Hello Steve, Enjoy our Saints News! 

Last weekend, we celebrated thirty-one graduates at Baccalaureate and Commencement, and on Tuesday, we even more officially wrapped up the 23/24 school year with our annual faculty/staff end-of-year breakfast. I can’t count the number of times people asked me about my summer plans, so I thought I’d more broadly answer that question in this final year-end musing.

What does a summer look like for a Head of School? For Steve O’Neil? Professional and personal bleed together, and I have found a summer rhythm that provides space for each – summer VCHS projects, preparation for a new school year, and rest from the busyness of an action-packed school year.

On the school side, we have summer office hours, with the exception of two weeks in July. I have several school projects that I’ll work on that simply take concentrated effort and time – not real exciting but things that must be done. Projects include: preparation for our CESA re-accreditation renewal which happens every five years, interior construction remodels of existing spaces – creative student space and a mental health counseling center with offices and waiting area, and onboarding new faculty and staff.

With the summer months, there’s also more planning and preparation for a new school year than most people realize. And the stronger the plan and preparation, the more successful the new school year. It’s a little like R & D in the corporate world. And for me, this is where professional and personal mix. As I take time to recharge, especially in the outdoors, I find my neural pathways open up much wider with creativity and energy to think about and envision the ways in which we might give our time and energy in a new school year.

And how do I do that? In the places I love most – right here in Colorado. In fact, I love Colorado summers so much that I don’t have plans to step outside the state. I’m a backpacker and once again will hike the Continental Divide Trail for five to six days travelling somewhere between Georgia Pass and the Wyoming border. I’m still banging out 14ers with a 1/3^rd left to climb. Road biking, day hikes, and travelling around our great state also fill my cup. When I’m doing these things, I often reflect back on the past school year, think about the next one, pray for our community, and ask God to inspire me with His vision for VCHS.

I also read a lot. Rarely do I read the same book twice, but this summer I’m re-reading and really investing in the content of Mark Comer’s new book – Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus, Become like him, Do as he did. Also, like many of us who live in this beautiful valley, Hotel O’Neil will be filled with family and friends who love to visit our playground.

What might be the most exciting? Denae and I are preparing for our daughter’s early September wedding. Also, as a father of three children – Anna (NYC), Benj (Denver), and Tommy VCHS ’19 (NYC), Denae and I love spending time with our kids who love Colorado adventures as we do.

So raise your glass! Here’s to God for a great school year, and for the next one, the best is yet to come! New musings, with all types of fresh content, will be coming your way in early August!

Steve O'Neil

Head of School

BRAVOS

Click here to read the article about her work with dyslexia

SPORTS

VCHS is excited to announce Caroline Bauer as the next VCHS Dance Coach. Caroline is a 2010 graduate of VCHS, where she danced for all four years, and is the daughter of legendary VCHS Dance Coach Patti Carlson who led the Saints to eight straight state titles in 2A Poms from 2011-2018.  Caroline is married to Bjorn Bauer a 2007 VCHS graduate and they have two kids ages 6 and 3.  

Coach Bauer has a big heart for the VCHS Dance Team.  It’s important to her that the same positive experiences she had, dancing as a Saint, she is able to pass on to current students interested in dance.     

When asked about her vision for VCHS Dance, Bauer said, “I want to lead the team back to having outstanding performances at states- and hopefully some victories as well! I want to make the team a really fun place where girls can make great memories dancing at football games and competitions. I want to make the team as strong as it possibly can be.” 

When Caroline Bauer started dancing her freshman year of high school, she was completely new to dance.  “I actually didn't start dancing until I was a freshman. I was a total newbie and had no idea what I was doing, but loved it and worked really hard at it and danced and did cheerleading in college.  Dancing is a great skill to take with you into adulthood, there will always be dance floors, in college and beyond, and it's great to feel confident on them.”

As a dance team captain, Caroline helped choreograph dances in high school and also in college for her cheerleading team.  Those responsibilities were great learning experiences.  She also helped Coach with her mom off and on and cheered on younger sisters Allison Carlson '13 and Isabelle Carlson '18 who were also Saints. 

If interested in VCHS Saints Dance team please reach out to Caroline Bauer at carolinebauer14@gmail.com

GO SAINTS! 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

VCHS 2024-2025 School Calendar Available Now!

Click here to view it! *Subject to minor changes

Advance your Math Skills!

Optional, six-week "Summer Geometry" course, at VCHS!

Instructors: Mr. Jager and Ms. Nock

When: Monday, July 1st - Thursday, August 9th, (Monday-Thursday each week, 9am-12 pm each day except "The 4th of July")

Where: VCHS West Building, Room 103

Prerequisites: Algebra 1 and Teacher Recommendation

Cost: $600, payable to VCHS 

STUDENT LIFE

Click here to view full photo gallery from Matthew Welsh

Use password: VCHS2024

PARENT ASSOCIATION NEWS

Paint Your Parking Spots On Sale Soon

Class of 2025, Paint Your Parking Spots are on sale soon.

Please check your email for more information coming soon.

Must be a rising Senior for the 2024-2025 School Year to purchase

ALUMNI NEWS

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient

The Distinguished Alumni Award made its debut this year and was presented at the Vail Christian High School graduation this past Saturday. This award honors outstanding achievements and significant contributions to the recipient’s profession, community, and/or school. Nominees were proposed by friends, family, and former teachers. This year’s honoree is Dr. Patrick John Bevan. Additional information about Dr. Bevan can be found on the VCHS website at Dr. PJ Bevan: Alumni Feature Article.

To nominate an alumni for next year’s Distinguished Alumni Award, complete the nomination form on our VCHS Alumni Webpage at:  Distinguished Alumni Award Nomination Form.

Alumni Spotlights:

Vail Christian High School is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of our many outstanding alumni! Read about the latest alumni in the spotlight:

Emily Novak ‘17

Jasmine Hartman-Budnik ‘19

Jake and Luke Bowers ‘19

You can access these and previous alumni feature articles on our alumni website at: vchs.org/alumni

VCHS Alumni: Do you wish to update your or data?

We know our Alumni often move around the world and experience new professional adventures. We would like to have your up-to-date contact details so we can keep communicating with you. Please also let us know what you are doing professionally, and whether you would be willing to advise our current students about their future career paths. If you have moved recently or think that your details may be outdated, please fill in this form on our alumni website. We will update your details on our database.

1.    Fill out the Alumni Contact Update form on our website

2.    Follow VCHS on Facebook or Instagram and connect with us on LinkedIn.

Once a Saint, always a Saint – VCHS Family Forever!

REMINDERS

What started at VCHS with eleven dads almost ten years ago has slowly turned into about 130 men and women in the Valley meeting in groups on a regular basis. Ascend Vail’s tagline is, Building Community. Pursuing Faith. We do this by putting men in men’s groups and women in women’s groups of 12-15 people who meet weekly for 12 weeks in the spring and 12 weeks in the fall for 1 hour at a time. We talk about life and pursue a deeper faith together, and it has been life changing for many! But don’t take my word for it, hear what those involved have to say.

VCHS is making plans to partner with Ascend to launch one or more groups this August.

If you’d be interested in joining a group or just getting more information, please email Scott Leonard at ascendvail@gmail.com.

VCHS Testimonials

Ascend uses the simplicity of men’s/women’s groups to bring people together as we walk through life’s many seasons. For me the unexpected benefit was becoming such close friends with some older and younger guys in my group as we sought to go deeper in our faith together; we are all in very different places on that spectrum due to our upbringings.

Charlie Meynier (Dad, Class of ’24)

Our Ascend group has been a joy to be involved in as I’ve been able to meet more guys in the community. To be able to share life’s highs and lows together is a real gift for all of us.

Ben Dodds (Dad, Classes of ’24 and ’25)

Since joining an Ascend group I have made many new friends and reconnected with old ones too. Hearing everyone’s stories and what’s going on in everyone’s lives is an eye opening experience.

Parker Smith (Dad, Class of ’26)

Life isn’t always easy and if it was it would be boring. For those times when marriage, family, or work aren’t easy, a group like Ascend, gives us support, guidance, and a consideration of how faith can help us move forward. I’m a better person because of my Ascend group.

Chris Pryor (Dad, Classes of ’24 and ’28)

Please click "Calendar" at the top of Saints News to view school calendar