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Parent Newsletter
June 15, 2018
Congratulations to the Girls' Soccer team for winning the district championship against Bath, 3-2, at Nouvel on June 2.
Devotion
Blessed to be a Blessing
It might be time to put our 40th anniversary theme to bed! Dozens of chapels, newsletters, and speeches have been built around this theme. Banners and logos have appeared in prominent places and each day our sign on McCarty reminded drivers - "Blessed to be a Blessing." Yet, while the words may be a little tired, the message is no less exciting now than it was last July.

This year, the Valley Lutheran family was blessed:
  • with relationships among students, parents, and faculty that, while not perfect, are good and positive because their foundation is Christ. The AdvancED Accreditation team heard this in their 41 interviews and read it in the parent/student/faculty surveys.
  • with Bev Feldkamp's unforgettable witness of faith. Her loss left a great hole, but even in that loss we were blessed.
  • with countless classroom experiences that challenged students to make the most of their gifts. (This is a blessing most often appreciated later!)
  • with teams, play casts (on and off stage), clubs, bands, and choirs - which learned to work together, to overcome challenges, to enjoy hard work and its rewards, and were good entertainment for those of us in the stands.
From these and other blessings too numerous to mention, blessings will flow to others. Our students are reminded to "Love and serve God, by loving and serving others." Sometimes, the blessings extended are obvious, like generous alumni who not only support our school but God's work in other places too. Other times they are more subtle, like the caring alumna who offers a much needed hand of friendship to a new mom.

God works through these blessings. However, it is important to always remember Pastor Gil McDonald's message - God's greatest blessing is what Jesus did for us on the cross. His sacrifice bought our freedom from sin and opened the door to eternal life.  Yes, we are blessed.

- Dr. John Brandt, Executive Director
News
Final Grades Available Wednesday, June 13, After 5pm
Final report cards will be available online Wednesday, June 13, after 5pm. They can be accessed by going to www.mystudentdata.com and entering the following information:
  • School code: 50
  • Student ID Number: Call the office at 989-790-1676 or email Heidi Behnke (hbehnke@vlhs.com) if you cannot locate this number.
  • Password: Chargers
  • Student's Birth Date
Final grades will also be mailed via the United States Postal Service. Every students will receive the mailing, but report cards will not be in the envelope if that student owes money or has materials that need to be turned in (uniforms, books, etc.). If you do not receive the mailing by June 30, please contact Mrs. Mueller at  lmueller@vlhs.com .
Summer Hours and Contact Information
This summer the office hours are  8am to 3pm. The office will be closed  July 2-6, the first week in July, and every Friday in July.  Please respect the need for our faculty and staff to have "time away" from school. You can do that by limiting your contact for non-emergencies to the school phone number, where you can leave voice mail even during off hours, and email. A big concern for many is course scheduling. This is Mrs. Mueller's No. 1 priority after  Aug. 1  as she works toward the release of schedules on  Aug. 17 . It is best to contact her about specific concerns during that time frame.
Freshmen Placement Test Results
Freshmen placement test results will be mailed in the next two weeks. If you do not receive your results by the end of June, contact Dr. Lisa Meyers at 989-790-1676 or email  lmeyers@vlhs.com.
Summer Read
The books for the Summer Read program have been announced. Students are to read the following books before the 2018-19 school year begins. 
  • Freshmen (Class of 2022): Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
  • Sophomores (Class of 2021): The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  • Juniors (Class of 2020): Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo Beals
  • Seniors (Class of 2019): All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
This year, there will be no project for the book. In its place, students will take a comprehension test on their book in August. The grade will be part of their English grade for the first quarter. If they do not have an English course in the first quarter, the grade will be applied to another class. Students should be prepared to present their book or discuss it. This may happen in family groups, English classes, or in another class.

A copy of the project guidelines  can be found here. Call the office at 989-790-1676 or email Lisa Meyers at  lmeyers@vlhs.com with any questions.
Class of 2018 News: School Notifications
If you are a parent of a recent graduate and would like to remove your name from the emergency notification list, follow  this link for instructions on how to opt out.
Class of 2019 News: Senior Photos, Retreat
  • Save the date! 
    The Senior Class Retreat will be held Oct. 12-14 at Camp Timbers. We hope to see you there!
Pre-Paid Tuition Program
Families may pre-pay tuition for future school years at the 2018-2019 rates until  July 31, 2018 .  This allows families to "lock-in" these tuition rates and avoid future tuition increases. Be sure to note there are no longer discounts for the full tuition payment for the current school year. 
                 
School Year
Association
Non-Association LCMS
Community
2018-2019*
$6,275
$7,425
$7,775
2019-2020*
$6,275
$7,425
$7,775
2020 and beyond*
$6,275
$7,425
$7,775
*Annual pre-paid discount is discontinued.
No pre-paid tuition payments will be accepted after July 31 until the new tuition rates are announced in January 2019.  More  details  and a  formal agreement  are available online or by calling Business Manager Bill Ankoviak at 989-790-1676.
Financial Aid Update
Within the last several days, families with verified financial aid applications have received notification of their award by e-mail. If you did not receive notification, it is because all information has not been submitted to and verified by FACTS. No financial aid will be granted without a verified application.  Thank you for your cooperation with this new process, which is so important in helping us be good stewards of the financial aid fund.
Sports Physicals at Valley
Sports Physicals are being offered at Valley Lutheran on August 1 from  4:30-6pm.  The cost is $13 payable to Dr. James LaFleur.  This exam will meet the requirement of every participating athlete's obligation to have a physical exam, if he or she intends to try out for and/or make one of Valley's sports teams for the 2018-19 school year.
Parent Organization Meeting August 14
The next Parent Organization meeting will be at  7pm on August 14 at G's Pizzeria on Bay Road in Saginaw. Mark your calendars and join our great group to discuss upcoming events for the school year, and, of course, enjoy dinner at the same time.
Lutheran Study Bible for Freshmen, Sophomores
Lutheran Study Bibles are needed for all Theology classes. Bibles may be purchased at cph.org of may be placed at orientation.
SVSU Hosting Technology Camp for Girls
Do you know a high school girl who is curious about technology? Camp Infinity at Saginaw Valley State University is a one-week summer technology camp for girls entering grades 9-12 in Fall 2018. The camp runs from  July 23-27 from 9am to 4pm each day. Camp Infinity introduces girls to computer and internet technologies through hands-on activities. Girls will study website development and programming, using real world situations. Girls will also get an opportunity to meet  women who work in technological fields and explore career options in technology. The cost is $75 but scholarships are available to reduce the cost. For more information, visit the  camp registration page.
Winner of Literary Competition is ...
Katherine Weber is the winner of the 2018 Literary Competition. Her submission, "A Bee's Last Journey' earned her a $50 Barnes & Noble Gift Card. The event was sponsored by the Parent Organization. You can read Katherine's poem here.
LEAP Alliance Schools for Excellence
All praise to God for the fact that the schools of our "LEAP Alliance" have been, and continue to be distinctively Christ-centered! What a blessing! It can also be said that they are measurably excellent in many significant respects.
 
Recently, it was announced that all 18 K-8 member schools of the LEAP Alliance earned National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA). Valley Lutheran High School was also recently re-accredited  by NLSA and AdvancED making 100 percent of LEAP Schools with NLSA Accreditation. This compares to 64 percent of Lutheran Schools nationally with NLSA accreditation.  

National Lutheran School Accreditation is a voluntary, rigorous, process intended to help Lutheran schools reach higher levels of excellence in the classroom and, most importantly, in sharing the Christian faith with students and families.
Free Meals Available for Children
Meet Up and Eat Up believes lunchtime should be healthy and fun! Meals are available Monday through Friday for children 18 and younger. At no cost to your family, these meals are full of healthy fruits and vegetables to help fuel kids all summer long.

No sign-up is required.  Call 211 or text Food to 877877 for a location near you.  To find a nutritious meal near you go to: www.michigan.gov/MeetUpEatUp.
Annual Report
The 2018 VLHS Annual Report is now available online. The report documents Valley's activities and finances from the previous fiscal year.
Guidance Corner
TO THE CLASS OF 2018
It has been an honor working with you to realize your college and career dreams! As you head off to your next step, be sure to take a look at 6 Things Every Freshman Should Know About Going to College ! God's blessings as you begin a new endeavor!

CLASS OF 2018 - FINAL TRANSCRIPTS
Seniors enrolling in a college or university next year will need to request their final transcripts to be sent after graduation. These are only sent to the school you will attend in the fall, and are seen as a step in the final enrollment process. The office will begin processing these in mid-June. Please email Mrs. Mueller with your intended destination. The office will not send out student documents unless requested directly by the student or parent in order to maintain the confidential nature of these documents.

SUMMER JOBS
Is your student lining up a summer job? Or have they already been hired and have started working? Take a look at a great article by Tim Elmore from Growing Leaders on The Six Best Summer Jobs for Students and Why . He gives great insight into skills students can learn to prepare them for a large array of careers in the future.

WORK PERMITS
Speaking of jobs, students under the age of 18 need a work permit on file in order to hold employment. Work permits are available in the school office, and require information from the student and parent, the employer, and the school. Stop in during normal office hours to pick up a permit.

SUMMER JUMPSTART
Want to get a jumpstart on college or career planning? Take some time this summer to explore schools and careers at www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org . Visit a college campus. Job shadow in a career area you might be interested in pursuing. Volunteer for local organizations. Explore your options when it comes to training for various career areas. Take the time now while life is a bit more relaxed, and start the new school year off with a plan!

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

Job Opportunities
Become an International Coordinator
Are you retired, a stay-at-home parent, or searching for a part-time job? If so, Educatius Group is looking for passionate, creative, and enthusiastic people to support young people and their schools as an International Coordinator. In this role, you would work toward recruiting and securing host families for students. For more information, contact Lisa Scovel at 269-601-2368 or  lisa.scovel@educatius.org.
Upcoming Events
Aug. 1 Sports Physicals at Valley, 4:30-6pm
Aug. 6 Football Practice Begins
Aug. 8 Boys Soccer, Cheer, Volleyball, Cross Country, and Girls Golf Practices Begin
Aug. 7 Sophomore/Junior/Senior Parent-Student Night, 7pm
Aug. 16 Transfer Student Orientation, 5:30pm
Aug. 16 Sophomore/Junior/Senior Parent-Student Night, 7pm
Aug. 17-18 Freshmen Lock-In, 7pm
Aug. 22 First Day of School
Aug. 29 School Pictures
Aug. 31-Sept. 3 No School - Labor Day Weekend

 Click on the image above to view the latest Valley Vision.







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