Cougar News

Good Afternoon, Cougar Nation!

It was a true honor to welcome our Austrian exchange students from Salzburg to ConVal! Our school has enjoyed a wonderful partnership with this program in Salzburg for more than 30 years, and we always look forward to welcoming students every other year. These exchanges provide opportunities for students to build friendships, experience different cultures, and create memories that will last a lifetime. During this year's visit, I was asked when I would be making my way to Salzburg, so perhaps a trip will be in my future! We are incredibly grateful for this longstanding partnership and for the families and community members who help make these experiences possible.

Speaking of partnerships, we value the relationship we share with our families and recognize the importance of hearing your voices. Earlier today, I sent a school climate survey to all parents and guardians. I encourage you to take a few moments to complete the survey by Friday, October 30. Your feedback is important to us, and we genuinely appreciate your willingness to share your perspectives as we continue working to make ConVal the best it can be for our students and community.

As our fall athletic season begins to wind down, I want to extend my congratulations to all of our student-athletes who have concluded their seasons, as well as those preparing for playoff competition! A special thank you goes to our seniors who have proudly represented ConVal in the blue and gold. Your dedication, teamwork, sportsmanship, and commitment to your teams have not gone unnoticed. We are grateful for all you have contributed to our athletic programs and the pride you have brought to Cougar Nation. Best of luck to our teams continuing into postseason play!

Looking ahead, please mark your calendars for our fall play, The Farnsworth Invention, which will take the stage during the first week of November! I encourage you to come out and support our talented students. Additional details can be found below. Please be sure to check out the latest news from our School Counseling Department as well and explore the flyers included in our Community Connections section.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend, and, as always, GO COUGARS!

Best,
Heather

Retake day is for anyone who may have missed the initial picture day, including new students, transfer students, and staff members. Please note that all students and staff members need to have their photo taken. In addition, Geskus photographers welcome anyone who is unhappy with the way their original picture turned out and would like to give it another try. Retake photos automatically replace original photos in school services and yearbook. If a student chooses to retake their photo, please have them return the original picture package to the photographer on picture day. Photos are replaced at no additional cost.

Students in the ConVal Concert Band participated in the annual UMass Band Day on Saturday, October 3. They rehearsed and performed at the UMass-EMU halftime show in front of a very supportive and enthusiastic crowd. The ConVal students performed selections from "K-Pop Demon Hunters" in collaboration with the award-winning UMass Marching Band and high school bands across New England. Over 2,500 band students (WOW!) performed together on the field. Congrats to the Concert Band and their director, Mr. Nadeau!

The PASCH Chorcamp 2026 recently took place at the YMCA camp of the Rockies in Colorado. The event, which was sponsored by the Goethe Institut, brought together students and teachers from 13 Partners for the Future Schools (PASCH) across the United States. The camp focused on studying the German language and singing in German. ConVal was represented by Jaamie Peery and Kiran Galbraith as well as Frau Hodgdon.

The ConVal Concert Choir performed by invitation in the 17th annual Cantate! Festival at Keene State College (KSC) on Friday, October 16. The 40-student choir was one of the largest choirs in the festival and the only non-auditioned choir to participate. The choir performed Blake Richter's "Through the Shade" and participated in a clinic with Dr. Sandi Howard, Music Department Chair at KSC. The choir received rave reviews from Dr. Howard and the board of KSC music faculty, including feedback such as "Really nice tone, diction, excellent rhythm, shaping of the piece and strong sound overall!" The choir students were praised for their "great visual focus, grace on stage and strong bond" and "the ensemble has great cohesiveness and expresses the complicated emotions of the piece with excellence and a beautiful connection to the text." Congrats to the Concert Choir and their director, Mr. Moore!

The Austrian exchange students from Salzburg arrived on Monday, October 19. They were welcomed in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre by Principal McKillop, Mr. Simoneau, Frau Hodgdon, Frau Concannon, and Mr. Heider, who will serve as their direct contacts while at ConVal. For the next two weeks, they will attend classes, live with local host families, explore local sights, and get to experience Halloween as well as the midterm elections.

On October 20, the Cougars hosted the annual Dig Pink (Pink Night) volleyball event to raise awareness and support for breast cancer research and patients. The Cougars' 2026 home Pink Night featured games against Pembroke Academy with Reserve (3:30 PM), JV (4:45 PM), and Varsity (6:15 PM) matches. All three teams won their games and helped raise $490 for charity. If you want to contribute, donations are still being accepted at https://giving.side-out.org/campaigns/24147.

The Spanish Level 4 and 2 classes visited the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Students had the opportunity to see and explore a variety of forms of Latin American, Spanish, Native American, and pre-Columbian exhibits, including 20th-century modernism and contemporary art. Students also had the opportunity to order meals in Spanish, taste Latin American cuisine, and experience the Spanish traditional "sobremesa," a time for conversation and building community while sharing a meal.

First-time students in Ms. Mitschmyer’s Ceramics class began by observing a demonstration on crafting bevel-edged boxes before diving into their individual projects. At the same time, veteran ceramics students took to the wheels and work stations to refine their technique and sculpt new pieces. If your student is taking ceramics, ask them about their latest creation(s)!

Students in Mrs. Harris' College Composition class worked with mini lego sets as part of their process essay unit. Students practiced following a process (the lego directions) and writing a step-by-step process (putting those directions into words).

German students in levels 1, 2, and 4 went to the Peterborough Community Center recently to give a presentation on Oktoberfest. The Oktoberfest tradition in Germany dates back to October 12, 1810, when all citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, who later became King Ludwig I, to Princess Therese. Today, Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volksfest (people's festival and fun fair).

Students in the Careers in Education II program recently put their skills into action by planning and organizing a field trip to Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard in Greenville. They arranged transportation, managed paperwork, and coordinated school logistics from start to finish. By aligning the trip with the state competencies, these future educators gained hands-on experience in executing a successful, real world learning experience.

Thirty-two students from Region 14 ATC programs attended CANAM Bridges 2026 Steel Day in Claremont, NH, on Tuesday, October 20, with three faculty members. Steel Day included a welcome presentation about the company, a tour of the facility, and a vendor fair including hands-on experiences and tolerance challenges. Students were able to compare the experience of welding on small I-beams specially made for the event against the virtual experience offered by one of the vendors. "So few pockets, so much stuff," quipped one student on the bus home, but the sentiment was generally that nothing compares to the real thing: seeing the facility, hearing from the professionals who design, cut, drill, weld, grind, paint, and assemble the bridges that soon will be the framework of roads around New England and the country.

Students had the opportunity to attend the Milford Career Expo on October 15 and interact with employers and colleges from around the area. Representatives from the automotive, banking, construction, and engineering fields were represented, among many others.

The ConVal school store is now open. Please click on this link to access the store. The store will be open until October 25.

Thursday, November 5, is our Apply NH Event day. Seniors applying to college are encouraged to sign up to participate. Admissions counselors and school counselors will help students complete applications to colleges. Any student who applies to college on this day is entered to win a $500 scholarship. Application fees to schools in NH are waived for this day! Sign up here or by reaching out to your school counselor.

Seniors, do you need help completing your college applications? Do you have specific questions you need answered? Do you just need the time and space to work on your application and essay?

The School Counseling Department is offering college application help during TASC every Tuesday. To receive individualized help, ask your homeroom advisory teacher to book you to school counseling on Tuesday!

This fall, school counselors are hard at work supporting students across grade levels! We’ve been meeting 1-on-1 with seniors to assist with college and financial aid applications, resumes, and post-secondary job plans. Meanwhile, we're meeting with all freshmen in small groups to introduce counseling resources, navigate Naviance, and kick off their four-year goal planning. As always, school counselors are here to help every step of the way!

There are still college admissions representatives scheduled to visit ConVal throughout November. Juniors and Seniors are encouraged to sign up in Naviance to meet with the reps and learn more about colleges and the different programs that are out there. If you need help signing up, reach out to your school counselor!

*Permission slips are will be available in the school counseling office

The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is a free, multiple-choice test, that measures aptitude and knowledge for career paths in the military and other vocational fields. It assesses verbal, math, and technical skills, with different subtests focusing on areas like word knowledge, arithmetic reasoning, general science, and electronics. Scores are used to determine eligibility for military service and to match individuals with suitable military occupational specialties. You do not need to be interested in the military, and participation in the military is not required to take the ASVAB. It is also used as a career aptitude test.

When: Wednesday, December 2, 2026

Time: 8:00 am - 11:00 am

Where: ConVal High School

Sign up HERE or with Ms. Bull in the School Counseling Office

What is the FAFSA? FAFSA is the free application for federal student aid.

Who should fill out the FAFSA? All college-bound seniors and one parent need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form to be eligible for federal student aid such as federal grants, work-study funds, and loans.

The FAFSA is available now for current seniors who are planning to attend college for the Fall 2027 semester. Complete the FAFSA now at studentaid.gov

On Wednesday, October 14, ConVal families joined Conant families for a virtual presentation from Granite Edvance, which went over the financial aid process and paying for college.

In case you missed it, see the recording of the presentation below.

Passcode: *Y9CCPw. (include the ".")

On Wednesday, September 23, school counseling hosted a college overview presentation for families of seniors and juniors who are college bound.

Click here for the presentation slide deck

Boys soccer continues to defend their spot as the #1 seed in Division 2. Quarter Finals will take place at the higher seed’s home field on October 30 at 3pm. Boys soccer also celebrates their senior night on October 23, with the ceremony starting at 5:15 pm.

Volleyball is currently heading towards the playoffs. The preliminary round is on October 27 at 6pm, and quarterfinals on October 29 at 6pm.

Girls soccer played home on Tuesday, October 20, for the last time of the season and celebrated their wonderful 6 seniors before the game. Good luck seniors in your future seasons!

Field Hockey has wrapped up their season with promising seasons ahead. Great work ladies!

Unified Soccer wrapped up their season as they defeated Merrimack high school 16-6. A truly awesome squad!

Football faces John Stark on October 30 at 7pm as they celebrate their senior night. Be sure to make it out to support our cougars!

• Please use our new website on Arbiter for the most up-to-date schedules: convalathletics.arbiterwebsites.com

• ConVal boosters is looking for more volunteers to step up as team representatives.

• Winter Sports Night will take place in the gym on November 9 at 5:30. If you are playing a Winter sport, this is a mandatory event! Please be sure to make it to review mandatory requirements and to meet your coaches. ConVal boosters will be serving cookies in the concession stand beforehand!

• For students participating in swim: Winter sports informational meeting - Monday, November 2 at 6 pm in the Keene HS main gym. First date of tryouts: Monday, November 16 or Tuesday, November 17 at Keene State College pool. Families who have questions can please reach out to Michael Atkinson, the Keene high school athletic director.

• Students participating in Nordic Ski: Parent informational meeting on Monday, November 2 at 6 pm at Keene HS. First day of tryouts is Monday, December 7 at Dublin School.

• Boys Soccer - October 23

• Football - October 30

The National Honor Society and Student Council are co-hosting the Red Cross blood drive! If you are 16 years or older, you can sign up to donate blood and save a life on October 30. If you are 16 you must turn in a signed parent permission slip before you can be officially registered. Additionally, the Red Cross gifts $10 Amazon gift cards for successful donations. There will be a table outside the cafeteria during lunches on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays where you can register, find permission slips, and find more information. Hope to see you there!

What is ECHO (previously named SALT: Student Athlete Leadership Team)? ECHO is a leadership club open to all students who are interested in becoming more involved in our school and athletic community as a whole. ECHO develops peer communication and accountability, and fosters/brings awareness to a positive school-wide athletic culture through hands-on service and mentorship. Student leaders in ECHO collaborate with other schools, fundraise for ConVal Athletics, attends conferences, help with game management roles, support our student sections and so much more! ECHO will meet every other week in the athletic conference room. If you are interested in joining ECHO, please join the ECHO SportsYou chat, where we will start planning our next meeting! The ECHO SportsYou chat code is 9W8RYV3K.

On Fridays, please bring your school supplies such as pencils, pens, markers, highlighters, glue sticks, white-out containers, and dry-erase markers so that they can be brought to room 223 for recycling. Please don’t litter or throw them in the trash. Every little bit helps!

Yearbook meetings are happening after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the photo video room.

ConVal School Board Hearing on Question 2

Lions Speak Out Speaking Contest

Junior Tennis Clinics

Francestown Turkey Trot

Halloween Party

📬 184 Hancock Road, Peterborough, NH 03458

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

🌐 cvhs.conval.edu

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