Weekly Cougar News

Good Afternoon, Cougar Nation!

We had a great week on campus. I was grateful to visit many classrooms and personally observe student engagement and some exciting lessons.

On Wednesday we had many staff members and students wear orange to stand up with courage against injustice, bullying, hated, and violence. This was in conjunction with the Mental Health film series that we are promoting district-wide. The film UPSTANDERS, a film about the power of resilience to combat bullying and cyberbullying, was shown at 6 pm and was followed by a live panel discussion.

Our first school picture day will take place this coming Thursday, October 29th for students in the gold cohort. Students participating remotely in the gold cohort will also have the opportunity to come to campus for a school picture. All pictures will be taken outside.

Please see a reminder below about our NWEA test that will begin this Friday (remotely) for our 9th and 10th grade students.

I wish everyone a wonderful weekend!

Heather

Location: 184 Hancock Road, Peterborough, NH, USA
Phone: 603-924-3869

• Thursday, October 29, 2020 - Gold Cohort Picture Day (see below for more information)
• Friday, October 30, 2020 - 9th and 10th grade only will be taking the NWEA Reading test (REMOTELY) from 10:30 am - 12:30 pm (see the link below)
• Thursday, November 5, 2020- Virtual open house (begins at 6:30pm)
• Thursday, November 5, 2020 - Blue Cohort Picture Day (see below for more information)
• Friday, November 6, 2020 - 9th and 10th grade only will be taking the NWEA Math test (REMOTELY) from 10:30 am - 12:30 pm (see the link below)

Freshman and sophomore students will take the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA) tests in Reading and Math this fall. These tests must be taken on students' school-issued Chromebooks. Testing will take place remotely on Flex Fridays.

The Reading test is scheduled for Friday, October 30 and the Math test is scheduled for Friday, November 6. Testing makeups for those who were absent or did not finish will take place on Friday, November 13.

Testing will take place during an extended TASC block from 10:30 am until 12:30 pm and will be administered by homeroom TASC teachers. In order to ensure testing goes smoothly, TASC teachers reviewed the NWEA protocols, procedures, and troubleshooting tips with their homeroom students today during regularly scheduled TASC (10:30 am - 11:30 am).

The bandwidth requirements for completing the NWEA test on a Chromebook are much less than those for an instructional Zoom call. The NWEA test can be completed with a connection of no more than 1.5-2 Mbps; the typical speed for a DSL connection is 6 Mbps while most cable companies offer 100+ Mbps speeds for broadband connections.

For more information, please see the NWEA toolkit for families.

If you foresee Internet connectivity as a hindrance, students should reach out directly to Steve Bartsch, Dean of Students (sbartsch@conval.edu), to discuss alternative options.

Please see the below schedule for school photos:

October 29

• 8:00 am – 12:00 noon - All Gold Cohort students
• 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm - Remote Students designated in the Gold Cohort; this includes students who live in Peterborough, Sharon, Dublin, and Temple.

November 5

• 8:00 am – 12:00 noon - All Blue Cohort Students
• 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm - Remote Students designated in the Blue Cohort; this
  includes students who live in Antrim, Bennington, Francestown, Greenfield, Hancock, and Tuition Students.

Remote students must provide their own transportation and come during their scheduled time. Students will only be allowed to enter the designated outdoor photo area. After their photo has been taken, students must leave the premises.

College Deadlines

The November 1st and November 15th Early Action/Early Decision college deadlines are quickly approaching. Seniors, please make sure that your Naviance account accurately reflects the schools that you’re intending to apply to. As a reminder, students should be requesting transcripts and recommendation letters 4 weeks prior to their deadlines in order to provide enough time for teachers and counselors to thoughtfully prepare your recommendation and submit your materials.

NACAC Virtual College Fairs

There are two upcoming NACAC Virtual College Fairs that provide the opportunities for students and families to hear live from college admission representatives. The upcoming fairs are Thursday, October 29, from 6-8 pm and Sunday, November 15, from 1-3. Sign up here: https://neacac.swoogo.com/NEACACVirtual

Upward Bound

The Keene State College Upward Bound Programs (UBP) are year round college-preparatory programs designed to prepare students for success in high school and enrollment in college. If you’re college-bound and meet UBP eligibility requirements outlined below, apply today! The application deadline is December 1, 2020 for current 11th, 10th, and 9th grade students.

During the school year UBP students meet weekly with an educational counselor to discuss study skills, time management, advising, PSAT/SAT preparation, and college and career exploration. Students and their families receive support throughout the college application and financial aid process. Additionally, students have the opportunity to participate in workshops, field trips, STEM activities, and college visits. The Upward Bound Programs continue to provide all of these services for students virtually this fall.

In the summer, students participate in a six week experience at Keene State College. During summer sessions students live in a residence hall and take classes on campus. A diverse number of community activities, events, and clubs are offered for students to engage with. Students also take part in community service and leadership development activities in a supportive environment.

The Upward Bound Programs are funded by the U.S. Department of Education and are FREE for students from moderate-income families and/or the first in their family to complete a 4-year college degree. Admission to KSC UBP is based on financial eligibility, academic eligibility, and a personal interview. If you are an academically motivated student thinking about college who might benefit from the support of the Upward Bound Programs, please reach out to Linsey Edmunds at linsey.edmunds@ksctrioprograms.org or ask your school counselor for more information.

Beginning Monday, October 26, teachers of Running Start classes will be sharing a presentation with their students on how to enroll for the CCSNH college credit using the DualEnroll online portal. Students will "shop" for the classes they're interested in earning college credit for, and once they submit, the teacher will approve the request. The registration deadline has been changed to November 6, and no late registrations will be accepted. This is an opportunity for students to earn FREE college credits, so please encourage your students to register. If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Kiley at jkiley@conval.edu.

On Thursday, October 15, and Monday, October 19, our fall athletes met by cohorts on the Stadium Field to participate in the Fall Sports Extravaganza. This event was organized by Field Hockey Coach Cindi Hodgdon with the help of our other fall coaches in an attempt to allow our athletes to feel the excitement of competition, sportsmanship and camaraderie.

To raise awareness of finding a cure for Ovarian Cancer, Childhood Cancer, Brain Cancer, Lymphoma, Breast Cancer, Stomach Cancer and Honoring Cancer Caregivers, each team wore a different colored shirt representing that cause. This year's senior athletes were honored by their coaches, teammates, and the Friends of ConVal Athletics (FCVA), and both the Blue and Gold Golf Team Cohorts finished in first place.

2D Studio Art students are exploring abstraction and the work of artist Corita Kent. She was an artist and educator, and the motto of the art department at Immaculate Heart College where she taught was, "We have no art, we do everything as well as we can." She utilized a small viewfinder tool and encouraged students to look at the world around them in small abstracted parts in order to take in the beauty all around us. Corita Kent championed art as essential and for all of us.

"To work, play, see, touch, laugh, cry, build, and use it all- even the painful parts, and survive with style: that's what Corita taught. She taught that art is not something apart from life and living."

Kent, Corita, and Jan Steward. Learning by Heart: Teaching to Free the Creative Spirit. New York, Allworth Press, 2008.

The CVHS Class of 2024 is looking forward to holding many amazing activities & events over our four years at ConVal. Please help us reach our goals by supporting us with the purchase of a CVHS mask! You can order online and have them shipped to your home or to the school. Plans are in the works for personalizing the masks in a physically distanced way. If you’re interested in purchasing a mask, please go to our Custom Ink site. Thank you!

Please enter for the Pumpkin Decorating Competition by clicking here

Please click here to see updated information from The Children and The Arts Committee

Ms. Deb Riley practicing physical distancing and wearing orange for Stand up with Courage. On Wednesday, October 21, 2020 the ConVal High School Community wore orange to promote solidarity, strength, and courage.