Weekly Cougar News

Good Evening, Cougar Nation!

Earlier today I was able to join 9th grade students as we engaged in mini conversations through a virtual event during TASC that was set up by the student council. I was very grateful to participate and get to meet more students!

In honor of Black History Month, students and staff highlighted information about events or individuals over the intercom this week. This will continue next week. Please see more information below that shares two new additional resources that you may want to consider viewing.

Yesterday we began our second semester material distribution for our remote only students. Next week students/families can come to our school campus to collect materials on Monday- Wednesday from 7:00 am-3:00 pm, Thursday from 7:00 am-7:00 pm, and Friday from 7:00 am- 3:00 pm.

Next week on Wednesday, February 17, we will host a virtual course selection evening for rising freshmen. We are excited to share with future cougars all the opportunities students have here at ConVal!

We also learned some exciting ATC news this week. ConVal earned a grant from the NH Department of Education that will enable our ATC center to purchase a SWITCH lab electric car! Please see more information below.

We have just set the date for our second semester virtual open house. Please save Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 6:00 pm on your calendar. More details will be released as we get closer.

Have a great weekend and stay warm!

Heather

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

February 16 — ASVAB Test Blue Cohort

February 17 — Parent/Guardian Night for Rising Grade 9 Students

February 23 — ASVAB Test Gold Cohort Make Up
March 4 — Open Hours (virtual) 6:00 pm

March 15-26 — School vacation

April 13-15 — SATs for 11th Grade (more details as we get closer)

The contributions of Black Americans are recognized as part of many courses at ConVal; as part of Black History Month, our community is highlighting some of these contributions by calling students’ attention to more hidden heroes in our nation’s history, such as “Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil and voting rights activist, and Jesse Leroy Brown, the U.S. Navy’s first black aviator.” During the weeks of February 8-19, morning announcements will recognize individuals who have enriched our shared American identity. We look forward to sharing these with you on our school’s website as well. In addition, we are highlighting some resources for you to continue the discussion at home. This week, consider checking out the The Monadnock Center for History and Culture, which highlights the contributions of Black Americans in our local area. Because this resource is so accessible, it may be of interest to some of our families. In addition, while you’re in your winter hibernation and doing some reading, consider a selection from the Coretta Scott King Book Awards. These awards have been recognizing talented Black authors for the last 51 years and provides a sampling of titles for children and young adults.

As graduation approaches, there are a few items that need to be taken care of:

1. Confirmation of your legal name for your diploma. Please email Mrs. Coyne to confirm the spelling of your – FIRST, MIDDLE, AND LAST names. Her email is dcoyne@conval.edu.
   
   
2. If you have not ordered your cap and gown, please go to Jostens.com and purchase the $19.00 package (cap, gown, and tassel). If there is a financial need, please contact Mrs. Coyne at dcoyne@conval.edu.
   
   

It is really important that these two items are completed no later than February 28th.

The ConVal yearbook is on sale now! Copies are going fast, please visit this link to secure your copy today: https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A05055200

Mrs. Coyne has been working hard on putting together a Virtual School Store where you can purchase ConVal gear. We are excited to be sharing this information, which will be coming soon, please watch your emails.

Selecting Courses Online

We will be extending the window to select courses online through Monday, Feb. 15th to allow the weekend for students to consult with parents one final time before making those selections. If there are students and families for whom understanding how to access resources and pick courses online remains a barrier, here is a quick 5 minute video that goes through the process: https://www.schooltube.com/media/t/1_qfup90no. We also continue to have the Course Selection Resources landing page available here: https://cvhs.convalsd.net/school-counseling/course-selection-resources/

Course Selection Appointments

Counselors will begin meeting with students next week, beginning with rising seniors. We will be sharing, each week, a daily schedule of when student’s course selection appointments are with their counselor. This schedule for the following week will be posted to the Counseling Google Classroom, shared with teachers, and emailed to students who have appointments directly at the end of each week. Students will have the opportunity to join the meeting in person (if their scheduled meeting time falls during an in person week) or through an available zoom link posted on the schedule. Counselors are trying to meet with many students in a condensed amount of time, so to the extent possible we ask that students try to keep their scheduled appointment. If it is absolutely necessary to reschedule, students can reach out to their counselor or our registrar Stacy Whitaker. A separate email will go out to all students explaining the process of meeting with their counselor.

Seniors – Local Scholarship Applications

The 2021 ConVal Scholarship Application, that is used to apply to a wide variety of local scholarship opportunities, is now available in Naviance for all seniors. To access this application students will login to their Naviance account, click Colleges > Scholarship List > Local and Regional Scholarships > 2021 ConVal Regional High School Scholarship Application. The application with the required documents must be submitted electronically to Ms. Whitaker at swhitaker@conval.edu

If you have questions, need any assistance obtaining this form, or logging into your Naviance account please contact your school counselor or Ms. Whitaker. The completed scholarship application must be submitted by April 29, 2021, at 2:00 pm.

Destination College

Registration is now open for Destination College, presented by the NH Higher Education Assistance Foundation in partnership with Plymouth State University. The NHHEAF Network’s signature event, scheduled for Saturday March 20th, is designed to help high school juniors and their families prepare for entry into college. This annual statewide college planning convention is held each spring through the collaborative efforts of The NHHEAF Network and New Hampshire colleges and universities. All of the day's events are FREE to students and parents.

Attendees will have access to a variety of free college planning workshops, learn tips about the college application process from a student keynote speaker, have the opportunity to participate in scholarship raffles, and attend a college fair. Join us at Destination College 2021 and jumpstart your college planning experience! Registration is required in advance. Visit: https://www.nhheaf.org/destination-college.asp

Teen Dating Violence Prevention

Members of the Student Council have been engaged with the school counseling department in an ongoing discussion on the topic of bringing awareness to and acting on issues that are important to students. Student Council members, led by Lorien Tyne and in collaboration with the community based End Sexual Violence on Campus (ESVOC), created a bulletin board with facts and resources around the topic of teen dating violence and have been critical in ensuring emphasis on this important issue. For resources, this week we are sharing a digital version of the Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention’s brochure that highlights the services this community based organization offers for our region. Click here to view pamphlet.

Talking About Relationships

Todd Bennett, our student support counselor, and Jacqueline Roland at Avenue A are teaming up to offer students the opportunity to talk about relationships on Mon. Feb. 15th, from 7-8pm. This will be an opportunity for teens to share their thoughts on relationships, the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships, the meaning of consent, and advice that teens would share with friends that are in a relationship. This is an Avenue A event, and will be held virtually. Students would need to register in advance by emailing avenuea@grapevinenh.org. For more information, check in with Todd Bennett! tbennett@conval.edu

Mental Health Film Trilogy

Like – Save the date, the second installment of the Mental Health Film Trilogy is scheduled for Wednesday, February 24th at 6:00pm. LIKE is an IndieFlix Original documentary about finding a balance in our digital world. Technology is a tool. It’s here to stay and social platforms are a place to connect, share and care, but what’s really happening? Are we addicted? How do we stop? Where do we start? What do we need to know? By understanding the effects of technology and social media on the brain, on our lives and on our civilization, we can learn how to navigate it more safely together. Here is the link to register for the screening: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rN5qhkNIT3KJkjyiyZighA

Congratulations to the Boys and Girls Alpine Ski teams as they finished their season this week competing in the Division 2 State Championships. The Boys team finished 7th and the Girls team finished 4th in the division. Junior Molly Dishong finished in first place and qualified to ski in the Meet of Champions on February 18th at Cranmore.

Class of 2022 has started a new fundraiser! Please visit our link, https://tinyurl.com/2022fund to shop our Meadow Farms store. Meadow Farms truly has something for everyone -- Kringle candles, chocolates, gourmet popcorn, kitchen & storage items, home decor, and much more!

BIOLOGY STUDENTS OBESERVE MAMMAL SKULLS IN THE LAB

SWITCH LAB ELECTRIC CAR

Region 14 Applied Technology Center students will be able to explore green technology next year, thanks to a grant from the NH Department of Education that provides $50,000 for the center to purchase a SWITCH Lab electric car kit. Students in the Automotive Technology program will have the opportunity to build this road-worthy car from the ground up, learning all about the elements of an electric car along the way. This grant also provides the exciting opportunity for our CTE programs to collaborate: students in Computer Programming and Networking programs will have the opportunity to work with the computer elements of the car, while Graphic Design students can design and create a skin for the car to advertise the center. And that’s just the beginning! There will be many chances for both CTE programs and academic classes to benefit from this grant. Look forward to seeing our SWITCH car on a street near you in Spring 2022!