North Notes

Mustang Community,

As you saw from Dr. Merrigan’s email last Friday, there have been changes to our school calendar to make up lost instructional time due to inclement weather. To put our district in the best position to meet state requirements and maintain our long-standing goal of ending the school year by Memorial Day, the following adjustments will be made to our high school calendar:

1. We will NOT have late arrival on March 4, 6, 11 or 13. School will begin at the normal time on those dates and all high schools will follow the schedule below:
   7:35 - 9:20........2nd Block
   9:25 - 10:40......Academic Support Time
   10:45 - 12:55...4th Block
   · 1st lunch: 10:45 - 11:10
   · 2nd lunch: 11:35 - 12:00
   · 3rd lunch: 12:30 - 12:55
   1:00 - 2:45.......6th Block
2. Friday, April 25 is now a School Day – The scheduled professional learning day will now be a school day for all students.
   
   

Thank you for partnership in all you do for our students, and your understanding as we work through this challenging winter together.

Do you know a Blue Valley educator who goes above and beyond to cultivate a learning environment where relationships are the cornerstone, where kindness and compassion are guiding principles, and making a profound difference in the lives of young people is not just a goal but a lived reality? Help the Blue Valley Educational Foundation (BVEF) recognize their extraordinary impact by nominating them today for the BVEF annual Champion for Students Award! This $2,500 BVEF award recognizes three exemplary teachers (one elementary, one middle, and one high) whose impact extends far beyond the learning environment, shaping the trajectory of their students’ journeys and leaving an enduring legacy of excellence.

Any member of the Blue Valley Schools’ Community (e.g., school administrator, student, family member, staff, etc.) is welcome to submit one nomination on behalf of an educator (any staff member in Blue Valley Schools - teacher, paraprofessional, administrator, kitchen manager, etc.). The application window will open on February 10th and close on March 7th.

To nominate an educator, complete the 2025 BVEF Champion for Students Award form by Friday, March 7th.

Congratulations to the Boys Swim & Dive Team--6AState Champions for the 3rd year in a row!

Our Mock Trial team competed at the Regional competition, and out of 14 teams from around the area, our two teams took 1st and 4th place! They both qualified to compete at the State competition. Sponsor Krista Chugg says "They worked so hard and did an incredible job."

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Congratulations to Hannah Chan for receiving a I-outstanding rating for her piano solo at the State Piano Festival today in Wichita!! Special compliments from the judge for her "reaching this level of repertoire" with "wonderful facility - quite an accomplishment"!

Congratulations to Joshua Lobert, 10th grader, for his Bronze Award of National Essay Writing from National Chinese Honor Society. His essay was selected from over 1,000 submissions nationwide.

Additionally, BVN students excelled at the 2025 KC Chinese Speech Contest last weekend. Elizabeth Bender (11th grade) and Samantha Chen (11th grade) won first place in their category, while Julieta Vera (10th grade) and Nikos Lipscomb (11th grade) earned third place. Well done!

On February 22nd, the Science Olympiad team competed at the Kansas Northeast Regional tournament. The following students won awards in their individual events:

- Anatomy 5th place: Dilsha Chebolu and Paritosh Patel

- Astronomy 3rd place: Matthew Chen

- Bungee Drop 5th place: Maddy Hall and Dilsha Chebolu

- Chemistry lab 1st place: Matthew Chen

- Codebusters 2nd place: Sriram Kalki, Matthew Chen, Gabe Ledgerwood

- Disease Detectives 6th place: Maddy Hall and Anya Reddy

- Dynamic Planet 5th place: Likhitha Vunnama and Lucas Tian

- Ecology 5th place: Dilsha Chebolu and Anya Reddy

- Electric Vehicle 6th place: Maddy Hall and Sriram Kalki

- Entomology 1st place: Anya Reddy and Likhitha Vunnama

- Experimental Design 2nd place: Sriram Kalki, Matthew Chen, Lucas Tian

- Fossils 4th place: Likhitha Vunnama and Lucas Tian

- Material Science 3rd place: Sriram Kalki and Matthew Chen

- Robot Tour 3rd place: Sriram Kalki and Shivram Venkatachalam

The team placed 5th overall, and we move on to the State competition on April 5th. Mustang Proud!

Boys Bowling:

The boys delivered a phenomenal performance, averaging 216 and securing 2nd place by edging out SM East! We’re heading to State next Friday, Feb. 7, in Wichita!

We also had four bowlers finish in the top 20 ​ (72 bowlers)
🥈 2nd – Anass Alshobaki – 687 series (229 avg)
🏅 4th – Liam Eason – 671 series (223 avg)
🏅 8th – Eli Nathan – 636 series (212 avg)
🏅 19th – Preston True – 599 series (199 avg)

Girls Bowling:
The girls bowled amazingly, averaging 155. Unfortunately, SM East edged us out, pushing us to 4th place and ending our team’s bid for State. However, we still have a State Qualifier – Karmen Haslett!

Additionally, we had three bowlers place in the top 20 out of 72 bowlers:
🏅 11th – Karmen Haslett – 488 series (162 avg)
🏅 12th – Maya Nathan – 485 series (161 avg)
🏅 17th – Hannah Kruger – 458 series (152 avg)

Congratulations to Hugo Moser-Mayer for qualifying at Regionals to make it to state! He will compete this weekend at the new event center next to BVW.

Please mark your calendars for the Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2025 on Saturday, May 17, at 5 p.m. The ceremony will be held in the ANT-DAC Stadium (Antioch District Athletic Complex) located at 162nd and Antioch. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will move inside to the BV West Gymnasium at the regularly scheduled time.

Cap & Gown: Please get your order placed for your graduation cap & gown: www.jostens.com . We still have several seniors who need to order. If you own a gown from the Class of '23 or '24, then you can re-use it, and all you'd need to purchase is the cap & tassel. Contact the Jostens office with any questions at 913-291-1636.

Senior Diploma Form and Transcript Release- ACTION NEEDED: Our diplomas have been ordered so that we will have them for May graduation. Please click on the link below and complete the Senior Diploma/Transcript Form. This form authorizes the release of senior transcripts for college applications. Click here: Diploma/Transcript Authorization.

Senior Class Picture

The senior class group photo was taken on Monday, Jan. 27. We will get a framed print and hang it on the wall at North. If you would like to purchase your own print click here: CLASS OF 2025.

Senior Outreach Day--Coming up on April 8 (Action Required)

For more information, please click this form: https://forms.gle/KQYJhywhZ3sdvZFG8

SENIOR INFO PAGE

All this info and more can be found on our Senior Info Page! Click here: 2025 BVN SENIORS

Senior Parents: Please make sure you have signed the Diploma/Transcript Authorization form.

Enrollment has concluded and the deadline for making changes has passed. Finalized course request PDFs have been uploaded to StudentVue and ParentVue. Please log in, click on Documents and you will find the PDF at the top of the list.

AP Registration for 2nd semester courses and late registration closes on March 13th. Please make sure to complete payments before this deadline. Please visit this page for more details

Mid-year transcripts are ready to send for seniors. Please visit Student Services to fill out the request form.

Mrs. Weber is currently on maternity leave. Her substitute’s name is Melanie Watson, and she can be reached by email (MSWatson@bluevalleyk12.org).

Counselors at BVN are assigned by the first letter of a student's last name:

• Bridgett Brownlee: A–Da
• Catalina Donnelly-Vazquez: De-H
• Jenn Weber: I–Moo
• Linda Hardy: Mor-Sho
• Amanda Levin: Shu-Z

Questions? Contact the Counseling Administrative Assistant, Kawaini Duson, at kjduson02@bluevalleyk12.org.

Girls' Soccer Tryouts will be on March 3-5 on the west turf field from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Additional information can be found at www.bvnsoccer.com

Interested in trying out for the 25-26 BVN Cheer Team! Plan to come to an informational meeting on Wednesday, March 26th at 6pm in the BVN Library. Please fill out the BVN Cheer Tryout Interest Form prior to attending the meeting and please reach out to Coach Shoemaker with any questions or concerns! (pashoemaker@bluevalleyk12.org) Click here: BVN Cheer Tryout Google Form

Parents of & All Junior and Senior Students! Put your money towards a really good cause! The Project Graduation (PG) Committee is partnering with Rosehill Blooms on a fundraiser for Prom flowers. This year's prom will be held on April 26th.

All profits raised will go towards funding Project Graduation which is an annual tradition at BVN. PG is held on the night of commencement for BVN graduates and provides a safe alternative for the senior class to celebrate their accomplishments and each other. This year's event will again be held at Chicken & Pickle, Overland Park. This event is NOT sponsored by the school so we need your help to keep the tradition alive!

Rosehill Blooms offers 3 fun options- custom corsages, bouquets, & boutonnieres, DIY Bouquet Classes, and Private Bouquet Classes. Scan the QR codes to order and check on Instagram @rosehill.blooms for pictures.

February 24 - Odd Day

February 25 - Even Day

February 26 - Odd Day

February 27 - Even Day

February 28 - Traditional Day

March 14 - NO SCHOOL / Professional Learning

March 17 - 24 - NO SCHOOL / Spring Break

April 8 - CORRECTION:

• 9th grade - PreACT 9
• 10th grade – Math State Assessments
• 11th grade – ACT
• 11th or 12th grade – Work Keys if opted-in
• 12th grade - Senior Outreach Day

April 25 - is now a school day

May 21-23 - Final Exams (tentative)

May 23 - Last day of School (tentative)

Upcoming All School Events

All BVN events, activities, sporting events and additional calendar adjustments are found on the EKL calendar: www.easternkansasleague.org

This important message is for any family or staff that will travel out of the United States during the school year. Please click here to read the restrictions and recommendations for Out of the Country travel. Blue Valley resources such as Canvas, Classlink, and school email are not accessible out of the country unless you have a personal device with a VPN on it. We do not recommend BV Devices leave the country.

It’s back and better than ever! Want to rock out at the Country Music Awards? How about a trip to Napa or a family vacation to the Virgin Islands? BVEF is selling ONLY 300 raffle tickets at $100/ticket and the lucky winner has their choice of one of eight amazing packages. You can enter as often as tickets are available! Proceeds support our students and educators, and the winner will be drawn live on Facebook at end of day on March 4. Check it all out here and good luck! Welcome!

We are thankful for the ongoing partnership and support we experience in our school community. Working together we ensure the best possible student experience allowing them to realize personal success. There are times, however, when issues arise which require our continued collaboration to resolve. Families may utilize the matrix linked on the district website to best address questions and concerns that may arise throughout the course of a school year. Finally, all staff and visitors should conduct their business free from intimidation, harassment, or bullying. The district’s Board of Education states expectations regarding civility within Policy 6341. Again, thank you for your partnership in helping to maintain a safe school community environment for all.

Blue Valley Schools is committed to promoting and fostering a safe environment in and around all our schools. We are continuously working to prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from a wide range of situations. Please check out available ways to report safety concerns.

In the latest Blue Valley Schools’ BV Unmuted podcast episode, Superintendent Dr. Tonya Merrigan discusses the upcoming Kansas Legislative session and the district’s five priority positions with Board of Education members Gina Knapp and Jan Kessinger and Chief Financial Officer Jeremy McFadden.

🎙️ To listen to the podcast episode, visit www.bit.ly/BVPriorities.

In the latest Blue Valley Schools’ BV Unmuted podcast episode, Dr. Katie Collier, Deputy Superintendent for Learning, is joined by Overland Park Interim Police Chief Simon Happer and Director of Safety and Security Dan Carney to discuss school safety and the importance of understanding threats and their consequences.

To learn more about how families can partner with the district to ensure a safe and secure environment for our students and staff, listen to the podcast: BV Unmuted: Understanding Threats and Their Consequences.

February Celebrations & Observances:

Please volunteer with BVN Concessions! You get to see all the kids in their element and hear parents cheering for all! And - you get to hang out with great volunteers and help serve your school and community. We welcome students, siblings, parents, and grandparents! For more info and to sign up, click here: CONCESSION VOLUNTEERS

If you have moved or plan to move, please contact the BVN Registrar, Ann LaGrange, by email at ALLaGrange@bluevalleyk12.org. Thank you!

At Blue Valley Schools, student safety is our top priority. Our approach to safety blends proactive prevention, fostering strong adult-student relationships and maintaining robust physical security measures. Central to our strategy is understanding and addressing potential threats.

What Constitutes a Threat?

A threat includes any expression of intent to harm, whether spoken or written. Identifying and responding to these expressions is crucial to the safety of our school community.

The Role of Threat Assessments

Blue Valley’s comprehensive threat assessment process has two primary objectives:

• Preventing Violence: We work to intervene before potential threats escalate.

• Resolving Underlying Issues: By understanding the reasons behind a threat, we can resolve conflicts and provide necessary support.

Structured, Evidence-Based Approach

Blue Valley Schools follows the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG), a nationally recognized, evidence-based program. This approach ensures that we not only prevent violence but also support individuals in need.

Since the fall of 2023, Blue Valley building leaders have been trained in and actively using this Threat Assessment approach. This consistent use of CSTAG has equipped leaders with a common vocabulary and protocol, enabling them to resolve situations more effectively when threats arise.

By staying committed to this structured and compassionate approach, Blue Valley Schools ensures that students and staff are supported, safe and able to focus on what truly matters–learning through extraordinary educational opportunities.

More information about Blue Valley’s threat assessment process is available on the district website.

COVID/FLU

We urge you to stay informed and prepared by visiting the Blue Valley School District COVID/Flu guidelines at this link: https://www.bluevalleyk12.org/Page/36106. These guidelines are crucial for the health and safety of our school community.

Students may not attend classes until both are true: symptoms are improving, and there has been no fever for 24 hours without medication. Upon returning to normal activities, take additional precautions over the next five days, such as avoiding close contact with high-risk individuals and maintaining good personal hygiene.

Authorization For Medication/Procedure To Be Administered At School. Please have medical orders faxed to 913-239-3038. This is especially important if your student has a health condition that requires medical care at school and is required each school year.

Medications can be dropped off by appointment only during normal school hours of

7:35 a.m. -3:00 p.m. Please e-mail Alex Norval, BVN School Nurse, at annorval@bluevalleyk12.org to schedule your drop off time.

Immunization News

Refer to Link regarding requirements: https://www.bluevalleyk12.org/Page/34370

Need to speak with the nurse?

If you need to speak with the nurse, please e-mail annorval@bluevalleyk12.org to set up an appointment.

Blue Valley North has 1600 students, so we have a full-time staff member, Stephanie Lange, dedicated to managing all absences and requests when students need to leave for an appointment. Since we do NOT want to interrupt class, and call into the classrooms, we ask you to plan in advance so we can have your student waiting for you to prevent you from waiting on your student.

Need to pick up your student early? We need 2 hours’ notice!

• You and your student discuss the appointment the night before to plan.
• Check the daily bell schedule (see below) for the best time to leave.
• (1) Send a note with your student and provide:
• Student’s first and last name
• Student’s ID# (see ParentVue)
• Reason for absence
• Date/time student needs to leave/return (not the class period)
• Your name, phone number & signature
• Students can drop off the note at the Attendance Office before school.

OR (2) Email attendanceBVN@bluevalleyk12.org at least 2 hours in advance of the time your student needs to leave the office. Include all info listed above.

• A pass will be delivered to your student in class with time of release.
• Your student will sign out in the attendance office and wait in the office until they see you pull up to the circle drive. Parents do not need to come into BVN.
• If they return to school after the appointment, they will sign into the attendance office and get an “excused” pass to give to their teacher.

Will your student be gone all day due to illness, a college visit, etc.?

• Provide the information bolded above.
• Report your absence in ParentVue, the most efficient way to report an absence.
• OR Email attendanceBVN@bluevalleyk12.org by 8:00 a.m. the day of.

Notification of Unexcused Absences

Families of high school students will receive automated attendance messages via email, phone, and/or text message at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. if a child is absent and his/her absence has not been reported by a parent/guardian. If parents forget to report an absence? No worries. Reply directly to the phone call or email and make the edit in the attendance reporting. To avoid these notifications, follow the procedures listed above.

Did you know? Families can select “Religious Holiday” as an option for a child’s absence in ParentVue, when applicable. This notation could be helpful to our school staff so they can plan accordingly for your student’s absence.

Questions? Please contact Stephanie Lange, Attendance Office Manager directly. Email attendanceBVN@bluevalleyk12.org or call (913) 239-3001

Thank you!

Please take a look through the BVN Mustang Fund's new Winter Activity Guide! Here is a link to the on-line edition: https://anyflip.com/qzkqi/puqo/

A limited number of printed books are available if you would like your own copy—first-come, first-served! Contact Amanda Palan at amanda@amandapalan.com or Heather Glenn at bvnpbcpresident@gmail.com. You can pick one up in the front office until they are gone . . .

This is a great way to see photos of the athletic teams & performing arts students, find out more about their coaches and directors, and read a greeting from the BVN Principal & the Mustang Fund Presidents. Please take time to see the advertisements from our corporate partners and give them your business whenever possible. We thank them for their support of the Mustang Fund and our Blue Valley North students. Enjoy!

We are committed to ensuring that BVN extracurricular activities receive financial support, regardless of other funding mechanisms, so that all students are able to participate and compete at the highest levels available. Our goal is to foster experiences for our students outside the classroom in arts, athletics, and activities that match the excellence and quality that Blue Valley North offers within the classroom. Funds also go toward staff appreciation, hospitality rooms, State Cakes, Senior Day Activities, the Homecoming Parade and SO MUCH MORE!

Giving Levels start at just $55! Please visit www.bvnmustangs.com and click on the DONATE NOW button on the home page!

PLEASE CONTACT HEATHER GLENN AT bvnpbcpresident@gmail.com if you are interested in helping out with any of the above positions!

Thank you for your consideration!

Durham will continue to transport our bus riders in the 2024/2025 school year. If you have questions, please call Durham School Services at 913-681-2492 or contact them via email at admin6700@durhamschoolservices.com.

North Notes is a newsletter for the parents and students of Blue Valley North High School. If you have questions, contact Janet Roush, Assistant to the Principal, at JRoush@bluevalleyk12.org .

BVN Office hours: Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

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