The catapult performance assessment in Ms. Young's Physics class requires students to use their knowledge of vectors, acceleration, and horizontal and vertical motion to predict how their catapult will perform in a new situation.

They begin by building a catapult and measuring the distance and the time it takes to launch a miniature ping-pong ball. They then use this data to calculate the launch velocity.

On assessment day, each student is assigned a specific height to launch their catapult from. They apply kinematics equations and the quadratic formula to determine how far their catapult will send the ball in hopes of hitting the target.

This year, two students earned high honors on this task, hitting the target within 15 cm of the bullseye.

The World Language Department would like to announce and congratulate the December Students of the Month. These students demonstrate the keys to being successful language learners. They have a positive attitude, a willingness to take academic risks, they show perseverance and curiosity, and they are successful collaborators. German: Amelie Davis and Isabella Morales. Spanish: Berkley Bates and Sydney Borges. Congratulations, all!

ConVal High School's Annual Winter Concert took place on Wednesday, December 17.

Under the direction of Jonny Trudeau, the Concert Band performed "Siege," "The Christmas Song," "Shine Bright," "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," and "Ride Through the Valley."

Under the direction of Brian Moore, the Chamber Choir performed 'In Noctem," "A Winter Wish," and "When Snow Begins to Fall." The contemporary choir, The Trouble Clefs, beautifully rendered "Bring Me Love" by John Legend. Select Choir members performed "Winter Lullaby (Little Dear-My-Soul)," "Nu’oil (Glad Tidings)," and "Miss You Most at Christmas Time" by Mariah Carey, and the members of the Concert Choir sang "A Winter Eve (Good Hours)," "Toward the Dawn," and "Do a Little Good" from the American Christmas musical comedy “Spirited,” with Leah Winslow (Class of ‘28) as the mezzo-soprano soloist.

ConVal High School's Annual Winter Concert will take place on Wednesday, December 17, at 6:30 pm in the ConVal Gym.

The ConVal Choirs, under the direction of Brian Moore, and the ConVal Band, under the direction of Jonny Trudeau, will perform a wide repertoire of traditional and modern music.

Please arrive in time to get a good seat and enjoy the concert!

Region 14 Applied Technology Center teacher Sarah Grossi presented at the Career Tech Vision Conference in Nashville earlier today. The conference was organized by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE).

Grossi's workshop, "Practicum Paired Placements in Your Grow-Your-Own Education Programs," explained the various ways that Teacher Preparation and Early Childhood Education instructors can place their students in paired placements in early childhood, elementary, and middle school classrooms for hands-on training.

It explored how practicum experiences can be embedded in classrooms across ages and grade levels, how they can be implemented with specialists such as speech therapists and occupational therapists, and how they can benefit subject areas like family and consumer science, art, music, and physical education.

Attendees learned about the effectiveness of paired placements and how these placements allow students to create and implement effective lessons.

Central to the presentation was also a discussion of collaboration strategies with school directors, administration, and cooperating teachers, with the goal of building high-quality grow-your-own (GYO) and CTE Education and training programs.

The workshop was one of three presentations that Grossi delivered at the conference.

Congratulations to the following students who placed in the annual World Language Poetry Recitation contest.

• First place German: Haley Samuelson, Megan Millbauer, Audrey Higgins, Noah Regis, Kiran Galbraith
• First place Spanish: Lindsay LaPlante, Jonathan Parker, Gavin Niemela, Greta Stephens, Sydney Borges, Noralie Sysyn
• Second Place German: Selena Woodhouse, Chris Bouyounes, Meagan Bouyounes, Anna Bethel, Caitlyn Fowle
• Second Place Spanish: Berkley Bates, Jenna Bergeron, Hadley Bates, Kaylee Lagasse, Van Stahlin, Sienna MacKay
• Third Place German: Olivia Merzi, Grace Schuneman, Quinn Lake, Brady Clark, Abby Parker
• Third Place Spanish: Samuel Stacy, Kinley Moore, Brayden Boice, Davia Porter, Monty Boulette, Ethan Donaway

Great job to all and we are very proud of you!

Students in Andria Johnson's Physical Science class conducted a lab in which they observed chemical changes in mixed solutions.

Working with beakers containing solutions of copper nitrate (blue) and sodium hydroxide, students recorded the mass of both solutions before the experiment, then followed the steps on a multi-page scientific procedure sheet. During the lab, they carefully recorded their observations and then remeasured the mass.

In their lab report, students had to explain why the experiment was a chemical reaction, not a physical reaction, and answered the question, with mass data as proof, if mass was conserved in the reaction.

On Thursday, December 4, student members of the National Honor Society (NHS) participated in an all-day retreat. The event was designed around leadership, as it serves as one of the four pillars for the organization.

During the retreat, students explored their leadership styles and engaged in a restorative circle activity centered on Life as a Student Leader.

Principal McKillop visited with students as the keynote speaker. She encouraged students to develop their leadership legacy.

In the afternoon, students enjoyed bagels from the Bagel Mill and engaged in various discussions about future initiatives for the rest of the year to help the school community engage in service and leadership.