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Parent Newsletter
December 6, 2017
Students collaborate on a project in Mr. Cooper's biology class.
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Wishing You A Salutary Advent
Advent is a season unique to Christians. Rather than celebrating a specific event, it anticipates Jesus' coming at Christmas and on the last day. Too often, we miss important messages embedded in the traditions and practices of our faith.
Kyle Jankens (VL 2002
) commented on his "discovery" of an important message hidden in plain sight in the communion liturgy.
"You know how sometimes you find yourself only half-listening because you've heard it a thousand times before? Then, suddenly, a word or phrase, spoken or sung innumerable times before, hits you like it's the first time gracing your ears. That happened to me this past weekend. As the pastor started the Lord's Supper, I heard, 'It is truly good, right, and salutary ...' Salutary? Salutary?
"How did I not know what salutary meant? How is this the first time I ever paid attention to it? I did some quick math to determine how many times I've heard the Eucharist Liturgy in my life and it totaled between 1,361 and 1,407 times. So, there I am, stuck in church with no dictionary just making up definitions for a word."
"Webster defines salutary as 'producing a beneficial effect: remedial and promoting health: curative.' Now the rest of the phrase makes even more sense to me, 'It is truly good, right, and salutary to give thanks.' I discovered a crucial adjective that has been completely absent from my vocabulary. So I'm trying to live a little more salutary. I want to produce more positive benefits for those around me while promoting well-being. I want to be more thankful for all the good God has put in my life. I want to have a life someone might look at later and say, "Hey, that guy was pretty salutary." I will always appreciate it more now; It is truly good, right and salutary to give thanks to the Lord your God."
Unexpected treasures - Advent, a season of anticipation rather than celebration and salutary, a description of the blessings of the Lord's Supper and our relationship with Jesus. Rather than a maddening rush, may your Advent be salutary.
- Dr. John Brandt
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Second Quarter Mid-Term Grades Available
Second quarter mid-term grades can be accessed by going to
www.mystudentdata.com and entering the following information:
- School code: 50
- Student ID: 10 digit State ID number
- Password: Chargers
- Student birth date
Please call or email Cathy Miller at 989-790-1676 or
[email protected] if you have problems accessing grades. Please remember that tuition payments must be current to access grades.
If you have questions regarding grades, contact teachers by phone at 989-790-1676 or by email. Teacher email addresses are available on the school's website,
www.vlhs.com.
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Extra Fruit Available on Saturday
The Valley Lutheran Booster Club has an extra supply of Florida Indian River seedless oranges, pink grapefruit, and tangelos. It will be available on a first-come, first-served basis during this pickup time:
- Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10am to 12pm
Thank you to all who have supported Valley Lutheran through the fruit sale. Questions? Call Bill Ankoviak at 989-790-1676.
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Christmas Concert At The Temple This Sunday
This Sunday, Dec. 10, at 3pm, Valley Lutheran students will perform in a 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. Alumni, who participated in music, will join the band for two special pieces near the end of the show. 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.
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Christmas Family Collection Donations Needed by Dec. 13
Every year, the VLHS community helps local families celebrate Christmas by providing needed household items, clothes, toys, and food. This year, second hour classes will be collecting for five families. A letter from Bev Feldkamp detailing the project, the class assignments, and the needs of each family was recently sent home. A copy of this letter can be found
here. Please send your donations by
Wednesday, Dec. 13, so Valley students can wrap and deliver the gifts later that week. If you have questions about the program, contact the office at 989-790-1676 or at
[email protected].
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Post Prom Meeting Dec. 17
The next Post Prom Party committee 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, or Carla Belill, if you are willing to assist in putting on this event. Chris can be reached at 989-737-5015 or
[email protected] and Jenny can be reached at 989-652-0187.
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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.
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Emergency School Closing Procedure
As winter approaches, school closings are always a possibility. Since our students live in many communities, there are times when travel might be difficult close to home, yet easier in other areas. Your child's safety is our primary concern, and we respect your decision to keep them home or send them to school later, if conditions make travel difficult. In addition to the regular cancellation announcements on TV and radio, you can visit
our website for information, especially concerning extracurricular activities.
Emergency school closings due to weather and other factors will be announced on radio stations WSGW (790 AM), WTCF (100.5 FM), and
WNEM (Channel 5). Valley Lutheran will be announced separately and independently of any other schools or districts. You can also register your cell phone, email, or both at
remind.com/join/vlhs1718 to receive notifications.
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Congregational, School Leaders Attend LEAP-Shops
The LEAP Funding Options Committee hosted the first in a series of three, 90-minute workshops (called LEAP-Shops) aimed at Building a Mission-Minded School Funding Model on Oct. 30. Thirty-nine participants representing 17 LEAP Lutheran churches and schools attended.
Interactive discussions took place about "The Mission of the School." The discussion dug much deeper than simply examining a particular mission statement, and it prompted each participant to critically think about how his or her own school's mission and ministry fits into an overall "Ministry Plan."
The two upcoming LEAP-Shops will focus on applying understanding of a school's "Mission" to the budgeting process, to tuition and financial aid, to operational efficiency, and to fundraising.
The next two LEAP-Shops will be
Jan. 30, at 6:30 pm, at Faith Lutheran Church, Bay City, and on
April 30, at 6:30 pm, at Peace Lutheran School, Saginaw.
For more information, or if you are interested in attending, email Kurt Hilbrandt at
[email protected].
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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.
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.
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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 regards to the FAFSA and setting up your personal finances for the coming college costs. All parents and students who took the PSAT/NMSQT in October are invited!
FROM Axis.org: ISOLATION VS. SOLITUDE
"Isolation is putting yourself in a cage. Solitude is putting your distractions in a cage."
In case you're wondering, we (axis.org) didn't say that. A middle-schooler said it to us. Someone give that kid a scholarship! We think it's worth discussing. First, ask your teens what they think the difference between isolation and solitude is. Then read the quotation to them and get their reactions to it. Do they agree or disagree? Why? Does it capture the full depth of isolation and solitude? Why or why not? Do they seek solitude? Are they afraid of it? Where does loneliness fit into the picture? What does culture seem to say about solitude? And what's the biblical picture of solitude and/or isolation? "Without solitude it is virtually impossible to live a spiritual life. Solitude begins with a time and place for God, and for Him alone." (
This article is a great resource for discussing solitude!)
IS YOUR STUDENT STRESSED?
As we approach finals and the end of the semester, it is common for students to become overwhelmed with deadlines and workloads. As parents, you have an important role in helping your student learn how to manage their stress. Psychology Today offers the following advice:
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Be aware of the sources of stress - academics, busy schedules, friendship or family concerns, etc.
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Look for signs of major stress: constant fatigue, nagging discomfort, burnout, and breakdown.
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Help your student gain control of their goals, standards, and limits.
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!
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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 this Saturday, December 9, at 7 p.m. There is no cost for the program but a freewill offering is appreciated.
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| Dec. 6 |
Second Quarter Midterm Grades Available, 5pm |
| Dec. 10 |
Christmas Concert at the Temple Theatre, 3pm |
| Dec. 14 |
Parents in Prayer, 8am |
| Dec. 14 |
Peeks at Valley, 8:15am |
| Dec. 18-20 |
First Semester Exams |
| Dec. 21-Jan. 2 |
No School - Christmas Break |
| Jan. 7 |
Booster Club BBQ, 11am |
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Click on the image above to view the latest Valley Vision. |
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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.
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John Brandt
Valley Lutheran High School
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