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Parent Newsletter
May 23, 2016

Valley students were blessed with beautiful weather on their Spring Service Day last Thursday.  Family groups spread out all over the Great Lakes Bay Region to serve in grade schools, long-term care facilities, pet shelters, food bank distribution sites, and numerous outside locations to clean up the landscaping.  Find more pictures of VLHS students serving in the community here.
Scripture
Isaiah 61:10-11
10  I delight greatly in the Lord;
        my soul rejoices in my God.
     For He has clothed me with garments of salvation
         and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness,
     as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
          and a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11  For as the soil makes the sprout come up
          and a garden causes seeds to grow,
     so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
          and praise spring up before all nations.
News
Music Department Spring Concert TOMORROW!
Students from Valley Lutheran's Music Department will host their Spring Concert
Tuesday, May 24th
7pm
Malcomb Field Theater in Curtiss Hall
SVSU campus
Everyone is invited to come hear the choirs and musicians
directed by Mr. Paul Eschmann, Miss Rebecca Eifert, and Mrs. Lindsay Mueller. 
VL Baseball at Dow Diamond
The Valley Lutheran JV and Varsity baseball teams will playing Coleman HS at the Dow Diamond THIS FRIDAY, May 27th.  JV game starts at 5pm, Varsity plays at 7pm.  Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in the school office through Wednesday.  All profits from tickets purchased in the school office go to Valley.  Tickets will also be available at the ballpark on Friday evening.
Senior News 
  • As of this morning Herff Jones has 33 extra graduation announcements available for purchase. To order please contact Herff Jones directly at joe@graduatesalesinc.com or call 989-773-1337.
  • Graduation practice will be held on Thursday, May 26th, during 7th hour.
  • The Senior Banquet is also this Thursday, May 26th, at 6:30pm at the Swan Valley Country Club. 
  • All members of the Class of 2016 are asked to complete a brief survey regarding their post-high school plans. You can visit http://bit.ly/VLHS2016 to complete the survey online, or ask the office for a paper copy to complete. Please have the survey completed no later than June 1st. 
  • Seniors are excused from school on Friday, May 27th. 
  • As the winners of the year-long class competitions, the Seniors will have a picnic to be held Thursday, June 2nd, during 4th hour at school.  Paper goods and hot dogs will be provided.  Seniors will be asked to sign up to bring the rest of the food.
Final Exam Schedule
Final Exams are scheduled for June 7th, 8th, and 9th.  Here is a recap of some important information.
  • Exams will start at 8am each morning.
  • Most students will be finished with exams by 11:25am (An exception to this would be those students who have double classes in a specific subject area.  These exams conclude by 1pm).
  • To access the Final Exam Schedule on the website, click here.  We are on Exam Cycle 1.
  • IMPORTANT NOTE:  Students may come in late if they only have a second hour final or leave early if they have only a first hour final.  However, we do expect them to attend chapel either way. Chapel runs 9:35-9:50am all three days.
  • A study hall will be offered for any students who do not have a scheduled exam and must remain in school.
  • June 3rd and 6th are review days in all classes; therefore, it is very important for students to be in attendance.
Global Issues Classes Sponsor World Vision Projects
Global Issues classes have been studying essential needs and fasted for twenty-hours to better appreciate what hunger may be like.  They raised money from individual contributions and a school wide bake sale, and then each class decided how to spend their money on individual World Vision projects.  It was amazing to see what the students did once they saw how their money could make a real difference.  The initial $800 raised turned in to over $1000 the week we started spending money.  This is an average of over $10 for each Global Issues student.  Projects funded include:
  • Malaria prevention mosquito nets
  • PUR water packets for villages
  • Fruit trees
  • Tools, seeds, and training for farmers
  • Medicine for villages
  • Water treatment tables for a year
  • Education for 3 children for a year
  • Ducks
  • Food
  • Fishing kits to provide a sustainable food source
  • Job training for a young girl
  • Many of the gifts were given more than once and the medicine and food were multiplied 12x times by other organizations.
  • $50.00 was also donated to help Ecuador earthquake victims with fresh water.
Amazing what we can do to make a difference when we simply do something, however great or small.  Our gifts are multiplied and so is our joy.
Credit Recovery Classes
Credit Recovery Classes will be offered once again at Valley for students who have failed classes during the school year.  Classes run June 20th to July 21st, from 8am to 11:30am, with no classes on Fridays. 

Cost: $250 for the first (1/2 credit) class 
         $175 for a second (1/2 credit) class  

Registration is open for anyone who failed a first semester class.  Final registration will occur between June 13th-16th, as the second semester grades are finalized.  For full details, pick up a flyer in the school office.
 
Classes are taught online through FuelEd and a VL teacher as in-class support.  All students MUST attend class at Valley, however, additional work may be done at home.  If you have any questions about this program, contact Dr. Lisa Meyers at lmeyers@vlhs.com or 989-790-1676.
Register Now for Summer Camps
Summer is almost here!  Register before May 31st to receive the registration discount and to guarantee a T-shirt.  The camps offered this summer include: 
  • Art
  • Band
  • Liturgical Dance
  • Football
  • Girls and Boys Basketball
  • Girls and Boys Soccer
  • Volleyball
  • Wrestling  
  • Drama   New!
  • Computers:  Web Design   New!
  • Computers:  Programming   New! 
Go here to find links to the informational brochure, registration form, online registration, and concussion form.  Information will also be available in the VLHS office and association school offices.  
Dave and Bonnie Duclos Scholarship
The David and Bonnie Duclos Scholarship Committee is now taking applications for the 2016-2017 school year.  Eligible students are those who are members of a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation and a graduate of a Lutheran school.  Please notify Dr. John Brandt (jbrandt@vlhs.com) if you are eligible and interested in this scholarship no later than midnight of May 31.
Spring Activity Pictures
Dr. Bill Holden continues to take pictures of Valley students on the field, on the track, and on the stage.  To view the latest gallery of spring pictures click here.
Host Family for Student Teacher Needed in the Fall
A male student from Concordia Ann Arbor, who will be student teaching at Valley Lutheran in the fall, is in need of a place to stay.   Host families are required to provide a separate space with a bed and meals for the student teacher for the semester.  Compensation is $1800.  If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Dr. Lisa Meyers at lmeyers@vlhs.com.
Summer Food Service Program Outreach
The SFA must inform eligible households about the availability and location of free meals for students via the Summer Food Service Program.  A list of sites providing summer meals can be found here.
Community News
1st Annual Zion Lutheran Golf Scramble
Zion Lutheran Church and School in Auburn invites you to participate in their 1st annual golf scramble on Saturday, June 11th, at the Sandy Ridge Golf Course in Midland.  The $75 entry fee includes 18 holes of golf, golf cart, brat/hamburger buffet dinner, and door prizes.  Registration deadline is June 4th.  Sponsorship opportunities are available.  Email zls.golf.scramble@gmail.com for more information.
Mom 2 Mom Sale at St. John Amelith
A Mom 2 Mom Sale will be held June 4th from 9am-1pm at St. John Amelith School along with a bake sale, concessions & school tours.  Donations of kids clothes & baby items for Beacon of Hope will be accepted after May 1st for sale that day or use at the shelter.  A "Safety Fair" will also be held at the pavilion along with a "Blood Drive". To register as a blood donor, please call the St. John office at 686-0176.  This will be a big & exciting event for the school and church!  Hopefully you will join us. Rental tables or space still available. Call Mary Smith (450-8018) or Jon Bernau (225-5974),email  amelithmom2momsale@gmail.com, or register online at www.amelith.org/mom2mom.
Camp Concordia
Invite a friend or meet new friends this summer at Camp Concordia!  Or better yet come with a whole church group!  Camp Concordia, where Jesus is at the center of our play, friendships, and conversation, has weekend and week-long camps for grades 1-12.  Check out our website for more information and register ONLINE at  www.campconcordia.org.
Positions Available at St. John's in Midland 
PRE-SCHOOL DIRECTOR/TEACHER NEEDED:   St. John's Lutheran School in Midland is looking for an energetic, organized, and loving Preschool director and teacher for the 2016-2017 school year.  We offer 3-year old, 4-year old, and Young 5's classes.  We are currently accepting applications. If you are interested, please contact Brenda Otto, principal, at (989)835-7041 ext. 1300 for more information or email a resumé to botto@sjlmidland.org. Thank you.
 
5th-8th GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES (ALONG WITH SOME SCIENCE AND MATH) TEACHER NEEDED:   St. John's Lutheran School in Midland is looking for an awesome and exciting 5th-8th grade social studies teacher (along with some science and math) for the 2016-2017 school year.  The teacher would have the 5th-6th grade as a homeroom class and then would departmentalize for upper grades.  We are currently accepting applications. If you are interested, please contact Brenda Otto, principal, at (989)835-7041 ext. 1300 for more information or email a resumé to botto@sjlmidland.org. Thank you.
You Should Know
Teens on Tinder
(Another relevant article from The Cultural Translator)

What it is: Students as young as 13 are now using the "hookup" app Tinder.
Why it's bad: The main reason people use this dating app is to meet someone in real life for casual sex. Making matters worse, 7% of Tinder's 50 million users are 13 to 17 years old. Tinder uses geolocation and profile information to match individual users to one another. This means your son or daughter could be sharing their name, photo, and location with an adult, making them especially vulnerable to sexual predators. Here's everything you need to know about Tinder.
Guidance Corner
SENIOR SURVEYS
All members of the Class of 2016 are asked to complete a brief survey regarding their post-high school plans. You can visit http://bit.ly/VLHS2016 to complete the survey online, or ask the office for a paper copy to complete. Please have the survey completed no later than June 1st.

SUMMER PLANS?
Summer is a great time to visit colleges and spend time shadowing members of your future line of work. Take some time to start researching future possibilities and think of where God is calling you to serve!

THE MARKS OF MATURITY
Tim Elmore has written another great article on the marks of maturity among young adults. Take a look when you have a moment! http://growingleaders.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Tim-Elmore-Article-The-Marks-of-Maturity.pdf

RE-REGISTRATION FORMS
There are still a few outstanding re-registration forms for the 2016-2017 school year. Please return these as soon as possible, as student course requests directly impact scheduling for the following year. Questions or concerns can be sent to Mrs. Mueller.

Just as a reminder, contracts must be completed for AP and Dual Enrollment courses by Friday, May 27th.

College and Career Resources
Upcoming Events
May 24          Spring Music Concert at SVSU, Curtiss Hall, 7pm 
May 26          PEEKS, 11am
May 26          Senior Banquet, 6:30pm
May 30          No School - Memorial Day
May 31          Class of 2020 placement testing, 6-8pm
June 2           Class of 2020 placement testing, 6-8pm
June 4           SAT Testing, 8am
June 6           Moms in Prayer, 8am
June 6           Class of 2020 placement testing, 6-8pm
June 7-9        Final Exams
June 8           Class of 2020 placement testing, 6-8pm
June 9           Sports Physicals at Valley, 12-1:30pm
June 10         Segment 1 Drivers Training, 10am-12pm
June 12         Graduation, 2pm
June 14         Summer Camps 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.
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John Brandt
Valley Lutheran High School

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