Weekly Cougar News
ConVal High School Happenings - January 20, 2023
Message from Principal McKillop
Good Afternoon, Cougar Nation!
It was a quiet day on campus without our students. I hope everyone is safe and warm.
I want to extend a HUGE congratulations to our students who earned a collective 27 Scholastic Art Awards. All names and honors are listed below. Our students are so talented and I am proud of all who submitted work for consideration. A special shoutout also goes out to our digital photography teacher Lance Levesque who guided the students toward their achievements.
For ConVal's upcoming Drama Winter Project, if you are able to donate any items, it would be appreciated. Please check your closets for 1980s fashion, roller skates, and other props!
Monday, January 23, is the first day of the second semester. As I shared yesterday, Monday will be a half day for students, and the afternoon will be dedicated to make up exams. In addition to bus transportation at 11:30 am, there will be another run at 2:20 pm for anyone staying to make up exams. If there is no school due to adverse weather conditions on Monday, Tuesday, January 24, will be a full day of school for students and make-up exams will need to be arranged with individual teachers. Please stay tuned for further updates.
On Wednesday evening, the school counseling department will host "Applying to College 101" which is designed for families of juniors and is conducted in collaboration with the New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation (NHHEAF). More details are included below.
There are also many athletic events this week, so please consider coming out to support the Cougars. Finally, best of luck to our students that will partake in the Keene Jazz invitational one week from today.
I hope to see everyone on Monday!
Enjoy the snow and stay safe.
Best,
Heather
Table of Contents
Upcoming Dates and Events
Student Achievements: Scholastic Arts Awards
Classroom Snapshots
Thank you for the Cap & Gown Success
ConVal Career & Technical Education
Focus Group Invite for Parents and Students
School Counseling News
YRBS Survey
Applying to College 101
Crisis Text Line
Athletic, Co-Curricular and Club Updates
ConVal Drama 1980s Clothing and Props Drive
Affordable Connectivity Program
Help Wanted
Upcoming Important Dates and Events
- January 23, 2023: First Day of Semester 2
- January 27, 2023: Keene Jazz Invitational
Student Achievements
Students Garner 27 Scholastic Arts Awards
The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers has just announced the winners of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and shared the list with ATC Digital Photography teacher Lance Levesque.
With 27 awards, ConVal High School students figured prominently among this year’s recognized artists in the category of digital photography.
Congratulations to all the students who received Gold Keys, Silver Keys, Honorable Mention recognitions, as well as an American Vision Nomination:
- Brooke Adelman
- "Looking Through a Winter Wonderland," Honorable Mention
- Jacob Carter
- "Pursuit of the Spotlight," Honorable Mention
- Alicia Connolly
- "The Window," Silver Key (Digital Art)
- "Trapped In Solitude," Silver Key
- Emma Cronin
- "Handle With Care," Honorable Mention
- River Cyr-Underwood
- "Sunset at Hope Creek," Honorable Mention
- Nicole Davison
- "Locked In Love," Honorable Mention
- Kendrick Edwards
- "Americana," Silver Key
- "Endless," Silver Key
- Nathaniel Gagnon
- "It's Snowing And I Don’t Know How To Feel," Silver Key
- Ryan Gorman
- "Self Aware," Honorable Mention
- Jennifer Hopkins
- "Norwegian Summer," Gold Key
- "Crocodile Tears," Silver Key
- "Idyllic," Silver Key
- "Innerdalen," Silver Key
- "Hugin and Munin," Honorable Mention
- "Fiery Gaze," Honorable Mention
- "Mother and Daughter," Honorable Mention
- Esther Janis
- "Finding Youth," Gold Key and American Vision Nomination
- "How Do You Do?," Honorable Mention
- Skye Lambert
- "Split Emotions," Honorable Mention
- Ethan Marony
- "Reflecting Through the Tune," Silver Key
- "Woven In Strings," Honorable Mention
- Savannah Norby
- "Enough Is Enough," Honorable Mention
- Juliana O’Mahony
- "Eye of the Sun," Gold Key
- Zachary Pease
- "Lost In Time," Honorable Mention
- Eden Pressman
- "Time Well Spent," Honorable Mention
Each year, Scholastic Arts student submissions are juried by luminaries in the arts, some of whom are past award recipients. Panelists look for works that best exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.
Classroom Snapshots
Frau Hodgdon's German 4
Staff gathered to listen to German 4 students present their final projects in Deutsch. Students presented their various experiments on salt complete with posters, demonstrations, and even a tasting sample. The students did a wonderful job!
Mr. Mitschmyer's Graphic Design
On the final day of class, students in Mr. Mitschmyer's Graphic Design class wrapped up their final designs and experimented with pressing their original designs on the heat press machine.
Thank You for Ordering Your Caps and Gowns!
We wanted to thank all the seniors and their parents for their quick response in ordering their caps & gowns! Great job!
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Lisa Serard via email (lserard@conval.edu) or call (603-923-3869) ext. 3000.
Region 14 Applied Technology Center
Focus Group Invite: Engaging Youth and Parents
ApprenticeshipNH, a workforce initiative of the Community College System of NH (CCSNH), helps build apprenticeships and pre-apprentice programs in high-demand occupations. The program now includes a track for high school students who can “earn while they learn” valuable workforce skills and high school and college credit while being paid for the work they perform.
We are looking for feedback from students and parents on their perspectives about the initiative, how they perceive it, and potential barriers and opportunities they foresee. To gain this feedback, we are conducting statewide, virtual focus groups.
Please join us. The Focus Group schedule is below.
Feb. 7 at 6:00 pm: Parents from Cheshire and other counties
Feb. 8 at 6:00 pm: Parents from Hillsborough and other counties
Feb. 15 at 6:00 pm: Students from Cheshire and other counties
Feb. 16 at 6:00 pm: Students from Hillsborough and other counties
Focus group participants receive a $50.00 stipend.
Contact Liz Arcieri at larcieri@ccsnh.edu or Mary Ann Gaschnig at mgaschnig@ccsnh.edu to register to attend!
ConVal High School Counseling
Applying to College 101
January 25 @ 6:00-7:00 pm in the LHT
"Applying to College 101" is designed for families of juniors and is conducted in collaboration with the New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation (NHHEAF). This presentation is strongly recommended for parents/guardians of any 11th grader considering applying to college. Students are welcome to attend as well.
In a crisis? Text HOME to 741741
You can also reach out by typing @CrisisTextLine on Facebook Messenger.
The service is here for any type of crisis and is available 24/7 for high-quality, text-based mental health support.
A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from a secure online platform.
Reach out to get the help you need.
Athletic and Co-Curricular Updates
Big News: This past Tuesday ConVal honored Coach Ray Richard and the 1974 ConVal Cougars boys basketball team. In 1974 Coach Ray earned his 100th against Monadnock High School in double overtime. The game ball from that night and the signatures of all the players from the 1974 team will be displayed in the ConVal trophy case.
Big News: One of the biggest stories coming out of ConVal athletics this year is the resurgence of the ConVal Spirit team. The Spirit team has performed at our football games, basketball games, Unified soccer, Unified basketball and our pep rallies in the school. The team even built a float for the Fire and Ice parade in Greenfield back in December. Along with bringing spirit and energy to ConVal Nation this winter, the Spirit team is preparing for the state competition in March.
Big News: On February 15, ConVal and Souhegan in a joint effort will host the Claws for a Cause games at ConVal High School. The event will feature a double header match up between the ConVal girls and boys basketball teams and Souhegan. This event is a fundraising event going to local cause to help build awareness around mental health.
January 22: ConVal boys hockey will be taking on Concord. Game starts at 7:40 pm. Use the link below to check out the remaining schedule. Since ConVal is in a Co-Op with Monadnock and Fall Mountain, games are listed under Monadnock.
January 24: Triple header for boys basketball at ConVal. Reserve team will play at 3:30, followed by the JV at 5:00 pm, and Varsity at 6:30 pm vs. Coe-Brown Academy.
January 25: ConVal Nation Event of the Week - Unified Basketball will host Goffstown. Game will start promptly at 4:00 pm. Come make some noise in the Cave for this high scoring squad.
January 25: Girls Ice Hockey will host Bedford at Keene Ice. Puck drops at 6:30 pm.
January 27: ConVal Alpine will be hosting their second race of the year at Crotched Mountain. Race begins at 3:30 pm.
January 27: Girls basketball will host Milford. JV will begin at 5:00 pm and Varsity 6:30 pm.
January 28: ConVal Nordic Team will be at Waterville Valley. Race begins at 10:30 am.ConVal Drama 1980s Clothing and Props Drive
For the ConVal Drama Winter Project, please check your closets for 1980s fashion, roller skates, and other props. Punk, Dweeb, Nerd, Metal Head, and Footloose fashion are all in play. Remember rainbow suspenders, satin letter jackets, Lacoste polo shirts, headbands, and leg warmers? Ripped T-shirts, Drakar Noir, and The Breakfast Club? If you have any of these items to loan, please send them in with your student to leave with Leslie Holcombe, Jason Lambert, or Liz Moore. The drive ends Monday, January 23. Thank you in advance!
Affordable Connectivity Program
The Federal Communications Commission has announced that 20 of the nation’s internet providers have committed to lowering costs for low-income households to help improve access to high-speed internet for 48 million households nationwide. The Affordable Connectivity Program lowers internet costs for eligible families by up to $30 a month. Parents must sign up on their own. Here are information flyers that promote this offer.
Looking for Substitutes, Paraprofessionals
The ConVal School District is looking for substitute teachers and paraprofessionals.
The qualifications for employment as a substitute teacher or paraprofessional are as follows:
- Teaching experience not required
- Ability to work well with children and adults
- High school diploma or GED required
- At least 21 years of age
An appropriate certification or permission is required for long-term sub assignments.
To apply, please follow this link to the District’s online application system.
ConVal Regional High School
Location: 184 Hancock Road, Peterborough, NH 03458 (map)
Phone: (603) 924-3869
Email: conval.highschool@conval.edu
Website: cvhs.convalsd.net