Thursday, September 3, 2015

Life Together












God is good. All of the time. Look at all these eager faces. Even on our littlest ones filled with joy and excitement! We pray every day over these children whom we've been called to serve. What an opportunity to begin the year together as one school family reciting scripture, singing praises and listening to God's Word. While they may not have comprehended all that was going on around them during this convocation celebration, all of our students and many community members certainly got a glimpse of the sheer size of what "Life Together" at Holland Christian looks like and sounds like. Beautiful! Have you viewed the smugmug photo album? It fuels our hearts and souls to see the faces of the children, both big and small, that we are asked to live into and share God for this school year.

Swimming Lessons
Each year we partner with the Holland Aquatic Center in offering out students swimming lessons.  This year swim lessons will be September 14 - 25.  Please note there will be NO swimming classes on- Friday, September 18th for SS due to pictures or September 23 for PR due to the Walk-a-Thon event.
South Side Schedule:
2nd grade Mrs. Hunderman/Dreyer & Mrs. Ritsema's Class swims from 8:45-9:30
1st grade Mrs. Bohle & Mrs. VanMeeteren & Miss Sapp swims from 9:35-10:20
Kindergarten Mrs. Strikwerda's class ONLY swims from 10:25-11:10

Pine Ridge Schedule: 
3rd Grade Mrs. Stielstra & Mrs. DeZwaan's Class swims from 12:35pm - 1:20pm
4th Grade Ms. Boer &  Mrs. Becksvoort's Class swims from 1:25pm - 2:10pm

School Pictures
Get ready- SMILE!  School Pictures will be held Thursday & Friday,  September 17 & 18.
There will be an assigned day per class, watch for this and order information coming home on Friday, September 11th.
South Side Schedule: 
Thursday- September 17, 2015    (K- 2 Classes run from 8:15a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
Preschool classes:
Baker- Monday/ Wednesday/Thursday A.M., 4s Preschool Class (18 students) meets 8:30-11:15
Grassmid- Tuesday/Thursday A.M., 3s Preschool Class (14 students) meets 8:30-10:45
Tolsma- Monday/ Wednesday/Thursday A.M., 4s Preschool Class (17 students) meets 8:30-11:15
Lanser- Monday – Friday, Junior Kindergarten (11 students) meets 8:30-11:15
Kindergarten classes:
Becksfort- Monday/Wednesday/Thursday Kindergarten Class (17 students)
Johnson- Monday/Wednesday/Thursday Kindergarten Class (12 students)

 Friday- September 18, 2014  (Classes run from 8:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
K-2 Classes:
Strikwerda- Monday-Friday Kindergarten Class (25 students)
Bohle/Rynsburger  - 1st Grade (20 students)
Sapp- 1st Grade (18 students)
VanMeeteren - 1st Grade (18 students)
Ritsema - 2nd Grade (23 students)-
Hunderman/Dreyer- 2nd Grade (24 students) (NOTE- PM teacher arrives 10:45)
**Grassmid - Monday/ Wednesday 3s-Preschool Class (10 students) Picture day will be
Monday, Oct 26th (retake day) due to the Mon/Wed schedule.

 Pine Ridge Schedule: 
Friday- September 18, 2014 - A.M - More information will be posted after Labor Day!

Note from Our School Counselor
Our elementary counselor, Mrs. DeeDee Throop will be available at Pine Ridge every Tuesday (all day) and Friday mornings; and South Side every Wednesday afternoons and Friday afternoons, to assist with any personal or social situations that might arise with our students.  She has 12 years of teaching experience and is starting her 14th year as a counselor.  She loves our children and thinks of herself as a "cheerleader" for them.  If you have questions or concerns about your child, please call, email, or drop in to see her.  God bless you as you parent your precious children. dthroop@hollandchristian.org or 616-886-4240

Welcome to the library!
  • Regular weekly library visits begin the week of August 31 (Any summer check-outs should be returned before students may borrow additional materials.) 
  • We have added lots of new books purchased with book fair profit! Thank you for supporting our library. 
  • Don't forget to recycle for reading. We recycle printer and toner cartridges and used cell phones, with proceeds supporting our elementary libraries.
Pine Ridge Carpool Reminders
Enter and exit Graafschap Road travel around the traffic circle counter clockwise, yield to all bus traffic. No stopping on traffic circle, at the end of the day remain stopped until all cars have been loaded and a staff member waves you along.

Come Shop Our Kids' Stuff Re-Sale at HCHS on September 12, from 9:00 am to Noon. Lots of great fall/winter clothes for girls and boys and so much more. If you are interested in being a seller at this sale, please contact kidsale@hollandchristian.org.
Volunteers needed: Sat. 11:30am - 1:30pm (clean up)
All sellers and volunteers can pre-shop the sale on Friday Night from 6:30pm - 8:30pm (Volunteers Only  5:30pm - 6:30pm)  Please contact Shelly Conklin @ rconklinabc@sbcglobal.net or Lisa VanKampen @ dandlvankampen@charter.net.

Walk-A-Thon
We are getting excited once again for our annual Walk-A-Thon on September 23rd and are looking for your help in making this years event a huge success. Donors are needed to put on the actual fundraiser and that is where you come in. If you as a family or business would like to give monetarily please email Kylie Leeuw at kyleeuw@gmail.com and she would be happy to help you. Your support is greatly appreciated!!

Important to help in communication: It is important that you update your demographic information in Powerschool now with your latest and most accurate contact information. Simply go in your browser to ps.hollandchristian.org, and, if you are a returning parent, log in with your personal log in and password. If you have difficulty, click the “If you are having trouble…” link to retrieve your login information. If you are a first-time parent, create a login for yourself. Then, either an “update demographic screen” will automatically pop up, or simply click the “change demographics” button on the left of the screen. This information is necessary for field trip participation, emergency response and treatment, student photo permission, and for the office to easily be able to contact a parent or guardian as needed or desired. When listing your child’s emergency contacts, please be sure to list two contacts other than yourself. Again, please do this today. Thank you!

After School Program
Holland Christian offers a Before and After School Program for Rose Park, South Side, and Pine Ridge Elementary students each full day school is in session. The Before and After School Program provides children with an opportunity to develop spiritually, emotionally, physically, and socially through organized group activities and play. The cost of the program is $5 per hour. Drop in care, for children who do not regularly participate in the Before and After School Program, is also available if space allows. Before School Care: 7:00 am - 8:10 am  After School Care:  3:15 pm - 5:30 pm  If you have questions, please email Amanda Brouwer at abrouwer@hollandchristian.org.    

September 4 & 7 - No School
September 11 - Picture Order Forms Going home with Students
September 12 -  Kids Stuff ReSale, 9AM-Noon
September 17 & 18 -  Picture Day at SS (Life Touch)
September 18 - Picture Day at PR (Life Touch)
September 23 - Walk-A-Thon 
September 25 - Boxtop Due Date
September 28 - No School
October 16-17 - Homecoming Family Weekend 2015

 Holland Christian Schools Events
Holland Christian Homecoming Family Weekend 2015 HC Parents, Alumni, Friends, and Supporters - Join us for Holland Christian's first annual Homecoming Family Weekend, October 16-17. Bring your family. Connect with friends old and new. Tell your story and make new memories at this first annual event!


Friday, October 16  Tailgate BBQ and Football Game Join us for a delicious chicken BBQ and football game vs. Zeeland West!
5 pm: Dinner and children's activities
7 pm: Football game vs. Zeeland West
Tickets: $10/person (advanced purchase required)
Purchase tickets at: hollandchristian.org/homecoming


Saturday, October 17  1st Annual Holland Christian Fall Classic 5K: 8:30 am  Join us for the 1st annual Holland Christian Fall Classic 5K on Saturday morning at HCHS. Run with your family or put together a team with friends!
Advanced registration pricing: $20/person; $15/person for teams of 4 or more.
Day of event registration pricing: $25/person; $20/person for teams of 4 or more.
For details and to register, visit: hollandchristian.org/homecoming/fall-classic
Kids Fun Run: 9:30 am  Kids 12 and under are invited to join us for a Fun Run after the Fall Classic 5K. All participants receive a bib and ribbon for participating.
Cost: Free!   No advanced registration required. 
HC Community Breakfast: 8:30-11 am  Join us for a delicious breakfast at the High School featuring Holland Christian's famous homemade cinnamon rolls!
Cost: Free! Compliments of the Holland Christian Education Foundation.
Register at: hollandchristian.org/homecoming
Holland Christian High School Campus Tours: 8:30-11 am  If you haven't been on the high school campus recently, join us throughout the morning for a tour of the High School, led by HCHS students and staff.
Saturday PM: Class Reunions (off-campus)

HCMS Magazine Sale
Magazine Sale: Do you need any magazines or magazine renewals? Today, we are kicking off our annual magazine sale fundraiser at the middle school.  If you need any subscriptions, please see any middle school student, stop/call the middle school office for info, or go to the online store www.gaschoolstore.com .  Simply use our school code 2519965.  The sale ends on September 11.

REQUESTED ANNOUNCEMENT:
Holland Hospital School Nurse 5K Run/Walk
Holland Hospital invites families to participate in the 2015 School Nurse 5K Run/Walk on Thursday, October 1, at Holland High School. This is a fun, family-style event to benefit the hospital’s School Nursing Program. Students can enter the Run/Walk for FREE by completing ten 30-minute physical fitness activities of their choice prior to the event. Training Card envelopes will be available to students at the beginning of the school year in the school office or at hollandhospital.org by searching “School Nurse Run.” From daily medication administration to treating playground bumps and bruises, the school nurses care for the physical, emotional and social needs of over 11,000 Holland-area students.
Thank you to our parent board for a wonderful kick off to a new year with the ice cream social this past Thursday night. It was a huge success! I hope everyone had a good time. I know I enjoyed talking to many of you. We are off to a wonderful start. I love the first day of school. It is a reminder of the joy and excitement we miss in June, July, and August. After today, we get to do this almost every day. "Life Together" with the students at Pine Ridge is a blessing. Our first day was filled with chapel, prayer time in individual classrooms, lots of pictures, and fun on the playground with friends we had not seen since last June. We also did a little academic work too. It is our prayer that Pine Ridge will be a blessing to you and your child(ren) this year. Pray for us as we partner together to set the example for our students to follow. 

Baton Twirling Classes
Athletic Sensations is offering Baton Twirling Classes beginning September 29, for more information please call 616-460-1747 or email athleticsens@aol.com, visit them on their website at www.athleticsensations.com.  Flyers are also available in the school office. 
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