North Notes
Blue Valley North's Parent Newsletter - April 2, 2021
In this Newsletter …
A Letter from BVN Principal
April and May Schedules
Mark Your Calendar
Kudos and Celebrations
Counseling Updates
Senior Class of 2021
Parent Announcements
NHS Book Drive
Student Announcements
Mustang Medical Messages
BVEF Night of Lights
Auxiliary Gym Construction Info
Durham Contact Info
Parent Booster Club Spirit Wear Sale
A Letter from North Administrators
Mustang Community,
We have had a great start to the fourth quarter and we continue to receive positive feedback from both students and parents regarding our full in-person learning mode. Our students have responded very well to our risk mitigation strategies and we appreciate our parent community reinforcing that.
As we plan to honor the amazing class of 2021, we wanted to make you aware of some plans we currently have in the works. With the help of the Parent Booster Club, STUCO, and Fathers Club, on Thursday, May 20th, we will be holding a SENIOR CELEBRATION! This event will be located on the BVN football fields from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm following senior finals. There will be a list of activities that seniors will be able to participate in on May 20th and more communication will be provided in the coming days. Please understand that this is an outdoor event, and all Blue Valley mitigation plans will be followed. Again, thank you to our STUCO, Parent Booster Club, and Fathers Club for making this special event happen!
As we have stressed throughout the year, it continues to be EXTREMELY important to follow all COVID risk mitigation strategies. If you have a student who experiences any COVID symptoms (especially if you have recently traveled) it is imperative that they stay home and get tested. Remember that the only time students can Zoom into classes will be because of a COVID-related absence. All other absences must be through communication with teachers and Canvas access.
Have a great weekend, Mustangs!
Mark Your Calendar
April 23 - No School/Professional Learning for Teachers
May 23 - Graduation at 4:00 p.m. at the SWIDAC
NEW INFO for the end of the school year:
May 26- ODD Day--Students attend class in Hours 1 & 3, High School Finals in Hours 5 & 7
May 27- EVEN Day--High School Finals in Hours 2, 4 & 6
May 28 - HALF Day--High School Finals in Hours 1 & 3--Last day of School
May 31 - Memorial 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.
Kudos and Celebrations
Kansas Business Hall of Fame Student Essay Contest Winners (new)
BVN students Lizzie Place and Edward Mu were honored on March 30 for their award-winning student essays sponsored by the Kansas Business Hall of Fame (KBHF). Only three students were honored in the state of Kansas. The essay contest is open to any student in grades 9-12 in Kansas who submits an essay based on research of one inspirational KBHF inductee. Entries are judged by a panel of business professionals, and the prize money is graciously donated by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce.
The mission of the KBHF is to preserve and promote the outstanding history of business leadership and entrepreneurship by the people of Kansas. Their purpose is to provide inspiration for the business leaders of tomorrow.
Dr. James Leiker, Chairman of the KBHF and Ms. Susan Elliott, KBHF Board member, presented the awards and cash prizes in front of Blue Valley North. Dr. Tyson Ostroski, BVN Principal, Michele Buche and Allison Gossick, BVN teachers, also attended to celebrate Lizzie’s and Edward’s achievement. The group is pictured above.
Let's give a warm congratulations to Lizzie and Edward!
Girls' Swimming and Diving Team (new)
The Girls' Swimming and Diving season kicked off on March 27 with the Greg House Invitational Meet against all of the BV schools. BVN placed 2nd overall. BVN’s own Carolyn Nuss placed first in diving—way to go, Carolyn!! Our swimmers also did an incredible job with the following girls rocking the pool:
- Caroline Blake: made the state cut in 100 fly, 100 breast
- Molly Smith: earned consideration time in 100 back and 100 free
- Abi Patterson: earned consideration time in 100 fly and 100 breast
- Maddi Stewart: earned consideration time in 200 IM and 50 free
Two relay teams placed first as well:
- 200-yard Medley Relay: Molly Smith, Abi Patterson, Caroline Blake, and Izzy Hadel
- 200-yard Free Relay: Maddi Stewart, Abi Patterson, Grace Plunkett, and Caroline Blake
The girls second meet was on March 30 against St. James and Miege. BVN placed first with 252 points! Congrats to the following girl divers who placed in the top five:
- Cara Spratlin: 3rd place
- Nora Carlsen: 4th place
- Rachel Braun: 5th place
Congrats to swimmers Caroline Blake who made the state cut in 50 free/100 free, and to Abi Patterson who earned a consideration time in the 200 IM.
Way to go Mustangs!!
Counseling, Academics & Testing (new)
Click Here For BVN's Counseling Webpage
for information about:
- The class drop deadline is April 9th. Requests to drop can be made here - Schedule Changes
- Freshmen Pre-ACT score reports have been delivered to students through 4th hour North Time. Students who did not receive their report may pick it up in Student Services. Virtual students may contact Ms. Gonzalez at tgonzalez@bluevalleyk12.org to arrange pick up.
- The BVN senior scholarship list is growing! Our list can be found on Naviance under Colleges->Scholarships and Money ->Scholarship List
- April 15 is the deadline to drop a JCCC College Now class with a W, or to request a P/F.
- Visit the Counseling Virtual Calming Room!
- Junior College Planning
- Sophomore Naviance Tasks
- Freshman Naviance Tasks
- AP test information and deadlines
- Virtual College Visits
- Virtual Counselor Appointments
Questions? Contact Theresa Gonzalez @ (913)239-3016 or tgonzalez@bluevalleyk12.org .
Senior Info for Class of 2021
Save the date for our graduation ceremonies at the District Activity Complex, 13310 Switzer, in Overland Park on Sunday, May 23, at 4 p.m. with a rain date of Tuesday, May 25, at 8 p.m. We will provide more detailed information, including any attendance guidelines, as we near graduation.
Click SENIOR INFO for links to:
- A countdown to graduation! Only 50 more days . . .
- Purchase your Senior Class Photo
- Audition for celebration speeches (deadline to sign up is April 15!)
- An info video from Balfour about how to order your cap & gown--less than 40 seniors still need to do this! Contact Mrs. Miller in Student Services if you have questions.
- Authorize the release of your student's transcript when he or she applies to colleges
- Info about Senior Finals and events planned for the week leading up to graduation
- and more . . .
The PTO of Valley Park Elementary is looking for all Seniors that attended Valley Park since Kindergarten. We are putting together a video message for the graduating 5th graders. We need to find these seniors and schedule a time for them to record a message with the video department at BVN. Please email enathan@bluevalleyk12.org if you have a student that is graduating this year and attended Valley Park Elementary.
Attention Senior Musicians! If you earned all-state status or qualified for state as a soloist (during any year at BVN) you are eligible to audition to be a featured performer at Graduation.
If you are interested, please complete this application form by the end of the school day on Monday, April 5th. If you have questions, please talk with Mr. Freeman, Mr. Sickel, Dr. Hale, or Mr. Wagoner. Good luck!
Questions? Contact BVN Activities: Lisa Miller @ lkmiller@bluevalleyk12.org .
Parent Announcements
Volleyball Team
Do you have a current 8th grader interested in VOLLEYBALL next fall? Please fill out this interest form. https://forms.gle/6CCBWTaeB6RWXLAp7
Email Coach Allin, MAllin@bluevalleyk12.org , with any questions.
Course Fee Payment is Open
The student elective fees have been posted on the student accounts; check ParentVue for the electives' charges. Payments were due on 2/12/2021 so please make sure this is paid. Your ParentVUE login and password are required to pay course fees. Here is a link to ParentVue: online now.
Questions regarding fee payment should be directed to our BVN Bookkeeper, Linda Kaphingst, email: lkaphingst@bluevalleyk12.org .
Report Student Absences via ParentVue
Did you know you can report your student's absence in ParentVue? This is an easy, efficient way! Once you sign into ParentVue, you will see your student's name and a blue button titled "Report Absence." It takes you to a screen where you can select the start date and end date and the reason code. There is also a box titled "Note" for additional information. Don't forget to hit the "Save" button. If you have questions, please call Rita Mouber, BVN Attendance Manager, 913-239-3001.
You can still call Rita Mouber, 913-239-3001, to report an absence. If no one answers, she's talking to another parent so please leave a message. Rest assured, Rita will get your student's absence recorded.
North Star ~ April 2021 Issue (new)
On April 1, BVN shared with us our first in-print issue of The North Star and fourth issue of the school year. The newspaper staff distributed the newspapers before school on April 1, sporting blue crew neck sweatshirts. Here is a link to a digital copy of our news magazine:
https://issuu.com/bvnnews/docs/april_2021_issue
There’s a little something for everyone here — stories feature the Holocaust and Anti-Semitism Education club, the $4 million budget deficit, beauty standards, a Q&A with Native Americans and Chiefs fans in what they think about the name, the freshman experience this year, school dances, enrollment, going back to school in-person, Zoom cameras, switching from private to public schools, balancing school and jobs, some infographics educating on district finances and the stock market, and resources to learn more. Take a few minutes and enjoy!
The student editors are Ellianna Cierpiot and Yasmeen Saadi. They make the content decisions along with help from the rest of the news staff, who have all worked incredibly hard on this issue. Let's give a shout-out and thank you to all the North Star Staffers:
Madelyn Austin
Reece Bachta
Ellianna Cierpiot
Caroline Clarke
Kara Deskin
Alexsandra Doege
Adelaide Edwards
Caroline Haines
Angelica Henson
Gabrielle Kill
Sricharitha Lakkireddy
Arshiya Pant
Yasmeen Saadi
Ella Shafer
Ella Thomas
Jack Toal
National Honor Society Book Drive
Student Announcements (new)
Mustang Mentors Applications Being Accepted (new)
Any sophomore or junior interested in being a mentor for 9th grade advisory for the 2021-22 school year should pick up an application in Room 338 or the library before or after school or during North Time. Applications are due by Friday, April 16, 2021, 3:00 p.m. to Mrs. Dalton in 338 or Mrs. Snethen in the library.
Application and Election Information for the 2021-2022 Student Council. We are looking for students who are passionate about Mustang Pride and bettering our community! All applications and campaign material are due by Tuesday, April 20that 3:15 PM. Campaign and election week begins Monday, April 26th and ends on Friday, April 30th. You can find the printed material in Student Services. Questions? Talk with Ms. Bosch in Student Services or Ms. Petty in 516.
FCA
FCA will be meeting on Wednesdays during North Time for 15 minutes via Zoom. Please email Jason Jones, FCA Sponsor, at JJones05@bluevalleyk12.org if you have questions.
BVN Class T-shirts Pickup at The Stampede
All Class Shirts are available for pick-up in The BVN Stampede School Store during business hours: Monday – Friday when school is in session for 15 minutes before school starts and 2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. The store is also open during 5th hour on Odd days.
We have T-shirts for every grade: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
BVN GSA (updated)
GSA will meet on Zoom after school on Wednesdays. For information, please email smoran@bluevalleyk12.org .
KAY-Mustang Community Service Club
Join KAY-Mustang Community Service Club! We have an exciting community service project you can do from home. We are creating BVN Storytime, a read aloud library for K-2 students. We also have a couple of other service possibilities. Click this link to join the club. Click this link , then “enroll in Course” to see the Club’s Canvas page where club news and information is posted. Questions? Contact Club president Tanu @ tsakaray@bluevalleyk12.net .
News from the BVN Library
The library website is now accessible from all Canvas pages. In the navigation list on the left side you should see Library. Or: Click here to visit the BVN Library website . From the library website, students and staff can now chat with the librarians during school hours. Look in the upper right corner. No question is too big or small!
Student Technology Help
On the Canvas Course card titled BVN Student Hub 2020-2021 there is student support information. After looking at the information in the BVN Student Hub, if you are struggling with technology, there is help.
- If your computer is broken please submit a BVCARE ticket and someone from I.T. will reach out to you. A link to BVCARE can be found on the BVN Student Hub or at www.bluevalleyk12.org / I would like to… / BVCARE- Technology help
- If you are having problems with a specific assignment or course in Canvas, always reach out to your teacher first.
- If you have questions about instructional tools (Canvas, Google Drive, Zoom…) or something is not working the way it should, there is a daily Student Help Zoom during North Time. To access this Zoom, open Canvas / Click on the BVN Student Hub 2020-2021 Course Card / Click on Zoom / Join anytime between 10:40-11:10am on Odd days, and between 12:25-1:20pm on Even days. If you are in the building and need help, you can bring your laptop to the library during North Time for tech help.
Meal Pick-Up Location Change Starting March 22
Starting on March 22 and going forward, we will offer meal pick-up at two locations only (Blue Valley High and Blue Valley Northwest). Meal pick-up will continue to be held from 11 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Wednesdays for virtual learners. You can find more information on this link Drive-Thru Meal Pick-Up web page .
Mustang Medical Messages
Have a trip planned? 2-26-21 State Quarantine List.pdf
Consider looking over Kansas Travel Exposure Related Isolation & Quarantine Guidelines:
KS Travel Guidelines / Quarantine Guidelines
- Attended/traveled to mass gathering events out-of-state of 500 people or greater where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear masks.
- Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15.
- Others needing to continue quarantining: Received notification from public health officials (state or local) that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19.
- International Travel: Please note that the CDC may have testing or quarantine requirements for individuals traveling back into the United States. Visit their web page for more information.
Free COVID Test resource:
https://www.gogettested.com/kansas
COVID Communication
The safety of Blue Valley North students and staff continues to be a top priority. In an effort to keep our school community informed when we have a positive case, families can expect the following:
Families will be contacted directly if through the contact tracing process conducted by the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) and the district's health professionals' team:
- your child was identified as a low-risk exposure of a student or staff member who tested positive for COVID-19.
- your child was identified as a high-risk exposure/close contact of a student or staff member who tested positive for COVID-19.
- If your child’s proximity to or nature of the interaction with the positive individual did not indicate a low or high-risk exposure, then you will not be contacted.
NOTE: Positive cases by school are reflected on the BV COVID Dashboard. The dashboard is updated every Friday with information from the prior week (Wednesday to Wednesday).
BVEF's Nights of Lights Virtual 10K (new)
Looking for a Fun, Family Activity? Join in BVEF’s Nights of Lights Virtual 10K! Grab your walking shoes! Spring has officially sprung, and with it comes the promise of warmer days, longer hours of sunshine, and a fun opportunity to support BV schools.
The Blue Valley Educational Foundation is thrilled to launch the first Night of Lights Virtual 10K, which is open to ALL members of the community, during the month of April 2021. Proceeds raised will support teacher and classroom grants, district wide initiatives, and a BV Cares fund, which helps meet essential needs of school families.
Night of Lights 10K registration is $30/entry + $5 for additional family members and all members of the community- whether or not they have children in BV schools- are invited to participate between April 3 and April 23, 2021. Your entry fee includes a race medal, bib, LED glow wand, link to a Spotify playlist, and suggestions for area walking/running paths.
For more information and to register, visit Night of Lights 10K — Blue Valley Educational Foundation (fundbv.org)
New Auxiliary Gym Construction: November through July
Durham Bus Riders
Durham has decided to not use the Hybrid stop times and instead only use the All in School stop times regardless of what learning mode the District is in. If you have questions, please call Durham at 913-681-2492.
Note that it is best to call outside of route times, between 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. or email admin6700@durhamschoolservices.com.
PBC Spring Spirit Wear Sale
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