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Parent Newsletter
November 20, 2017

Valley Lutheran's Jazz Band performed at the Fall Concert yesterday in the school gymnasium.

Save Sunday, Dec. 10, at 3pm on your calendar for a special Valley Lutheran Christmas Concert at the Temple Theatre.
As part of our 40th anniversary celebration, Valley's Symphonic Band and Golden Voice choir will be performing at this special venue. We are also asking alumni, who participated in music, to join us for two special pieces near the end of the show. To sign up to play or sing,  fill out this form . The event is free, although parking will cost $6 in the garage across the street. Join us for what will certainly be an amazing afternoon of music.
Scripture
Happy Thanksgiving
And it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,"the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud.
2 Chronicles 5:13
News
Welcome Cathy Miller
Cathy Miller has been hired as the new secretary at Valley Lutheran High School.  Miller is from Bay City and resides there with her husband, Carl, her daughter, Caytie, a sophomore at Valley, and their black lab, Chelsea. At Valley, Cathy will handle  attendance and record keeping, among other duties.  She is a former dance instructor at Perry Woodard School of Dance, where she taught and was the office manager for 35 years.

Cathy enjoys reading, bicycling, and camping with her family, as well as watching Caytie play soccer.   " it's only been a week, but everyone has been so supportive," Cathy said. "You see it on the outside and now I see it on the inside."
Booster Club Online Apparel Orders Due Nov. 27
Are you looking for a Christmas idea for a Charger in your life? Look no further than Valley Lutheran Booster Club's online apparel sale. Purchases may be made between now and the end of the day, Monday, Nov. 27. Items will be delivered by Monday, Dec. 11. T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and pants are available. To order, visit this link.
Fall Information Night Nov. 28
Valley Lutheran's annual Fall Information night kicks off the 9th grade enrollment season at  7pm on Tuesday, Nov. 28. Current Valley students will be leading tours for prospective students and sharing with them what high school is like at Valley. Faculty will take prospective parents on a tour, answering questions. This is a great night to learn about our many programs. Please pass this information on to families who you would like to see at Valley Lutheran in years to come.
Fruit Sale Pick-up Dec. 1-3
Students or parents may pick up fruit  Thursday, Nov. 30, and Friday, Dec. 1, from 3-5pm, or Saturday, Dec. 2, from 7:30am to 2pm. Extra fruit is available. Please call the office at 989-790-1676 to place an order. Also, volunteers are needed to help during pick-up dates. Students can earn service hours, as well. For more information or to volunteer, contact Bill Ankoviak at 989-781-5796 (evenings) or 989-790-1676 (school hours).
Post Prom Meeting Dec. 17
Thank you to everyone who attended the Post Prom Party committee meeting Nov. 12. We appreciate your support in continuing  this parent-initiated and managed event.  Our next meeting will be   Sunday, Dec. 17 at 3pm Please bring scissors to the meeting as we will be making play money for the event. Contact one of our co-chairs, Chris and Jenny Frank, Sarah Cmeyla, and Carla Belill, if you are willing to assist in putting on this event. Chris can be reached at 989-737-5015 or buckyfrank@gmail.com and Jenny can be reached at 989-652-0187.
First Semester Final Exams Dec. 18-20
First semester final exams will be administered  Dec. 18-20, even though the semester does not end until Jan.13. We have found that students are more successful on final exams if they do them before the longer Christmas break rather than after. The final exams are comprehensive - covering all material since the beginning of the year - and are counted for 20 percent of the semester grade. Teachers will provide various forms of study materials by  Dec. 15. 

The final exam schedule is located on the website at   https://www.vlhs.com/calendar/final-exams under the calendar tab. We are on the first cycle for first semester exams. It is important to note that students may not take any final exams early. It is expected that all students take their exams when scheduled. In the case of severe illness, the student may make arrangements with Dr. Meyers to take any missed finals at a later time.
Support Valley While Shopping Online
The holidays are approaching and if you're shopping online for gifts, you can support Valley Lutheran at the same time.

Amazon: By shopping at  smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates a percentage of your purchase to Valley Lutheran. Visit  Amazon's website to get started.

Shoparoo: Do you use the  Shoparoo app? If so, you can upload pictures of your receipts to earn cash from Valley. Shoparoo also has weekly contests on its Facebook page for a chance to boost earnings for the school.

Kroger:   The Kroger Community Rewards program donates a portion of each purchase made by holders of the Kroger Plus Card to the charity of their choice, including Valley Lutheran High School. Enroll online here.
Guidance Corner
AXIS.ORG VIDEO CONVERSATION KIT - SUICIDE AND DEPRESSION
Axis.org is a Christian company dedicated to providing relevant resources surrounding some of the most difficult topics in our culture. They have recently released a free video resource for teens and parents surrounding the topic of suicide and depression. Take a look at the video here and use it to start a discussion with your teenager about healthy ways of handling difficult emotions.

MTU SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM
The Mid-Michigan chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is offering a scholarship for Michigan Technological University's (MTU) Summer Youth Program to promote the education of potential future engineers.  Applications are being accepted until Friday, Dec. 8.

The Pre-College Exploration Program offers one-week courses at the MTU campus that give high school students an opportunity to explore careers and develop skills in engineering and science. The students will participate in laboratory, classroom and field experiences in a selected career area. More information about the Summer Youth Program is here.

The scholarship is awarded to a high school student in grades 9-11 in the Great Lakes Bay Region or neighboring county. It covers tuition, room and board, plus a $100 travel allotment for a one-week session at the MTU Summer Youth Program. Valley Lutheran had a student attend this camp last summer and they had an amazing experience!

PSAT/NMSQT EXAM
Students who took the PSAT/NMSQT exam can expect their scores released online on Monday, Dec. 11. We will be holding a PSAT RESULTS NIGHT on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 7pm to go over score reports and to talk about next steps in the SAT testing process. Some financial strategies will also be discussed in regard to the FAFSA and setting up your personal finances for the coming college costs.

DUAL ENROLLMENT FOR SECOND SEMESTER
Any student intending on taking a Dual Enrollment course for the second semester should sit down with Mrs. Mueller to make sure all paperwork is complete well in advance of the college deadlines. Dual Enrollment paperwork must be completed by Tuesday, Nov. 21 or student schedules will be changed.

SCHOLARSHIPS!
Many new scholarship opportunities have been added to the VL Scholarship page in the past week. Check out our VL Scholarship Page - http://bit.ly/VLScholarships - for the most up-to-date scholarship information that we receive.

IMPORTANT LINKS
SAT Information, Registration, etc. - www.sat.org
ACT Information, Registration, etc. - www.actstudent.org
FAFSA Information and submission - https://fafsa.ed.gov/
FSA ID Information and creation - https://fsaid.ed.gov
VL Scholarship Page - http://bit.ly/VLScholarships
Community News
Immanuel Frankentrost Hosting Living Nativity
Immanuel Lutheran Church-Frankentrost, 8220 E. Holland Road (M-46) in Saginaw, is hosting its 21st annual Living Nativity Walk: A Journey to Bethlehem on December 1-3. More than 300 members and friends of Immanuel participate in this free, 30-minute outdoor walk. Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the walk. Times are as follows: Friday, Dec. 1, from 7-9pm; Saturday, Dec. 2, from 6-8pm; and Sunday, Dec. 3, from 6-8pm.
St. Paul Frankenlust Bake Sale
St. Paul Frankenlust's Ladies Aid is hosting a bake sale on Saturday, Dec. 2. Coffee and homemade donuts are available from 8:30-9:30am and the bake sale runs from 9:30 to 11am at the school on 6094 Westside Saginaw Road in Bay City. Treats include springerle, eisenkuechle, Stollen, butterhorns, breads, cookies, toffee, lebkuchen, sauerkraut, and more.
Boar's Head Festival Nov. 30, Dec. 2, 3
Bethlehem Lutheran Church will present the Boar's Head Festival on  Thursday, Nov. 30 at 7:30pm, Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30pm, and Sunday, Dec. 3, at 4pm at the church on 808 Weiss St. in Saginaw.  Bethlehem shares this ancient tradition of the Boar's Head, giving it new life through music, drama, and gifts shared with you by the many members of this congregation. Pre-service music starts 30 minutes prior to the performance. Tickets are not required. A free-will offering will be taken.
Good Shepherd Christmas Concert Dec. 9
Music of the Christmas Season: Good Shepherd's Music Ministry presents Christmas music, featuring contemporary and traditional songs, along with handbells and more on Saturday, December 9, at 7 p.m. There is no cost for the program but a freewill offering is appreciated.
Upcoming Events
Nov. 22-26 Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 28 Fall Information Night for Prospective Students, 7pm
Nov. 29 Peeks at Valley, 8:15am
Nov. 30 Fruit Sale Pickup, 3-5pm
Dec. 1 Fruit Sale Pickup, 3-5pm
Dec 2 Fruit Sale Pickup, 7:30am to 2pm
Dec. 2 SAT Testing, 8am
Dec. 6 Second Quarter Midterm Grades Available, 5pm
Dec. 10 Christmas Concert at the Temple Theatre (Mark Your Calendar), 3pm
Dec. 14 Parents in Prayer, 8am
Dec. 14 Peeks at Valley, 8:15am

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Mission Statement
Valley Lutheran High School believes that Christ is the foundation of our school and everything that we do.  We prepare our students as children of God academically, physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually to serve in the world today and tomorrow.

John Brandt
Valley Lutheran High School