Weekly Cougar News

Good Afternoon, Cougar Nation!

As we conclude the month of April, it is hard to believe we have just seven weeks left of the school year. I would encourage students to reach out to school counselors or check in with our Dean of Students if you have any questions regarding academics or programming.

May is mental health awareness month. Please see the flyer below with importnat information. We hope that students will consider wearing yellow next Friday in support of mental health awareness.

Next week is also Teacher appreciation week! Please make sure to reach out to a teacher that you appreciate to let them know. Just a few kind words mean so much!

I would encourage you to read this entire newsletter to learn more.

Have a wonderful weekend ConVal,

Heather

Email: conval.highschool@conval.edu
Website: http://cvhs.convalsd.net/
Phone: 603) 924-3869

May 3-7, 2021 - Teacher Appreciation Week

May 14-June 3, 2021 - AP Testing Window

May 19, 2021 - NH Statewide Assessment Testing (Science, 11th Graders only)

May 19 and 20, 2021 - NWEA Testing (Mathematics, Reading, 9th and 10th Graders only)

June 2, 2021 - Underclassman Awards (Virtual - 6:30 pm)

June 9, 2021 - Senior Scholarship and Awards Night (6:00 pm)

June 11, 2021 - Graduation (6:00 pm)

June 17, 2021 - Last day of school

May 3-7 is Teacher Appreciation Week.

As we all have witnessed this past year, it takes very special individuals to ensure that every student has the tools they need to reach their full potential. Teachers and paraprofessionals have successfully negotiated multiple modes of teaching — virtual, in-person, and a mix of both —, they have weathered outdoor and indoor instruction, and have made or maintained important personal connections with students. They have provided a sense of stability and a focus on progress in learning despite the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including varying state mandates, constantly changing schedules, and vigilant support of mitigation strategies to keep everyone safe.

Please join us in celebrating the dedication and professionalism of our educators this coming week by reaching out to your student's teachers and paraprofessionals with a word of appreciation.

Teacher Appreciation Week is an annual event sponsored by the National Parent Teacher Association and many schools, including ConVal High School, join in celebrating teachers with the hashtag #ThankATeacher.

ConVal seniors Henry Bernstein, Aria Frehner, David MacKay, Grace Phillips, and Max Shumway are among the first students in the state to have earned the prestigious Seal of Biliteracy.

This is a national award given to students who show a high level of proficiency in more than one language. The ConVal students this year are all earning the Seal for their proficiency in German.

The Seal shows prospective employers and colleges that students have a unique skill. It also recognizes the cultural and heritage assets of our students.

For more information on the National Biliteracy Seal, please click here.

Mental Health Awareness

May is national mental health awareness month. Please see the flyer below highlighting some of the things that we’ll be doing to bring conversations about mental wellbeing to the forefront. Next Friday, May 7th, all students are encouraged to wear yellow. The color yellow was chosen to carry forth the message from the student led Yellow Tulip Project that aims to reduce the stigma around mental illness and instill hope. On May 7th, students will also have the opportunity in TASC to view the film Angst. The film, centered on the topic of anxiety in teens, helps provide an understanding of what anxiety is and how to cope with it. The film will be screened on Wednesday, May 5th, for the community – families can sign up to view it here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SAAlq0TBQ6uIdMSFN-XrcA. Here you can access an at-home discussion guide for the film. Finally, our counselors are here to support students and families that may be struggling with mental health – please use our department as a resource. Additional community based resources can be found here.

AP Exams

AP Exams will be occurring from May 14th - June 3rd. Please see the AP exam schedule below. Some tests will be administered via a paper/pencil format while others will be administered via a digital format, depending on the subject and the exam date. More detailed information regarding AP exams will be shared directly with students and parents next week.

CTE Student of the Month

The Region 14 Applied Technology Center is proud to be joined by the Kiwanis Club of Peterborough in bringing back the CTE Student of the Month program for the 2021-22 school year! In addition to the reserved parking space in the school parking lot and recognition in the school and its social media, the Kiwanis Club will be generously recognizing each SY21-22 CTE Student of the Month with a $150 award! The student will keep $100 and will be able to donate the remaining $50 to the non-profit of the student’s choice!

In order to be eligible for this honor, the student must be enrolled in a CTE program and will be evaluated by the ATC faculty based on soft skills, such as strong work ethic; time management skills, appropriate attire; communication and problem-solving skills, and positive attitude and collaboration. These skills are recognized time and again among the most desirable attributes in an excellent job candidate, according to our local industry partners.

Please note that NWEA testing for 9th and 10th graders will be held on Wednesday, May 19 (Reading) and Thursday, May 20 (Math). Friday, May 21 will serve as the makeup day.

On Wednesday, May 19, and Thursday, May 20, we will follow a modified schedule which you can access here. On Friday, we will follow the newly instituted Friday schedule to accommodate students who need to finish or make up an assessment.

Each year, New Hampshire schools are required, both by state law and federal accountability laws, to assess students using a standardized test.

For full details on the testing requirements, please click here to access the letter to parents and guardians by the New Hampshire Department of Education.

Due to the recent changes in our weekly schedule pursuant to Governor Sununu's Emergency Order #89, we had to adjust our testing plans for the spring.

NHSAS Science testing for 11th graders will be conducted on Wednesday, May 19. We will follow a modified schedule on the testing day. Please click here to see the adjusted schedule. Friday, May 21, will serve as the makeup day to give students an opportunity to make up or finish an assessment. We will follow the newly revised Friday schedule on that day.

Students in Ms. Mitschmyer’s 3D Studio class are exploring building with cardboard.

"Pen Pals" is a murder mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie and the board game Clue. The play was written over the course of the last three months in a collaboration by ConVal students Zach Cassidy, Rowan Davidson, Nick DiNino, Esther Janis, Adeline Mackensen, Beau Olesky, Haley Serafine, and Kaitlyn Stone.

ConVal Drama teacher Jason Lambert explained the creative process that was involved. "Through a combination of research, reading, writing, and improvisation, students started the process in February online," Lambert said. "Then, through the hybrid and full-return to school opportunities, they continued to work together, both online and in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre."

The final workshop rehearsal of the play will be videotaped and also recorded as an old-fashioned radio drama in the coming weeks.

Registration is now open for the Class of 2024 Memorial Day Weekend Yard Sale! This event is open to families/groups to sell their gently used gems AND vendors, including crafts and direct sales vendors. The sale will be Saturday, May 29 from 9 AM to 2 PM; vendors may start setting up at 8. Only 50 spaces are available and will be assigned on a first come, first served basis at $20 per space; table rental is also available for $10 per table. We are excited to announce that there will now be food trucks at the event, including ice cream from Connolly Brothers Dairy Farm in Temple! Come have some fun and support the Class of 2024!

The Class of 2024 apparel store closes on Monday, May 3! Both short and long sleeved shirts have the class logo on the front and a list of all Class of 2024 students on the back. The hooded sweatshirt features the class logo on the front and can be personalized on the sleeve for an additional $3. After the store closes, all shirts will be printed and delivered to the school for student/family pickup.

The sophomore class advisory is hosting a Car Wash on Saturday, May 1, 11am - 2pm in front of South Meadow School. We are hoping to raise money to be used for future class events (prom, senior activities, etc).

Parents/guardians of the Class of 2023 - we are looking for donations of supplies to be used at the car wash. Please visit this link (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f084fafad2ea1fc1-carwash1) to sign up to make a donation. All donations need to be dropped off at CVHS by Friday, April 30!

STUDENTS! We are looking for volunteers to help at the Car Wash! If you are interested in helping out, please email Mrs Dunn: rdunn@conval.edu.

Thank you for your support of the Class of 2023. We hope to see you at the car wash!

On Saturday, April 24, sophomores Callie Boisvert and Abbey Shumway organized a 5k run to raise awareness around mental illness and suicide.

“I am so proud of Callie and Abbey for taking the initiative to plan the Break the Silence 5K for suicide awareness and prevention,” said principal Heather McKillop. “It is imperative that we create a safe space for students to engage in dialogue about mental health. I was fortunate to talk to students and families prior to the run, and was so impressed by all of the efforts many of our students did in advance to make this event such a success.”

After the event, Callie Boisvert shared that the donations for suicide awareness and prevention amounted to close to $5,000. “I hope this is the beginning of a long-lasting tradition in our ConVal community as we continue to make effort to eradicate the stigma associated with mental health for years to come,” McKillop said.