Welcome Back!!!

Welcome Back!!!!

I've been so excited to see many of you and hear about the adventures God brought you on in the summer months. I once again hear laughter in our South Side hallways!! I spent a good deal of the summer at school and you'll be relieved to know that I didn't laugh to myself in the office. So needless to say, it was quiet, dark and uncharacteristic of South Side. So it's SO good and right to hear your joy and fresh ideas again. That said, I know that your to-do lists feel almost endless at this time of year. The following poster sums up the work at this time of year very well:

That said, this is a labor of love. It's thrilling and inspiring to hear about the new ideas you're intending to bring to your students this year. Every one of us, students and staff, are learners. This is what keeps us passionate and makes every day an adventure (well, that and the kid who pukes in the middle of the classroom does add a bit of an unpredictable twist in the day). The following poster celebrates why you do what you do and do it so well! It is a privilege, joy and honor to work alongside each of you. Thank you for using your God-given gifts in this mission field at South Side!

If you haven't already, please plan to send the welcome letter home to your students early next week. We want to get our littles excited about this upcoming school year and help them understand how they will love, learn and laugh every day with you. 

Next Week

The plans and events next week involves only our new staff. Let's hear it for our new staffers!!! Natalie Sapp (1st grade), Danielle Snoeyink (Aide in Karen Strikwerda's class) and Tabitha Tolsma (4s Preschool), we are blessed to have you join our South Side family. 

Monday, August 17

We will have a staff meeting at South Side from 8:30-11:00. We'll share stories and celebrate all we have to look forward to this school year, we'll work through our next session of Love and Logic and I'll fill you in on all that has happened at HC over the summer months of work that will impact your work this year.

Tuesday, August 18 

Our all-staff retreat will be at the Fish and Game Club again from 8:00-4:00. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided. We'll hear the results of the HC Story project, meet Dirk (MS) and Darryl (HS) and do some brainstorming with all staff. You will need only bring your hungry self.  

Wednesday, August 19

8:00-9:00 Abuse reporting training in the middle school auditorium. 

The First Aid training has been cancelled. The trainers bailed so we did too. We'll wrestle that beast next year. It's a free day of prep in your classroom. PHEW!

Thursday, August 20

We'll meet at the high school at 8:00 for Dan's inspiring message as well as a few nitty gritties followed by some work time focused around discipleship practices. We'll close this time by 11:30. 

Stop by the middle school sometime between 11:30-4:30 for your new staff ID photo, please.

The ice-cream social will be Thursday evening from 6:30-8:00. So exciting to meet your new little learners! 

Friday, August 21

Education committee will meet from 9-11. Learning Lab facilitators will be trained Friday afternoon from 12:00-3:00. This will make more sense after our Monday staff meeting. Only if I have spoken with you will you need to attend this training. Otherwise, the time is yours for all the last minute prep pieces. 

Convocation

NO Sunday convocation this year. I will explain those details at our staff meeting, but no need to make plans to attend convocation this year on Sunday afternoon. 

Tuesday, August 25, parents will be attending our Parent Information NIght from 7:00-8:30. Please note that you are only expected to be in your classroom during these allotted times: 

7:00 pm            Kindergarten - Mrs. Johnson

            First grade  - Mrs. Van Meeteren

            First grade - Miss Sapp

Second grade - Mrs. Ritsema

7:30 pm            General Assembly in the gym with me

                       

8:00 pm            Kindergarten – Mrs. Becksfort and Mrs. Strikwerda

            First grade - Mrs. Bohle

                        Second grade - Mrs. Hunderman

Discipleship Practices Bandanas (a.k.a. as we like to tease Rod "hankies")

Just an FYI as your rooms are not entirely completed yet. Rod and David have worked tirelessly in rolling out the discipleship practices. They will provide more details on Thursday, August 20. However, please know that classroom teachers will be receiving a set of colorful bandanas for display in all classrooms at HC. I'm no interior decorator, but if you haven't already filled that top area of the monster bulletin board, you might choose to leave that or any other wide and narrow wall space open for these bananas to make their home in your classroom for the school year. 

Please don't hesitate to ask questions, raise great ideas and alert me to conflicts. It's going to be a fun week to grow together as we're ramping up to the highway. Again, thank you for all the hard work, time and effort you are already putting in to make this 2015-2016 a stellar year for our children!