new to the school, and everyone else is going to be new,” Ciccarelli said. “The community is really excited to get this school. It’s really fun to begin something that’ll still be here 50 years from now.”
Ciccarelli attended the University of Texas where he earned his bachelor’s degree, he earned his master’s and doctorate from Texas State University. He has been working in education for 26 years. His father was an educator for middle and high school science, which kindled Ciccarelli’s desire to teach. However, Ciccarelli didn’t go to school for teaching initially.
“I went into business after I got out of college, but it didn’t fit me. I wasn’t suited for it,” Ciccarelli said. “Some little voice in my head told me to go into teaching, and I was lucky enough to listen to it.”
Since then, Ciccarelli has taught middle and high school for sixteen years, where he taught social studies and QUEST. He also worked in the central office, but decided that he wanted to be back with kids. Four years ago, he made the decision to be a campus principal. This led to Ciccarelli’s position as an Assistant Principal of Cedar Park for the last two and a half years.
“The kids at Cedar Park are nice,” Ciccarelli said. “When I first started being an AP, I expected to have kids more at odds with me, but it hasn’t been like that. They said hello and high fived me. I feel like there are good relationships, fun and warmth from the students at Cedar Park.” Ciccarelli has aspirations for his future after being Principal of Four Points. He hopes to one day be the Assistant Superintendent.
Ciccarelli commented that Cedar Park High School was different than any other school he had been to. The students were a dominant factor in this.
“There’s more positivity,” Ciccarelli said. “I don’t see a super rigidity between groups; I see people crossing lines between groups. I think there is something special [at Cedar Park] and people need to recognize this and build it up,” Ciccarelli said. “I love Leander ISD, it’s a wonderful district and I’ll stay as long as I can.”
Ciccarelli also brags on his fellow assistant principals at Cedar Park.
“The AP team is the best group of people I have ever worked with,” Ciccarelli said. “They are all absolutely top notch people.”
Many students will also miss his presence at school. From his humor to his helpful attitude, his absence will be a blow to students.
“He was always willing to help and always had something relevant to say,” Tanner Dixon, junior, said. “I respected his opinion.”
The teachers at Cedar Park will also miss Ciccarelli and his obvious attachment to the students of the school.
“What makes him unique is that cares for the students,” David King, Pre-AP English I teacher, said. “He’s just very professional.”
Although he will be missed, thanks and congratulations to Mr. Ciccarelli for everything he has done and will continue doing as he moves on to Four Points Middle School.
