VC View: November

A few weeks ago, Valley Catholic Middle and High schools sponsored “Waves of Love”, a day of service that took more than seven hundred students, their teachers and parents out into the community to share their talents and enthusiasm to help others. Geographically, service opportunities spanned from Rockaway on the Oregon coast to Camp Howard in the foothills of Mt. Hood – and dozens of sites in between. Our students and staff washed windows and did yard work for senior citizens, worked at social service agencies throughout the Portland metro area, beautified The Grotto in NE Portland, while others remained on campus to clean headstones in the Sisters’ cemetery and complete other much-needed maintenance and painting projects. Many thanks to the teachers and administrators who organized this complex endeavor – it was an example that with many hands, great things can be accomplished. Be sure to check out our “Community Service Day” Flickr album to see photos from this amazing day. 

Earlier this fall, Valley Catholic joined with the other Portland-area Catholic high schools for the Children’s Cancer Association’s Walk for Joy. During the past ten years, area high schools have set aside their rivalries to raise funds for CCA, an organization that shares music, friendship, and the healing power of nature to create moments of joy for children battling life-threatening illnesses and the isolation that accompanies them. This year’s Walk for Joy started with our school communities gathering for an outdoor Mass at Cathedral Park in St. John’s, which included a testimonial from a current student who received services from CCA when battling cancer. Participants then walked the 2.5 miles to the University of Portland for games and activities.

Together, our six Portland-area schools have raised more than $40,000 to support CCA. A BIG thank you goes out to Pat Thomas for organizing our school’s fundraising and participation in the Walk.

I hope to see you Saturday evening at the Valley Catholic School Gala! This wonderful event is not just a fundraising vehicle, it’s also an opportunity for our community to come together to celebrate Valley Catholic School, to acknowledge the incredible work done by our faculty and staff, and to appreciate the exceptional educational opportunities we provide to our students. Please join me in thanking our co-chairs, Todd and Loni Adams and Steve and Margarita Gunther, for their outstanding leadership of the 2023 Gala. We will gather at Northwest Event Center in Hillsboro, with the silent auction beginning at 5:30 pm followed by dinner and live auction at 7. We’ll begin dinner with a prayer of thanksgiving for our families, our students and faculty, and all who help to make Valley Catholic the wonderful community that it is. Please join us! In the meantime, visit ssmo.org/gala-online-auction to start bidding on some wonderful experiences, trips and wine packages.   

Finally, it is that time of year when we test our emergency phone system in preparation for the possibility of winter weather. You can expect a test call on the Friday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 24), so it will be obvious that this is just a test and not a real school emergency. If you do not receive the automated call at a phone number you regularly use during school hours, please notify the school office.

As we look forward to Thanksgiving in a few weeks, let’s not forget the many blessings God has bestowed upon our families and the Valley Catholic community. We all have so much to be grateful for! 

Sincerely,

John Matcovich
President
Valley Catholic School

Letters from Our Principals:

Beckie Hocker, Valley Catholic Music School
Amber Ploussard, Valley Catholic Early Learning School
Yvonne Ayesiga, Valley Catholic Elementary School
Jennifer Gfroerer, Valley Catholic Middle School
Sara Bruins, Valley Catholic High School

VCHS Students Visit D.C.

Last week, ten Valley Catholic High School students traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. This moving experience allowed students to advocate for critical issues rooted in Catholic social teaching, meet with elected officials, participate in workshops, listen to inspiring speakers, and visit sites important to our nation’s history.

Part of the tour included a visit to Senator Ron Wyden’s office where they met VC Alum Lavanya Sridharan (’12). Lavanya is Sen. Wyden’s Senior Advisor for Defense, Foreign Policy, Immigration and Appropriations.

We are grateful to our generous donors who made this trip possible and we look forward to our students carrying forward the important lessons they learned!

A few photos of the trip are on our Flickr page.

Valley Catholic’s girls soccer team is on their way to the state finals!

Valiant Soccer secured a 4-1 victory over Sisters in the semifinals on Tuesday night at Valley Catholic High School. The Valiants displayed exceptional skill and teamwork, with goals scored by Malia Groshong, Elle Spangler, Paulina Filip, and Caitlin Queen. The road to the championship is looking promising for this talented squad. Click here for event tickets.