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.