Cougar News

Good afternoon, Cougar Nation!

One of my favorite times of the day is the morning when I get to personally greet students and wave to parents as they use the drop-off loop. You will notice several other staff members on the apron who make it a point to welcome students as they file into the building. Welcoming students to school on a daily basis is part of our C.A.R.E.S. culture.

On Wednesday, we hosted our new student orientation on campus. Over two dozen peer mentors provided wonderful support during the event, and it was great to connect with our newest students and officially welcome them to the high school. On Thursday, we opened our doors to everyone to kick off the new school year. The building felt alive again, and I loved helping students navigate the halls and popping into classrooms to say hello. The admin team is looking forward to hosting class meetings next week!

Have a wonderful weekend, and, as always, GO COUGARS!

Best,

Heather

With the rising cost of groceries and other essential needs, the free and reduced-price lunch program can be an important benefit for families. The ConVal School District participates in the federal program that offers assistance with school breakfasts and lunches. Please see this letter for more information and fill out your online application here. Make sure to submit your forms before the new school year begins, or within the first month after the first day of school on August 27, 2026. Applying can help your family manage cafeteria expenses right from the beginning, reduce student food service debt, and support the Adequacy Aid that our school district receives.

More than 60 students from the Class of 2027 gathered at dawn on the day before the first day of school to watch the sun rise over ConVal High School together, as a class community.

As rising 9th graders and other new students got off the bus on New Student Day, they were greeted by Principal Heather McKillop and student volunteers. After an introductory meeting in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre (LHT), students followed their respective course schedules and toured the classrooms to meet their teachers. At the end of the day, students were invited to an ice cream social in the cafeteria. Welcome, Class of 2030 and other new arrivals, we are so glad you are joining us at ConVal!

More than two dozen peer mentors, ranging in age from sophomores to seniors, gave up their last day of summer vacation to welcome newcomers on New Students Day. Their strong volunteer spirit is a testimony to ConVal's deeply embedded C.A.R.E.S. culture.

On the first day of school, students were welcomed on the apron by Principal Heather McKillop, School Resource Officer Justin Hyland, and other staff members. Students followed a "TASC First" schedule and then proceeded to their regular classes.

The first day of school at ConVal was a "TASC first" day. Students met in their respective homerooms to familiarize themselves with schoolwide procedures, and then proceeded to their scheduled classes. Many teachers chose to conduct icebreaker activities in order to get to know their students and give them opportunities to connect with their classmates. Before long, students headed to the buses — one day down, 179 more to go!

Dale Larocque joins ConVal's Career and Technical Education program. He holds a Master's degree in Vocational Administration from Fitchburg State University and has extensive teaching experience as a vocational teacher (Greater Lawrence Technical School, Peabody Veterans Memorial High School). He has industry experience as a technical trainer at Tyco Simplex Grinnell, holds certifications in areas such as Starrett precision instruments and OSHA, and is a certified FAA Pilot. Welcome to ConVal, Dale!

Stacy Waitner joins ConVal as a teacher in the Science Department. She is a UNH alumni, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Master's Degree in the Art of Teaching. It has always been a dream of hers to move to New Hampshire. This year, her family found the perfect house in Mont Vernon, and she is looking forward to joining the ConVal community.

Join the ConVal school counselors for an informative presentation on the college application process, exploring college options, understanding financial aid, and more. Counselors will also be available before and after the session to answer your individual questions.

When: Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Where: ConVal High School Library
Time: 6:00 p.m. –7:00 p.m.

The PSAT/NMSQT is a practice exam for the SAT, which all students take in the spring of their junior year. Sophomores and juniors are encouraged to participate as a way to strengthen their skills and prepare for the SAT. All Juniors will be taking the PSAT this year to prepare for the SAT in the Spring. There will be no cost for juniors to take the assessment this year. Sophomores have the option to sign up if they are interested. All students who receive a qualifying score may be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program and other scholarships. Interested sophomores can sign up in the school counseling office with Ms. Bull.

When: Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Where: ConVal High School

Cost: $18 dollars for Sophomores (cash or check made payable to ConVal High School).

Deadline to sign up: Friday, September 18, 2026

Reminder for all students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) classes this year!
If you plan to take an AP Exam in the Spring, you will be responsible for the exam fee. The cost is $99 per exam. If you are unable to pay the fee, please contact your school counselor.

Please note that taking the AP Exam is not required to pass your class. However, earning a qualifying score can provide college credit and strengthen your college applications.

Your AP teacher will provide a form for you to indicate whether you plan to take the exam. Submit completed forms and exam fees to Ms. Bull in the School Counseling Office. The due date for these forms and payment is Monday, October 26, 2026.

Join us for our NHCUC Mini College Fair. There will be multiple college admissions representatives from all over New Hampshire present. Meet college admissions representatives who will be reviewing your application, ask questions, and get some college swag.

Where: ConVal High School - Cafeteria

When: Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Time: 9:45 a.m. - 10:55 a.m.

Colleges attending this year are:

Colby-Sawyer College, New England College, Plymouth State University, Manchester Community College, NHTI - Concord's Community College, Rivier University, Southern New Hampshire University, Keene State College, Granite Edvance, ReGen Valley Common Campus, Saint Anselm College, Franklin Pierce University, Nashua Community College, and University of New Hampshire.

The new school year has begun, and so have Athletics and Co-curriculars! Our goal is to prioritize and protect culture, respect, great reputations for our student-athletes, and a love for the sport. This fall, we continue to build on these principles and look forward to watching our programs grow.

Golf went on to Beaver Meadow on Thursday, 8/27, to start their season and varsity football faces Merrimack Valley in their second scrimmage of the season on Saturday, 8/29 at 11:00 a.m. here at the stadium. The rest of our sports start their competitions next week, which you can view on our new athletics website linked here: https://arbiterlive.com/School/Calendar/4898. We hope to see the sidelines and bleachers full of our fans this season!

Athletics is looking for game coverage help this fall in the following areas: announcers, ticket booth, football chain gang, and scorekeeper/timers. These positions are compensated by ConVal Athletics. Please email abrewster@conval.edu with interest.

ConVal Boosters are looking for more volunteers to be team representatives to help out with fundraising, concessions and more. If you are interested, please reach out to fcvasecretary@gmail.com.

There is a first Thespian (Drama) Club meeting on September 4 in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre at 2:30 pm! Auditions for The Farnsworth Invention will take place on September 11. Please email emoore@conval.edu or see Mrs. Moore in person with questions!

(Note: Based on a series of human input prompts, this graphic was created with the aid of a district-approved generative AI tool and then further refined in Photoshop.)

With principal Heather McKillop (left) looking on, Amber Brewster Guarente ("Ms G"), ConVal's Director of Athletics and Co-Curriculars, used the introductory meeting in the LHT to encourage students to join the many sports teams, clubs, and co-curriculars that ConVal has to offer.

📬 184 Hancock Road, Peterborough, NH 03458

📞 (603) 924-3869 📧 conval.highschool@conval.edu

🌐 cvhs.conval.edu

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