Weekly Cougar News
ConVal High School Happenings - December 23, 2022
Message from Principal McKillop
Good Afternoon, Cougar Nation!
I hope you are all enjoying the first day of our holiday break. As you will see below, even though we had a four day week on campus, there was quite a bit going on.
One highlight of the week for me was supporting our music program at our annual holiday concert Tuesday evening. Our students are so very talented!
I hope you find some quiet moments to reflect on the past year. I've recently reflected on our CVHS mission statement:
“At ConVal High School, we embrace our opportunities to grow and learn, both individually and as an inclusive community. We strive to be respectful and show compassion for others. We work to be creative thinkers and problem solvers. We communicate and collaborate in an effort to take responsibility for our learning."
We will continue to focus on the elements in our mission statement as a community as we head into the new year.
Our next edition of the Weekly Cougar News will be delivered to your inbox on Friday, January 6, 2023.
I wish you all a very safe and happy holiday. I will look forward to welcoming staff and students back to the building next year.
Have a wonderful weekend, and GO COUGARS!
Best,
Heather
Table of Contents
Upcoming Dates and Events
November Cougar CARES Award Recipients
Classroom Snapshots
School Counseling News
Athletic, Co-Curricular and Club Updates
Youth & Government Indoor Field Trip
ConVal Snow Ball A Successful, Community-Building Event
Winter Concert Delights Audiences
Door-Decorating Contest
FCVA Seeks Volunteers
Time to Place Yearbook Ads, Yearbook Orders
Upcoming Grapevine Programs and Events
Crisis Text Line Information
Help Wanted
Upcoming Important Dates and Events
- December 25-January 2, 2023: Holiday Recess
- January 7, 2023: NHMEA Chamber Fest
- January 14, 2023: MVMF Festival (Band & Chorus)
- January 16, 2023: NO SCHOOL - Civil Rights Holiday
- January 20, 2023: CVHS End of Quarter Two/Semester 1
November Cougar CARES Award Recipients
Congratulations to the recipients of the November 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: Logan Blais, Alia Dodge, Campbell Maggs, Gabe Price, Dexter Shea
- Sophomores: Hannah Daniels, Izzy Jobin, Chesney McManus, Mackenzie Noke, Anneliese Strong
- Juniors: Hannah Beisang, Sean Cattigan, Hannah Leahigh, Nathan Klonel, Aria Laurent
- Seniors: Joseph Chamberlain, Kai Flynn, Ethan Maroney, Natalie Preble, Caroline Stultz
Congratulations, all, for modeling Cougar CARES behavior!
Classroom Snapshots!
Ms. Riendeau's Mathematics
A view of the student work in Ms. Riendeau's Mathematics classroom. Ms. Riendeau created all the puzzle pieces for the Logarithm Properties Tarsia Puzzle. Each puzzle piece contained a question and answer that would correspond with other pieces to create the elaborate design. Students were given the opportunity to work in small groups, or individually, to solve the equations and the puzzle.
Staff Members Teaching With Holiday Spirit
ConVal High School Counseling
- Electronic appointment requests
Suicide Prevention Lessons
- SAT Prep Information
- Upcoming Express Admission Dates
- Upward Bound Information
- FAFSA Application Guidance
- Alumni Panel Announcement, etc.
For more details, click here: December 2022 School Counseling Newsletter.
Athletic and Co-Curricular Updates
Upcoming in Athletics and Co-curriculars:
Big News: ConVal Music Department put on a fantastic Winter concert this past Tuesday evening. The amount of hard work and talent that was displayed by our students was absolutely inspiring.
Big News: Morgan Bemont and Lily Mandel signed their letters of intent Tuesday night to play collegiate softball next year. Morgan will be attending American International College and Lily will be attending Keene State. ConVal Nation wants to give both Lily and Morgan a huge shout out for their commitment and dedication to their sport.
December 22nd: Boys Basketball will host Bow High school for a JV and Varsity double header. JV will start at 5:00 and Varsity will begin at 6:30 and Girls Basketball will be traveling to Bow. The games will have a “Holiday Theme” so bring your ugly sweaters and Santa hats and come make some noise!
December 27th: Coed Indoor Track will be competing at UNH for a 2:30 start.
December 28th, 29th, 30th: Girls Varsity Basketball will be playing in the Salem Holiday Tournament. Game time for the 28th is set for 2:30pm.
December 30th: Coed Indoor Track will be competing at Plymouth State University for a 2:30 start.
Youth & Government In-School Field Trip
During their in-school field trip in the ConVal Library on December 20, members of the Youth & Government club meet in groups and with their co-curricular advisors to work on draft bills, researching topics, creating partnerships, and proposing specific legislative language. This year, the students’ legislative proposals cover a wide range of issues, from expanding affordable housing in the state to reintroducing grey wolves. Once formalized, these proposals will be carried forward to an all-encompassing two-day model legislature session will be held at the State House in Concord. Youth and Government, also known as Model Legislature and Court, is a program that has been in existence for nearly seven decades. The purpose of the program is to prepare high school students for political citizenship in local, state, or national government roles. The program serves approximately 300 teens from 30 schools throughout New Hampshire.
ConVal Snow Ball A Successful, Community-Building Event
Even the heavy snowstorm last Friday could not keep students away from the planned winter formal in the ConVal Gymnasium on Saturday night, December 17. The Snow Ball dance was sponsored by the class of 2024. About 250 students attended the event which featured a professional DJ playing favorite tunes. In addition to providing the music entertainment, student organizers prepared a formal setup, complete with linen tablecloths, dinner, snacks, and refreshments. There was also a photo booth with a festive backdrop. Congratulations, Class of 2024, for hosting a successful, community-building event!
ConVal Winter Concert Delights Audiences
ConVal’s Annual Winter Concert was performed in the Gymnasium on the evening of December 20 and during the day on December 21. Under the direction of Choral Director Brian Moore and Instrumental Director Jim Wickham, the program featured the following ensembles: Concert Choir, The Trouble Clefs, Contemporary Band, Jazz Band, Chamber Choir, Select Choir, Concert Band, and Combined ensembles. Special guest performers were the members of the PES 4th grade choir who performed three songs on their own and one together with the Concert Choir. For a complete write-up of the event and additional photos, please click here.
TASC Homeroom Door Decorating Contest
In the week before vacation, TASC homerooms competed in a door decorating contest, hosted by the senior class. The rules were simple: decorate your TASC homeroom door in a holiday theme, but without leaving any damage to the door or obstructing the door windows and handles. The Class of 2023 took photos of each decorated door after TASC on December 19. The photos were uploaded to a Google Form and shared so the whole school could vote for their favorite. The winner was announced Friday morning. Selected “most favorite door” by students and staff was the TASC homeroom of Mr. Winslow who scored 50 points for the freshman class in the year-long school spirit competition. Congratulations!
FCVA Seeks Volunteers
If you are interested in helping and promoting ConVal Athletics, volunteering with the Friends of ConVal Athletics (FCVA) is a great opportunity to make a lasting contribution. With the changeover from fall to winter sports, FCVA is looking for volunteers.
To volunteer, please follow this SignUp Genius link. Prior volunteering experience is not required, and you can choose which winter sports team to support.
Volunteers can earn money for any FCVA team they choose, for every hour or food item. Those who volunteered and contributed in the fall season earned $28 per hour/item for the team of their choice. The FCVA also gladly accepts food and money donations.
Friends of ConVal Athletics fosters a spirit of cooperation and support among ConVal Athletes and the broader community. For more details, please visit the FCVA Facebook page or contact Jen Bergeron at fcvavolunteer@gmail.com with any questions you may have.
Time To Place Yearbook Ads, Yearbook Orders
Recognized by the publisher Jostens as a National Yearbook Program of Excellence, the ConVal Yearbook Club is currently hard at work refining design concepts, collecting photographs, generating text, and editing pages for the 2023 edition of the ConVal Yearbook. During the last School Board meeting on December 6, student representative Katherine Craig reported that the Senior Superlatives, always a favorite section of the yearbook, have just been completed.
If you are interested in placing a yearbook recognition ad for your student, there are different sizes and layout options available; for details, please click this link. If you want to order a personalized copy of the yearbook for your student, please follow this link. For any general questions about the yearbook, or to find out how your student can participate in helping create the yearbook, please contact the Yearbook Club advisor Karrie Mitschmyer at kmitschmyer@conval.edu.
Upcoming Grapevine Programs and Events
Please see the two following announcements by the Grapevine Family and Community Resource Center. One is a listing of upcoming special programs and events, including free tax preparation help, snow families playday, positive solutions for families, and more. The other is an invitation to a discussion forum on substance use for families of teens and pre-teens.
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.
School Bus Drivers Needed
If you are looking to earn extra money while spending time with your children, including having the same days off as they do, then this is the perfect job for you.
- Be part of your community — drive a school bus!
- Company training with out certified instructors
- Great pay rate! We pay while you train, 6-8 weeks average
- Sign-on bonus available of $1,500 for qualified applicants
- Part-time hours
- Same vacation days off as ConVal schools
- Bring your kids to work, save on childcare expenses
Please contact Amy Wing by calling (603) 924-9211 or at awing@ridesta.com to request an application.
Student Transportation of America
364 Hancock Road
Peterborough, NH 03458
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