Weekly Cougar News
ConVal High School Happenings - September 10, 2021
Message From Principal McKillop
We have had a busy and exciting week on campus. On Tuesday, students had school pictures taken and we had our first fire drill. There were many athletics home games to attend and excitement about the clubs and activities that will be starting up in the near future.
I was fortunate to visit many classrooms to say hello to students and to even partake in a few brief activities. I was honored to be invited in as a guest judge to Frau Concannon's German II class and was grateful to admire students using the lathe to create pen shells in Mr. Ewing's Woodworking I class.
Next week, we will be collecting non-perishable food items for the NH Tackles Hunger campaign. Collection bins for each class are located in the link near the main entrance, and there will also be collection bins at each home game next week. More details are shared below.
On behalf of our school community, please know we are so happy to have our students back in person this year and look forward to the rest of the school year together.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Heather
Email: conval.highschool@conval.edu
Website: cvhs.convalsd.net
Location: 184 Hancock Road, Peterborough, NH, USA
Phone: (603) 924-3869
Upcoming Important Dates
September 17-18, 2021- Homecoming
September 22, 2021 - Open House (6:30 - 8pm)
September 29, 2021 - College Planning Events for Seniors
September 30, 2021 - Community Forum
District Message
The ConVal School Board, working with the ConVal Administration, is pleased to announce its first-ever Community Forum.
The 'public comment’ periods at the beginning and end of the School Board meetings have been a source of frustration for some in the community. Board meetings are designed to conduct the business of the District and therefore there is limited time for meaningful dialogue between the public and the Board.
We have listened to our community and in our ongoing effort for full transparency, we have structured this Community Forum to allow for discussion on community-selected topics with questions to and answers from the school board and administration. The Board and Administration look forward to hearing from our nine communities in a constructive and flexible manner.
Please mark your calendars for Thursday, September 30, at 7:00 PM, to attend our first Community Forum at the Lucy Hurlin Theatre located at the ConVal High School.
More information will follow with details about the forum, and how to participate in a survey to determine forum topics. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with our communities with this opportunity for a more open dialogue.
School Counseling Information/Updates
Open House/PowerSchool:
At the Open House on 9/22, there will be staff available in the library who can help parents with accessing the Parent Portal in PowerSchool. Please drop in if you still need help with this!
PSAT Testing:
11th grade PSAT Test will be Wednesday October 13th. The cost is $18. Students should sign up in the counseling office.Parents of Seniors:
Parents of Seniors: please join us at CVHS (in the theater) on Wednesday 9/29 for some important information about college applications. Please bring a laptop to these sessions. Seniors are welcome to attend.
- 5:00 - 6:00: Drop-in session to learn about using Naviance and the Common Application
- 6:00 - 7:00: A presentation about the college application process.
Homecoming Weekend will begin with Conval Games
On Friday, September 17, 2021 we will adjust our daily school schedule to allow students to participate in outdoor activities during the afternoon. These activities include Kickball, Flag Football, Simon Says, Sidewalk Art, and many more.
Students will accumulate tickets for activities that they participate in and the class that has the most will win the competition and will be able to have first choice for their class color for the year.
Athletic/Homecoming Information
ConVal’s 2021 Homecoming is next week, and the following events are scheduled:
Wednesday, 9/15
- 3:30pm Unified Soccer vs Epping
Friday, 9/17
- 4:00pm Varsity and JV Girls Soccer vs Sanborn
- 4:00pm Varsity Field Hockey vs Sanborn
- 4:30pm JV Volleyball vs Laconia
- 5:30pm JV Field Hockey vs Sanborn
- 5:45pm Varsity Volleyball vs Laconia
- 7pm Varsity Football vs Monadnock
The Bonfire will begin immediately after the conclusion of the football game.
Football Game Admission
Adults $3.00
Senior Citizens - Free
All ConVal District Students & Staff - Free
Saturday, 9/18
- 11:00am Varsity Boys Soccer vs Sanborn
- 12:30pm JV Boys Soccer vs Sanborn
All of our fall athletic schedules can be found on the ConVal athletics website. Please come out and support our athletes and their coaches.
If you have any questions, please contact athletic director John Reitnauer at jreitnauer@conval.edu.
NH Tackles Hunger
Bring a non-expired , non-perishable canned food item to any of our Homecoming games to help prevent food insecurity in our community or make a direct donation online HERE at the Peterborough Food Pantry.
In the past, we have collected over $2,500, and thousands of pounds of food. It would be great to top that to help tackle hunger here in our community. So let's all show our Cougar pride and fill the collections bins!
Chromebook Fee Information
If they have not done so already, parents/guardians may still opt to pay the annual $25 Chromebook fee.
If the fee has been paid for the 2021-2022 school year, repairable damage to the device will be covered. If the cost of the repair exceeds the cost of the device, students will be charged for and will receive a replacement Chromebook for only $75. The fee can be paid online through the K12 Payment Center (www.k12paymentcenter.com). You may also bring in a check, payable to ConVal High School, in the amount of $25.00 or cash in the exact amount.
Regardless of whether or not the Chromebook fee has been paid, a student who intentionally damages or defaces a Chromebook will be charged the full repair or replacement cost for the device.
If a family is experiencing financial difficulties, please contact Lori Schmidt, the Business Administrator of the ConVal School District, either by phone 924-3336 ext. 2029 or by email (lschmidt@conval.edu).
Important Note: The Chromebook Fee is not retroactive. It will not cover damage that occurred before the Chromebook Fee has been paid.
Picture retake day
Students using the lathe in Mr. Ewing's Woodworking I class
ConVal Theatre Arts Program
ConVal Theatre Arts was thrilled to host 28 students for "Infinite Black Suitcase" by EM Lewis auditions, enough to cast the production TWICE! We will have two casts of incredibly talented students, each performing the full play for two audiences. We also have 7 students who will run our technical and design elements! Any other interested students can contact Mrs. Moore (emoore@conval.edu).
Visit www.cvlht.com for an overview of our upcoming theatre season, or https://our.show/cvhs/blacksuitcase for tickets to this show next month! This production is made possible through special arrangement with Samuel French for Concord Theatricals.
Explicitly Learning Small Group Discussion Skills
This week, Mrs. Holcombe’s English 9 classes reflected on what characteristics make small group discussions productive.
To prepare, the students individually read the poem, “Did I Miss Anything?” by Tom Wayman. They also practiced annotating it by writing their observations, questions, and thoughts in the margins. The students then met in small groups to discuss the poem and its meaning.
When the class gathered back together, Mrs. Holcombe asked the students what went well in their small group discussions and what did not. The students shared that their conversations were more interesting when everyone participated and shared their thoughts.
They noted that when no one or only a few students talked, the discussion quickly became awkward. The activity reminded students that all of their voices are important in helping each other learn.