It was a beautiful morning as I set out to greet students this morning. After saying, “Have a Good Friday!” to the first three or four students, I realized that saying this today has a totally different meaning. As Christians, we are journeying toward Easter Sunday, but without Good Friday we could not sing “Christ the Lord is Risen today!”
At South Side, the students and staff have been making Street Carpets as a way to visualize the journey of Christ during Holy Week. At Pine Ridge we will end our day with a Good Friday service that will help the students to feel a bit of the journey. Good Friday (the dark part) of the Holy Week is not a part of the journey we enjoy celebrating, but without it we could not rejoice that Easter is Coming! Alleluiah!
South Side Street Carpet
In classrooms, in chapel and even in the hallways we've been both remembering and living through Holy Week with our students this week at South Side. We took a cue from our brothers and sisters living in Guatemala and celebrated the events of Holy Week by making a street carpet. Below you can view the contribution to our street carpet from each classroom. When pieced together in the hallway, our students were able to walk through the events that Jesus did and perhaps gain a new understanding of what Christ endured on our behalf.
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| Palm Sunday. The Triumphant March into Jerusalem |
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| Jesus Cleansing the Temple |
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| Mrs. Baker's preschoolers' faces surround the last supper table. |
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| Understanding the significance of the bread and wine |
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| Mrs. Johnson traced each child's feet and talked about servanthood, modeled by Christ. |
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| Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane |
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| "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me" Luke 22:42 |
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| Kindergarteners were asked, if Peter could have spoken with Jesus right after the crow of the rooster, what might he have said? One replied, "Jesus, can you still love me?" A question we all ask! Praise God for Jesus' reply, "I will love you ALWAYS!" |
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| The Pure Joy and Celebration of Easter Morning!!! |
"The first graders and teachers would like to thank our South Side family for supporting our efforts to save acreage in the Amazon Rainforest. We are overwhelmed by the great response to our Bake Sale. We earned over $ 300 which allows us to save six(6) acres of this rapidly decreasing ecosystem. Thank you so very much for helping us respond to our cultural mandate to care for God's Earth. We are most grateful!"
3-day to 4-day!
We’re so excited! Please remember that we will be adding another day to our 3-day kindergarten schedule after we return from Spring Break. Our schedule will be as follows: Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. This schedule starts the week of April 11. We look forward to spending another day with the kindergartners!
Lost and Found
When you are visiting classrooms during our parent teacher conferences, please stop by the lost and found tables to see if you have an item adrift and could bring back home. Items left unclaimed will be donated to ditto.
FACTS Applications
Application of the FACTS forms may now be completed either in paper form (which we have in the office) or on-line at online.factsmgt.com/aid. The forms are due April 15, 2016.
MARCH IS READING MONTH!
- Reading Carnival! This will run from approximately 8:30 until 10:00. Thanks so much for your willingness to help with our K-2 Reading Carnival! and for helping us celebrate our sprouting readers!
- ‘Read-a-T-shirt’ Day! As a means for further celebrating reading month and our Reading Carnival, South Siders are invited to wear a t-shirt with words on it on Wednesday, March 30. We will enjoy reading our peers’ t-shirts and looking for many familiar words as we rotate through each Reading Carnival station! Thanks!
Free WhiteCaps Tickets:
Students can earn WhiteCaps tickets with their March reading minutes. The minutes for classroom reading goals and the WhiteCaps calendar are the same minutes, recorded in two different places. If they turn in the completed WhiteCaps calendar, students will be given vouchers that can be redeemed for two free WhiteCaps tickets. Be sure to have a parent’s signature on the calendar. The WhiteCaps office requires the calendar AND the voucher for ordering free tickets. See the WhiteCaps letter on the back of the calendar for more information. This reading incentive is optional
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Pine Ridge Reading Month
Children came home with flyers for March Reading Month Happenings at Pine Ridge. Please see attached links to view these flyers, if you need more copies. 2016 Reading Club Letter and Pine Ridge Reading Flyer Reading BINGO Cards will be due by March 25, so prizes can be awarded before Spring Break.
Tulip Time
Yes, it will be here soon. Please begin plan ahead for your 1st or 2nd grader’s dutch costume for the Kinder Parade on Thursday, May 12. Now is the time to be sure costumes are complete and or looking to purchase/borrow one for the festival.
Spring into ditto!
- MARCH MADNESS RED-TAG SALE! BIG markdowns on select home and office furniture. Sale starts March 21 and runs through spring.
- Ditto is fully re-stocked with spring clothing for your entire family!
- COFFEE & CANVAS EVENT on April 23! Enjoy a morning of painting, coffee, and pastries with Tulip-Time poster winner, Alla Dickson. Tickets are going fast! Go to http://www.dittoresale.com for more information. Thanks for your support and your donations!
- Work Bee Sign ups for Pine Ridge and South Side in April. Please sign-up to volunteer for a 3-hour time slot. If you can serve more than that--great! Ditto has jobs for everyone... from sorting and organizing, to fixing and stocking, we can use your time and talents. Click Here for the Sign-up Genius link!
Come Shop Our Kids' Stuff Re-Sale at HCHS on Saturday, April 16 from 9:00 – 12:00. Lots of great spring/summer 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: Friday 3:00 to 5:30 (set up) or Sat. 11:30 to 1:30 (clean up)
All sellers and volunteers can pre-shop the sale on Friday night 6:30-8:30 (Volunteers Only 5:30-6:30) Please contact Shelly Conklin at rconklinabc@sbcglobal.net or Lisa VanKampen at lvankampen@hollandchristian.org.
2016-17 Kindergarten Enrollment is in full swing - Spread the Word!
Kindergarten enrollment is off to a great start! 2016-17 kindergarten enrollment is underway at hollandchristian.org/apply. Please enroll by March 1 in order for us to prepare class lists. If you have any questions about enrollment or know a family we should contact about kindergarten at HC, please contact Courtney Lampen at (616) 820-2804 or clampen@hollandchristian.org.
2016-17 preschool enrollment is underway!
Go to hollandchristian.org/apply, create a username and password of your choice, and complete the requested information to enroll in the class you'd like. Preschool enrollment requires a $75 deposit. We're again offering 3-year-old, 4-year-old, and Junior Kindergarten morning classes, afternoon enrichment classes, and before and after school care. With these options, parents can create a fully customized schedule, ranging from part-time to full-time enrollment, that best meets their family's needs. Learn more at: hollandchristian.org/schools/preschool or contact Courtney Lampen at (616) 820-2804 or clampen@hollandchristian.org.
Welcome Wednesdays
Curious about what happens at Holland Christian? Come take a tour, meet our staff, visit classrooms and see our students as they explore, create, and discover. Welcome Wednesdays will be held at all five Holland Christian buildings, preschool-12th grade, on the following Wednesdays from 8:30-10 am:
- April 20
- May 25
If you are interested, Please contact our Admissions Director, Courtney Lampen, at clampen@hollandchristian.org or (616) 820-2804. to save your spot!
Choose Your Own Adventure Days!
Don't see an admissions event that works for you? Choose your own adventure by creating your own day to tour or shadow a student!
Preschool-12th Grade Tours: We love to meet with new families and give tours of our buildings! Individual tours may be scheduled any time. Tours typically last 45-60 minutes and include a tour of the facility as well as a time to meet with the building principal to answer your individual questions.
Shadowing Opportunities for 7th-12th Grade Students: Prospective 7th-12th grade students are invited to shadow a Holland Christian student at any time! Shadowing visits last a half day and include 3-4 classes and lunch. Each shadow opportunity is customized by student based on their interests. Tours and showing opportunities for any of Holland Christian’s buildings can be scheduled by contacting Courtney Lampen at (616) 820-2804 or clampen@hollandchristian.org.
Middle School Mashup - May 2
It’s a little bit open house, a little bit of an information night - it’s our Middle School Mashup! Current HC 6th grade parents and students and any family considering enrollment at Holland Christian Middle School for the 2016-17 school year are invited to come and preview what it’s like at the Middle School on May 2 from 7-8:30 pm. Take a tour, listen to current middle school students talk about life at HCMS, and find how to to dive into all the opportunities available to students both during and after school. It's going to be a great night; please join us! For questions or more information, please contact Courtney Lampen, Admissions Director, at (616) 820-2804 or clampen@hollandchristian.org.
Preschool Press
There are exciting happening with our Preschool students, just follow this link http://www.buildinghiskingdomtogether.blogspot.com/ to see what our youngest students are doing.
FREEschool Enrichment classes are being offered at both Rose Park and South Side preschool sights.
By following the link to the above site you can find more information about what FREEschool is.
Volunteers Needed:
Pine Ridge-
Piano Players for Chapel:
We are in need of Piano Players for Chapel on Wednesday Afternoons from 12:30pm - 1:15pm. If you are available, and would like to sign up for April 13 & 27. Please Contact Laura in the office. 616.820.3505 or lnorman@hollandchristian.org.
GOtR reference information
GOtR Website and a link to all the practice information GOtR Practices.
Girls Varsity Lacrosse Co-op Team
This year, Holland Christian and West Ottawa have formed a Girls Varsity co-op Lacrosse team. We are so excited about this new offering in athletics for girls' spring sports. Here is the link along with a flyer for more information regarding this new opportunity. We will be holding an informational meeting for parents Tuesday, March 29th @ 7:00pm in the Holland Charter Township Offices located at 353 North 120th Avenue Holland, MI 49424.
Advanced notice: The Athletic Department of Holland Christian Schools is offering students entering grades 7-12 the opportunity to complete a state required physical. Sports Physicals will be held on Tuesday, April 19, 6:30 - 9 pm at Lakeshore Health Partners located at 904 South Washington Avenue. Physical will cost $15 this year.Please see the attached information regarding Athletic Physicals, which will be offered on Tuesday, April 19, from 6:30-9:00 PM and will cover your student athlete for the 2016-2017 school year. Signups begin today! Claim your spot on this SignUpGenius link!
Please have your student's physical form completed and signed before their appointment. Middle School Physical Form and High School Physical Form! Parent Information sheet, for any extra questions you may have.
Holland Christian School Summer Camps
The dates for the Holland Christian sports camps are now posted on the HC website under the Athletics tab. Although you can't officially register for the camps until April 11, when you will be able to do so online, you can at least coordinate your summer vacations along with any desired HC athletic camps.
Calendar of Events
March 28, 29 Parent Teacher conferences (evening)
March 30 Half day, P-T Conferences
March 31-Apr 8 Spring Break
April 11 Classes Resume
April 19 Sports Physicals @ Lakeshore Health Partners 6:30 - 9:00pm
April 22 No HPS transportation
April 28 Pine Ridge’s Fine Arts Night
May 11 No HCHS pm transportation
May 11-12 Half Days: Tulip Time
May 14 Saturday, Tulip Time Parade, Marching Bands
May 24 6th Grade Fredrick Mejier Gardens Trip
May 30 Memorial Day
June 3 Half Day: Last day of Classes
June 3 GOtR ~ The 5K Run!!
TOMS event for Middle School age girls
On Monday, March 28 from 6-8:30 pm, Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital will be hosting an event entitled “Inspirations for Tweens, Tools, Talk and TOMS”. This is an event geared towards tween age girls and their mother, or mentor. Dr. Dawn DeWitt and Dr. Kelley Huggett will be speaking on self-esteem, relationships, safe behaviors and body image. Participants will be able to design their one-of-a-kind pair of TOMS shoes after they feast on tacos and enjoy treats from our chocolate fountain. The fee is $45, which includes dinner, a pair of TOMS shoes for the tween and one for a needy child. Moms attend free, unless purchasing shoes for $45. TOMS Postcard
