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Parent Newsletter
August 3, 2015

In July a group of Valley Lutheran students volunteered to help set up for Rock The Island, an annual Christian music festival held on Ojibway Island in Saginaw.

 
Fall Sports Information

A sports physical exam is required to practice and/or try out.  If the exam was given on or after April 15, 2015, it is a valid physical.  Any physical before this date is considered expired. 

 

In addition to a physical exam, each sport might require unique equipment that each athlete is asked to bring to the first practice. If you are unsure of what to bring to practice, please contact the coach. Football practices will begin on Monday, August 10th.  All other fall sports practices will start Wednesday, August 12th.  For more information about practice times contact the coaches:

 

Football:  Randy Finney~233-5441~coachfin@chartermi.net

Boys' Soccer:  Doug Guenther~792-4506~dguenther@vlhs.com

Cheerleading:  Lori Rickleffs~598-6669~lrick57@aol.com

Girls' Golf:  Don Burdo~751-0169 

Cross Country:  Jennifer Blake~(308) 380-6570~jblake@vlhs.com

Volleyball:  Jon Frank~284-9008~jfrank@vlhs.com

 

Freshmen and New Transfer Home Visits
Every freshman and new transfer student will have a home visit from a teacher by August 20th.  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.   
Sophomore/Junior/Senior Info Night 
Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, and their parents are asked to attend meetings at school on either Thursday, Aug. 13th or Tuesday, Aug. 18th 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.
Back to School Materials List
A revised listing of the materials needed for each class will be posted to the VLHS website after August 10th.  If back to school sales are getting you in the shopping mood, you can click here to see last year's materials list for the basic supplies until the updated list appears.  
Transfer Student Orientation Aug. 18th
Students transferring to VLHS from other high schools will have orientation on Tuesday, Aug. 18th at 5:30pm, with a light supper provided.  Sophomore, Junior and Senior students and their parents should plan to stay and attend the hour long Sophomore/Junior/Senior meeting that evening beginning at 7pm.  Please RSVP at 790-1676 or lmeyers@vlhs.com by Aug. 16th.
Freshman Orientation and Lock-In News
All Freshmen and their parents are asked to attend the Freshman Orientation on Friday, Aug. 21st at 7pm.  Parents will have the opportunity to meet other parents and get those last minute questions answered.  Students will receive their schedules, find their classes and test their locker combinations prior to the first day of school.  The Freshman Lock-In will follow orientation. Detailed information about the Lock-In will be shared during home visits.
Summer Read Reminder
Time is winding down to work on the Summer Read Writing Assignment for Counting By 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan.  The writing assignment is due Thursday, August 27th, and is to be turned into your family group leader at chapel.  The guidelines for the writing project can be picked up in the office or found here.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Lisa Meyers, Academic Dean, at 790-1676 or lmeyers@vlhs.com.
Saginaw Township Transportation 
Students living in Saginaw Township can utilize the Saginaw Township Community Schools Bus Service by clicking on the link below to download a form that will allow the student to ride the bus.  This form is due on Aug. 21st to begin transportation on Sept. 8th.  There is no township transportation during the first two weeks of school.

Free and Reduced Price Meals  

As a service to you, click on the link below to see the guidelines for free and reduced meal guidelines.

Special Needs Department Needs Tutors
Adult volunteers are needed to work with students this fall as part of our Special Needs program.  This could include reading a test, practicing a memory verse, working on vocabulary words, or typing a paper as the student dictates.  If you are interested in participating or need more information, call Dr. Lisa Meyers at 790-1676 or email her at lmeyers@vlhs.com.

VLHS Entertainment Book Sale

The Entertainment Book Sale is the VLHS Parent Organization's largest fundraiser of the year!  We will be sorting and bagging up the books on Thurs., Sept. 10th at 6pm in the RC.  We are looking for volunteers to help number and sort books.  If you can help please contact Karla Weiss at 671-1711 or ekweiss@prodigy.net.

 

Books will be sold from September 15th through October 6th.  The books will be available from any Valley Lutheran student or in the school office.  The price is $25.   To purchase a book contact any VLHS student or the VLHS office at 790-1676.  Families may also "check out" a large number of books to sell at your work or church.  Please contact Karla Weiss at 671-1711 or ekweiss@prodigy.net if you wish to sell extra books.

Entertainment books make great gifts! Don't forget to register your card and use the mobile application on your smart phone for additional coupons good across the country.  If you have a favorite local business you'd like to see in the book, please let Karla Weiss know as she can send in suggestions for possible additions to the electronic coupons. 

Parent Organization Mum Sale
The VLHS Parent Organization's Fall Mum Sale will be earlier this year.  Mum plants will be available for purchase in the VLHS parking lot before the home Varsity Football game on Thursday, Sept. 3rd. 
16th Annual Golf Scramble
Our 16th Annual Golf Scramble will be Sat., Sept. 19th at the Saginaw Valley Golf Course (formerly the Bay City Country Club).  If you need a brochure, you can pick one up in the school office or find it here.  The brochure explains how you can participate in this fun, annual event. The Golf Scramble helps raise funds for the Student Aid Fund which provides tuition assistance for students in need.

Senior Pictures 

Senior pictures for the school yearbook are due Oct. 15.  The students received a copy of the guidelines last spring.  They can also be found here.  If you have any other questions, contact Ms. Bev Feldkamp at bfeldkamp@vlhs.com.

School Office Closed/Phone System Down
Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 4th, the school office will be closed all day for cleaning.  In addition, the school phone system will be down for maintenance.  Sorry for the inconvenience.
New Parent Newsletter Format
A new look is coming for the Parent Newsletters!  Starting with the next edition to be emailed at 5pm, August 25th (the first day of school), the Parent Newsletter will change to a format more suitable for viewing on mobile devices.  
Upcoming Events 
Aug. 10       Fall Football practice begins
Aug. 12       Boys' Soccer, Cheerleading, Volleyball, Cross-   
                    Country, and Girls' Golf practice begins 
Aug. 13       Sophomore/Junior/Senior Night #1, 7pm
Aug. 18       Transfer Students Orientation, 5:30pm
Aug. 18       Sophomore/Junior/Senior Night #2, 7pm
Aug. 21       Freshman Orientation, 7pm
Aug. 21       Freshman Lock-In at Saginaw YMCA until 6am Aug. 22
Aug. 25       School begins, 8:39am
Aug. 27       Summer Read Assignment Due
Aug. 28       Picture Day
Sept. 3        Parent Organization's Mum Sale
Sept. 4-7     NO SCHOOL~Labor Day Weekend
Sept. 9        PEEKS at Valley, 8:15am
Sept. 15      VLHS Parent "Back to School Night", 6:30pm
Sept. 19      Golf Scramble at the Saginaw Valley Golf Course
Sept. 24      PEEKS at Valley, 11am
Sept. 29      National Honor Society Induction, 7pm 
Sept. 30      Service Day  
 
Do you want more information about what is happening at Valley? Go to our website by clicking here.
In This Issue
Fall Sports Information
Home Visits
Sophomore/Junior/Senior Night
Class Materials List
Transfer Student Orientation
Freshman Orientation
Summer Read
Saginaw Township Transportation
Free and Reduced Price Meals
Volunteers Needed
Entertainment Book Sale
Mum Sale
Golf Scramble
Senior Pictures
Upcoming Events
Devotion








God is Our Rock Secure In Him

"For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?  This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless.
    2 Samuel 22:32-33
 
The annual theme and Bible verse above were selected by the Senior Class officers last spring.  For me it is an annual lesson in the richness of Scripture.  Alone, these simple words hold great meaning with an answer of "no one" to each of the questions.  With that answer, we recognize the one true God, creator of the universe and source of our salvation.  We also recognize, that the true God offers us all we need to survive the storms of life in whatever form they may take.  And, taken in context of these verses, they offer even more as
 David describes God's role in a very dangerous and difficult time in his life.
 
It is my prayer for our school family that this verse serves as an inspiration and reminder of all that God does for us and through us.  And in so doing, launches us into a school year in which our answers to the questions clearly are "No One!"
 
~John Brandt


 


 

  
  
  
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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
3560 McCarty Rd.
Saginaw, MI  48603
988-790-1676