Weekly Cougar News
ConVal High School Happenings - May 5, 2023
Message from Principal McKillop
Good Afternoon, Cougar Nation!
I hope that everyone had a great April break. This past week, we welcomed back the students who participated in the Salzburg exchange program, and I would like to thank Frau Hodgdon, Frau Concannon, and Mr. Heider for chaperoning our students during their immersive language experiences in Germany and Austria; please see their journey details below.
On Wednesday, members of the Class of 2023 celebrated "I Decided Day" by proudly wearing T-shirts and sweaters from the colleges and universities that they will attend in the fall. Among the classroom experiences I witnessed, on Thursday, I had the special privilege of attending the play Bachelor Cheeseburger in G.I. Paradise, created by students in the Anatomy & Physiology II class, about the journey of a cheeseburger as it travels through the digestive system. I am continuously amazed at our students' ingenuity and the creative ways in which they can present their newly-acquired knowledge. Thursday night was the ConVal Student Film Festival, where 15 student films were shown in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre. Some of these films will be submitted to the New Hampshire High School Short Film Festival. Tonight, there is a reception in the Peterborough Town Library to celebrate the opening of "A Work In Motion," a mixed media exhibition of student art that was created in collaboration with the Children and the Arts Festival 2023. Congratulations to the students who earned Cougar CARES Awards for April as well as to Eli Sawyer who received the CTE Student of the Month Award!
On Monday our school community will begin celebrations for Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week. We are so grateful for our amazing staff members and look forward to honoring them throughout the week. Please see also the Staff Achievements section below which features the accomplishments of three of our staff members in science, art, and theatre beyond the ConVal campus — experiences that they are bringing back to share with the students in their classrooms.
In the days ahead, I look forward to attending several of our home games in support of our student athletes and hope to bring my boys to a few of them. On a related note, please see the call for volunteers from the Friends of ConVal Athletics (FCVA) below.
Have a wonderful weekend, and GO COUGARS!
Best,
Heather
Table of Contents
Student Achievements
"I Decided Day" At ConVal
Staff Achievements
School Counseling News
Athletic, Co-Curricular and Club Updates
Friends of ConVal Athletics (FCVA) Needs Volunteers
ConVal Summer Academy
Toadstool Teacher Appreciation Week Sale (May 1-May 7)
A Work In Motion Mixed Media Student Art Exhibit (May 5-May 31)
Stomp Rockets (May 6, May 9)
Grapevine Annual Spring Walk (May 13)
Children and the Arts Festival (May 20)
MAXT Afterschool STEM Workshops (May 26, June 30)
Tod Silegy Soccer Camps (June 26-June30)
Help Wanted
Upcoming Important Dates and Events
- May 5: Opening Reception "A Work In Motion" Student Art Exhibit @ PTL, 5-7 pm
- May 8: AP Calculus
- May 8: Senior Class Meeting (during TASC)
- May 9: AP English Language and Composition
- May 9: AP Physics C: Mechanics
- May 10: AP Biology
- May 11: AP World History: Modern
- May 12: AP German Language and Culture
- May 12: Great East Music Festival field trip
Please see our detailed End-of-Year Calendar by clicking here (printable .pdf file).
Student Achievements
April Cougar CARES Award Recipients
Congratulations to the recipients of the April Cougar CARES Awards! Faculty and students can nominate one student each month for a Cougar CARES Award. The goal is to recognize and celebrate students who demonstrate the actions described in the ConVal C.A.R.E.S. (Community, Adaptability, Respect, Engagement, and/or Safety) behavior matrix.
The following students were recognized:
- Freshmen: Whitney Adair, Logan Blais, Emma Howland, Liam Webb, Mariah Woodhouse
- Sophomores: Bishop Benham, Raiden Gray, Samuel Lang, Aramis Olivo, Nikki Spear, Maxx Telofski, Zackery Wheaton, Suki Zhang
- Juniors: Dylan Farrell, Delaney Ingalls, Abby Desrosiers, Elijah Lacroix, Henry Paradise, Liasiah Torres
- Seniors: Ryan Gorman, Audrey Lang, Makenna Proctor, Caroline Stultz
Congratulations, all, for modeling Cougar CARES behavior!
Eli Sawyer CTE Student Of The Month
Eli Sawyer has earned the CTE Student of the Month award at the Region 14 Applied Technology Center for April 2023. He was nominated by his Manufacturing instructor, Michael Scaramellino, for excelling in all the career readiness skills but especially for being a program leader, building positive relationships, and always coming prepared with the mindset to learn and be successful. Mr. Scaramellino shared that “Eli arrives from Conant each and every morning ready to go. He is the type of student that arrives on time, prepared and ready to work in the shop on what he needs to do. He is always on task, uses the tools and equipment properly and safely. He has been a pleasure to teach and is a model student for the Manufacturing classes.” Congratulations, Eli!
"A Work In Motion": Student Mixed Media Art Exhibit
The ConVal Art Department is proud to announce "A Work In Motion" — a mixed media high school art exhibit in the Community Art Gallery at the Peterborough Town Library.
Artwork on exhibit has been created by the following artists: Brian Alonso, Hazel Armstrong, Hadley Bates, Wyatt Beaulieu, Eric Bergeron, Sophia Bohl, Ava Brening, McKenna Coull, Monika Craven, Ashley Cronin, Nicole Davison, Jaz Davison, Addison Dodge, Maggie Fry, Edgar Gonzales, Wubalem Harrison, Riley Heider, Dakota Horton, Austin Klonel, Alex Laurie, Mikala Mackesy, Zadie Marshall, Rowan McClusky, Willow Middleton, Zoe Nevers-Hiers, Leigha Psiras, Keegan Ross, Gesu Saidova, and Inaya Vaidya.
An opening reception will be held from 5-7pm on Friday, May 5. The show will be on display for the entire month of May. This exhibition is running in conjunction with the Children and the Arts Festival on May 20 and is based around the 2023 theme “Things That Go VROOM!”.
"I Decided Day" At ConVal High School
Members of the ConVal Class of 2023 celebrated their accomplishments and future plans on "I Decided Day" on Wednesday. With their classes wrapping up in just four weeks and graduation nearing in early June, seniors took time to look back on their last four years of hard work and looked ahead to their future. Students visited the School Counseling office to take photos of themselves in swag of the colleges and universities that they intend to attend in the fall.
Staff Achievements
Science Teacher Carol Young Completes Fellowship
Over April break, ConVal science teacher Carol Young completed an 8-day Teacher Fellowship in Costa Rica. Young joined 14 other science educators from across the United States and Canada to learn about ecological research methods and inquiry-based instructional models. For more on the fellowship program and the research that Young conducted, please see here. The fellowship was a unique professional development opportunity provided by the nonprofit organization Ecology Project International (EPI).
Art Show Features Works By Ben Putnam
ConVal art teacher Ben Putnam is one of three artists featured in a month-long art show at the Dublin School entitled “Overlooked and Leftover.” According to an article in the Dublin Advocate, the art pieces by Putnam, Lulu Fichter, and Jane Simpson "examine ideas of impermanence: the rescued, repurposed, and reused. In a time of scarcity, precious materials gave artwork value and the illusion of permanence. In a time of over-consumption, these artists create value through the investment of effort. They reject permanence for the acceptance of mortality and bring our attention back to the power of making." The art show will run May 5–June 5, with an opening reception at Dublin School on May 5, 6–8 pm.
Jason Lambert Stars In "The Pavilion"
For the next month, ConVal English teacher Jason Lambert will star as Peter in Craig Wright's play The Pavilion at the award-winning Firelight Theatre in Peterborough. Hailed by critics as "an Our Town for our time" and "glorious theatrical treat," this play is by turns poetic and comic, romantic and philosophical. Peter returns to his twenty-year high-school reunion with dreams of winning back Kari, the girl he left behind after an unexpected pregnancy ended their relationship.
“The Pavilion is a beautiful play, and it’s really fitting for our 2023 season," noted Lambert who is also Firelight's artistic director. "This year we’re exploring the theme ‘Reunion’ with our projects. We’re so excited to come back together with our audience, and meet newcomers to Firelight.” The production marks the theatre company's return to its intimate studio space in the Guernsey Building, in an oversized office turned theatre collaborative.
Running May 5–May 28, performances are on Thursdays at 7:30 pm with matinee shows performed on Saturdays and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Firelight's performance space is located on 70 Main Street, Suite #204. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $20 for Firelight members. To purchase tickets, visit firelighttheatreworkshop.com.
Firelight Theatre is a 2022 Ewing Performing Arts Award Winner, has been recognized by the New Hampshire Theatre Alliance with awards for Best Director and Best Production, and was voted by New Hampshire Magazine as Best Experimental Theatre.
Classroom Snapshots
Carol Young's Class Performs Original Play
Ben Putnam's "Cereal Day" In Ceramics Classes
It was cereal day on Thursday in Ben Putnam's Ceramics classes! Students came together as an artistic community, ate cereal out of bowls that they created, and celebrated their progress as artists.
Region 14 Applied Technology Center
ConVal Film Festival Showcases Student Films
On May 4, students gathered in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre to see student film productions. "The ConVal Film Festival is an annual event that is put on by Video ll Students," explained senior Alicia Connolly, the Festival Coordinator. "The students work over the course of the semester to produce films to submit to the New Hampshire High School Film Festival. In honor of the submissions, the Video ll students host a festival to celebrate their work, while also accepting independent submissions from the student body."
This year, there were a total of 15 submissions to the ConVal Film Festival: “The Story of Aries” by Hadi Lancaric; “Who Am I?” by Joseph Chamberlain; “Born from Ice” by Bennett Saxe; “Dear Mom” by Brooke Aldeman; “Grilled Cheese” by Desean Penny; “Peterborough Fire and Rescue” by Francisco Jaimes; “Mr Rogers Music Video” by Brady Carpentiere; “The Making of The Pirate Queen” by Elijah Lacroix; "Spilt Milk” by Toby Cornell; “Avian Automatons” by Trent Stafford; “You are Enough” by Alicia Connolly; “Pieces of the Past” by Esther Janis; “In My Mind” by Ethan Marony; and “Chasing The Past” by Jennifer Hopkins.
ConVal High School Counseling
School Counseling Newsletter
For the May edition of the School Counseling newsletter which covers a variety of topics, from mental health awareness month to "I Decided Day" celebrations, please click here.
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: FCVA Concession Volunteers Needed!!!! We have a big week coming up and we would love to run the concession stand throughout the week. Reach out to fcvaconcessions@gmail.com to find out how you can sign-up.
Upcoming Home Events:May 8: Girls Lacrosse will have a home game hosting Windham. Game will start at 4 pm on Stadium Field.
May 8: Girls Tennis will be hosting Souhegan at Adam’s Playground. Matches will begin at 4:30 pm.
May 9: Boys Lacrosse will be hosting Goffstown on Stadium Field at 4 pm.
May 9: Girls Tennis will be hosting Milford at Adam’s Playground. Matches will begin at 4 pm.
May 10: Boys Tennis will be hosting Windham at Adam’s Playground. Matches will begin at 4 pm.
May 12: ConVal Nation Event of the Week — Boys Tennis, Boys Lacrosse, Baseball, and Softball will all be hosting games. Travel to Adam’s playground and catch a couple of matches then come back to campus to see some great games on one of the most beautiful campuses in the state.
Please visit our athletics website for a full listing of events.
Friends of ConVal Athletics (FCVA) Needs Volunteers
FCVA is in major need of volunteers for our spring home games. FCVA is the booster club for 24 ConVal Teams. Concessions is the #1 Fundraising effort for all FCVA Teams. Anyone can participate, please sign up by clicking the Signup Genius link.
Fun Fact: Did you know that our WINTER concessions volunteers represented 19 of the 24 FCVA teams and earned $36 per volunteer hour during the Winter season for their team!!! AMAZING teamwork - Remember, ALL volunteer opportunities are open to ANY team from any season. So, parents/guardians with an off-season athlete can plan ahead and earn money now for those teams! (Students can also volunteer with adult supervision.) Please consider donating a crock pot, picking up a pizza, or working in the concession stand or driving the concession cart. All volunteer hours earn money for the FCVA team you select. WE NEED YOU to help open the stand for ConVal home games! It's fun & it's easy!
FCVA also welcomes donations — $ and concession supplies. Contact any board member for details.
FCVA thanks all those who have volunteered so far this school year. Thanks also to those who have supported our Spring Cash Calendar Raffle going on now. Drawings for cash prizes begin May 8. Good luck! Visit the FCVA portion of the ConVal Athletics website to check daily winners & access all FCVA info.
Thanks,Jen Bergeron
FCVA Volunteer Chair
Spanish Club Celebrates Cinco de Mayo
On Thursday, the Spanish Club celebrated 5 de Mayo by preparing food and drinks and organizing games and prizes. On Friday, the Spanish Club organized a school-wide piñata scavenger hunt!
ConVal Students Travel to Germany, Austria
The ConVal Regional High School-Akademisches Gymnasium exchange program between students at ConVal and students from Salzburg, Austria has facilitated successful immersion experiences for more than two decades now. During this time, the two high schools have grown closer. All involved refer to the exchange as their “family away from home.” To read about the ConVal students' recent trip to Germany and Austria, please see these web posts:
If you are interested in participating in the exchange program, please contact Frau Hodgdon at chodgdon@conval.edu or Frau Concannon at econcannon@conval.edu. The next exchange trip to Germany and Austria is scheduled for spring 2025.
ConVal High School Summer Academy offers students the opportunity to recover graduation requirement credits as well as take enrichment courses for credit. Classes are free to incoming and current ConVal High School students on a first-come, first-served basis. If space allows, rising 7th and 8th-grade students in the ConVal district may participate in Summer Academy enrichment classes but will not be eligible for credit.
Please fill out the Summer Academy registration form to register and indicate course preferences; use a separate registration form for each student you are enrolling. ConVal Summer Academy reserves the right to cancel any course that does not meet minimum course enrollment requirements.
Additional Information:
- Who: Incoming and current ConVal High School students on a first-come, first-served basis. Students may register for one or two sessions based on their needs and interests.
- What: Click here for Summer Academy course descriptions.
- Where: ConVal High School
- When: July 5 – August 3, 2023, Monday through Thursday (due to the July 4th holiday, classes will only be held Wednesday, 7/5, and Thursday, 7/6, the first week)
- Session 1: 8:00 am – 10:00 am, and
- Session 2: 10:15 am – 12:15 pm.
- How: Transportation and lunch will be provided. Buses will arrive before Session 1 and will depart after Session 2; there will be no mid-morning bus run.
If you have questions about Summer Academy, please contact Rachael Bowman at rbowman@conval.edu.
Toadstool Teacher Appreciation Week Sale
May 1–May 7, 2023
25% OFF ALL BOOKS, CARDS, CALENDARS, DVDs, CDs ...
The Toadstool Bookshop
Peterborough | (603) 924-3543 | books@ptoad.com
Mon-Fri: 10AM-6PM; Sat: 10AM-5PM; Sun: 10AM-4PM
Children & The Arts Festival Goes "VROOOM!"
The 28th Annual Children and the Arts Festival will go "VROOOM!" on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The parade this year will be devoted to cars, boats, trucks, trains, planes and more in all shapes, styles, and speeds! Local school students, visiting performers, artists, and members of the community will celebrate mechanical things that accelerate their imaginations. In addition to the parade, the festival will include crowd favorites such as crafts, dancing, live music, and many other activities. To see the Children and the Arts Festival flyer, please click here.
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