Merry Christmas

Well, my friends, it's Christmas (or just about). It truly is, for many, the most wonderful time of the year. The time of year that just sparkles with the gift of Jesus' presence and life on this earth. Redemption for God's people. When we read in Scripture about Moses at the burning bush as he talks with God, we learn that God heard the cries of His people, He felt concern and He acted. He came to His people to redeem them. And now, here we are celebrating this truth. Jesus enters in and offers us salvation. What a gift to have two weeks to celebrate this truth and to rest. To sit with God in quiet pockets of time and space. To thank Him for all He has provided. To ask Him to continue to bless this work we are doing, for this work is not complete, but the rest is necessary. So bless and be blessed over the next two weeks. The work you do is GOOD! It is in partnership with God that we carry out this mission. Thank you for pouring yourselves into this every day. For encouraging and praying for one another. For bringing JOY to these walls, because in that JOY, Jesus SHINES! Happy birthday, Jesus! and Merry Christmas friends! 

If you have time to dream, please jot your ideas here regarding the following two events:

Makers Week Sign Up

MLK Jr. Day Sign Up

For 2017:

Feeding the 5,000

Good afternoon, friends. Well, our few boxes of Cheerios and bags of pretzels have multiplied to a quantity that is more than I could imagine! Thank you for spreading the word! As I'm sure you experienced as well, I heard many mini-conversations between our littles that demonstrated a small understanding of the need we have to share our bounty with others. "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat" was lived today. Thank you!

Christmas Chapel
Karen VM's class will lead our Christmas chapel on Tuesday at 10:30. Preschool, you are welcome to attend if your class is in session.

MLK Jr. Day Sign Up

Makers Week Sign Up

Discovery Night
Please save Tuesday, January 31 for Discovery Night. We'll talk through the logistics after Christmas break....unless the curiousity is eating you up.  I'll happily fill you in early.

K-2 Staff Meeting
Our next K-2 staff meeting will be held on Thursday, January 19.

Preschool Staff Meeting
Thursday, January 12 beginning at 3:45 for 57 minutes at Rose Park's media center.

December This and That

Thank you for communicating and supporting our Kids Food Basket initiative. This is uncharted territory for us and I'm so encouraged with how our table is continuing to fill. Just as a refresher, we'll put together a sign-up document for next Thursday morning. You may take your class to the south entrance of school and lead them through three "stations" if you will. The first will be the trail mix assembly station. In order for all students to participate in the trail mix assembly, Troy Vos (Kids Food Basket coordinator) recommends we collect the following in terms of quantity:

-63 Boxes of Cheerios

-63 Bags of pretzels

-63 Bags or boxes of cheese crackers (Goldfish or Cheez-Its)

-63 Bags or containers of raisins 

We have quite a ways to go yet, but I think we can get close! :)

Time cards
Employees who turn in time cards: cards are due tomorrow at 1:00 pm, please. If we happen to have a snow day, cards will be due to Pat on Monday morning by 8:30.

Copy Machine
Faith Prins will next be copying on the 15th, next Thursday, in the afternoon. She comes to do work in the afternoon every other Thursday. I know it gets tricky to navigate how to "get in line" when she is working through her load. We thought perhaps if you are aware that she is coming, it might be easier to avoid congestion at the machine.

Staff Meeting
Our next staff meeting will be on Thursday, January 19 (second Thursday of the month). Please let me know if that doesn't work for you and/or your team.

MLK Jr Day
Per our staff meeting, I will send out our sign up doc early next week. In the meantime, keep thinking, praying and exploring who's work, which has contributed to our society, you could highlight with our learners on January 16. Feel free to bounce ideas off of me if you'd like.

Discovery Night
On January 31 from 6:00-7:30 we will hold our annual Discovery Night. Roles and responsibilities will be outlined soon as plans are being solidified. Please consider this a "save the date" notice. Thank you!

Makers Week
Just in case you'd like the link again ;) here it is. Feel free to do the same project or mix it up a bit. This is a great way to vary our students' learning experiences.

Celebrating Christ's Coming

Christmas Celebration

Would you please copy and paste this in your blogs? 

Christmas is a time to love our neighbor. While certainly we are called upon to love our neighbor all throughout the year, Christmas is a time we want to be very intentional about where our focus lies. Consumerism gets packaged up in such pretty bows, it can be a challenge for adults as well as children. While we will be holding classroom Christmas parties, we also want to hold another kind of party this year. A giving party. There are children in our city who will go home during the two weeks of Christmas break with little to no food to eat. Their school-supplied meals will be inaccessible and they will face hunger. God calls on us every day to share our gifts so that others will see and feel God through our actions. In answer to that call, we are going to move into action.

This year, rather than partnering with World Renew to reach out to those in need in far away places, we are going to partner with Kids Food Basket. Following their guidelines, we will be able to provide suppers for children to eat during the two weeks they have off of school during Christmas break. Kids Food Basket helps to feed 500 children in the city of Holland. We will assemble a healthy trail mix for these friends of ours, we will decorate their brown bags and we will collect items from their wish list. On Thursday, December 15, all of our students will get busy packing trail mix, decorating bags and loading up food supplies.

Would you be willing to help bring this to life with your child at home? In years past, children have been able to donate money during Christmas time at school and make selections from our World Renew catalogs. This year, would you invite your child to select which items he/she would like to donate from this wish list? Our children understand the discomfort of hunger pangs. Many of our children don't understand the fear that those hunger pangs might not be satiated. Please talk about God's call on us to serve our neighbors and help provide hope by filling hungry little tummies.

Items we would like to collect:

• 100% Fruit Juice Boxes
• Cracker Packs
• Granola Bars
• Individual Fruit Cups
• Individual Pudding Cups
• Boxes of Cheerios
• Bulk Pretzels
• Bulk Cheez-It crackers or Goldfish crackers
• Bags of raisins
• Snack Sized Zipper-lock bags
• Brown Lunch Bags

Staff Meeting
Our next staff meeting will be Tuesday, December 6 over the lunch hour. Please bring your "The Differentiated Classroom" book with you. Thank you.

Delta Math
If you are comfortable and feel prepared, you may lead your class in the Delta Math assessment using your packet from Erin any time throughout the testing window which will be December 5-16. Remember to give the fact test on paper, score those quizzes and then give the digital assessment on the iPads. The packet given to you from Erin provides your script. We will review this during our staff meeting on Tuesday.

Christmas Chapel
Karen VanMeeteren's class will be leading us in our Christmas chapel this year. As you know, we have moved our date to Tuesday, December 20th. In order to allow our preschool students the option of participating as well, let's hold chapel from 10:30-11:00 on Tuesday, December 20.

Chapel January 18
On January 18, we will again be skyping with the children from Beautiful Gate during our chapel time. More details to come.

Take a gander at our calendar. Our Christmas luncheon, hosted by our supportive, loving parent team, will take place on Wednesday, December 14. Wednesday, December 7 is the Christmas celebration hosted by our school board. Have I ever told you? You are LOVED and appreciated!

Thankful Hearts

A Time for Thanksgiving
Our nation and our community have been through much turmoil in the recent weeks and months. No matter what your viewpoints, there has been much pain brought to light. In times such as this, I find solace turning off media outlets and turning to Scripture. James 1:2-3, "Consider it a pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the test of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  Each day I thank God for choosing to place me here at South Side among you, amazing peers! You bring energy, love, ideas, strength and God's LIGHT to our days. Your consistent countenance is a gift that lifts and holds tight not only the children God has placed in our care, but us as an extended family as well. What a true joy to be called to work this mission field with you. Thank you for your dedicated work. It's not always easy. But it's always God's good work. Thank you for your infectious joy. I'm always proud to tell and show visitors how much genuine enjoyment and enthusiasm you fill our hallways and classrooms with. Thank you for giving your heart to God. He is moving and doing great things through YOU! I am THANKFUL for YOU!

Time Cards
Paper time cards are due to Pat by 1:00 on Tuesday, November 22. For hourly employees, please email Pat your intended PD hours by 10:00 am on Wednesday so she can reflect the addition to your time card.

PD Morning
Here's the link from Dan. Nuff said? See you there. I'm looking forward to a morning of learning and reflecting together.

Christmas Gift Exchange
In light of our ensuing classroom Christmas parties, would you be willing to share this info in your blog this week? You may copy and paste or simply rewrite the message in your own words. Thank you.

As the Christmas season approaches our South Side staff has thoughtfully considered how to celebrate the birth of Christ with our students in grades K-2. In response to the urging of parents, and with the careful consideration of the staff, we would like to again celebrate with each other in our classrooms in the following way: rather than each student coming with enough little "things" (erasers, pencils, stickers, etc) for each student in the class, we ask that each boy come with one wrapped "boy"-labeled gift, and each girl come with one wrapped "girl"-labeled gift. These will be used as a part of games and activities on the last day before vacation. Please limit the value of these gifts to $3 only. Even though you may be able to find a great deal on a higher priced item for only $3, it helps us avoid some difficulty if the value of each item is actually $3. Please don't hesitate to communicate with me or with Miska if you have questions. Thank you!

May you each enjoy a restful weekend and a blessed Thanksgiving break!

BIG WEEK!

Let's bullet list our items for this week! Ain't nobody got time for the long drawn out blog today! Please know the time, work and heart you are pouring into your conference conversations goes a long way. You are loved and appreciated! Keep on keeping on! It's Thursday, but Friday's coming!

Christmas Tea 
WHAAAAT?!?! Yep. Our Christmas Tea has grown into a Christmas Luncheon (boy are y'all every loved by parent team!) Consider yourself cordially invited to our Christmas Luncheon, hosted by the parent team, from 11:45-12:30 on Wednesday, December 14.

Exposure Notification
Just to clarify, there will be no exposure notifications of any sort going home today.

Christmas Outreach
I will look further into Kids Food Basket and "Circles" with Good Samaritan Center.

Pizza For All
Potentially a Reading Incentive for all of our kids? Thank you to little Levi's family!

Work Orders
Paul Klokkert has put together a work order login system online. You can access those steps here: WORK ORDERS

Teachers Pay Teachers
Karen Strikwerda has kindly laid out the steps for ordering via invoice and purchase order with Teachers Pay Teachers. You can access those steps here: TEACHERS PAY TEACHERS

What a Week!

Well...South Side Sisters...it's nearing the end of an epic week! You have led your kids through meaningful learning experiences in the midst of Halloween, too much candy, thunderstorms, indoor recess, World Series excitement...oh my! Well done maintaining consistency, accountability and excellent, engaging learning for your students. It's been another full yet exciting week! Excellent work!

Staff Meeting
Please remember that we have our next staff meeting over the lunch hour on Thursday, November 10. We will circulate a menu for China Inn on Monday if you would like to order a "fun" lunch. Pat will collect the money and we'll make the run for the border (wrong continent) and pick up the goods before the meeting.

Please plan to have chapter 1 of The Differentiated Classroom read. We will talk through the discussion points with our groups.

Election on Tuesday
Thank you Jenna and Bailey for spearheading our exciting election...thank you, too, to Dee Dee for the reassuring devotional regarding this upcoming event. God is already there. We can find deep and true comfort in that fact! 

There is a sign-up sheet on the whiteboard for voting times for Tuesday. The polls will be located in the art room on Tuesday morning. If you are able to help transform the space from an inspiriting art room to a patriotic hub, please join us on Monday after school. Classroom teachers, there will be stickers in your mailbox to offer your little voters upon completion of their civic duty :) Remember, we will NOT be announcing the winner of the South Side election. Rather, we can tell our students that they will learn in the morning who our country has selected to be our next president. 


Delta Math Training 
All elementary staff be trained in Delta math. Years ago we utilized this assessment with our students. It is new and improved! On Tuesday, November 29 from 4:00-5:30 we will get all of the exciting details. Please plan to attend if you teach math.


Footloose

"Kick off your Sunday shoes" and come out to the HCHS Musical Footloose. Show dates are Thursday, November 17 through Saturday, November 19.

As staff members you get a 2 for 1 deal (2 tickets are listed at $5 a piece). Use the code “hsstaff” to purchase the two tickets at $5 instead of the normal $10. Purchase them online at: https://hchs.ludustickets.com/. 

Report Cards
Your students' parents will be instructed today how they can navigate to their child's report card online. If they ask you any questions, please direct them my way. I look forward to helping parents view their child's report :)

OAISD Die Cuts
If you're seeking new die cuts that the ISD has available for your use, Pat has an updated illustrated listing. Come and take a peek.

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

What a joy it is when we are able to join together in praising God for answered prayers! Certainly we know that God always directs our lives in His perfect wisdom. We have faith that He works all things for our good and for His glory. Today, we celebrate that three very specific prayers are answered yet again. Please join with me in celebrating little August's procedure. He's in class again learning, playing, and bopping around like nothing ever happened. What a blessing to see. Amanda, our hearts and minds walked with you last week. Praise God for holding our precious children in the soft, strong palm of His hands. The fact that the Phelps family is reuniting is equally glrorious. Kyle and Jen are once again coming together as husband and wife in raising their children. Praise God. God is faithful! Additionally, we celebrate with the Slenks that Dawn has received miraculous news! Three scans have shown her to be Leukemia free! Her first round of chemotherapy appears at this point to be successful!

iChat
HCS is now running all of our volunteers, parents and all, through the iChat background check system. Especially today, we owe our parents some level of precaution and verification that anyone volunteering in our buildings is safe with our students. So, for all volunteers in your classrooms or in the building, present or future, we’ll need 3 pieces of information: Name, DOB, and ethnicity. We will create a small form that you can have parents fill out have available for parents and volunteers to fill out in advance. Please see me if you have any questions regarding this new protocol. Thank you!

Delta Math Training 
All elementary staff be trained in Delta math. Years ago we utilized this assessment with our students. It is new and improved! On Tuesday, November 29 from 4:00-5:30 we will get all of the exciting details. Please plan to attend if you teach math.

SPARK and pen pal letters
We were originally aiming to have our pen pal letters for the Eagle College friends ready by Friday. Don't hesitate to talk with me if you need an extension on that time.

Can I help support your specific SPARK project? Are are we coming? :)

Staff Meeting
Our next staff meeting will be Thursday, November 10 over the lunch hour. Please plan to have chapter 1 of The Differentiated Classroom read. We will talk through the discussion points with our groups.

Oh! How We Love Jesus! ...and Todd :)

OK. My heart is still singing the praises offered so exuberantly by our children during Grandparents Day. Isn't that such a joyous morning of celebration? Thank you to every one of you for helping or hosting a classroom full of grandparents and kiddos. Pat and I heard nothing but pure joy and appreciation expressed from the departing wave of grandparents. It's no easy day and I know our rooms are beyond overflowing, but THANK YOU for sharing your passion for this calling with this generation of loving, supportive grandparents. 

And, oh my! Thank you to Todd! He has been SPINNING this week. All behind the scenes, before school, after school...you name it, he's been doing it. Thank you, Todd, for doing your part to pull this event off so seamlessly. He was working to help seat older folks in chairs and then wheeling their walkers out to an impromptu "walker parking lot". He rolled oxygen tanks out once the owner was properly situated. Todd opened the gates and directed traffic with a smile. As you see in the above photo, he even came to the rescue for a mom who ran out of gas in carpool...IN THE RAIN! Thanks for all you do, Todd. We have a strawberry cheesecake with your name on in tomorrow morning. 

LOVE

Thank you for sharing prayers, comments and love with Gretchen and Stacia this past Sunday. Here is a message I received from Gretchen which she asked me to share with you: 

"I'm not always sure what goes on at South Side, but this weekend  my family andI was the recipient of a team of teachers, and friends who poured out love, thoughts, and prayers for my family since it marked the 1 year since Dave's death.  I can't even begin to explain how this support has carried me through this past year.  When I am at peace--it is because of you prayer warriors interceding on my behalf.  So whether you want to call it "Love Does" or "Life Together" or "All In"----I know others care.  Please thank your team for this!

So privileged to belong to this HC family!"

Collaboration Days

Nuff Said? 

Feeding the masses
Our hot lunch count has been oddly off recently. This can cause the second grade servers to walk away with something they were not expecting to eat. We do pad the count with a few extras, but we're even tipping beyond that from time to time. If you have a little one who is tardy or makes a late lunch choice, please remember to inform Pat so the order can be adjusted accordingly. Thank you!

Report Cards
Keep in mind, please, report cards are due in Gradebook by Tuesday. Pat and I will get them printed and into your hands by Wednesday at the close of the day for distribution. They will go home next Wednesday, October 19.

Calendar Items
Please take note on our staff calendar, we will have hearing and vision testing for our kids on October 25-27. 

Picture Retake Day
School picture retakes will be on October 27 in the morning. Please mention this in your blog. If students would like a retake, they must bring back their original packet for a trade in. 

Abide With Me

Click here to listen to the high school band play a tribute to Mr. Witte

Witte Address

If your class is working on sending letters to the Witte family, their address is:
Shari, Katelyn, Jared and Lucas Witte
3747 Elm Ridge Drive
Holland, MI 49424

Staff Meeting

This one snuck up on me. We do have a staff meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 11 during the lunch hour. If you are not able to attend the entire time, please don't sweat it. We'll begin with a SPARK workshop time and from 12:05-12:30 we'll working on differentiation...more details on Tuesday.

High School Communications Class

Greg Schemper has sent the proposed agenda. Unfortunately, there are not enough sessions for the number of classes that we have. Kindergarten was easy to schedule due to encore. The chosen classes to serve as an audience for the high school kids is truly a random draw. If this schedule is acceptable, let's keep in mind that VanMeeteren's, Bohle/Becksfort, Hunderman/Dreyer will get dibs on the next fun opportunity. Does that sound doable and somewhat equitable? I'm sorry that we don't have enough high school kids coming for all of our classes:

• Tuesday, October 11 from 2:00-2:30 (SS students will dismiss during recess): Mrs. Strikwerda and Mrs. Johnson

• Wednesday, October 12 from 9:10-9:45: Miss Sapp and Mrs. Ritsema

• Wednesday, October 12 from 11:00-11:30: Miss Snoeyink's class divided into two groups

Grandparents Day Practice

Nancy Mulder is not able to accompany our K-2 practice in the afternoon next Wednesday. Ruth Klaasen is able to but not until 2:00. Can we shuffle our grandparents practice to 2:10ish to close to the end of the day? Then Ruth is able to accompany next Wednesday, October 12.

Math Non-Negotiables

Just putting it in print so we have no confusion: our two agreed upon components of elementary math learning at HC are 5-days per week of math and fact fluency included at some point in each math lesson. Yes?

Webinar

I understand we have some major changes impending regarding our pension plan. Please keep yourself informed. Monday, October 10 from 5:00-7:00 you can attend the webinar in the lecture hall or Tuesday, October 11 from 7:00-9:00.

Eagle College

Jamie Lanser's SPARK project this year is developing a meaningful relationship between Eagle College and South Side students. Guess what! She has matched every K-2 student with an Eagle College student to become pen pals. Isn't that awesome?!? Thank you, Jamie! In your box you will soon receive your class list with a new name assigned to each of your students. These are your students' pen pals. You may use this opportunity as a homework assignment, morning work project, Fun Friday activity...however you wish. If you would be willing to bring your class set of letters to Pat by Friday, October 28 we'll send them out!

Gretchen and Stacia Vogelzang 

Sunday marks the one year anniversary of Dave's death. Please, let's flood their email accounts with love, encouragement, meaningful scripture passages and prayers for our hurting friends.

Life Together

...and what if our hearts do not feel ready to be healed yet? What if our hearts are too broken to think about beginning the healing process? The Lord hears our moans. He wipes away the tears on our cheeks. Romans 8:26. He hears the prayers we cannot mutter. God also places us in community. As was so beautifully stated by Dan this week, let's continue to walk with one another carrying this heavy yoke for so many. Dan encouraged us to "Keep it up—not by trying to find the perfect platitude that will solve everyone’s pain, but by just showing up, putting an arm around someone and finding a small way to carry their burden for a little while". Providing normalcy for your students has been a bit exhausting this week. But you have provided this so honestly, faithfully and beautifully. I pray you are each able to find a bit of rest this weekend. 

But the story of life on this side of heaven doesn't end there! Thankfully! Sarah, words fail me as I attempt to communicate the JOY that your South Side Sisters' hearts explode with as we soak in this photo. 1,000 words and beyond. Your little David is a blessing beyond measure. God's goodness and love wrapped in a perfect 7 pound, 7 ounce package. Congratulations Ross and Sarah. God has richly blessed you <3

Communications Class
Greg Schemper's communications class has asked if they could come back and present their "how to"s to our students. He just stated today that his students are finding comfort in the work on these projects. October 11-12. At this point, he'll need a class room for his kids to present to on Tuesday, October 11 for the last period of the day, or during part of the morning on Wednesday, October 12. If you do NOT want to have your class participate, would you please let me know? We'll try to firm up the schedule next week. Thank you!

Data Meetings/Running Record
As we've mentioned previously, our date meetings are being postponed. Once classroom teachers feel like you have a decent prediction on when you will have your class set of data inputted on our data sheets, we'll set those meetings. I'm ballparking perhaps the second or third week of October?

Hope for Kids Mexico
Please keep in mind that Hope for Kids Mexico will be hosting an evening informing local partners, we are the sister school of Eagle College, of their progress, updates and God's faithfulness in that community. The following are the details:

Pension Plan Information 
I understand we have some major changes impending regarding our pension plan. Please keep yourself informed. Monday, October 10 from 5:00-7:00 you can attend the webinar in the lecture hall or Tuesday, October 11 from 7:00-9:00. Sounds like must see TV to me!

Supportive Community

Do you know who these wonderful people are in this photo? These are the volunteers who work faithfully and diligently to make Christian Education an option for students at Holland Christian and Zeeland Christian. These folks are many of the faces who work at DITTO. Thanks to their hard work and faithful commitment, each child in your class receives $195 off of their tuition bill. The DITTO store is able to offer $39,000 PER MONTH to our schools! Even though we have so many to select from, I often find myself at a loss for words. A simple "thank you" and warm smile simply doesn't seem adequate for all they do. Hmm...is there a SPARK opportunity here if you're still looking? It is quite a ministry!

CEA reimbursement
HC gifts all teaching staff with the opportunity to grow and learn together at the CEA convention every year. This year the convention is in South Bend. The expectation is that all teaching staff will attend both days unless you have been excused. The following stipend is being offered for staff:

$125--for teachers who travel down on Thursday, stay overnight and travel back at the close of the convention on Friday.

$100--for teachers who travel back and forth and attend both days of the convention.

Will you please find me at the convention and let me know which of the two options you have decided to accept? I'll be on the look out for you as well. Thank you.

Literacy Instruction
We had a very informative, albeit brief, meeting with Erin on Thursday. I will be sure to invite her back again so we can continue our talking points. I'll capture a few pieces of our conversation here:

Instructional level is what we report to parents on our report cards. For first and second grade running record scores entered on the data spreadsheets that are blue and green are 3. Scores that are yellow will be a 2. Red is a 1. Please don't hesitate to ask if that does not come across clearly to you.

Leveled Letter Grades on report cards: please feel free to use your professional judgement when reporting your students' reading levels. This reading level may also be communicated during your parent/teacher conference time as well.


Fire Alarm
How about that! Our first alarm is on the fritz! So....no starting fires in classrooms for AT LEAST the next week, please. If you do find yourself in non-compliance with that request (in other words, if you do start a fire in your classroom) please push the black button on the wall in your classroom to inform the office. If you hear Pat or me over the intercom (I'll likely be the one out of breath!) informing the school that we are conducting a "fire alarm" please follow fire drill protocol. We will let you know what the system is up and running again. It should be early next week.

SPARK

What a great week it's been! It's not quite so toasty, children are learning procedures, they are learning to make new friends and enjoy their "old" friends and they are truly becoming members of their new class! Thank you EACH for doing your part to provide a loving place for children to grow and develop!

SPARK
At our staff meeting last week, we talked about each classroom teacher praying, dreaming and reflecting on adopting a "mission" or SPARK focus for at least one quarter. God has provided each of you with unique life experiences. Every one of us has different passions and connections. Bringing our children into those experiences has the potential to be much more meaningful that the "once and done" SPARK model we have utilized in the past. We have a google doc with each teacher's name listed. You may choose to focus on a project with another classroom or with just your own. Pat and I will help provide you with contact information, bussing, resources, supplies, whatever you find you might need to make meaningful connections with the area you choose to let your children work and shine God's love and joy. If possible, please try to add your focus area to this document by next Friday, September 23. Please don't hesitate to talk with me if you need support or ideas. Thank you!

David Mosterd 
David Mosterd will be visiting us on Tuesday, the 20th around lunchtime and for a little while after lunch. If you have any questions or need to pick his brain for classroom ideas or SPARK ideas, please be sure to seek him out.

Sharing Burden and the Truth and Hope We Share

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

God has called you and equipped you to share His love, joy and light. Your work is beautiful and you do it so well.

Walk with God

What a comfort to know that we live in God's hands. We're not too small. We're not too insignificant. God cares. God hears. God listens. As a community of believers, we continue to lift many whom we love before our Maker and ask for a special measure of His grace and to make His presence and goodness known in these hurting lives. May we be used as instruments of His peace, particularly in the lives of these little children. 

Discovery Assessment
Please remember, the testing window has been set. September 7-23 our students' accounts will be active. Please generate a code for our first and second grade students in reading and math.

SPARK

Thank you for your willingness to newly dream about our SPARK program. The servant living life lesson opportunities are so rich. To "adopt" a cause for one quarter to grow into rather than a once and done philosophy does open new doors and ideas. I encourage you to pray and reflect on the unique experience God has placed in your path which perhaps you may be able to unpack with your students. Please talk with me if you need ideas, guidance or contacts. 

Grandparents Day

At the conclusion of our staff meeting, we have decided to hold our K-2 grandparents day celebration similarly as we have in the past. Grandparents will be invited into our classrooms and they may navigate between their grandchildren as needed. 

For preparation in the classroom:

Kinders will recite a verse or two of Psalm 8

1st Grade will recite Psalm 23

2nd Grade will recite Psalm 100

Our song list if/when you have time to practice:

"This is the Day"

"Touch Your Finger.....I Love You..."

"Hey Kids Do You Love Jesus"

"Step by Step"

"I Am The Way"

"My God is so Great"

Vision and Hearing Testing

Our students will be tested for vision and hearing screening between September 21-23. 

Walk-a-thon

Money is due on Monday. Preschool will be walking around South Side on Wednesday morning. Bussing details will be coming soon. We'll be walking the track at the high school for 45 minutes or so. 

Picture Day

Our school pictures will be taken on both Wednesday, September 14 (yes! Same day as walk-a-thon...yipes!) and Thursday, September 15. Because we are going to wear our walk-a-thon t-shirts that afternoon, we'll need to allow the students who have their pictures taken on Wednesday to change out of "picture day clothes" into their walk-a-thon t-shirts. The following is our picture day schedule:

Wednesday, September 14--Tammy's 3s class and all of second gradeThursday, September 15--everyone else!

Please don't hesitate to ask for clarification if needed.

Hope for Kids Mexico

Thursday, October 6 at Immanuel Church. Please ask for directions if you are able to attend. 

Key Inventory

Thank you for giving up your keys for a bit so we can inventory our smattering of keys. As you can see from our chart thus far, we have some consistency issues that we will address. If you have not had the chance to turn in your keys, would you be willing to do that within the next few school days? Thank you!

Data Meetings

Our first quarter data meetings are set! The week of October 3 we will meet with each grade level during encore time. Please refer to Monday and Tuesday, October 3 & 4 for your grade level meeting time. First and Second grade, please input the beginning of the year data for your class on the data spreadsheet. Kindergarten, we just need your anecdotal notes/observations on your students. We will talk about the appropriate accommodations for students at our meeting. 

Full Steam Ahead!

Grab a fork...this is a beefy blog!

Doors, Windows and Fans
We're going to lead this beefy blog with a basic but important notice. Over the weekend, the crash bars on the doors have been faithfully holding the doors open for someone incoming, likely and understandably with their hands full. The side gym door has been propped open, likely again to allow for easy come and go as we're bringing in supplies for the school-year set up. However, as you know, we need South Side to be a secure building for our people and our materials. Please be extra conscientious of doors and windows. All should be closed and locked as you exit. Thank you for your care!

Just to keep our energy costs down...please double check that your classrooms fans are off as well. Thank you!

Early Childhood Tailgate Event for your blog:

Here are the details:

When:  Friday-September 16
Time: 5:00-7:00 pm
Where:  Holland Christian High School

This is a FREE event for all preschool and kindergarten and their IMMEDIATE family members that will be held during the Holland Christian Homecoming weekend.  Families will receive wristbands for a free meal as well as tickets to get into the football game prior the event.  Please RSVP with your child's teacher with the number of wristbands you need by SEPTEMBER 9.  After SEPTEMBER 9 wristbands may be purchased on the website.  The Early Childhood department will be hosting a variety of activities along with others for the kiddos before the game.  

Walk-a-thon
Please be sure that your students' packets have been sent home. Money will need to be turned into the office on Monday, September 12. T-shirts for preschool through second grade students will be available and need to be worn on Wednesday, September 14.

Picture Day
Our school pictures will be taken on both Wednesday, September 14 (yes! Same day as walk-a-thon...yipes!) and Thursday, September 15. Because we are going to wear our walk-a-thon t-shirts that afternoon, we'll need to allow the students who have their pictures taken on Wednesday to change out of "picture day clothes" into their walk-a-thon t-shirts. The following is our picture day schedule:

Wednesday, September 14--Tammy's 3s class and all of second grade
Thursday, September 15--everyone else!

Please don't hesitate to ask for clarification if needed.

Kuyers Institute 
October 3 in the Lecture Hall the Kuyers Institute will present their findings from year 2 at 7:00.

Outdoor Play Conference 
Wednesday, October 5 the Outdoor Discovery Center will be hosting a presentation and workshop on outdoor play and learning at 7:00 p.m.

Discovery Assessment
The testing window has just been set. September 7-23 our students' accounts will be active. Please generate a code for our first and second grade students in reading and math.

No Regular Chapel Next Wednesday. We'll Have Convocation Instead
Nuff said.

Convocation
The convocation will be held from 9:00 to approximately 9:30 at the high school. We will load busses between 8:30-8:40 a.m.
Classes will return in reverse order listed.

Bus #4 on the 1st run (Kirsten Grassmid-driver)
2nd-Dreyer/Hunderman
2nd-Snoeyink
2nd-Ritsema

Bus #721(Dick Landman-driver)
JK- Lanser
1st- Bohle/Becksfort
1st- Sapp
1st- VanMeeteren

Bus#50 on the 1st run (Dan Vos-driver)
K- Johnson
K- Strikwerda

Bus #4 on the 2nd run (Kirsten Grassmid-driver)
PK-Lubbers
PK-VanRees

Buss #50 on the 2nd run (Dan Vos-driver)
HC(2)
PK3's Grassmid
PK4's Baker

Grand total 266  WOW! :)


Staff Meeting
Please keep Thursday, Sept. 8 from 11:40-12:30 for the K-2 staff meeting.
Thursday, Sept. 8 from 3:45-4:45 will be the cross-town preschool staff meeting.

Key Clean Up
We have a vast variety of keys with our staff. I also have inherited a lock box of mystery keys in the office. For everyone's sake, I'd like to clean up the keys we have in our possession. We will have Key Clean Up Day on Monday, September 12. Please keep your key card on your person on that day. If you would be willing to give Pat or me your key labeled with your name, we'll be working with Bob Terpstra and Paul Klokkert that day to be sure everyone is issued a uniform key to your room and the building.

Parent Teacher Conferences
Our school calendar has been adjusted to give us 180 days, aligning with the new state requirements. In an effort to avoid schooling until mid-June, we will no longer have the Friday after conferences off. Rather than holding conferences until mid-8:00 on two evenings, we are going to try to spread the time slots out throughout the week without going too late into your schedules. However, families with two working parents have expressed concern about the last time slot available being 5:20. Therefore, the following will be our schedule for parent-teacher conferences:

Monday-3:40-5:40
Tuesday-3:40-5:40
Wednesday-3:40-5:40
Thursday-5:00-7:00

Oh my! Are you still with me? Thank you for plowing through all of this content. Don't hesitate to talk with me about any of these pieces.

Week 1 = Roaring Success!

Amen and Amen! 

What a wonderfully, busy, bonding, exhausting glorious week it at been at South Side! Ice Cream Social and Parent Night is under our belts. A week of teaching a practicing procedures is behind us. Celebrating the new hearts and lives who will sit at your feet for the year is in process. Groundwork is being laid for an exceptional year of growing stronger in God's grace...of singing like never before...of doing this life together for God's glory...of being All In in all that we do! My prayer is you have the opportunity to sit for a bit, in a cool spot this weekend, and thank God for walking you through this first week. It has been filled with God's goodness and faithfulness.

Little Caroline
As you may have already heard or read little Caroline Kanis, fourth grader at Rose Park, received amazing news late Wednesday night. Our staff has prayed, our students have prayed, our families are praying, our community has beseeched God for Caroline's healing. In March she was diagnosed with a DIPG tumor. The prognosis with this type of tumor is dire. No child has ever survived this diagnosis. God has heard and answered our prayers. In her MRI reading on Wednesday doctors shared with her parents that the spot in Caroline's brain, where once was located a large tumor, is now only a collection of dead cells. My feeble understanding is likely grossly under communicating this finding. But, at South Side, we are praising God with the sound of trumpets, horns, 5-gallon buckets, kazoos...whatever our hearts can get our hands on...PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

Staff Meeting
Our staff meetings will alternate days this year. We'll continue to hold our meetings over the lunch hour to accommodate as many schedules as we are able. Our first staff meeting will be held on September 8 beginning as close to 11:40 as we are able. Our agenda will include the following:
Discipleship Practice motion training ;)
Makers Space project
SPARK ideation
Grandparents Day

Let's get it done!

Oldest and Only/Transportation Home Forms
As soon as possible, would you please bring those forms to Pat? Thank you

Convocation
For your radar, our all-school convocation will take place on Wednesday, September 7. We have bus details arranged and will share those out as the date approaches. In terms of your schedule, we'll depart between 8:40-8:50 and should return between 9:40-9:50.

We're Rolling!

Look closely....school doesn't "start" for like another 72 hours. I've got time to work out the kinks. 

Welcome back South Side Team! What a joy to spend this week praising, worshipping, learning, listening and working with you. I've missed my friends :) Karen, I know I speak for everyone when I say our whole day and approach to the start of the school year has taken on such a celebratory tone once you shared Tom's update. Praise The Lord with the sound of trumpets and anything else we can get our hands on right now. 

Ice Cream Social Start

Please join me outside at the front doors at 6:20. We'll catch parents there and begin our "welcome back" conversations. At 6:30 we'll pray and walk into school together. I'm praying over each of you for tonight as you meet your new children and open your hearts to walk alongside families in growing children to more deeply know, see and love our loving God. 

Parent Night

Our format for parent night will be just as it has been in the past. SOME parents will come to school beginning at 7:00. They will visit their classroom from 7:00-7:30. I will chatter at ALL of the parents from 7:30-8:00 in the gym. Then the last batch of parents will visit their classroom from 8:00-8:30. In an attempt to be equitable in terms of timing, we try to alternate teachers each year from "first shift" and "second shift". Here is our schedule for parent night:

6:00-7:00  Preschool parents meet directly in their child's classroom

7:00-7:30: Kindergarten--Mrs. Strikwerda

                  First Grade--Mrs. Bohle/Mrs. Becksfort

                  Second Grade--Mrs. Dreyer/Mrs. Hunderman

                  Second Grade--Miss Snoeyink

7:30-8:00   All parents in the gym

8:00-8:30  Kindergarten-Mrs. Johnson

                 First Grade--Mrs. VanMeeteren

                 First Grade--Miss Sapp

                 Second Grade--Mrs. Ritsema

Any issues? Please let me know. Otherwise, we'll inform parents of this in our elementary blog post tomorrow afternoon. 

Shirt Sizes

Parent team has been working throughout the summer to pick just the right design and color for our walk-a-thon t-shirts. One way we can show our appreciation and support of their efforts is to promptly provide them with t-short sizes for the kids in our classes. Would you please pass a class list around during your parent night talk so parents can quickly jot down S, M or L in child size next to their child's name? Let us know if you would like us to provide you with a class roster hard copy. We'll zip it into your box. 

A Few Touch Points

We're in the final lap! This post will be brief just to ensure we're closing out on the same page:

Running Record Data
Not all students have updated running record scores. When you are able, please input that data as Erin is soon running her reports detailing our reading growth and interventions. Thank you!

Discovery Assessment Scores
Classroom teachers, your score sheets have been printed and placed in your mailbox. These are for your review. Then please place them in the students' cums.

Alternate snacks in freezer
In your class blogs, would you please ask parents who have taken alternate snacks for their children to bring them back home? We have several varieties in the freezer. Thank you!

Clean Refrigerator
Speaking of bringing home food, if you have condiments, drinks, food, experiments in the staff center refrigerator, would you please bring that home? It will soon be purged.

Final Chapel
I have had several parents ask if we are going to do the Second Grade Blessing chapel. Would you please include this notice in your classroom blog? We will hold our final chapel and send off our second graders beginning at 10:45 on Friday, June 3. After chapel, you may bring your class back to your classroom to pray together and say good-bye.

Kindergarten Visiting Day
Our new kinders will be visiting us on Tuesday from 8:30-9:30. How exciting :)

Field Day
Chris will provide details for our fun Field Day which will take place also on Tuesday in the afternoon.

Report Cards
Are due Wednesday, please, so we can print them and stuff them for you. If you are done early, please let Pat or me know and we'll print them early for you.

Class Lists
If parents ask, or if you'd like to inform them in your blog, class lists will be publicized via a power announcement on Friday afternoon, June 3.

Laugh and Lunch
After saying good-bye to our children on Friday, June 3, please plan to eat together in the staff center beginning at noon. We will have a time to celebrate as well as be updated on a few items for next year.

June 6 and 7 
On Monday, June 6 teaching staff will meet at the high school from 8:00-3:30.
On Tuesday, June 7 all staff are invited to meet at the high school from 8:00-12:00--big breakfast served along with a coffee barista that morning beginning at 7:30.

I lied. This post became longer and longer as I went along. It wasn't brief at all, was it! Thanks for hanging in there through all this nitty gritty. I'm looking so forward to time to celebrate YOU, your work, your gifts, your calling and your servant hearts!!! 

Looking Toward Next Year!

Preschool Staffing News

Join me in thanking our amazing Preschool Team for another great year of equipping, nurturing, and transforming our children for Jesus Christ.  With the end of the year in sight we want to say a huge "Thank YOU" to some staff members who will not be returning in the Fall - Mrs. Heather DeBoer (Rose Park), Mrs. Julie Wright (Rose Park), and Ms. Tabitha Tolsma (South Side) will be exploring new roads in their journey and we so appreciate their dedication and commitment to all the students and families at Holland Christian this past year.  We pray that God will continue to bless them and keep them and make His light shine through them and in them.

Mrs. Rysnburger will be also be taking on the role of Preschool Director for Holland Christian as Mrs. Brouwer will be heading back to the classroom at Rose Park as well as South Side.  Mrs. Brouwer will continue to work as a Curriculum Director for the Preschool Program.

At this point here is our Preschool Teaching Staff for 2016-2017

THREESCHOOL

• Mrs. Tammy Grassmid (South Side)

4's PRESCHOOL

• Mrs. Dawn Baker - 3/5 day (South Side)
• We are hiring two new 3 day teachers for our South Side campus and will share that information with you as soon as they are in place.

JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN

• Mrs. Jamie Lanser (South Side)

ENRICHMENT

• Mrs. Amanda Brouwer (South Side)
• Mrs. Tammy Grassmid (South Side)
• Mrs. Dawn Baker (South Side)
• Mrs. Lisa VanKampen and Mrs. Dawn Houskamp (South Side)

Running Records
One end-of-year running record for each child, with helpful notes taken, will need to be passed on to next year's teacher. The running record must be taken at his/her independent level.
Due by Wednesday, June 1 so we can print and stuff your report cards. They will go home on the last day of school.

Kindergarten Visiting Day
Our brand new kinders will be visiting on Tuesday, May 31. We can't wait to welcome our little newbies.

Special Chapel

We are going to FaceTime with children from Beautiful Gate for our chapel celebration on Wednesday, May 25. Their chapel time begins at 9:00 our time. We will begin our chapel at the typical 8:30 start time to learn about the work God has been doing at Beautiful Gate with a variety of people including HC High School students and our very own Chris Rosencrans. They will teach us a bit about how their lives have been blessed by the children in South Africa and likewise the opportunity God has afforded them in doing His work. Then at 9:00, we will sing together via FaceTime until about 9:15. 

Final Chapel Time
Let's hold the final chapel on Friday, June 3 at 10:45. We will celebrate God's goodness together and pray over our second graders. We've given them everything we've got and it's time to send them off South Side style. After praying, we'll again line the halls and applaud as the newly crowned third graders make their way down the hallway.

Report Cards
Due by Wednesday, June 1 so we can print and stuff your report cards. They will go home on the last day of school.

June 3 
Please plan on meeting in the staff center for lunch and some touch points from 11:45-1:00.

June 6 and 7 
On Monday, June 6 we will meet at the high school from 8:00-3:30.
On Tuesday, June 7 we will meet at the high school from 8:00-12:00--big breakfast served that morning beginning at 7:30.

Ed Camp

Please note the Ed Camp "Help Wanted" sign in the staff center. If you or you and a few cohorts are willing to share a learning experience or technique that has gone well for you recently, ie. implementing math workshop, use of technology, furthering and differentiating reading and writing curricula (each of you have unique areas you SHINE in these realms!) and are willing to share with other staff interested in growing on June 6 in the afternoon, please feel free to sign up on the "Ed Camp" poster in the staff center. 

Communication Checklist
You will soon receive the student communication checkists for your grade level in your mailboxes. Please mark the essentials on the front. Rather than writing a narrative on the back, we will have time to talk between grade levels on our Friday, June 3 staff meeting.