Hurricane Help

Happy Friday, South Side! I love to hear the stories you're telling about your kids! We're slowly beginning to see small successes already and tales of triumph. Karen's devotions were SO encouraging! "When they are having their worst days, we must have our best." Boy, only by the grace of God.... Your love, care, desire to learn and dependence on God's strength is a testament to your desire to offer God your gifts in response to his love and mercy showered upon us!

Would you please copy and paste this into your class blog today?

Hurricane Relief
In an effort to do our tiny part in offering shalom to chaos, we would like to invite you to help your child respond to the needs of people in turmoil after the wake of Hurricane Harvey. We have been in contact with the principal of a school in Victoria, TX. There is a preschool through fifth grade school building, FW Gross Elementary, which has sustained a great deal of devastation. The principal, Mrs. Noble, tells us the families are in need of school supplies and basic life essentials. They have lost so much. In order to help meet their needs, would you be willing to donate a pair or two of socks and or package of underwear? I know this seems like an odd request, but children have lost so much and need the essentials. We will have a barrel near the office which our children can toss in new packages of socks and underwear. Because the need is immediate, we would like to ship the items to the families in Victoria, TX soon. The Hurricane Relief Drive will wrap up next Friday, September 15 at which point we will ship the socks and underwear to little ones in need in Texas. Thank you for your help

CEA Attendance
If you are NOT going to attend CEA, would you please let me know by the end of today? Otherwise, we'll pay the entry fee for ALL teaching staff K-2. If you are not a K-2 teacher but would like to attend, you are more than welcome and we will pay your entry fee as well. Please let me know this as well and we'll include you in the count. Thank you!

Classroom Recycler
I met with Paul this week and he has a request. Could you please charge your star helper (or some such other classroom job) with carrying your blue recycle tub to the large, blue recycle tub in the hallway and empty the contents. It is a big help if each classroom tub is emptied by a student. Preschool? Can your little people handle that? Tammy, could a before or after school care person be in charge of that. It might be in the Bruinsma girls' genes! ;)

Close windows and turn off fans please
Raphie has been doing an AMAZING job vacuuming our floors at the close of the day. Would you please ensure that YOU close your classroom windows and turn off your fans. This is not something that is on Raphies' job description.

Staff Meeting
We will have our September staff meeting on Thursday over the lunch hour. Thank you for your prompt attendance.

Protect Your Eyes

We are excited to welcome Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes (www.protectyoungeyes.com) to Holland Christian on Monday, September 25. Protect Young Eyes exists to give busy parents and hyper-connected kids the information and tools they need to use technology awesomely. Chris McKenna founded Protect Young Eyes in response to the growing demand from parents at his church for information to help them navigate our digital culture. Chris will be speaking with 5th-8th graders during the day on the 25th. Please follow this link if you would like to see an outline of the topics Chris will be covering with each grade.

We are also inviting the entire Holland Christian Community to meet with Chris as well. He will be speaking to parents on September 25 from 7-8:30 pm in the High School Auditorium.We hope to see you here!  One of the greatest needs we hear from parents is help with how to use the Internet and technology with their kids. We look forward to partnering with you in this ongoing conversation. Our goal is that you walk away from these presentations equipped and encouraged.

Tornado Drill

Monday at 9:45 :)