Merry Christmas, Friends!

The Christ Candle

It stirs my soul to peek in and watch children participating in the ritual of advent. We do the same with our children at home. At home we've been using a devotional writing by the pastoral staff at our church. I'd like to share an excerpt from this devotional for Monday, Christmas Eve.

"On this Christmas Eve, the day that marks the end of the Advent season, we light the Christ candle, the candle that all the other Advent candles have foreshadowed and pointed to. The Christ candle signifies that the fullness of God's light has come into our world. It reminds us that God has not forgotten his promises to us. Even though we wait in the "darkness," even though the darkness may feel overwhelming at time, God's light shines in the darkness. "The darkness has not overcome it". The darkness will not overcome God's light. The Christ candle offers a reminder of this hope. We light the Christ candle on Christmas Eve when the amount of daylight we receive is at its lowest point in the year. In the midst of darkness that almost seems to overwhelm, God's light still shines.

As you extinguish the Christ candle and go to bed (please extinguish all candles before going to bed), take time to remember that just as your house will suddenly be at its darkest, God's light will continue to shine. Thank God that you will wake to house full of light in the morning. Thank God that even when the world seemed to be at its darkest, when Jesus' life was extinguished, there was still hope. God's light would shine once again in Jesus' resurrection, and God's light will shine again when Jesus returns. Even if the world feels at its darkest for you right now, God's light will shine. You can rest in God just as you rest in your bed at night. You can do so with the assurance that Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Where's Miska? 
I hope after the new year the admin side of life at HC will slow and settle a bit. You have all been so gracious about my coming and going so much. I look forward to being able to be much more present in classrooms and learning space. Each of you contribute to South Side/Forest School life in amazing, impactful ways. On a corner of the white board in the staff center I have put a little "Where's Miska" note. Each day I will write when and where I'm going if I'm leaving the building. My hope is not that I think you're interested in what I'm doing and where! 😅 Rather, if you are looking to catch me in person, this will help you know how and where to get in touch with me.

Winter MAP Testing window from January 14-25

Makers Week
Our week for Makers Week will be the week of February 4. If you haven't already, please spin your wheels a bit in what STEM experience you would be willing to offer to our students. We will hold make sessions M-Th. Friday will be our culminating celebration from 11:00-11:30. Let me know if you want a little help kicking around ideas.

Have a blessed and Merry Christmas! See you in 2019! 

A Season of Waiting

Like you, I'm so grateful for the news Karen VM was able to share about Bob's results after surgery. But, at the same time, they continue to find themselves waiting for further results. We have other staff members who are quietly in a season of waiting for results or signs of hope in their personal lives as well. Many of the families who we love and serve also find themselves in a period of unknowns waiting to hear and receive God's voice and comfort in life. The candles we light at advent are a poignant reminder that God is not far. God is near. He hears our prayers, even the ones we don't know how to put to words. May each of you find true hope and comfort in our God who is with us. May God give strong feet for the path that can be a challenging road. Remember that road leads to the manger. In that manger is the truth that God is with us and always will be. As you step away from the classroom this weekend to celebrate the third week of advent: joy! May your hearts be filled with JOY in overflowing abundance. 

Kids Food Basket
Teachers, please sign up for our Kids Food Basket Packing Event on Wednesday, December 19 using this link. 

Parent Team Tea
You are invited to attend a lunch gifted to each of you beloved staff members by the parent team. This will take place on Thursday, December 20 over the lunch hour. Please put out the 'all call' for parent coverage in your classroom over the lunch hour.


Moody Bible College Visitor
This one is not a party. Emma, a student from Moody Bible College has asked to shadow and observe elementary teachers all day long on Monday, December 17. Please let me know if you would prefer that she does not visit your classroom on that day.

Poinsettia Sales
We have the dollars and cents calculated. Thank you for promoting this sale. Thank you to our Poinsettia Dream Team for putting in the additional hours and stress to pull this off. I have taken the total and allocated 100% of the profits so that full time teachers receive a 100% cut of the profit to spend on instruction/student learning. Part-time teacher receive a 50% cut of the profit. As you might imagine, this line doesn't cut neatly. Please don't hesitate at all to talk with me if this feels inequitable to you. It's much healthier for all of us if you would be courageous enough to ask me to reexamine this allotment rather than have hurt feelings or feel under-valued. By all means, these dollars are meant to be an expression of appreciation for your hard work and allow you to dream a bit about your instruction/lessons/spaces with some real dollars and cents. Thank you ALL for everything you do to equip minds and nurture hearts to transform the world for Jesus Christ! 

In an effort to be transparent, here is the allocation of funds which totaled $1,280:

Sarah Becksfort: $51.20
Michelle Dreyer: $51.20
Michelle Engbers: $102.40
Ron Harig: $102.40
Sheri Hunderman: $51.20
Jenna Ritsema: $102.40
Karen Strikwerda: $102.40
Karina Schebor: $102.40
Karen VanMeeteren: $102.40
Christy Haig: $102.40
Michelle Maldonado: $51.20
Dawn Baker: $51.20
Tammy Grassmid: $51.20
Jamie Lanser/Lisa VanKampen: $51.20
Leanne VanRees: $51.20
Shelly Boer: $51.20
Helena Hoogland/Tina Meckley: $51.20
Mary Hofman: $51.20
Gerrit VanKlaveren: $51.20
Febe Gomez: $51.20

In Prayer

Thank you for your continued prayers for the VanMeeterens. What a journey this has been and you each have been a true broom tree for them in this difficult and emotional journey. I am happy to share an update about Bob. Yesterday's procedure was successful. Karen reports that Bob is looking better today than he did yesterday. They hope he can come home and rest in his own space soon. Please continue to pray over them. The recovery road can be an arduous one particularly at the beginning. They will have a follow up appointment on Monday or Tuesday to hear the next steps in this recovery. Bring Bob Home effort we hope and pray will be underway soon.

Stan Koster
On the table in the staff center is a section of white poster board. Former superintendent of Holland Christian Schools, Stan Koster, is battling ALS disease. If you feel comfortable and called, please sign this card with a note of encouragement before Friday. This will be gifted to him with the hopes he knows he is remembered and appreciated.

Parent Team Tea
You are invited to attend a lunch gifted to each of you beloved staff members by the parent team. This will take place on Thursday, December 20 over the lunch hour. Please put out the 'all call' for parent coverage in your classroom over the lunch hour.

Board of Trustees/Staff Christmas Celebration
Pile on the love! The board has invited all beloved staff to a Christmas Social Celebration on Wednesday, December 12 at 3:45 in the cafeteria.

South Side Christmas Festivities
Secret Snowman begins next week Monday. The fun will be Tami Schippers' house, 6177 Terra Vita Way, on Thursday, December 13 beginning at 4:00.

Moody Bible College Visitor
This one is not a party. Emma, a student from Moody Bible College has asked to shadow and observe elementary teachers all day long on Monday, December 17. Please let me know if you would prefer that she does not visit your classroom on that day.

Tis the Season

Board/Staff Christmas Celebration 

The Board of Trustees will soon be inviting you to a Christmas celebration at the high school. This is planned for Wednesday, December 12 @ 3:45. It should last for about 45 minutes or so. Please put this on your calendar as they desire to both wish you a Merry Christmas and offer their gratitude to you for the work you pour into this calling which makes Holland Christian an ever-growing, loving place for children to grow and know Christ's love.

FS Discovery Night

Forest School will be hosting its Discovery Night on January 17 6:00-7:00. Please mark your calendar, Ron and Rhea.

SS Discovery Night

South Side will be hosting its Discovery Night on January 29, 6:00-7:30. Please mark your calendars, everybody except Ron and Rhea.

Kids Food Basket

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 we are once again 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 and we will decorate their brown bags. On Wednesday, December 19, 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? If you would like your child to participate in donating food items, 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:

• Boxes of Cheerios

• Bulk Pretzels

• Bulk Cheez-It crackers or Goldfish crackers

• Bags of raisins

• Snack Sized Zipper-lock bags

• Brown Lunch Bags

SHOUTING IT SOME MORE!

Bob JUST shared the results of the CT scan which show there is NO METASTASIZED DISEASE! That 51% we were praying over?!?! The prayers we've been pacing about in the throne room of heaven uttering and pleading with tears in our eyes? It IS God's will that this cancer IS contained just to the prostate. Remember those statistics? In the hundred's place (to speak elementary vernacular) Let's remain on our knees....or scream and jump in the hallways of South Side. OUR GOD IS A GOOD GOOD GOD! GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME! ALL THE TIME! GOD IS GOOD! 

Praise and thanksgiving let everyone sing! May you EACH have a blessed, joy-filled weekend! Know that, which there is still work and recovery to do, Bob and Karen are blessed with reasons to smile this weekend and that truth makes our hearts SING! 

Kindergarten Offerings

(Please honor: For your eyes only until we make public announcements through Courtney and Admin.)

I want to share with you what Rod and I shared with our whole indoor, English speaking (in other words, not forest or immersion) Kindergarten team yesterday after school. As an admin team we have been talking and examining for a few years the sustainability, and budgetability of our current 3-day and 5-day Kindergarten offerings. We love offering our parents the option of something other than all day, every day for the English-speaking students, but the volatility of enrollment numbers from year to year can make 3-day K a tricky option to carry out depending on the numbers that, again, vary on both sides of town from year to year.

Consequently, beginning next year, we are going to offer a 5-day all day option, like we currently do, and a 5-day half-day option. ZCS has been doing this quite successfully since the State mandated 5 full-day K for all students in public schools. We will support our team in collaborating, creating and carrying out these 2 options at Rose Park and South Side for next year. There are more questions you may have, and if so, I invite you to please stop in for a conversation with me.

And, once again, it will be so helpful to the process of rolling this out if we can keep this news internal to ourselves only for now so that we can roll it out to our community with all of the necessary context, fanfare, and information possible when we do that. We have some work to do before that happens, hence the request for keeping this news in house for now. 

College Student Observer

I was contacted by a student from Moody Bible College who would like to observe elementary students in action over her Christmas break. If you would NOT like to have her stop in your room on the 17th of December, please let me know. Otherwise, you'll see Emma floating in and out of classrooms on Monday the 17th. Thank you. 

Preschool Staff Meeting

Will take place at South Side on Wednesday the 28th.

Gift Exchange

Per our conversation at the staff meeting, the following text was placed in the parent blog this weekend:

As Christmas time approaches, we as a staff discuss how to keep our students’ eyes focused on Jesus. Especially in the area of giving, we hope to help your children enjoy the act of giving even more than receiving. Throughout the year with our SPARK service program, our students are supporting various community members and ministries through prayer, visits, collections, and making cards and pictures for members of our armed forces and their families. As there is no specific SPARK collection going on in December, watch for details coming soon about how we as an entire South Side school community will show our love for Jesus and his coming. All of these are so important to open young lives to the needs and opportunities to meet some of those needs as members of the Kingdom of God.

With the overall focus on giving, the staff has thoughtfully considered how to celebrate the Christmas season for students in grades K-2nd. 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: Instead of each student coming with enough little things (stickers, eraser, piece of candy, etc.) for each student in the class, we would ask that each boy come with one wrapped “boy” gift, and each girl come with one wrapped “girl” gift. These will be used as 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 see your child’s teacher if you have any questions. Thank you for helping us make the student gift exchange a fair, fun, and meaningful experience for everyone!

Come and See....Go and Tell

I suspect we've all been blessed with moments, often all too fleeting, that steal our breath and we're left praying for just another moment longer. I'm talking about times in life when the veil between this world and the next thins such that we can almost see and feel a taste of Glory. A beauty we can't comprehend with our minds but are gifted to experience with our hearts a mere sparkle or shadow of the very hand of God's hand. A profoundness and majesty that escape our ability to put adequately into words in order to share the feeling in its entirety with another. A stirring of the soul. In those blessed, tantalizing moments, you realize that God has just passed by. Closely. 

Yesterday I visited Dirk who is once again subjected to more days and nights in the hospital. As I drove to Grand Rapids, I anticipated entering into a hellhole with him. I don't use that word lightly. I do mean, for Dirk, a hospital room, I thought, represents a backwards slide, loss of progress, stepping away from healing and back into more needles, beeps, medications, unanswered questions and fear. Hell. In a hole of a room. Stinkin' 5C again. You know what? As God does sometimes, quite the opposite occurred. I was invited instead to come and see, for a moment, the very presence of God and I guess I'm writing it here to you guys because I want to go and tell. Through Dirk's words and in his eyes and smile, I saw God's presence radiating brightly and I need to go and tell (thanks for listening, guys)

Is Dirk well? No. Not his definition of well. Not physically. He has to eat like it's his job. He's on extreme medications inflicting side effects that would break the average person's resolve. His cells and very body are at civil war with each other. He is not currently blessed with a body that functions well enough to allow him to take up his place that he has enjoyed for years, this calling he is and remains so deeply invested in. 

Instead of remaining in the painful loss of that reality for now, Dirk has chosen to go about working to learn about and take up a new calling. He is serving God in mighty ways. He is choosing to seek God's wisdom in the midst of chaos. He is reading, talking, thinking, praying and being really honest. Honest with God, honest with people and honest with himself. In that honesty and while placing the dreams of his former self in a heap of ashes for now at the Father's throne, Dirk has experienced a very raw, nearly inexplicable peace. Frankly, this peace is a bit out of character for the scrappy fighter that he is. But he is enjoying and a bit mystified by a blessed new and profound peace. His body is still raging on and that fight makes its way up to his head (and out of his mouth) from time to time. It needs to. But his soul has been blessed with profound peace. What else is that except the hand of God blessing our brother with a new calling for now and peace in that space? I know I speak confidently for all of us when I say that we'll certainly continue to pray this man to wholeness and get back to his former calling. But these days he's spending living in the desert he has seen and known a closeness to God's heart that has reshaped him in an everlasting way. It is a marvel to behold. It stirs my soul. 

Maybe that same story of hope can translate to our own lives, our classrooms and our stories. Sometimes we find ourselves in messes and in the midst of chaos which feels confusing and frustrating. Perhaps there's hope we can find for ourselves in Dirk's story and the lessons he's trying so hard to choose to live out. We are servants of the King. He rushes to chaos and transforms messes into his beauty in his time. Thank you for listening to all of this. I pray each of you will be blessed by rest and joy this weekend. Please know that all you do here at South Side, you do so well and it's clear that you serve with your heart! May you bless in unique ways this weekend and also be blessed in unique ways! 

Chapel

Wednesday the 14th at our typical time. 

K-2 Staff Meeting

Thursday the 15th over the lunch hour

PK Staff Meeting

November 28 over the lunch hour at South Side please

Parent Team Christmas Tea

Thursday, December 20 will be our annual Christmas Tea gifted to us from the parent team. They have asked that you send the message to your classroom parents requesting lunch coverage.

A Brief Touchpoint

My Evaluation
We've crossed the line into quarter two. You've completed GOBS of evaluations of your students. I wonder if I might be so bold as to ask you to complete one more? I value your input into all that takes place at South Side. It takes a team to do what we do for our students and families. It would mean a GREAT deal to me if you would be willing to anonymously offer some feedback about my work at South Side. I certainly don't mean to take up more of your time which is SO valuable. There really is no hard deadline to this request. I'm just eager to grow, like you are. Honesty from those who work and live alongside us is how we all grow best. I'm hoping because this evaluation is anonymous, you will feel free to be honest. Here is a START/STOP/KEEP document. If you would be willing to "make a copy", no one else will be able to read what you type (if you don't "make a copy" we'll all know what you think of my work for better or worse 😉. After you've typed in a few thoughts, please PRINT the page rather than sharing via email if you'd like to remain anonymous. Please fold the paper and place it in my box. I'm eager to read ideas and techniques we can employ to improve life for little and big people at South Side. If you're wondering "does this request pertain to me?" If you're reading this message, that means you're on the South Side team. If you're on the South Side team, your opinion of me is important. I SO appreciate the time if you are willing! Thank you!

Thankful Giving
For the month of November, our students will see a box next to our food garbage cans in the hallway at lunch time. Any packaged food items that they would otherwise throw in the garbage, we will place in the Thankful Giving Box. The contents of this box will be delivered to the Holland Rescue Mission, specifically the Women and Children's' campus on 15th Street, twice a week. Items that need to be refrigerated will be kept in our refrigerator safely. We will run this program just for the month of November. It's called "Thankful Giving". 

Marines' Letters

Dawn Mulder is an HC mom. Her son became a US Marine in April of this year. He and his fellow marines will not be home for the holidays and, for many, this is the first time to be absent for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Would EACH class, PK-2nd grade, be willing to make a Christmas card, drawing or write a letter to be given to a marine? Dawn suggested that the letters be addressed "Dear Marine"....and signed with the child's first name only and age, please. Dawn will come to pick up our letters on Friday of this week. If your class is able to participate, we'll need those cards/letters/pictures by Friday. If you just can't squeeze it in, we understand! Please don't stress. We'll have plenty to share! 

Father's Night
Thank you in advance to our wonderful preschool team who has been working overtime to prepare an exciting night this Tuesday for our preschoolers and a parent. We will host Father's Night this Tuesday at South Side and at Rose Park. Thank you for all of your ideas, preparation and hours. This will be a fun night to see our littlest ones flying around the building proudly showing Dad a slice of their life at school (they're always moving from station to station very quickly, loudly and proudly with Pops in tow!)

Wellness Wednesday
This Wednesday is the first of the month! Let's dress comfortably and incorporate some healthy movement in a big Wednesday of learning!

Conferences/CEA/Report Cards/All The Things

Thank you, team, for all of the extra hours, thought, prayer and energy that you have put into these quarter culminating projects. It's draining and yet invigorating to see God's hand blessing our efforts and hard work, isn't it? For most of you it's one more day and your own buckets start to get filled again! I pray you each are blessed with safe travels to CEA for those who are going. I pray for everyone to enjoy a beautiful fall weekend and return reenergized for an exciting round 2! 

New Committees and New Assignments!Take a peek at the updated listing of various groups who are willing to work together to keep life at South Side a caring place for EVERYONE to grow, be enriched and glorify God in community!

Elementary Collaboration DayIt's coming! I hope this comes as a welcome chance to sit together with the folks who teach at your side or across town and grow together in your craft. The content of this meeting will be math enrichment and resources. If you have materials you are willing to share, please bring samples. This is certainly an area we need to round out a bit. At this meeting we'll also spend some time playing around with coding. You will get a chance to play! Maybe someone will even design a video game! ;) Please bring your computer, an iPad and any math materials or resources you are willing to share. The following are the dates and times of the meetings:

• Kindergarten: November 1 .  7:15-9:15

• First Grade: November 1 .  9:45-11:45

• Second Grade: November 2   7:15-9:15

Thank you, MarinesDawn Mulder is an HC mom. Her son became a US Marine in April of this year. He and his fellow marines will not be home for the holidays and, for many, this is the first time to be absent for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Would EACH class, PK-2nd grade, be willing to make a Christmas card, drawing or write a letter to be given to a marine? Dawn suggested that the letters be addressed "Dear Marine"....and signed with the child's first name only and age, please. 

Chapel on the 31st

Kyle Nester asked if the middle school orchestra could come to treat us to a concert in the morning. How wonderful! They will perform from 10:15-10:40 on Wednesday, October 31 in the gym. 

SwimmingDecember 6-19 will be our swimming lessons. 

• K (Strikwerda and Harig): load the bus at 12:30 (Strikwerda). 12:28 (Harig). Return 1:42 (Strikwerda). 1:47 (Harig)

• 1st: load the bus at 9:53. Return 11:07.

• 2nd: load the bus at 8:53. Return 10:07. 

Student Teacher

Hope College is looking to place two student teachers for next semester. Please see me if you are interested! 

x

Quarter 1!

Boom! We did it! Quarter 1 is in the books! Well done, South Side Staff! It is exciting to see the growth of our people (big and small!) over the past 9 weeks! I know I can speak for everyone when I say that we are eager anticipating what God has in store for our students and families these next nine weeks. I once listened to an inspiriting podcast of a sermon (I feel like a turkey because I can't remember who delivered the sermon). I recall the phrase "We can be faithful. God will be great". That truth reminds me of Leanne's devotions this week. God does his Kingdom work through us. When we prayerfully offer our hearts and lives in servitude to God, His restorative work comes about.

And....on that note of working hard....this will be Rachel's view in about 24 hours! We hope you miss us, Rachel, while you're busy in the sunny state of Florida....hob nobbing with Mickey.....soaking in the magic kingdom.....   All teasing aside, it makes us happy to think of you and your family enjoying a special adventure together. We can't wait to hear all about your many small moments when you return!

Bon Voyage, Steens! 

Committee Sign Ups

At the tail end of our staff meeting we touched on the need to update our committee participation. This is a critical way to keep life at South Side afloat and divvy up some of the tasks. I also appreciate the creativity that many of you bring to the role you are willing to play. On the white board in the staff center are the committees. There are just a few holes yet. If you would like to STAY in the roles you currently hold, please cross your name off the list. If you'd like to move, now is your chance. If you don't have a committee....please join! ;) Preschool staff, your involvement is lunch bunch, recess coverage, enrichment, which keeps South Side afloat. You will notice that your names are not listed on the board. Feel free to add yourself if you have a hankering to join a committee (we can also look into MRI coverage because that may very well be in order for you! ;) )  Once assigned to ONE (that is different than was stated in the meeting), please cross your name off the list! I'll publish the results in our staff folder! THANK YOU for your willingness to make South Side Great Again! 

Books and Resources

Mary sent a message with a link to request books for purchase in our library in memory of dear Lois Smits. Let's do this! At our discussion during the staff meeting we talked about the need for more guided reading materials. Now is a good time to reevalute your mentor texts. OR--if you're attending CEA Book Buzz dream with your eyes wide open. Keep in mind this opportunity to stock our library with books and resources that will enrich our students' learning experience. This offer is good PK-12. Come one! Come all! What books would you love to see in our library? 

Swimming

December 6-19 will be our swimming lessons. 

• K (Strikwerda and Harig): load the bus at 12:30 (Strikwerda). 12:28 (Harig). Return 1:42 (Strikwerda). 1:47 (Harig)

• 1st: load the bus at 9:53. Return 11:07.

• 2nd: load the bus at 8:53. Return 10:07. 

Please begin sharing this information in your classroom blogs in the next week or two. 

Collaboration Meetings

Thank you, Marines

Dawn Mulder is an HC mom. Her son became a US Marine in April of this year. He and his fellow marines will not be home for the holidays and, for many, this is the first time to be absent for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Would EACH class, PK-2nd grade, be willing to make a Christmas card, drawing or write a letter to be given to a marine? Dawn suggested that the letters be addressed "Dear Marine"....and signed with the child's first name only and age, please. 

Michelle Hirdes

Through Title 1 funding, Michelle Hirdes serves as our instructional coach for ELA. Please don't hesitate to seek her advise or suggestions. She enjoys supporting her hard-working colleagues. Here is the letter she would like shared with everyone. 

Chapel on the 31st

Kyle Nester asked if the middle school orchestra could come to treat us to a concert in the morning. How wonderful! They will perform from 10:15-10:40 on Wednesday, October 31 in the gym. 

Grandparents Day Celebration

What a joy it is to celebrate the love and support of Grandparents for all of our little ones. It's an energizing day. It's also a joy to say good-bye to that benchmark day in the year, isn't it? 😂 Thank you for doing your part in making this day a roaring success again! I received so many comments of affirmation and praise on your behalf! You truly do bless every child and every family through your dedication, hard work and LOVE! THANK YOU!

How about this Michigan weather rolling around all over the place this week! 

Yeah. Pretty much. 

ACE Job
Sue Vos is looking to hire a supervising teacher for the ACE crew here at South Side. The following are the job description and details. Any takers?

The supervising teacher will need to:

 -be in charge of snack and recess from 3:20-3:50pm and parent pick up at 5:00pm.

 - be present in the building but can do work in classroom while classes meet from 3:50-5:00pm. 

-Pay is $200 for all five Thursdays. ($40 per day)

Report Cards
Friday, October 19 for first and second grade only.

P/T Conferences
4:00-8:00 on October 22 and 23
Dinner from 6:00-6:30 if you'd like to block it off

Beautiful Gate Chapel
We will be facetiming with Beautiful Gate children for chapel as well as treated to some stories shared with us by our high school students. Please note that chapel on the 17th will take place at 8:45-9:15 due to the time difference.

October 31 Chapel
This time will be alternative as well. Kyle Nester will be treating us to a performance by our very own middle school orchestra. Due to their scheduling constraints, they are only able to come from 10:15-10:45. Let's talk about this a bit. Shall we move recess that day a bit earlier? Does that snagle up instructional time too much?

K-2 Staff Meeting
Thursday, October 18 over the lunch hour

Pre-K Staff Meeting
Wednesday, October 24 at Rose Park over the lunch hour

The Grandparents Are Nearly Upon Us

They're coming!!! 💕

Grandparents Day
Please remember to park at Maranatha CRC parking lot on Thursday the 11th. We'll start recess on Thursday the 11th at 9:45. Children will come in from recess at 10:00. Feel free to close your doors after recess, prep your kids and then welcome the folks with an open door at 10:15. Please graciously shoo them out at 10:45 to make their way to the gym for our program.

We will hold our final practice for Grandparents Day on Wednesday from 11:00-11:30. We'll have the risers ready to rock!

Report Cards
Friday, October 19 for first and second grade only.

P/T Conferences
4:00-8:00 on October 22 and 23
Dinner from 6:00-6:30 if you'd like to block it off

Wish List (I'm looking at you K-2, Before/After Care, Pre-K...this is for everyone)
Take a peek at our wish list items. They are older than the hills! Courtney tells me that Grandparents sometimes request some specific needs for our classrooms. Please feel free to email me some "wishes" for your program, space or rooms!

Printer LJ4300
Please only send baby jobs to this printer. It gets itself all stressed out and jammed up when big jobs come charging through. I think the LJ4300 is my spirit animal. 😂

Beautiful Gate Chapel
We will be facetiming with Beautiful Gate children for chapel as well as treated to some stories shared with us by our high school students. Please note that chapel on the 17th will take place at 8:45-9:15 due to the time difference.

October 31 Chapel
This time will be alternative as well. Kyle Nester will be treating us to a performance by our very own middle school orchestra. Due to their scheduling constraints, they are only able to come from 10:15-10:45. Let's talk about this a bit. Shall we move recess that day a bit earlier? Does that snagle up instructional time too much?

K-2 Staff Meeting
Thursday, October 18 over the lunch hour

Pre-K Staff Meeting
Wednesday, October 24 at Rose Park over the lunch hour

Safety Drills
We've got them coming out of our ears! Keep your eyes on the calendar and I'll try to remind you in person as well.

Friday, October 5 and Thursday, October 11 are our next Fire Drills

Claiming God's Comfort For Every Hour

We've been praying over and trying to push the breaks in advance of this day. Today marks one year, 365 long days and nights. for our Pat living without her Jay right beside her. She didn't want to mark this day. Yet here it is. We miss her here at school today and commit to continue to pray that God will reach out and surround her with his loving arms of comfort. Every hour of every day but especially this day. 

Pat told me yesterday at the end of the school day that she felt God's warmth and his presence through the quiet hugs, tears and concern expressed from you, her South Side family. Let's continue to uphold her throughout the next year. The valley is not over but the LOVE of God and his people will remain stronger. 

Welcome Joe Obaseki
Many of you have already met the newest member of our South Side team! Mr. O! He's awesome! He has already jumped right into work with our boys in Mrs. Haig's classroom and we're enjoying GREAT success! We're BLESSED to work alongside you, Joe! Welcome aboard!

Osmo base MIA
We are missing an Osmo base. That's the white thing that the iPad sits in. Anybody? Anybody?

Back to Health Chiropractic
On Monday, October 15, Back to Health will be providing lunch for you hard working South Side staff! Leave your PB & J or leftover pizza from the night before at home! There will be a tasty treat for you at school!

Kindness Rocks
Our loving JK students have painted rocks for students and will place them all over the playground! In special hiding places! I will tell the students over the PA on Monday morning how the kindness rocks work. If a student finds a kindness rock, they may run inside and place it in their locker. They are invited to accept the challenge to do something kind to someone else. Once their act of kindness has been completed, they get to hide the rock somewhere on the playground for someone else to find and accept the challenge. Isn't that cute? Thank you, JK!

POD group next Wednesday
The Pine Ridge POD group would like to come to SS to help with our students on Wednesday, October 3 from 1:00-2:00. Can you use some student assistants in your classroom? We're looking to place 30 kids :) Thank you for considering!

PD Tomorrow
PK will be meeting at Rose Park in the media center. Please see Tammy's previous email for the fine-tuned details. Breakfast will be served as well as lunch for you at Rose Park. Please bring a devise if you have one!

K-12 will meet at the high school. Breakfast begins at 8:00. Work begins at 8:30. Please bring a devise as well. I will be back and forth between both meetings as well as a few tours in Forest School and at South Side.

See You At The Pole

See You At The Pole
Next Wednesday, September 26 is a nationally recognized See You At the Pole Day. As we are a christian school, praying is something that we lead our students in all throughout the day. However, there is something special about taking the time to step out of our classrooms, circle around our flag and pray with students across our nation on that day. While certainly America has a long way to go to truly be the home for all the free and the brave, we have MUCH to be grateful for! So many people (some even parents and staff in our classrooms) who have sacrificed for the opportunities we enjoy in America. There is a sign up on the white board in the staff center. I encourage you to sign up for a slot, gather around the pole and lead our children in prayer. This is also a great opportunity to recite the pledge of allegiance together. 

Data Meetings During the Week of October 1
Here's what we've penciled in thus far:
First grade: Tuesday, October 2 from 12:45-1:45
Kindergarten: Thursday, October 4 from 11:45-12:30
Second Grade: Thursday, October 4 from 12:45-1:45

We'll examine the MAP, Delta Screener and Running Records of our students using the spreadsheets linked above.

PD Day on Friday, September 28
Breakfast begins at 8:00 on main street in the high school. We'll be engaged in a variety of work until 3:00 on Friday.

Beautiful Gate Chapel
For your calendar, we will have our annual Beautiful Gate combined chapel on October 17. Due to whatever time zone they live in, we have to adjust our chapel start time. We will START chapel at 8:45 on Wednesday, October 17. Several high school students who worked at Beautiful Gate this summer will share stories of their experience with us. At 9:00, we will pull up our little friends on FaceTime and sing together. Preschool, guess what! This means you can come too if you'd like and you're available. No need to worry about being able to sit perfectly still yet. All are welcome!

A Personal Day for Me
Cameron is in fourth grade. The fourth graders are traveling to Lansing for a field trip on Monday and I've gotten approval to take a personal day on Monday to be a chaperone. #lansingorbust I feel I should thank you for excusing me for the day too. We do have a tornado drill scheduled for South Side on Monday morning....of course we do 😅 Pat will announce the tornado drill over the PA, please have your students sit against the designated wall in your space and quietly wait until the drill is called off. I'll be thinking about you at 9:20 while I'm on the bus for two hours. Thank you for your grace in allowing me a personal day to be Mom to Cam. I'll tell you all about it on Tuesday ;) 

What's Up With That Finger?

So this is funny, huh? I've had a few people awkwardly ask me if everything is okay. To which I replied "Sure is! How about you?" A few have pressed on, is everything okay with TJ and you? And that's when I clued in. Ah Ha! Odd blog entry, but maybe I can catch everyone here in case you've been wondering too but didn't want to ask ;) Always ask anything....btw! This summer TJ and I played together on a beach volleyball league. We had a blast. However, during one game, I attempted to return a serve with a bad set. Poor form. I broke my finger. My finger is still way too swollen to get that ring even close to sliding back on. Interestingly, I had also sustained a concussion a few weeks earlier that took a bit to recover from. Two take aways? Maybe 44-year-olds should think twice about playing beach volleyball against people half their age (or at least I should think twice!) and TJ and I are happily married, communicate regularly and pray for many more years of doing life together. Wonder anything else? Feel free to ask! :D 

Thank you for your work at the staff meeting today. I will get that Grandparents Day order out to you soon. There are a few other tidbits and considerations for you listed below. Homecoming Game tomorrow. Dress cozy and maroon gear if you have any!

Beautiful Gate Chapel
For your calendar, we will have our annual Beautiful Gate combined chapel on October 17. Due to whatever time zone they live in, we have to adjust our chapel start time. We will START chapel at 8:45 on Wednesday, October 17. Several high school students who worked at Beautiful Gate this summer will share stories of their experience with us. At 9:00, we will pull up our little friends on FaceTime and sing together. Preschool, guess what! This means you can come too if you'd like and you're available. No need to worry about being able to sit perfectly still yet. All are welcome!

Assessment Season
Thank you for working through round 1 of MAP assessments! Remind yourselves when you see little ones just clicking through the screens this is just one piece of the "pie" when we look at student data. Your running records and math assessments truly provide us with the clearest picture of each child, particularly at this age.

Delta Math for 1st & 2nd Grade Only 
Speaking of assessments (I know...this feels like a lot), our Delta window just opened. For first and second grate teachers, would you please administer the Delta screener sometime before October 1? October 1 will be the week of our first round of data meetings. We'll need this assessment to gain a picture of students' skills and readiness. Here's a refresher on Delta since it's been since last spring:

1. What is Delta Math?
2. Preparation for Readiness Screening
3. Video of teacher leading class through assessment http://www.screencast.com/t/aFhwxuxb6
4. Decided how your students will get to https://inqwizit.oaisd.org/
5. Website: http://www.deltamath.org/
1. Username: deltamath
2. Password: math4all
1. Grade level screening packets
2. Grade level intervention lessons
6. Data: Generating Reports
7. Winter screening window December 5-16
8. Building data meetings TBD

Data Meetings During the Week of October 1
Here's what we've penciled in thus far:
First grade: Tuesday, October 2 from 12:45-1:45
Kindergarten: Thursday, October 4 from 11:45-12:30
Second Grade: Thursday, October 4 from 12:45-1:45

We'll examine the MAP, Delta Screener and Running Records of our students using the spreadsheets linked above.

PD Day on Friday, September 28
Breakfast begins at 8:00 on main street in the high school. We'll be engaged in a variety of work until 3:00 on Friday.

We're Hiring
Well....not exactly. Just trying to put out an enthusiastic ask. Amanda Bohle used to represent our South Side community on the School Improvement Team. She has relinquished that post when we moved to Zeeland. Imagine that! Before individually starting to ask people, I thought I'd toss it out to the group. Does anyone feel called to represent South Side and voice our perspective as the School Improvement Team continues their work in moving HC forward toward our Accreditation Goals? It really is a fun, productive group who is getting good work done.

We have one curricular review group that does not have a South Side rep. The Technology group needs a South Side representative. If you currently do not serve on a curricular review group and you are interested in ALL of the learning and advancement we can make with our tech tools at HC, would you please let me know? We'll happily accept your offer to help our South Siders grow in this important area of learning.