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Parent Newsletter
November 2, 2016
Members of Valley Lutheran's Symphonic Band practice with Director Lindsay Mueller. The band is part of the Fall Instrumental Concert, which will be held at
3pm Sunday, Nov. 20, at the school. See details below in the News section.
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Hope?
America is days away from an election that has been called, by some, "The most important election of our lifetime." For many, this is a very scary thought, placing fear and worry into everyday life. The "what ifs?" are plentiful in the minds of most Americans. With all the political rhetoric, where do individuals turn for hope? The simple yet concrete answer is that our hope is found in Jesus Christ. In the words of hymnist Edward Mote, "
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand."
As much as we are tempted to put all our trust in the government, let's not let our hope in an election overshadow our salvation in Christ. One way to lean on Jesus' name and stand on the solid Rock during this time is through prayer. The organization Intercessors for America has provided the Top Ten Prayer Points To Pray Over Our Elections. As you read these points, be encouraged that there is a large population of prayer warriors lifting these requests up to God.
1. Pray that we would recognize that government is appointed by God and thereby designed to accomplish His purposes. (Romans 13:1)
2. Pray for our nation to elect leaders who fear God. (Exodus 18:12)
3. Pray our leaders seek solutions for our communities and nation that can only come from the Lord. (Psalm 33:12)
4. Pray for believers to use the kingdom model, "...on earth as it is in Heaven." (Matthew 6:10)
5. Pray for elections to be fair, honest, and without corruption. (Proverbs 16:13)
6. Pray for the Church to see the need to repent of personal and national sins in the fear of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 7:14; 1 John 1:9; Proverbs 9:10)
7. Pray for divine protection over our nation during the critical upcoming elections. (Proverbs 3:5; Psalm 9:1)
8. Pray that those candidates who know Christ would openly and courageously speak of their faith and stand firm on their biblical principles. (Matthew 5:13-16)
9. Pray that Christians across the nation will persist in seeking God's purpose for America beyond the elections, and that God, in His mercy, will usher in transforming revival. (Ezekiel 37; Psalm 42:1)
10. Pray for more of God's presence to be experienced in your community and our nation. (Psalm 16:11; 2 Corinthians 3:17)
God's Blessings,
Eric Smith
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First Quarter Grades Available
First quarter grades are now available. Check My Student Data for your child's report card. You will need their 10-digit ID (found on their current student ID) and birthdate. Valley's school code is 50 and the password is Chargers.
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VLHS Holiday Bazaar Nov. 5
The annual Valley Lutheran Holiday Bazaar will be Saturday, Nov. 5 from 9am-3pm.
The event includes crafts, a bake sale, and home-based and local businesses. The luncheon runs from 11am to 1pm and admission is free.
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Post-Prom Planning Committee to Meet Nov. 6
It's not too late to join the Post-Prom Planning Committee. The group's next meeting will be at
4pm Sunday, Nov. 6, at Valley. Remember, it's when we start observing Daylight Saving Time. If you have questions, contact Rachelle Schuman at 989-513-5415 or at
motherof3girls@charter.net.
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Post-Prom Fundraiser at Buffalo Wild Wings Nov. 7
You are invited to a fundraiser to benefit Valley Lutheran's Post Prom 2017 at
Buffalo Wild Wings, 2690 Tittabawassee Road,on
Monday, Nov. 7. Give your server
the certificate at this link during lunch or dinner and 20 percent of the purchase price will be donated to the Post Prom 2017. It works for carry out, as well.
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Fruit Sale Continues Through Nov. 8
The deadline for receiving fruit sale orders is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Orders can be picked up from 7:30am to 2pm Saturday, Dec. 3, at Valley Lutheran. If you have questions, call Valley Lutheran at 989-790-1676 or Bill Ankoviak at 989-781-5796.
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Driver Needed to Take Students to and from Valparaiso
Four students are in need of a driver to take them to Valparaiso University on
Friday, Nov. 11. The students need to leave between 1-2pm and would be ready to return home at noon
Sunday, Nov. 13. If you are driving to the Chicago area, this would be on the way. If you can provide transportation, please contact Pastor Mueller at
jmueller@vlhs.com or call the school office at 989-790-1676.
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Parents in Prayer Meeting Nov. 14
Consider joining Parents in Prayer, a group of parents who gather to pray at Valley twice each month. The group, formerly known as Moms in Prayer, will meet at the school from 8-9:30am on the second and fourth Monday of each month in Room 108. The next meeting is Nov. 14. The group prays for the needs of the students, faculty and staff at Valley. If you have questions, please contact Carla Belill at 989-295-3018 or at jedicarla3@gmail.com.
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Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences Nov. 16
Wednesday evening, Nov. 16, has been set aside for Parent-Teacher-Student conferences. Twenty minute time slots are available for you and your student to meet with all of your student's teachers.
These are by appointment only. Please contact Mrs. Mueller at
lmueller@vlhs.com or 989-790-1676 x 15 to schedule a conference or ask questions.
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Fall Instrumental Concert Nov. 20
Join us at 3pm on Sunday, Nov. 20, in the VLHS Gymnasium for our annual Fall Instrumental Concert. Various groups including Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Brass Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Flute Choir, Trombone Choir, and Wind Ensemble will perform a wide range of pieces. Enjoy an afternoon of music performed by young and talented musicians, who strive to honor Christ with their music.
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Fall Information Night Nov. 29
Valley Lutheran's annual Fall Information night kicks off the 9th grade enrollment season at
7pm on Tuesday, Nov. 29. 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.
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Students Willing to Work for Help With D.C. Trip
In January, about 50 students, parents, and staff members will travel to Washington, D.C., for the March for Life. Students are willing to do yard work, babysit, and perform odd jobs in return for monetary support for the trip. If you have any work for the students, email Cris Urbytes at
curbytes@vlhs.com or call the school office at 989-790-1676.
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Department of Education Seeking Parent Feedback
O
ne key feature of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the new federal education law, is a requirement to engage a broad range of stakeholders in developing state plans. The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has now released an ESSA-related survey designed for parents. The survey asks questions specifically related to items relevant to Michigan's ESSA plan and includes topics such as student assessment, school accountability measures, teacher and leader quality, and support for struggling schools.
Any Michigan parent or guardian with a child in grades PreK-12 qualifies to participate, and the survey will remain available through Nov. 18, 2016. Parent organizations and school leaders are also encouraged to invite parents in their networks to participate.
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CAREER INVENTORY FOR ALL STUDENTS
ACT offers a free career and interest inventory for students who are unsure of a career path. Create an account at
https://www.actprofile.org, click on the Plans dropdown, and select Inventories. Complete the Interest, Ability, and Values inventories for a personalized report of career areas that might be a strong fit. Feel free to meet with Mrs. Mueller, if you have questions or want to go over your results together.
All students were given a link to create an account. This will help us in planning Career Day this spring.
FAFSA WORKSHOP
Delta College is hosting a FAFSA workshop from
5-7pm Thursday, Nov. 10. This is a free event for the community - you do not need to be a Delta student or applying to Delta to attend. Financial Aid professionals will be available to help answer any questions or clarify parts of the FAFSA. See the
VL Scholarship Page for more information!
RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
Many colleges, universities, and scholarships require students to obtain confidential letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, and other adults. These should only be sent to a school upon request (if the application states that you need them). Remember to give your recommender plenty of time to compose a quality letter of recommendation. It is often helpful to fill out a "
Brag Sheet" to give your recommender a bigger picture of your accomplishments. See Mrs. Mueller with any questions.
TRANSCRIPTS
Did you know you can request transcripts to be send online? VLHS participates with a program called
Parchment - students can create an account and send their documents electronically and securely directly from the school. Or, you can submit a request through the
VLHS Website. Transcript requests generally take a few business days to process. If you need a document sent immediately, please contact Mrs. Mueller directly.
IMPORTANT LINKS
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Good Shepherd Bazaar, Chicken Dinner Nov. 5
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 5335 Brockway Road in Saginaw, will be having its 56th Annual Bazaar from 9am to 3pm on Saturday, Nov. 5. There will also be a homemade chicken dinner from 11am to 1pm. The cost is $8 for adults, $4 for children 6-12, and free for kids 5 and under. Take outs are $8 There is also a country store, as well as Trash and Treasures.
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St. Peter Turkey Trot Nov. 5
Join Tri To Finish for the 5th Annual St. Peter Turkey Trot in Hemlock on Saturday, Nov. 5. Races start at 9am at St. Peter Lutheran School and include a 10k and 5k, which are sanctioned by USA Track and Field. To register, visit the
Tri to Finish website
. Proceeds from the event benefit students at St. Peter Lutheran School.
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Thrivent Offers ABCs of Generosity
Zachary Moulton of Thrivent Financial is offering a seminar on the
"ABCs of Generosity" at 6:30pm Thursday, Nov. 10, at Holy Cross on 600 Court St. Please RSVP for this event to Moulton at 989-399-0331 by Tuesday, Nov. 8.
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Peace Apple Pie Sale
Peace Lutheran School in Saginaw is taking orders for crumble-top apple pies! Pies may be frozen or baked immediately. Only $10 per 10-inch pie. New this year: A 9-inch apple crisp - the pie without the crust - for only $6. Place your order by calling 989-980-3025, or by emailing hansenjlk@aol.com. Order deadline is Nov. 11; pies are to be picked up on Nov. 19 at the school, 3161 Lawndale Road. Proceeds benefit the Peace Lutheran PTL.
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Bake Sale, Rummage Sale at Messiah Carrollton Nov. 12
Messiah Lutheran Church in Carrollton is having a Fall Bake Sale and Rummage Sale on
Saturday, Nov. 12 from 9am to 2pm. Lots of gently used Christmas items, clothing, household goodies and more all priced to sell. Plus homemade baked goodies just in time for Thanksgiving.
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Learn How To Retire Wisely
Zachary Moulton of Thrivent Financial is offering a seminar called "Learn How to Retire Wisely" at
6pm on Thursday, Nov. 17, at Holy Cross, 600 Court St. in Saginaw. The seminar will discuss managing risks all retirees face, including outliving income, inflation, market volatility and more. RSVP to Moulton at 989-399-0331 by Wednesday, Nov. 16.
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Nov. 2 First Quarter Grades Available Online, 5pm
Nov. 3 Peeks at Valley, 11am
Nov. 5 SAT Testing, 8am
Nov. 5 Fall Bazaar, 9am-3pm
Nov. 8 Last Day for Fruit Sale Orders
Nov. 14 National Honor Society Blood Drive, 7:30am-2pm
Nov. 14 Parents in Prayer, 8am
Nov. 14 Herff Jones Cap and Gown Fittings
Nov. 16 Peeks at Valley, 11am
Nov. 16 Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences by Appointment in Evening
Nov. 20 VLHS Instrumental Music Concert, 3pm
Nov. 22 Herff Jones Senior Graduate Announcement Orders, 11am
Nov. 23-25 No School, Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 28 Parents in Prayer, 8am
Nov. 29 Fall Information Night for New Students, 7pm
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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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