Website  |   About   |   Calendar   |   News  |   Giving  |   Contact
Parent Newsletter
July 30, 2019


Nearly all of the West-end external construction is complete. Incredible progress continues on the inside. West-end construction is on schedule for completion by the start of the school year.

Devotion
Which Way? Yahweh!

I had to smile. Senior Class Advisor Paul Eschmann reported the class had chosen Isaiah 30:21 as this year's theme verse. "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"(Isaiah 30:21, NIV) The verse offers much for chapel speakers and devotion writers to ponder. As a speaker and writer that could be the reason for a smile, but it is not.

The reason? Mr. Eschmann also reported that the suggested theme was the title of this devotion - "Which Way? Yahweh!" As sophomores the students learned the phrase in Theology II. I have never before seen a more direct connection between our theology classes and a class theme! I'm sure the theology teachers were smiling too.

So, what is the "Yahweh?" It is God's (Yahweh's) plan for the salvation of each of His fallen children - you and me. It is the sacrificial offering of His son Jesus paying the price for our sinfulness. It is the ultimate miracle of Jesus' resurrection. And it is all ours too through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Which Way? Yahweh! Indeed.

John Brandt
Executive Director
News
Office Hours and Contact Information

Beginning August 1st, the school office resumes normal office hours, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Monday - Friday.  However, due to ongoing construction at school, you are advised to call 989-790-1676 or email your contact person to arrange an appointment.  There may still be times when access to the school office will be unsafe for visitors.  We hope to move back into the renovated office August 12th.

We Need Your Help

Each summer our custodial staff works diligently to clean the school from top to bottom in preparation for the new school year. This year they worked on other projects as dust piled up from the work being done on both ends of the building. This year we need your help to be ready for the first day of school.
Please watch for a special email announcing times around August 12 for the "Great Clean-Up" consisting of washing, dusting, vacuuming, and other odd jobs. We don't yet know the dates, and we can't do it alone. Students, parents, and others are welcome to contribute some good old fashioned elbow grease.

If you have skills installing cabinets, shelving, bulletin boards etc. please contact John Brandt at jbrandt@vlhs.com or 989-790-1676).

Special thanks already to parents, students, teachers, and other volunteers who removed the lockers. In addition, our teachers and staff completed several projects in June with more scheduled in August. 

This is truly a team effort.

Items Available for a Free-Will Donation:
Several office doors in good condition have been replaced. Some are metal, others are wood composite. You are welcome to them if you have a use. Contact the school office for more information.

Pre-Paid Tuition Program - LAST CHANCE for 2019/20
Families may pre-pay tuition for future school years at the 2019-20 rates until July 31, 2019. 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.


Association Non-Association LCMS Community
2019-20 $6,600 $7,750 $8,100
2020-21 $6,600
$7,750
$8,100
2021 & Beyond $6,600
$7,750
$8,100

* 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 2020. More details and a formal agreement are available online or by calling Business Manager Bill Ankoviak at 989-790-1676.

Sports Physicals - August 5th - location TBD

Sports Physicals are being offered from 4:30-5:30pm on Monday, Aug. 5 at at a location to be determined. Due to construction we have to move it to another location, and as soon as that location is finalized it will be posted on our home web page (www.vlhs.com). Feel free to call the office (989-790-1676) after Aug 3 for further information.  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 one of Valley's sports teams for the 2019-20 school year. A current physical needs to be on file before a student can participate.

Fall Sports Practices

Sport practices begin August 12, except for Volleyball which begins August 14 and Cross Country which begins August 15.  Below is the list of sports and their first practice time.
  • FootballMonday, August 12th 8:30am-1:30pm (with a break at 11:00am)
  • GolfMonday, August 12th 3:00-5:00pm at Pleasant View Golf Course
  • SoccerMonday, August 12th 8:00-10:00am
  • Volleyball -Tryouts:  August 14th and 15th from 5:00-8:00pm.After August 15th each level will have different practice times.
  • Cross Country - Thursday, August 15th 8:00-10:00am
  • Cheerleading - Call Coach Grace Schardt at 989-928-4009 for practice times

 

Back to School Materials

You can find a general school  "Materials List" here, which lists items required/recommended for specific classes.   If you do not find your English class listed, the generic materials of a notebook/binder and writing utensils are recommended.  An updated list will appear on the website after August 9th.

Here are a couple more suggestions:
  • Ear Buds - Each student should keep a set of "ear buds" at school for personal use. We have sets of headphones available for our computer towers but when students are using the Chromebooks in the classroom, it is nice for them to have their own personal ear buds.
  • ESV Lutheran Study Bible - This version of the Bible is used in all religion classes all four years. Order forms will be available at home visits and orientations or you can purchase them directly on your own at cph.orgBibles are on sale now ($24.99 for paperback and $40.99 for hard cover). We will try to have some available at school for purchase. 
  • Technology Devices - Many people ask if their student can bring in a technology device. The answer is, "Yes, please!" Students may use laptops, tablets, Chromebooks, etc. in classes, academic seminar, and at lunch. While students are not required to have a device, they are encouraged to bring one (if available) and use it in the academic setting. If you are interested in purchasing a device, any laptop, tablet, or Chromebook would be acceptable.

 

Freshmen and New Transfer Home Visits

Every freshman and new transfer student will have a home visit from a teacher by Aug. 22. This home visit helps everyone become acquainted before school begins, and it is a good time to get those questions answered. Expect a phone call to schedule this visit.

Lutheran Study Bibles ESV Version are needed for all Theology classes. Bibles may be purchased at cph.org or orders can be submitted at home visits.

Sophomore/Junior/Senior & Parent Info Night

Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, and their parents are asked to attend meetings at school on either 
Thursday, Aug. 15 or Tuesday, Aug. 20 to receive information specific to those classes. The meetings will begin at 7pm and last for about one hour.

There will be another meeting immediately following both nights for National Honor Society prospects.

Remind Accounts for School Notifications

Valley Lutheran makes use of a service called Remind to send out mass notifications in the event of a school closing or other emergency. Because Remind has restructured their account management, Valley Lutheran has deleted all previous lists and each student and family will need to re-enroll. 

We ask that individual parents and students sign up for one parent and one student list only, as each list will receive the same notifications and lists are limited to 150 members. Remind is used only in the event that we would contact the entire student body with the same message. Families are limited to a maximum of two (2) parent accounts, and families with students in multiple grades should only sign up for one grade's list. Please help us be good stewards of our available memberships on each list.

To sign up, send a text message to the number 81010, with the bolded text for your list:


Seniors - Class of 2020
Students
@20vlst
Parents
@20vlprt
Juniors - Class of 2021
Students
@21vlst
Parents
@21vlprt
Sophomores - Class of 2022
Students
@22vlst
Parents
@22vlprt
Freshmen - Class of 2023
Students
@23vlst
Parents
@23vlprt


Summer Read

Students are to read the following books before the 2019-20 school year begins.
  • Freshmen (Class of 2023)Shift by Jennifer Bradbury or Guts by Gary Paulson
  • Transitional Reading Students and others by permissionMonster by Walter Dean Meyers or The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba.
  • Sophomores (Class of 2022): The Book Thief by Markus Zusak or The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
  • Juniors (Class of 2021): Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo Beals
  • Seniors (Class of 2020): All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr or Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
Students will choose one book from the choices available for their grade. One is a non-fiction and the other is fiction. You may purchase the book in any format you wish (digital, hardback, paperback, audio), just make sure it is the correct book with the correct title and author. ( Click here to take you to our website that has ISBN numbers). It is recommended that if you use an audio book, that you also read along. Better comprehension that way!

Students will be required to take a comprehension test on their book when they return to school in August. That grade will be a part of their English grade for first quarter. For students who do not have an English class in the fall, the grade will be incorporated into another class.

Be prepared to either present your book or discuss it. This may happen in family groups, English classes, or in other classes. If you have any questions about the summer read, contact Dr. Lisa Meyers at lmeyers@vlhs.com.

Class of 2020 News: Senior Photos, Retreat
  • Senior Portraits: Upcoming seniors and parents of seniors, please check out the guidelines for submitting your photos for next year's yearbook. If you have questions, contact Jennifer Blake at jblake@vlhs.com.
  • Save the date! The Senior Class Retreat will be held Oct. 18-20 at Camp Timbers. We hope to see you there!
Saginaw Township Transportation

Residents of Saginaw Township to require transportation to Valley Lutheran High School should contact Saginaw Township Transportation at  989-797-1840.

Parent Organization Meeting on Aug. 20

The next Parent Organization meeting will be at 6pm on Aug. 20 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 enjoy dinner at the same time.

This past school year the Parent Organization raised $9,598.50 and paid out $21,761.29, which went towards professional memberships, classroom expenses, chrome book carts, teacher appreciation, NHS pins, and AP conferences. The organization has a remaining balance of $9,339.13. Thank you for your support.

20th Annual Golf Scramble

V alley's 20th Annual Golf Scramble will be Saturday, Sept. 14, at Apple Mountain Golf Course. The rate remains at $85 per person to encourage and facilitate a fun and full event that is accessible to as many as possible! Brochures are available in the school office or can be downloaded here.The Golf Scramble helps raise money for the Student Aid Fund, which provides tuition assistance for students in need.

VLHS Accepting Applications for Communications Position

Valley Lutheran High School is accepting applications for the position of part-time Communications Assistant. This individual will work closely with the Executive Director, Development Director, and Admissions Counselor in communicating the school's mission to its constituents. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter who has strong written communications skills, is familiar with Adobe InDesign and Microsoft Office software applications, social media, and is supportive of the mission of Valley Lutheran High School.

The position is 15 hours per week with a flexible work schedule. Interested applicants may send a resume with cover letter by July 31 to Dr. John Brandt, Executive Director, Valley Lutheran High School, 3560 McCarty Rd, Saginaw, MI 48603 or by email to jbrandt@vlhs.com. For more information, contact Dr. Brandt through email or at 989-790-1676.

Guidance Corner
2019-2020 STUDENT SCHEDULES
Schedules for all students are released at 5:00 pm on Friday, August 23 via My Student Data. All students will have access to their schedule online. Schedules for the Class of 2023 will be printed and handed out at Freshman Orientation. To make a change to your requested courses, contact Mrs. Mueller at lmueller@vlhs.com .

AP EXAM SCORES
Scores for the 2019 AP Exams were released to students in Michigan on Monday, July 8th. To see your scores, simply log into your CollegeBoard account (the same one used for PSAT/SAT).

SAT/ACT TESTING LINKS
SAT Information, Registration, etc. - www.sat.org
ACT Information, Registration, etc. - www.actstudent.org
Khan Academy (free test prep) - www.khanacademy.org/sat

Upcoming Events
Aug. 1 Office hours resume, 8:30 a.m.-3:30pm
Aug. 5 Sports Physicals at Valley, 4:30pm
Aug. 12 Sport Practices begin (Volleyball begins Aug. 14, Cross Country begins Aug. 15)
Aug. 15, 20 Sophomore, Junior, Senior Parent/Student Night, 7pm
Aug. 20 Transfer Student Orientation, 5:30pm
Aug. 23 Freshmen Orientation followed by Lock-In, 7pm
Aug. 24 SAT, 8am
Aug. 26 Freshmen Academy, 8am-Noon
Aug. 27 First Day of School, 8am
Aug. 29 School pictures
Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 No School - Labor Day Weekend
Sept. 3 School resumes, 8:39am
Sept. 10 Back to School Night for Parents, 6:30pm
Sept. 14 ACT, 8am
Sept. 14 Golf Scramble, 8:00am registration, 9:00am shot-gun start

 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