Principal’s Message
Approved!
Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
Psalm 127:1
On the evening of Sunday, April 16, 2023, the delegates of the Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School Association unanimously approved moving forward with the Building on the Rock (BOTR) project. It was only fitting that two MVL alumni, both delegates, made the motion and the second. The delegates asked a few questions and then the chairman called the question. The vote wasn’t just an “Aye.” With their response, the delegates left absolutely no doubt how they felt about us moving forward to add classrooms, create a Fine Arts center, and build a fieldhouse and convening center!
Yet, that can’t be the end of the story. Rather, we pray it’s the beginning. let’s pray that:
• Our association members and friends of MVL will continue to ask God to bless the work of all involved;
• The project will go smoothly with as few disruptions as possible;
• All workers involved will be safe as they work on our school;
• More people will be moved to share in their earthly possessions and give to the BOTR project;
• More families will view MVL as the high school for their children; and
• God will be praised and our mission of “training students for Christian lives on earth and for eternity” will be enhanced through our efforts!
We have some busy months ahead of us. With the BOTR project and the impacts of the Highway 14 expansion on our campus, we will see notable changes. We will provide updates for you once construction starts. Please continue to pray for our faculty and staff, our Board of Directors, our students and their families and all involved with MVL. May our gracious Lord continue to bless our efforts!
The Music Man
Join the MVL Drama Department as they present the timeless story of the fast-talking salesman, Harold Hill, who cons the good folks of River City, IA into believing that he can teach their children to play in a marching band. Before the fraudulent teacher can skip town with the loot, Harold’s got trouble when he falls for the quick-witted, not to mention beautiful, small-town librarian, Marian. A slice of Americana you won’t want to miss!
Showtimes will be Friday and Saturday, May 5 & 6 at 7 PM, and Sunday, May 7 at 2 PM. All performances will be held at State Street Theater Co in New Ulm. Tickets are $4 and $6 and may be purchased at the door. Come join the fun!
Graduation Information
Here are a variety of facts that may be of interest to you. Graduation Day is Sunday, May 28. The service will begin at 2:00 p.m. The guest speaker will be Rev. Tim Smith and student speakers will be Natalie Hennig and Gracen Lukasek.
Each family may lay claim to eight seats in the reserved section on the main floor of the gymnasium. Extra guests and family may have to sit behind the reserved section or on the bleachers, either on the main floor or on the stage. Please note that, at 1:45 p.m., those previously reserved seats will become open for general seating. As we’ve done the past few years, no “tickets” will be distributed. We trust that families will limit their seats to eight per graduate.
Gowns were handed out in April. Follow the directions that come with the gowns to insure that they look good for graduation.
Cords and/or gold tassels will need to be picked up on the day of graduation. Cords are awarded to those achieving a GPA of 3.84 or higher. Gold tassels are awarded to those achieving a GPA of 3.5 – 3.84. Final grades of the senior class will determine those receiving these honors. Cords and tassels belong to the graduate. Stoles are the property of the NHS chapter and must be returned to school this summer. NHS stoles will need to be picked up on that day as well, unless other arrangements have already been made.
As a gift to each senior, MVL will provide each graduate with a group picture of the class taken that day by Lifetouch Studio. Those pictures will be mailed out later in the summer. We will take the group picture at 12:55 p.m. so your senior needs to be here no later than 12:40 p.m. to get robed and ready and be in the gym by 12:55 p.m. All special pictures must be completed before 2:00 p.m.
We encourage the seniors to remember that their high school graduation is a worship service. We are confident that their manner of dress and their actions during their graduation service will reflect that fact. Please speak with your senior and encourage them to let his/her light shine in this way.
After the service, a receiving line of graduates will take place outside. In case of inclement weather, the receiving line will be in the Commons.
National Honor Society
PARENTS OF SENIOR NHS MEMBERS—
The stole that your student will wear for graduation is the property of our NHS chapter. NHS members will receive them on graduation day before the group picture is taken. The stole must be returned to school no later than June 30th. The cost of replacement is close to $50 with shipping and handling so it would be advisable to return them so they can be cleaned at a group rate.
Senior Chromebook Decision
Those Seniors using an MVL-issued Chromebook will have the opportunity to purchase their Chromebook at a prorated price of $50 when they graduate from MVL. A survey will be sent out to those Seniors asking for their decision. Please note that if the Chromebook will not be purchased, it needs to be returned by the last day of school. Both the Chromebook and charger must be in good working order or you will be charged for the replacement cost.
The Chromebook will receive auto-updates until June 2027.
Payment needs to be made by the end of the day, Thursday, May 25th. Contact Mr. Schauland with any questions.
Scholarship Recognition on May 17th
Once again, MVL will recognize the variety of scholarships awarded to our seniors in a special lyceum that will be held on Wednesday, May 17th in the MVL gymnasium. Friends and relatives are invited to join the MVL student body for chapel at 9:38 a.m., with the presentation of scholarships to follow. Members of the Senior Class have been given a form to identify the various scholarships received. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Smith.
Prism Concerts – Saturday, May 13
The MVL Music Department invites you to the annual Prism Concerts on Saturday, May 13 at 5 & 8 p.m. in the MVL gym. Students will perform with the band, choir, Jazz Ensemble, and Chargaliers, and as soloists and small groups. All are invited to attend and hear what our students have eagerly prepared.
MVL History Tour 2023
All the details are set for MVL History Tour 2023. The itinerary can be found on the MVL website. There will be several meetings with the participants throughout May. Parents can feel free to email Mr. Buboltz with any questions you may have. Depending on the road construction, we may have to change the initial pick-up location June 19 at 6:30 am. We are currently scheduled to meet at MVL, but that location may change.
Network New Ulm Youth Leadership Program
Applications are now being taken for the Network New Ulm Youth Leadership Program for the 2023-2024 school year. Seniors and juniors from MVL, NUHS, CHS, and ALC are eligible to apply for this excellent leadership program. The purpose of the program is to increase community awareness and foster youth leaders. There are six sessions throughout the school year. NNUY participants will be able to tour different businesses and schools in our community. NNUY is a wonderful experience and a great way to build leadership skills while learning about the community you live in. Interested MVL students can pick up an application in the office. Applications are due by May 26.
Housing Help Needed
We have a student from out of state who is in need of housing for next year. If you would be interested in hosting a student, please contact Tim Plath at tplath@mvlhs.org.
Study Hall Supervisor Needed
MVL will be looking for a Study Hall Supervisor to take the place of Mrs. Tice, who will move into Mission Advancement work next year. If you or someone you know might enjoy supervising study hall, please contact Tim Plath at tplath@mvlhs.org for more information,
Farewell
For the past five years, it has been my great privilege to teach at MVL, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve among you. The teachers and staff I’ve worked alongside, the faithful families and the dedicated school supporters I’ve gotten to know, and, most especially, the students I have been blessed to spend time with in the classroom have made my time here a true joy and blessing. This is an incredible ministry to be a part of! It isn’t easy to say goodbye, but I am excited to see how God will continue to use MVL for the benefit of its students and all the people of his kingdom. MVL will remain in my heart and in my prayers as God’s great plans for this ministry continue to unfold in amazing ways. To God be the glory!
With sincere gratitude, and trusting God’s promises for continued blessings,
Becky Rogotzke
2023-2024 School Year
The 2023-2024 Academic calendar has been posted on our MVL website under the Academics tab. We are hoping that an early release of this schedule will help you prepare for next school year and the scheduling of vacations and doctors’ appointments.
2023-2024 Reenrollment
A reenrollment email from FACTS should have been sent to you for reenrollment for the 2023-2024 school year. Follow the link in that email and check through your enrollment information and make any changes necessary. The reenrollment was due by March 15.
2023-2024 Payment Plan Information
During your enrollment, you will be asked to set up a payment plan to complete enrollment. Do your best to set this up, but please know we will be able to make changes prior to school starting, or if your situation changes. If you will be paying in full, or by check or cash at school, please check the “invoice” button under the “Pay in full” option. This will let you bypass entering banking information. You will be asked to pay a $50 registration fee for each child at this time. If you choose to pay in full, with one installment, the $50 fee will be credited back to your account after the payment is made. If you choose to pay in two installments, you will receive a tuition credit of $30 after the second installment is paid.
A few reminders for online payments:
Please remember to log onto your Family FACTS portal when making incidental payments or paying tuition. When you do this, you will see your payment post immediately to your account. If you log onto the general FACTS site to make a payment, that will have to be manually applied. Since FACTS holds the funds for a week before releasing them to MVL, it will take about two weeks until you see your account credited if you pay this way.
If you need to make a change to your payment date, please contact the financial office at least three days ahead of the scheduled payment to make sure it can be completed.
If you need to make a payment change that you are unable to complete yourself, please call or email the financial office for help.
If you have any questions, or need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Deb Kuck at (507)233-8656 or financial@mvlhs.org.
Lunch Payments
To make an online lunch payment please go to the mvl.org site, click on “Student Life or Parent Resources”, and then choose the dropdown “Lunch Program”. When making the payment, make certain to indicate first and last name of the student the lunch money is to be applied. Please note that it may take a day or two for the payment to show up on your child’s lunch account.
Tuition Assistance Program
Tuition Assistance for the 2023-2024 school year will be done through FACTS. To get to the online application, go to www.mvl.org and click on Apply to MVL. The deadline for submission of the application is May 15. If you have any questions about the online process, please contact the MVL office.
2023-2024 Additional Educational Opportunities
MVL offers online courses, PSEO, and Career Technical Education(CTE) options. Two new Project Lead the Way(PLTW) courses, Engineering Essentials and Computer Science Essentials, will also be offered for the first time in the 2023-2024 school year. If your student is interested in participating in any of these opportunities, please see the MVL Course of Study website for more information https://mvl.org/academics/course-of-study-handbook/
Final Transcripts — Seniors
Mr. Smith has shared a Google Doc with all seniors requesting that they fill out the destination they would like their final high school transcript sent to after graduation. Please note that all MVL accounts must be paid in full and up-to-date before a transcript can be sent.
Resources — Summer Reading
A large number of resources are available from Mr. Smith for MVL students and parents to read and utilize over the summer. If you are interested in finding out what resources are available, please contact Mr. Smith directly.
Current Juniors / Rising Seniors
Summer and Senior Year Suggestions
- Tackle College Apps (and Essays) Early and Often
Imagine beginning the final year of your high school career without the stress and anxiety of trying to figure out when you will possibly find time to work on college apps and their respective essays. Most colleges and universities will begin accepting applications around July 1st (some are earlier). Many colleges (and scholarships) will have some type of essay addressing “Why do you want to major in BLANK at OUR SCHOOL?” This is a helpful essay to compose during the summer and customize as needed during the early fall.
- Ride Out Your Existential Crises
Senior year will undoubtedly be stressful and overwhelming at some point (maybe multiple points). Know how to indulge in some self-care and treat yourself in order to combat the stress. Go for a run, read for enjoyment, or get a group of friends together and play games, find out what works for you and use it in those moments. If nothing else, know whom you can talk to; Mr. Smith would be more than happy to listen and help!
- Stop Looking Left and Right
I love this one! We are only human so we inevitably compare ourselves to our peers. Deciding what to pursue after high school is an individualistic journey and it should be one that is enjoyable. Timelines will be different for each of you, so comparing yourself to your peers makes no sense. It would be like comparing an apple to a wildebeest ☺.
- Learn to Say “No”
This is such an important life lesson that I am continuing to learn each and every day. Do not spread yourself too thin; it’s your senior year and you may want to participate in everything, including activities you’ve never done prior to this year. However, continuously stressing yourself out and not having the time to fully commit to anything will prevent you from truly enjoying the year. Clearly define your priorities for this year and remain steadfast.
- Stay Engaged and Committed
This clearly builds off of the previous point. I am guessing you would not intentionally want to start a race out strong and then nose dive just short of the finish line. Similarly, you want to ensure that you are finishing your senior year strong. This positive momentum can carry over into the next part of your life. If that is college, you want to keep your study habits and routines strong.
- Your Loved Ones Really Do Want What is Best for You
They truly do. If and when they ask about your future, it’s because they care. They may be processing and sifting through their own emotions at this time as they prepare themselves for you to “head out into the world” on your own.
- Senioritis is Natural…
It’s not really an “if”, but more so a “when”. Senioritis, a dip in your motivation, gets almost everyone. Understanding that can ensure you are prepared and ready to combat it. Do not fall victim to this trap rather, acknowledge it, overcome it, and finish strong!
- Scholarship Applications Are Worth Your Time
Small scholarships add up, so all scholarship applications are worth your time. Think of it this way: if a scholarship application takes you 15 minutes to complete and you win and are awarded $250, you essentially just made $1,000/hr. That’s a nice hourly wage! There are some scholarships available now. One national site (https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships) offers monthly scholarships including their annual $10,000 scholarship. The 2021 year (they haven’t released 2022 yet) Unigo received less than 1,900 submissions nationally for the $10,000 scholarship.
- Enjoy the People Around You and Embrace Being a Role Model
Celebrate this journey with those around you and use this year to meet a different group of friends. Attend the school events you always have and attend some that you have not had the opportunity to support. Enjoy your teachers, as they have been some of the most influential people in your life thus far. Take the opportunity to remind them of the impact they had and be appreciative of all of their efforts. Know that the underclassmen will look to you for guidance and advice, take that role seriously. Lastly, do not get so caught up in the busyness of the year that you blink and miss it.
- Rejection and Failure Will Not Define You
One could easily insert any number of famous quotes citing perseverance, grit, dedication, or any other current buzzword. It is likely that many of you soon to be seniors will be applying to incredibly selective colleges or competitive jobs with a large number of applicants. We cannot dictate the outcome of any situation, but we can choose how we will respond. Know that if one door closes, more than likely that was not the door for you. You are all going to go on and be successful because of the people you are.
MVL New Athlete Weight Room Safety Certification
June 11th, 5-7 PM
All students who intend to participate in MVL Athletics NEED to be weight-room safety certified. If you haven’t already been certified, please plan on attending the certification class on Sunday, June 11th from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at MVL. With summer sports workouts beginning in June, students new to MVL will want to attend so they can utilize the weight room during these workouts.
New attendees for the BFS Summer Strength and Conditioning Program can also attend the June 11th certification if they aren’t able to attend the certification offered on July 10, 12 & 13.
Please contact Kirk Schauland (kschauland@mvlhs.org) with any questions.
There’s a lot happening at MVL and it’s going to be even more of a happening place real soon. As you drive in you’ll see all the dirt and mud from moving the softball fields that the snow has covered up for the past 5 months. Thanks to the Holtmeiers, the football field got a new layer of badly needed topsoil. We took advantage of the warm weather a couple of weeks ago and planted it hoping the spring rains will lead to a full grass-growing season.
Then on April 16, the MVL Delegates unanimously approved the Building on the Rock Project. Now we are just waiting for the groundbreaking and construction to begin and even more dirt will be moved.
We also are taking another big step and leaving the Tomahawk Conference beginning in the fall of 2024. In the fall of 2024, MVL will join Maple River, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial (LCWM), St Clair, Sibley East, and LeSeuer/Henderson(LSH) in starting a new conference made up of schools with enrollments of similar sizes and would fall into the Minnesota State High School League’s Class AA for most sports. If you have a name for this new conference please let me know asap.
Boys and Girls Golf
The Chargers Golf Teams have been practicing indoors and now are taking advantage of the weather getting outside and improving their game. Our first meet was at the New Ulm Country Club with Cathedral where our teams played well despite that being only our second time on a course. As the weather continues to improve our schedule will get busy, but that’s what we were all looking forward to, playing more golf. Come on out and enjoy our beautiful spring, here is the link to our schedule, https://tomahawkconference.org/public/genie/31/school/5/
Baseball
Unfortunately, the baseball season didn’t start as we wanted to with a loss to Wabasso. However, if there’s anything we’ve learned in only two games is this group of guys won’t quit. They battled back against Wabasso and at one point took the lead after initially falling behind. Then the very next game they forgot about everything that happened previously and played a very tough close game versus Sleepy Eye who hadn’t allowed a run to any team in three games.
With only 17 players on the roster, we were not able to field a separate JV team. We try to play at least 5 innings of JV after varsity games but the weather hasn’t allowed that. Speaking of weather, the weather has been an issue and has forced us to cancel many games resulting in many double headers coming up. Hopefully, the weather is better from here on out and we can get some games in and show everyone what MVL baseball is all about!
If anyone has any questions, comments, or concerns about the baseball team please let me know.
Coach Nick Doetkott (nicholasdoetkott@yahoo.com).
Softball
The Charger’s softball team has 13 athletes this season, consisting of 1 senior, 4 juniors, 3 sophomores, and 5 freshmen. This is a larger number than in previous years and we are hopeful this number will continue to grow.
We spent the first three weeks practicing in the gym, hallways, weight room, and the New Ulm softball shed. Once the field was ready, we were very excited to get outside for practices and games. The late snow storm pushed the beginning of our regular season back, but our field drains pretty well so we now have four home games under our belts. We have been learning quite a bit these first few games and look to continue to learn to work together and improve throughout the season.
We have two home games remaining in our season, a doubleheader May 1st vs GFW (parents’ night) and a doubleheader May 4th vs New Ulm Cathedral (senior night). These will be the final games played on our current softball field. We are excited to have new fields beginning next season! Go Chargers!
MVL Charger Football 2023
Hello Fellas! I just want to take the time to invite you to be part of the 2023 MVL Charger Football Program. Our family team atmosphere centers on the fundamentals of the game, the highest levels of safety, and most importantly, enjoying the God-given gifts we’ve been blessed with in this fun game. This season holds another opportunity to not only grow in those gifts but hopefully create life-long memories for years to come.
Summer Practice Dates 6:00 – 8:00 pm Weight Room after
The football program has 10 team practice days scheduled this summer. These practices are not mandatory, but highly advised. Participants should always bring workout clothes, cleats, water jugs, and indoor shoes (in case of rain). Please make these a priority! The dates and times are the following at MVL: June 1, 4, 7, 11, 14, & July 9, 12, 23, 26, 30
Summer Physical Training and Weight Room Schedule
I always get the question from players as far as: “What type of workouts should I do this summer?” Here is my best answer: “Stay Active!” The weight room time will be open to all and following the BFS (Bigger, Faster, Stronger) program. Along with the weight training, here are a few ideas to work on this summer to get yourself in football shape: Long Distance Training (100 yd. sprints), Quick Sprints (10, 20, 40 yd. sprints), and 5 dots or ladders. Stretch when you can. All new athletes must be BFS certified before being all in a MVL workout program.
*** BFS Certification night for all new MVL Charger Athletes will be in June also
Forms Needed (Forms are on MVL Website “Activities”)
Players need to make sure that they have the proper forms turned into school in order to begin practice on the first official day. Athletes will not be allowed to the August 14th practice until all of the forms are received by MVL.
Important Dates Updated schedule will be online also.
August 14 – 18, 21 – 25 Practice 9:00 am – Noon
August 26 Scrimmage in Sleepy Eye 9:00 am – Noon
August 28 – 30 Practice 3:15 – 5:30 pm
August 31 Varsity Game 7:00 pm
September 1 NO PRACTICE
September 4 Practice 5:30 – 8:00 pm
September 5 JV Game 4:30 pm
Varsity Practice 3:15 – 5:30 pm
September 6 – 7 Practice 3:15 – 5:30 pm
September 8 Varsity Game 7 pm
(remaining schedule is online)
Finally, enjoy your summer! The hope is to have all the batteries re-charged by the time August comes around. I know there are many of you who are on the fence about playing football. Remember, I will not put you in a position to fail. I will only ask you to do as much as you’re willing to do. My main goal is to provide you with an enjoyable life changing experience.
– Coach Buboltz
Questions/concerns contact Coach Buboltz. jbuboltz@mvlhs.org or (507)-276-7084