🌱 Cub to Puma: Growing Through the Changes Together

 

As our kids grow, they start noticing changes in their bodies and emotions. Cub to Puma is a thoughtful program designed to help families navigate those early stages of adolescence with clear information, respect, and open conversation.

 

Students attend with a trusted adult, because this evening is just as much for parents as it is for kids. Together, families will learn about the physical and emotional changes that come with growing up, while creating space for healthy conversations at home that reflect each family’s values.

 

This is not a sex education class — it’s an age-appropriate introduction to adolescence, led by experienced educators who understand how to guide these conversations with care and sensitivity.

 

To support families observing Ramadan, we have adjusted the evening schedule and will break for dinner between 6:45–7:15 pm.

 

The evening begins with a general discussion for all attendees, followed by separate sessions where boys and girls learn about the specific changes their bodies experience during puberty.

 

📅 Date: March 18

👧 Girls: Recommended for grades 4–5

👦 Boys: Recommended for grades 5–6

 

Join us for an evening of learning, connection, and support as our Cubs begin their journey toward becoming confident Pumas.

 

👉 Sign up here: SIGN UP FORM

Get more info here: Cub to Puma Webpage

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🌟 2026–2027 PTSA Board Slate Announcement

 

Our Nominating Committee has put together an incredible slate of leaders for the 2026–2027 school year. We are so grateful to the dedicated parents who have stepped forward to serve our community.

 

At this time, we are still seeking a candidate for the position of Executive Vice President. If you are interested in learning more about this important leadership role, please reach out to admin@cadenceparkptsa.org. We would love to connect with you.

 

🗳️ The association will vote to approve next year’s board at our March Association Meeting on Friday, March 20th at 8:30 AM in the auditorium. We encourage all members to attend and participate in this important moment for our PTSA.

 

Thank you for being an engaged and supportive part of Cadence Park! 💙

 

Our Spirit Wear Online Store is officially open—and this is your final chance to grab Cadence Park gear before we’re completely sold out!

 

We’ve got a limited inventory of spirit wear clothing available, so if you’ve been waiting to pick up a tee or hoodie, now’s the time. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

 

And don’t miss out on our most huggable merch yet:

🎁 The PJ Plush — a one-of-a-kind stuffed companion specially designed by our Spirit Wear VP, Itzi Cori. This adorable little Puma is perfect for snuggling, storytelling, and imaginative play. It’s the kind of keepsake your child will treasure for years to come.

 

📝 Important: When ordering, please include your student’s name and homeroom teacher so we can ensure smooth delivery.

Thank you for supporting our PTSA—and repping your Puma pride in style! 💙

 

Spirit Wear Store

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It’s time for our student entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life—Puma Marketplace is officially open for registration!

 

All of the important information regarding rules, product categories, booth guidelines, flyer requirements, event logistics, and the sign-up link can be found on our website at cadenceparkptsa.org/pumamarketplace. If you are considering participating, please review the website carefully before signing up—everything you need to know is there.

 

🗓️  Tuesday, March 3 at 7:00 PM

We will be hosting a Puma Marketplace Information Zoom for students and families who would like to learn more and ask questions before registering.

 

Zoom Link: Puma Marketplace Info Meeting

Meeting ID: 303 193 3099

Passcode: 701535

 

🗓️  Tuesday, March 10 — Registration Deadline

This is the final date to register. We are accepting only 60 booths this year on a first-come, first-served basis. Your registration must be fully complete—including your company name, team members, product details, and product flyer—in order to secure a spot. Incomplete registrations will not be accepted.

 

🗓️  Monday, April 6 at 6:30 PM — Mandatory Participant Zoom

All confirmed participants must attend this required meeting. Zoom information will be sent directly to registered vendors.

 

🗓️  Friday, April 10 from 5:00–7:00 PM — Puma Marketplace Night!

We can’t wait to see the creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit our Pumas bring to this year’s Marketplace!

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Cadence Park Middle School is preparing for an exciting Career Day on April 15, and they are looking for parent and community volunteers to help make it a meaningful experience for our students.

 

All 6th–8th grade students will participate in this special event designed to help them begin exploring future career paths. The school is seeking speakers from a wide variety of industries and professions who are willing to share their career journey, experiences, and insights.

 

This is a wonderful opportunity to inspire our students, broaden their perspectives, and show them the many possibilities that lie ahead.

 

🌟 Interested in speaking?

Click the Interest Form link below to learn more and sign up. The school is hoping to feature a diverse range of careers and would love representation from many different fields.

 

Questions? Please reach out directly to:

Brittany Shiva – brittanyshiva@iusd.org

Christina Hanna – christinahanna@iusd.org

 

We’re grateful to our school team for creating opportunities like this—and we hope many of our families will consider sharing their expertise with our students!

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How do we disagree well? How do we model respect for our children—even when emotions run high?

The Dignity Index is a practical framework that helps people communicate across differences with respect, curiosity, and self-regulation. Instead of fueling division, it teaches skills that ease conflict, prevent escalation, and build healthier communities.

 

For parents, this is powerful work. The tools shared in this seminar can help you:

• Navigate tough conversations with other parents
• Communicate more effectively with teachers and school staff
• Support your child through peer conflict
• Teach your child how to disagree without dehumanizing others

At a time when strong emotions and disagreements can surface in schools and communities, learning how to “challenge ideas without attacking people” is a skill that benefits our children for life.

 

✨ 4th District PTA is offering this seminar free to our parents.

This training typically comes with a significant registration fee, so this is a rare and valuable opportunity to access high-quality tools at no cost. You can learn more about The Dignity Index at www.dignity.us. 

 

🗓 March 19, 2026 

🕙 10:00 AM

📍 Orange County Department of Education, Building D

(Open to all PTSA members)

 

If you’re looking for practical tools to help your family engage with empathy, curiosity, and dignity—even in hard moments—this is a meaningful opportunity.

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On Thursday, February 26th, we hosted the second session of our Kindness on Campus Parent Engagement Series: Nourishing Empathy and Reinforcing Desired Behavior.

 

Led by Principal Grasso and Vice Principal Harvey, the evening offered an insightful look into how Cadence Park administration and parents can partner together in fostering good behaviors on and off campus. Mr. Grasso and Ms. Harvey presented us with school data on current behavior trends, highlighted the strategies schools use to promote positive conduct, and outlined how parents can support their children in positive peer dynamics.

 

Parents gained practical insights into how to build resilience in their kids and how to partner with each other to nurture their child’s well-being. We ended the evening with an open discussion amongst parents on tools to reinforce good behaviors at home.

 

Couldn’t make it in person? We’ve got you covered.

 

You can access the recording, slides, and additional resources from the event on our PTSA Parent Engagement webpage.

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On March 7th and 8th, our Cadence Park Pumas will take to the court for the Hoops Classic Tournament! Teams who advance will continue on to Championship Weekend on March 14th and 15th.

 

We are so proud of our student-athletes for their hard work, teamwork, and dedication leading up to this tournament. Please join us in wishing all of our teams the best of luck!

 

Our 2026 Hoops Classic Teams:

• 3rd/4th Grade Girls – Coach Jim Eldridge
• 5th/6th Grade Girls – Coach Ian Castillo
• 3rd Grade Boys (2 teams) – Coaches Mike Duncan & Naveen Jethwani
• 4th Grade Boys – Coaches Grand Chan & Duong Vuong
• 5th Grade Boys – Coach John Michelot
• 6th Grade Boys – Coaches Ming Zhang & Ryan Egbert
• 7th Grade Boys – Coach Kevin Crum
• 8th Grade Boys – Coaches Zeeshan & Sabina Subzwari

A huge thank you to our Athletics Director, Darius Burton, for the tremendous amount of work behind the scenes to organize teams, coordinate with TOC, and support our players and coaches.

 

We can’t wait to cheer our Pumas on—good luck to all our teams! 

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Puma Run Club is a fun, encouraging way for students to stay active, build healthy habits, and start their Friday mornings with friends, movement, and positive energy. Whether your child is an experienced runner or just getting started, Run Club is all about confidence, community, and feeling strong together.

 

Our spring season is in full stride and leads up to the exciting Kids Run the OC race on May 2! Students can choose to participate in either the Final Mile or the 5K — both fantastic goals to train for and celebrate as a team.

 

⚠️ Registration prices increase today (3/2) — be sure to sign up now if your child plans to run so they can race alongside their fellow Pumas!

 

We’d love to see even more Pumas out there running, cheering, and growing healthier together! 🐾💙

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Our Spring Obstacle Course is almost here, and it’s one of the most exciting days of the entire school year! On Friday, March 27th, our campus will be bursting with energy as every student and staff member suits up in their event shirts, filling the blacktop with Puma pride.

 

This year’s theme is LEAP, and we expect to see all our pumas using all of their LEAP skills as they tackle the course:

 

Lead with integrity

Embrace challenges

Act responsibly

Positively impact others

 

The Obstacle Course is more than just a high-energy day of fun—it’s a celebration of the resilience, hard work, and spirit that make Cadence Park so special.

 

A huge thank you to our generous families who supported our fall fundraiser, allowing us to host this beloved event without adding a spring fundraiser this year. Your support truly makes this day possible.

Now we need YOU! This event takes a village to pull off, and we still need many volunteers to make the day run smoothly. Please sign up to help—and remember, parents will not have access to the event unless they are registered volunteers. If you want to be part of the action, grab your spot on the sign-up form now!

 

📅 Friday, March 27 (Modified Day—early dismissal)

👕 Send your child in their event shirt

👚 Pack a change of clothes—the bubble party finale means students will get WET!

 

It’s the perfect sendoff into Spring Break—a day full of laughter, high energy, and unforgettable memories.

 

Let’s LEAP into an amazing day together!

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On Friday, February 27th, our Cadence Park Pumas lit up the stage for an unforgettable evening of talent, creativity, and courage. From singing and dancing to instrumental performances, comedy, and show-stopping group acts, our students reminded us just how much heart and bravery it takes to step into the spotlight.

 

We are so proud of every single performer who shared their gifts with our community: Stella Hong; Alisa Yu & Elisa Donato; Rishan; Nilia Ranjbar & Katy Yang; Greyson Dai; Hailey Smith; George Rong Li; Wild Pawz (Phoenix, Norah, Sophia & Brianna); Kevin Rong Li; Bella Murray & Zoe Meraz; Aarin Goel; Lacey Smith; Dheeru; Amelie Castillo & Lana Villanueva; Dhivi Potlachervu; Raegan Kashani; Veronika Raj; Avery and Josie; Mika & Owen Liu; Mr. Tedesco featuring Everest Kim & Zandra Lu; Leon; Ethan, Dexter, & Lainey Kim; Ali Nasser; Daniel (Dongkyung) Lee; Ivy Shen; Siena Brooks; William Rong; Rumi Belport; Ella Hong; Quinn Bonner & Rei Belport; Aarav Avinash; Emily Duong; Ryan Tong; Jules Mirkovic; Paige Chang; Madison Lorenzo; Celine Ceballos; Joy (Taehu) Lee; Benjamin & Jackson Di Fiore; and Elaine, Hardy, Harper, & Harry Jiang.

 

A special shoutout to our fantastic MCs—Amori Morris, Jules Mirkovic, Kiran Chan, and Landon Bailey—who kept the energy high and the show flowing smoothly all evening long.

 

This magical night would not have been possible without the incredible leadership of our Talent Show Chairs, Jamie Valdes and Xiaoxiao Gu. Their organization, dedication, and countless behind-the-scenes hours brought this event to life. We are also deeply grateful to our VAPA teachers, Michael Kronenberg and Michael Judge Ferrer, alumni Jay Fang and Ian Tak, and resident DJ Anthony Carroll for their expert technical support. And thank you to our amazing parent and leadership student volunteers who helped everything run seamlessly.

 

The Talent Show is always a highlight of the year—a beautiful reminder of the confidence, creativity, and community spirit that make Cadence Park so special.

 

Bravo, Pumas! 🌟💙

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Our Lunch & LEAP program is back in full swing, transforming ordinary Wednesdays into extraordinary midweek moments. From colorful chalk murals to field games, crafts, and brain teasers, Lunch & LEAP brings creativity, connection, and joy to the playground—and we’re still looking for volunteers to help make the magic happen!

 

Whether you can join us once or come back for more, your presence makes a big difference. It’s an easy, impactful way to brighten students’ days and build lasting memories—plus, it’s seriously fun.

 

🗓️ Remaining Spring Dates:

February 7 & 21

March 4 & 18

April 8 & 22

 

💙 We need YOU to help finish out the year strong!

 

Let’s make these last sessions unforgettable—for the kids and for you!

 

Lunch & LEAP Sign-Up

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Yearbooks are now on sale—and it’s never too early to secure yours! Cadence Park yearbooks are sold directly through TreeRing, our trusted partner for beautiful, personalized keepsakes.

 

 How to Order:

1. Go to TreeRing.com
2. Create an account using our school code: 1016022653824974
3. Add your student(s)
4. You’ll use the same login each year—no need to re-create your account annually!

 Bonus: Custom Pages Included!

Each yearbook comes with two free custom pages per child—a chance to make the book uniquely theirs. Want more space? You can purchase additional custom pages during checkout.

 

Order Your Yearbook Today!

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At Cadence Park, we believe every student should be able to participate—no matter what. That’s why the PTSA offers scholarships for any of our programs that have a cost, including tournament fees and even yearbook.

 

All of our programs are free to join, but if fees ever get in the way, we’re here to help. Just fill out our quick, confidential Scholarship Form and we’ll take care of the rest.

 

👉 https://www.cadenceparkptsa.org/scholarship

 

Because every Puma deserves to be part of the fun. 💫

 

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 YEAR IN REVIEW 2024-2025 

(click graphic below)

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We want your feedback to better help our board prepare for 2025-2026 year. Please click on THE graphic below and submit your feedback and ideas. 

 

 

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