Cougar News

Good Afternoon, Cougar Nation!

Happy New Year to all! We have already welcomed snow into the new year, and it is hard to believe that we are officially in 2026.

A BIG thank you to the members of our school community who have been so supportive at events outside of school hours. Yesterday, I was fortunate to announce the names of both Unified Basketball squads in the home opener of the season. Our student athletes competed hard and the gym was filled with smiles.

Included below is our end-of-semester exam schedule. With just one full week of classes left, please make sure you review it so you are aware of the change in the daily routine during that time. This is also a time to ask teachers any questions that you may have as we come to a close of the first semester. Also included below is a modified bus schedule. Please take careful note of the alternative routes on the day of the finals.

Even though we’ve only been back for a week, our classrooms are buzzing with activity again. Please be sure to check out everything below. I’ll admit, it’s nice to have the building feel alive again. It’s far too quiet over break!

Have a wonderful weekend, and GO COUGARS!

Best,

Heather

• January 15 - Band/Choir field trip to MVMF Festival at KSC - 12:45 pm - 7:45 pm
• January 17 - Band/Choir field trip to MVMF Festival at KSC - 7:30 am - 6:00 pm

• January 19 - Martin Luther King Jr Day/Civil Rights Holiday (no school)
  

• January 21 - End of Semester Finals (Blocks 1 and 2)
• January 22 - End of Semester Finals (Blocks 3 and 4)
• January 23 - End of Semester Make-Ups
• January 26 - Start of Quarter 3/Semester 2

The last day of first semester classes will be on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. The final exam days are scheduled as follows:

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

• Block 1 Exams 7:45-9:15 am
• Break 9:15-9:30 am
• Block 2 Exams 9:30-11:00 am
• Lunch Distribution 11:00-11:15 am

Thursday, January 22, 2026

• Block 3 Exams 7:45-9:15 am
• Break 9:15-9:30 am
• Block 4 Exams 9:30-11:00 am
• Lunch Distribution 11:00-11:15 am

Bus Transportation

On Wednesday and Thursday, buses will leave school at 11:15 am on a modified bus schedule; for details, please see below. Students are expected to leave campus at that time unless otherwise engaged in school-related work. There will be a regular bus run at 2:20 pm, but late buses will not run from the high school on exam days.

On Friday, January 23, 2026, make-up exams will be held by arrangement with individual teachers. Students are expected to leave campus as soon as they have finished their makeup. There will be no bus service to and from ConVal High School on Friday.

The second semester will still start on Monday, January 26, 2026.

Attention, Seniors! Please be sure you have placed your cap and gown order so you are ready for graduation day. Even though ordering opened in November, we still have caps and gowns that need to be ordered. Please place your order here if you haven't already done so. The deadline is Sunday, February 1. Please reach out to graduationadvisor@conval.edu with any questions or if you need financial assistance.

Congratulations to Gavin Niemela, who was nominated by U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan to attend the United States Air Force Academy, starting in the fall of 2026. The Academy educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force as well as the United States Space Force. To receive a service academy nomination, students must meet stringent academic, physical, and character standards.

ConVal photography students received 36 awards for photography this year, more than any other public high school in NH. The showcase will take place at Pinkerton Academy and will be on display from January 18 through February. Pictured are Nathan Janis winner of 6 awards and Henry Chamberlain winner of 3 awards. All of the photography will be on display in the CTE atrium once they arrive back from the showcase at Pinkerton Academy.

Congratulations to sophomore Mallory Mason, who is the December 2025 recipient of the Region 14 ATC CTE Student of the Month award. Mallory was nominated by our ELO/WBL coordinator, Nicole Flynn for assisting with ATC marketing materials. Mallory has earned $150, courtesy of Peterborough Kiwanis. Congratulations, Mallory!

On December 22, the School Counseling Department hosted a special TASC Talk in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre. An alumni panel shared with students their experiences learning and living at the college level. The topics of the talk included the college search and admissions process, making a decision, the transition to college, classes and majors, campus life as well as other experiences, such as athletics, study abroad, clubs, etc.

Students in Frau Hodgdon's German 4 class are learning about German art styles. The topic this week was Expressionism. Students learned about different artists, their artworks, and different expressionistic genres like film, dance, literature, and music. With partners, students created their own expressionist works of art by having a partner make an expression which they drew with chalk on black paper and outlined with glue.

In Ms. Young's Anatomy and Physiology I class, students participate in cat dissections to connect theory to practical application. The hands-on experience deepens their understanding of the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems by comparing cat and human anatomy. Students conclude the dissection by creating a photographic guide and identifying over 45 muscles, bones, and nerves during a practical exam.

The photo/video department welcomed two ConVal graduates as guest speakers this week. On January 8, Jennifer Hopkins shared her photography and videography that she has been working on as a film student at the University of Montana. Jennifer is currently employed at PBS and ESPN. On January 9, Fletcher Maggs shared his photography and videography of his world travels this year which included Europe, South America, and Asia. Fletcher is currently studying filmmaking at Santa Monica College in California. Students appreciated the visits and enjoyed the Q&A period after each presentation.

Are you interested in a career in biotechnology? Come and check out the campus of UNH Manchester and meet the faculty and current students, plus tour their state-of-the-art lab and get ready to do some hands-on science! Lunch is provided, application fee waivers will be available to all attendees, and you will be entered to win a gift certificate to Aroma Joe's. The trip is Tuesday, February 17; the bus will leave ConVal at 8 and return by 1. Please complete this Google Form and see the main office for permission slips.

Cold and flu season has begun! We ask for your help in preventing the spread of illness in our school. Please click on the link for more information.

• Early January: Career interest profiler in sophomore TASC.

• January 26-30: Semester 2 add/drop period.

• January 27-29: Course selection presentations for each class.

• February: ConVal scholarship application opens.

• February 8: Deadline to submit course requests in PowerSchool.

• Throughout February and March: Course selection meetings with school counselors.

• February 11: Applying to College 101 virtual presentation for juniors and families, hosted by Granite Edvance. Register HERE.

• April 8: All Juniors take the school day SAT with essay.

Semester 2 begins on January 26! The add/drop period is from January 26 - 30.

Now is the time for you to make thoughtful adjustments to your schedule if something truly isn’t the right academic fit. Please keep in mind that schedule changes cannot be made based on specific teachers or to be with friends. Add/drop is intended to support your learning, academic progress, and overall goals. ** Schedule changes made after the add/drop period will require parent, teacher, and administrator approval and result in a "W" withdrawal on your transcript.

Schedule an appointment with your school counselor HERE if you wish to discuss your schedule.

During the week of January 26, each class will be scheduled to attend an overview presentation on course selection in the LHT during TASC, beginning with the rising senior Class of 2027.

Students will have until February 8, to enter their course requests in PowerSchool. All course requests must be submitted by this date. Throughout February and March, school counselors will meet individually with each student to review credits, graduation requirements, and course selections, making adjustments as needed. We encourage students to have conversations with their families about future plans, academic goals, and desired courses as they complete the course selection process. The program of studies and course selection materials will be available on the ConVal High School website, under School Counseling, during the course selection period.

The State of New Hampshire requires all juniors to take the SAT with Essay during the school day. This assessment will be administered at ConVal on Wednesday, April 8.

Students are encouraged to prepare for the exam by completing practice tests and review activities available through Khan Academy and the College Board. Additional information about the SAT can be found at collegeboard.org.

Seniors: Now is the time to begin exploring ways to pay for your postsecondary education. The ConVal Scholarship Application will open in February and is due by April 8.

ConVal is fortunate to have a generous and supportive community that donates thousands of dollars each year to help graduating seniors pursue their future goals. Last year alone, over $100,000 in scholarships was awarded to ConVal students to support their next steps after graduation. Check Naviance in February for the ConVal Scholarship Application.

The NH Charitable Foundation is another scholarship organization available to ConVal Seniors to apply. The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is the largest provider of private scholarships in New Hampshire, awarding close to $8 million to nearly 2,000 students each year.

The NH Charitable Application opens for students applying for the Fall 2027 school year on January 30. The deadline to submit your application is Friday, April 10. For more information click HERE

Now that winter is here, the chance for postponements or cancelations are certainly possible. The best way for parents, players, and fans to stay updated is through our Sports You app. You can get updates and information for all teams by joining the ConVal Sports Page. Please click on this link for more information.

Claws for a Cause!

Friday, January 9, we are hosting our “Claws for a Cause” game, a varsity basketball double header vs. Souhegan High School. The Girls' game tips off at 5:00, followed by the Boys' game at 6:30. This year's cause is our local food pantries. In lieu of an admissions fee, we are asking all fans to bring in a non-perishable food item. Cash or check donations will be accepted. All profits from the game will go to our local food pantries. We hope to see you here!

On the basketball court, the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams picked up their first wins of the season prior to the holiday break. Both teams took down Bishop Brady on 12/19. For the girls, the “W” was their first in a couple of seasons. A huge shout-out to the team and their coaches, for their perseverance and efforts to continually improve.

While many students and staff were away for the break, most of our student-athletes were practicing and competing through the holidays. The boys’ and girls’ basketball teams participated in the Rob Colbert Christmas Invitational at Keene State College. The tournament is an exhibition and doesn’t count towards team standings within Division II. The boys finished 1-2 with a win over Stevens’ High School, while the girls went 0-2.

The wrestling team was busy over the break participating in a couple of tournaments as well. On December 20 the Cougars made a big splash at the Nor'EasterTournament at Hollis-Brookline, finishing 10th as a team out of 23. Freshman Lane Williams finished as tournament champion in his weight class, with Collin Mao and Eli Torres finishing 4th in theirs. Also earning multiple wins that day were Cayden Park, Alistair Armstrong, and Oliver Smith-Aucoin. On Saturday, December 27, the Cougars turned in a great performance at the Mascoma Holiday Tournament. The team finished 4th out of 14 teams, led by tournament champion Williams at 126 pounds and a pair of runner up finishes by Mao and Torres. Park finished on the podium in third, along with a strong 4th place finish by Armstrong. Natalie Dixon and Isabella Erickson both placed 2nd in the girls’ division.

The indoor track team competed on December 27 at UNH. The boys’ team was led by Griffin Schultz who won the high jump and finished in 3rd place in the 55-meter dash. Morly Johnson contributed 4 points by finishing 4th in the shot put. The track team also competed at Plymouth State University on January 3. Schultz led the team with 14 points, placing third place in high jump and finishing second in the 300-meter dash. Johnson’s 42-foot 9-inch throw of the shot put was good for third place and 6 points. Ross Stephens won the 600-meter dash by a wide margin, finishing in 1:24.90. His winning time is ranked #50 among all high schoolers in the United States and just a second shy of the school record! Marcus Jordan finished fifth (2 points) in the 600-meter dash. In addition to those point-scoring performances for the boys, ConVal senior Whitney Adair finished the girls’ 600-meter dash in 1:51.99 which exceeds the Division 2 qualifying standards.

On January 8, the ConVal Unified Basketball team put on a great performance for their home opener, beating Keene 52 - 38. Every single player scored at least one basket, making it a true team effort. There was great rebounding by all of our partners, giving our players the most opportunities to make baskets. The next Unified game is next Friday, January 16 at Souhegan.

ConVal is still accepting applications for varsity softball coach, varsity boys’ tennis coach, and varsity boys’ soccer coach. If you are interested, or know someone who is, please contact me at lpimental@conval.edu.

Please join us for FCVA’s next monthly meeting on Monday, January 12 at 6:30 pm in Room 651. January sign-ups for concession volunteers are available. Details are in the link below:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0448ACAF29A1FE3-61092248-january#/.

If you have any questions, please email Cassie Clark, FCVA President at fcvapresident@gmail.com.

Students of the National Honor Society met on Thursday morning before school to discuss upcoming events and to hear reports from committees currently planning activities. Among several other projects, NHS is planning an intergenerational community event, starting to organize activities for the Day of Service on May 15, and exploring a longer-term project idea of a joint leadership conference with student leaders from Conant and Mascenic.

The ConVal Granite State Challenge Team, coached by Mr. Bowman and Mr. Heider, qualified for the televised games, which means they get to go to NH Public Television in Durham on Saturday, January 10. The team consists of Ben Michaud, Ben Ferisi, Marcus Jordan, Iris Palmer, Vincent Hollenbeck, and Colin Maybury. Good luck to the team!

The ConVal High School Yearbook staff members are putting the final touches on this year's edition of the ConVal Yearbook. The book is an annual collection of your stories and your photos from the year. There's nothing else like it to share with your friends today and to hang on to share with your families for years to come! Order your copy by clicking here.

Please join us for the winter play, a one-act version of Kodachrome by Adam Szymkowicz. The play is set in Colchester, a small town where everybody knows each other and the pace of life allows the pursuit of love to take up as much space as it needs. Our tour guide is Suzanne, the town photographer, who lets us peek into her neighbors’ lives to catch glimpses of romance in all its stages of development. It's a play about love, nostalgia, the seasons, and how we learn to say goodbye. Performances are February 12, 13, and 14 at 7 p.m. in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre. Tickets can be Purchased at www.cvlht.com.

Avenue A - Winter Schedule 2026

📬 184 Hancock Road, Peterborough, NH 03458

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

🌐 cvhs.conval.edu

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