North Notes
Blue Valley North's Parent Newsletter - September 18, 2020
In this Newsletter …
Distribution Day of Student Materials - Sept. 21-22
Tips for the First Four Weeks of School
Changes for the School Year
Bell Schedule Through Oct. 2
Junior Class T-shirt - deadline 10/2
Sophomore Class T-shirt - deadline 10/2
Counseling Updates
BVN Assistance for Families
Student Announcements
Kudos and Celebrations
Team Up for St. Jude
Speak Up Walk - Virtual Event
Safe + Sane + Seen
BVN Social Media
Mark Your Calendar
Coronavirus Information
PBC Spiritwear
Distribution Day for Classroom Materials - September 21 & 22
We have been working with teachers to develop a plan to distribute materials to students that need them for specific classes during remote learning. Please know that if you need to pick-up a supply packet, your teacher will be communicating this with you through Canvas and during class Zoom meetings.
Process
- Families will drive through the bus loop, where staff members will distribute materials directly to students without requiring students to leave their vehicles.
- Students will need to be able to tell staff members the following:
- Their name
- Their teacher's name
- The class or classes they are picking up materials for
- Students and Staff members will be required to wear masks for everyone's safety.
- If you are currently under quarantine, please do not expose our staff. Please make arrangements to collect items at an alternate time, by contacting 913-239-3000
BVN Map
Distribution Schedule
The schedule below is based on the student's last name and when they should plan on being at Blue Valley North to collect their materials. During these two days, students will be following the regular bell schedule. September 21st will be an ODD day, and September 22nd will be an EVEN day. Classes will include both synchronous and asynchronous activities for students. Teachers will be working with students on a case-by-case basis if they miss class due to the distribution day.
Again, if you have a conflict with your assigned time, please contact the main office at 913-239-3000 to make alternate arrangements.
Monday, September 21
A-B: 8:00 – 8:30 AM
C-D: 8:30 – 9:00 AM
E-F: 9:00 – 9:30 AM
G-H: 9:30 – 10:00 AM
I-J: 10:00 – 10:30 AM
K-L: 10:30 – 11:00 AM
(And any students who have not picked up their materials)
Tuesday, September 22
M-N: 8:00 – 8:30 AM
O-P: 8:30 – 9:00 AM
Q-R: 9:00 – 9:30 AM
S-T: 9:30 – 10:00 AM
U-V: 10:00 – 10:30 AM
W-Z: 10:30 – 11:00 AM
(And any students who have not picked up their materials)
Tips for the First Four Weeks of School
Students! Check Your Student Email Daily
Students, it is important that you get in the habit of checking your school email frequently. We recommend checking it three times a day (morning, lunch, and the end of day). Thank you!
Student & Counselor Intro Videos
In place of our orientation day and back to school night, teachers and counselors made introductory videos for their students and parents. These videos are located on the teacher's/counselor's Canvas pages. These videos contain all of the information that students would receive during orientation, and parents would receive during back to school night. Please take a few minutes to sign-in to Canvas and view these videos.
BVN Changes for 2020-21
Also, below is the PowerPoint presentation that was sent out on August 19th, highlighting the changes to Blue Valley North this year.
Junior Shirt for Class of 2022 - Deadline October 2
Sophomore Shirt for Class of 2023 - Deadline October 2
Counseling, Academics & Testing
- Schedule Changes - only level changes and drops to a study hall allowed
- Senior college application information sent 9/15
- Freshmen zoom sessions with counselor
- AP test information
- Virtual College Visits on Naviance
- PSAT Prep Guides
- News From North video series
- Follow us on Twitter - @BVNCounseling
Questions? Contact Theresa Gonzalez @ (913)239-3016 or TGonzalez@bluevalleyk12.org
BVN Assistance for Families
My name is Lisa Summers and I am the Social Worker for Blue Valley North. I know it has been a difficult 6 months, both financially & emotionally, for families. I wanted to let families know we are here to help. BVN has a limited amount of funds to assist families. I am also available to assist families with resources in our area.
Please give me a call (913)239-3116 or email lsummers02@bluevalleyk12.org
Programs that BVN offers include:
· BVN has school supplies
· Back Snack Program. Snacks will be distributed to students on a weekly basis.
· Give the Basics Program: Shampoo, Conditioner, lotion, deodorant, toothbrush, and toothpaste, etc.
You can also contact BVNCommunityCares@gmail.com with your needs.
Student Announcements
Mustang Community Service-Kay Club
Join the Mustang Community Service -KAY Club! We have an exciting fall community service project you can do from home. We are creating a read aloud library for K-2 students. Click this link to join the club. To learn more, come to our first meeting on Tuesday September 29th at 3:30pm at this Zoom link. Password is KAY. Questions? Contact Tanu, Club President, at tsakaray@bluevalleyk12.net
ALL NEW BOYS' AND GIRLS' SWIMMERS AND DIVERS
If you're a freshman or new to Blue Valley North and are interested in joining this year's swim and dive program, please email Coach Cole and let him know you're interested. He is also looking for student-athletes looking for a new sport to participate during Winter for Boys and Spring for Girls. Coach Cole is setting up zoom meetings and conditioning soon.
Coach Cole's Email: Coachrfc2@gmail.com
National Honor Society
Are you a current Junior or Senior with a 3.5 GPA or higher? Are you interested in being a candidate for NHS induction in the fall? If so, please read on. Normally students need 40 hours of community service from January 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020. Due to Covid-19 we are going to lower the expectation to 20 hours with the understanding that in the spring of Junior year through senior year students will need to perform those 40 hours. These hours must come from non-profit organizations. We will not count hours such as walking dogs, babysitting a neighbor, helping someone move, tutoring, etc. Students should already be on x2VOL and should be recording and verifying hours on this online platform. An individual from the organization must approve hours with an email that is from a .org email address. There are plenty of opportunities to get hours virtually, or for summer outdoor opportunities. Look online for opportunities.
The initial information meeting is Wednesday September 30 and Thursday October 1, 2020 at 2:55pm. Attendance at one of these two dates is mandatory! These meetings will be held by ZOOM. Zoom login information is on x2VOL on the Bulletin Board. If students can’t find this information, they need to contact us ahead of time.
Due to Covid, we are not sure how Induction and Induction practice will look. As of now: Mandatory induction practice is Monday November 9, 2020 at 7:00am and Mandatory Induction is Tuesday November 10, 2019 at 6:30pm. This may change depending on if we are in person or distance learning.
Feel free to reach out to Mrs. Cornelius (acornelius@bluevalleyk12.org) or Mrs. Stein (sistein@bluevalleyk12.org) with any questions. Thanks!
Kudos and Celebrations
BVN National Merit Awards
Twenty Blue Valley North seniors have National Merit accolades and eleven of those students have been named National Merit semifinalists. The semifinalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit scholarships worth $33 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a merit scholarship, the semifinalists must fulfill several requirements and advance to the finalist round of competition. Students were named semifinalists after taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.National Merit Semifinalists
Charles Gambill
Brian Garretson
Yujin Hahn
Damon Henderson
Lauren Herrington
Richard Koulen
Alec Liu
Grant Mao
Anna McCartan
Lucas Seeley
Braden Webb
National Merit Commended
Firas Batrash
Rishit Chilappa
Kelsie Fisher
Angela Frazier
Divya Gupta
Gabrielle Kill
Theodore Kupper
Yasmeen Saadi
Hugo Yu
Girls' Tennis
The Mustang Girls’ Tennis Team came out of the stable in a massive stampede with sweeping wins over Blue Valley West and Blue Valley Southwest in their first Tri-Match, on Monday, Sept. 14! The Varsity won 6-0 vs. both BVW and BVSW and was represented by: Callie Flanagan, Sophia Baillos, Divya Gupta, Christine O’Brien, Emme MacKenzie, Caroline Thummel, Emma Razi, Joy Yan, Cimone Trysla. The Junior Varsity also won big with a 6-0 win over BVSW and a 5-1 win over BVW! The JV was represented by: Natalie Swerdlow, Grace Summers, Clancy Scott, Ainsley Skomal, Nancy Di Palo, Avery Hammer, Brenna Coleman, Mandy Unterhalter, and Mary Crossland – All pictured below.
On Tuesday, Sept. 15, the Varsity faced Shawnee Mission East, Free State and Shawnee Mission South in their first ever Quad-Match! The Varsity won all three matches 4-0, bringing their season record to 5-0 in team competition. The varsity was represented by the same players as on Monday. The JV face-off against St. Thomas Aquinas and were also victorious. The JV played 14 singles matches and 7 doubles matches! The JV was represented by many of the players above but the new additions were: Paige Browning, Seline Ulusarac, Abby Gold, Meghan Coleman, Justyna Hayslett, Uma Bhoot, and Emery Skomal.
The next match is Thurdsay, September 17, 2020 at 4:15 p.m. Varsity away at Minor Park vs. Sion and JV home vs. Sion and also away vs. SMS at 103rd and Marty Courts at 3:30.
Congratulations to our students for their academic and athletic achievements!
Team Up For St. Jude KC
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Team Up For St. Jude KC BVN representatives and students tied gold ribbons around the school in honor of our childhood cancer survivors, those children and teens currently battling cancer, and for those who have left us too soon.
Even though Covid restrictions have altered September events, t-shirts and ribbons are still being sold in order to raise awareness and funds in the fight against pediatric cancer.
Donations can also be made at the following link:
https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/TAEvents/Events?team_id=253843&pg=team&fr_id=123132
If you’d like a t-shirt ($10) or ribbons tied around your trees, please contact one of the following representatives:
Cimone Trysla: Chairperson Team Up For St. Jude KC/BVN junior
Mackenzie Meyer: BVN senior and Team Up board representative
Clara Taylor: BVN senior and Team Up board representative
Lars Yarkousky: BVN junior and Team Up board representative
Originating from a BVN student/family in 2016, BVN students continue to lead all metro high schools in this meaningful cause for the fifth year in a row. We are Mustang Proud!!!
Speak Up Walk ~ Virtual Event ~ The Month of September
The Speak Up walk is virtual this year. For $15, a participant walks on their own with friends, family or pets and posts pics to #Speakupwalk2020 during the month of September. This coincides with September being suicide awareness month. If students are interested and want to be a part of TeamChad, the link is here: Team Chad. There is more information on the Team Chad Facebook page. In addition, here is Speak Up's video describing the virtual event. Thank you for your support!
Safe + Sane + Seen: BVN & Feeder Schools: 9/24 @ 7:30PM
Struggling with knowing how to help your kids have healthy screentime habits in the world of virtual learning? This 60-minute virtual event will help you make a game plan to manage screens at home. We'll share fresh, expert-informed concepts that can apply to all ages of kids, and give you an opportunity to exchange tips and offer support with other parents and staff in the Blue Valley North community. The content is designed for adults only; please note that some information might be disturbing for younger kids. You will walk away with practical ideas to help your child stay safe, sane and seen in an increasingly digital world. Can't join live? No worries! The event will be recorded and sent to registered parents to view at a time convenient for you. Registration is now open, click here to get started.
Blue Valley North Social Media
Blue Valley North High School now has official social media accounts, monitored by our very own BVN Administration Team. Please follow for announcements and information if you use these social media tools. Thanks for your support!
Instagram: @bvnmustangs
Twitter: @MustangsBvn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BVNMustangs/
Mark Your Calendar (new dates added)
Sept 21-22 - Textbook and Material Distribution Days
Oct. 30 - No School
Nov. 6 - No School/End of 1st Quarter
Nov. 25-27 - Thanksgiving Break
Dec. 23-Jan. 1 - Winter Break
Jan. 4 - School Resumes
Jan. 13-15 - Final Exams
Jan. 15 - End of 1st Semester
Jan. 18 - No School/Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Upcoming All School Events
All BVN events, activities, sporting events and additional calendar adjustments are found on the EKL calendar: www.easternkansasleague.org
Click here for the revised 2020-21 Blue Valley School District Calendar.
COVID-19 Testing Resources
If your experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (Fever or chills, Cough, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea) or have been exposed to someone who is positive with COVID-19 and need a COVID-19 test, consult with your primary care provider or use the following resources to get a test:
Children’s Mercy has some exciting news to share Drive-up COVID-19 Testing available for symptomatic children at the following Urgent Care sites:
- Children’s Mercy Blue Valley in Overland Park, KS
- Children’s Mercy East in Independence, MO
- Children’s Mercy Northland in Kansas City, MO
Testing is by appointment only: Monday- Friday 12 p.m.- 6 p.m.
Those who live or work in Johnson County, KS can schedule a free COVID-19 test at the Department of Health and Environment's Olathe location. Individuals should seek testing from their primary health care provider first before making an appointment. Supplies and appointment times are limited.
11875 S. Sunset Drive, Suite #300, Olathe, KS 66061; Phone: 913-826-1200
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to e-mail Nurse Collichio, BVN Nurse, at ajcollichio@bluevalleyk12.org. or call at 913-239-3013.
Stop the Spread of Coronavirus
Blue Valley wants families to know the district is carefully following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and local health agencies on preventative measures for the Coronavirus or COVID-19. One of the most important things we can do right now is practice preventative measures and remind students of everyday actions they can take to slow the spread of germs and prevent illness. We appreciate your encouragement of these healthy habits at home.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Blue Valley uses hospital-grade cleaning disinfectants in its schools.
- Stay home when you are sick except to get medical care. Children who are ill should remain home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of medication.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Thank you for your support to safeguard the health of our students, staff and community. More information on the Coronavirus is available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
We are Mustang Proud!
North Notes is a newsletter for the parents and students of Blue Valley North High School. If you have questions, please contact Janet Roush, Assistant to the Principal, at JRoush@bluevalleyk12.org . Thank you!
Blue Valley North High School
BVN Twitter:
@MustangsBvn
@BVNOstroski
@TheKurle
@BVNCounseling
@MustangsOfBVN
@bvnnews
@BVNMustangsPBC
BVN Instagram:
@bvnmustangs
Email: Jroush@bluevalleyk12.org
Website: www.bluevalleyk12.org/BVN/
Location: 12200 Lamar Avenue, Overland Park, KS, 66209
Phone: (913) 239-3000
Facebook: facebook.com/BVNMustangs/
Twitter: @bvnnews