Weekly Cougar News
ConVal High School Happenings - November 5, 2021
Message From Principal McKillop
The last hour of our school day we spent outside together at the Pep Rally. The sun was shining as we gathered outdoors. Some students participated in the events and others cheered on their respective classes from the stands. Thanks to SALT (Student Athletic Leadership Team) for organizing the event for all students!
Today marks the end of quarter one. Please be on the lookout early next week for a memo from School Counseling that will explain more information about report cards and accessing the PowerSchool portal.
I would encourage you to read through this newsletter to learn more about some interesting things happening in classrooms and other helpful information.
As always, please never hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Here's to a wonderful weekend!
Best,
Heather
Email: conval.highschool@conval.edu
Website: cvhs.convalsd.net
Location: 184 Hancock Road, Peterborough, NH, USA
Phone: (603) 924-3869
Upcoming Important Dates
November 7, 2021 - NEACAC College Fair (see below for details)
November 11, 2021 - No School (Veterans Day)
November 13, 2021 - Annual Craft Fair (see below for details)
November 24-26, 2021 - Thanksgiving Break
NEACAC College Fair
Please pre-register at the following link:
https://www.neacac.org/fall-college-fairs-2021
NEACAC fulfills its mission by developing and providing services, programs, and opportunities for members so they can serve and assist students in their transition from secondary to post-secondary education.
AP Literature Students Prepare For Exam In Early May 2022
In Jason Lambert's AP Literature course, students explore writing prompts for the AP exam related to A Doll's House, a three-act play written in 1879 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.
A Doll's House portrays the disintegration of the marriage between Nora and Torvald Helmer in the wake of a major revelation. Nora, a seemingly frivolous housewife, has secretly been working to pay off a loan she took out illegally in order to save Torvald's life.
One of the prompts for the 40 minute, free-response essay that students could be asked to write about at the exam in May 2022 is the following: "Many works of literature contain a character who intentionally deceives others. The character’s dishonesty may be intended either to help or to hurt. Such a character, for example, may choose to mislead others for personal safety, to spare someone’s feelings, or to carry out a crime. Choose a novel or play, such as A Doll's House, in which a character deceives others. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the motives for that character’s deception and discuss how the deception contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole."
Advanced Placement (AP) examinations are exams offered in United States by the College Board and are taken each May by students. The tests are the culmination of year-long AP courses and may be accepted by colleges and universities as credit or placement criteria.
"Guest Network" Transitions Back To Traditional "After School Open"
On a related note, there will be a school-wide announcement over the PA system on Monday to remind students of the school-wide cell phone procedure which can be found on p. 11 of the ConVal High School Student Handbook: "While the ready availability of cellphones and other electronic devices is permitted before and after school as well as during school lunches, their presence in the classroom does lead to student inattention and disruptions of the learning environment. Cell phones may be used in the classroom only at the direction of the teacher and for educational purposes."
German I Students Work With AI Experts
The challenge is that numbers are written differently in German handwriting. For example, the number "17" is represented differently in a German context from the way it is typically written in the United States (see image below).
The AI network is being trained to get good results in both cultural environments.
Students of all skill levels find success in Keyboarding class
Whether a student wants to learn something new or further develop their existing skills, Mr. Moore’s Keyboarding class allows them to do just that. Each day, students choose what they personally want to work on improving, whether that be reading music, rhythm, hand position, or posture. They play songs found in either their method book or through an online program that guides their finger placement and helps them count the beat. Students clear their song choices with Mr. Moore to make sure they are a good fit for developing their current skill level. Mr. Moore checks in with each student several times during class to provide feedback and suggestions. At the end of the week, students assess their progress with a rubric and set their own learning goals for the following week.
Digital Photo/Video I Students Explore Exposure Triangle
Students in Lance Levesque's Digital Photo/Video I class have just completed the unit on the "exposure triangle" in photography and are taking a quiz to check for understanding.
The concept of the exposure triangle refers to the interrelationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO number (traditional film speed) in taking photographs for specific settings. Whenever one variable changes, at least one of the others must also change to maintain the correct exposure.
Sports photography, for example, typically requires higher shutter speed in order to "freeze the action" while longer shutter speeds in nature photography can help convey the movement of water of a brook or stream. Artistic photographs — for example, portraits taken in the Rembrandt lighting style — take the concept of the exposure triangle to a whole new level for yet another specific effect.
Students Spend TASC In Mr. Ewing's Woodworking Area
On Friday, one student worked on an equestrian grooming box while others were in different stages of their wooden bowl projects. Another student compiled the different wooden pieces while a third student applied wax to her completed bowl on a lathe.
Athletic and Co-curricular Information/Update
The Football and Cross Country teams finished up their seasons last weekend. The JV Football team defeated Inter-Lakes in an exciting home game, and at the D2 State Championships, the Boys and Girls Cross Country teams finished 9th, and 13th respectively. Senior Allison Bull placed 20th, and will run at the Meet of Champions on Saturday, November 9th.
SALT sponsored an all-school assembly on Friday. Students from the senior, junior, sophomore, and freshmen classes dressed in their class colors, and participated in friendly competitions on the Stadium Field and track. The student body displayed a lot of school spirit, and fun was had by all.
FamilyID is open for winter sports registration. Please click here to register.
If you have any questions, please contact Director of Athletics and Co-Curriculars
John Reitnauer at jreitnauer@conval.edu.
Class of 2023 Poinsettias
All orders need to be placed by November 10, 2021 and will be available to be picked up on November 13, 2021.
Please click here to place your order. Thank you for supporting the Class of 2023!
CVHS Annual Holiday Craft Fair
The ConVal Class of 2022 is proud to present the annual Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, November 13 from 9-2.
Join over 50 vendors as you shop for unique gifts and sample some delicious treats!
Please note: all attendees must wear masks indoors and the district COVID mitigation procedures will be enforced.
“Shoe Us The Love” Shoe Drive To Support Dollars For Scholars
Do you have shoes, sneakers, and boots you are looking to get rid of?
ConVal Community Dollars for Scholars will be running a shoe drive from Monday, October 4 to Wednesday, November 17.
Our goal is to collect 50 bags with 25 pairs of shoes per bag! All money raised from this fundraiser will help us to award scholarships to those who have faced life challenges and demonstrate a financial need. So clean out your closets and make a difference locally and globally. Thank you!
Chris Heider (cheider@conval.edu) and Rebecca Dunn (rdunn@conval.edu) serve on the Board of Directors for ConVal Community Dollars for Scholars and are happy to answer any questions you might have.