Break Time!

Well friends, the news is here. I keep reminding myself that the bridge to the north side of Holland really isn't that long. I think it's only a 7 minute drive from here to Rose Park. Today it feels a bit like the other side of the moon....but it's not really that far away ;) I don't have an eloquent message prepared that adequately expresses my deep gratitude to each of you or begins to capture how much each of you mean to me...not yet. As Jim mentioned, this news needed to roll out just a little sooner than was originally planned. Please know that I treasure your friendship. I have such respect for every one of the people who comprise the South Side family. I am so grateful for how you made me feel at home 6 years ago and for how you have helped raise TJ and my children! I'll share more with you when the time comes. In the meantime, we have a whole quarter of life at South Side to continue working and growing our little ones! But first? Let's take a break! Happy Spring Break, y'all! I can't wait to hear about the many adventures and/or staycations everyone has in store.

...and brother, Joe and VK ;) 

Check This Out! 
When I was checking out with our DCC snacks on Wednesday, the cashier began to share a bit of her life story. Her name is Dawn and she is a wonderfully engaging person. Dawn is legally blind but has carved a successfully independent niche for herself thanks to her Leader Dog, Lady! Dawn visits elementary classrooms and engages children in a variety of activities to teach empathy, acceptance and the challenges that come with being blind. She also teaches children how to engage appropriately with a trainer dog who is "on the clock". Dawn would LOVE to visit any of our classrooms to provide her learning experiences. You can reach her at 616-836-8739. Or just tell me that you'd like to be scheduled and I'll contact her! I mention this here because I do think it would be a valuable experience for our children.

Dawn and Lady

We Have An Author Visit Coming!

Crystal Bouwman is an author who would like to present to our students on April 17 from 9:30-10:00! HC2 kiddos, you are invited to attend as well. Lisa, we can talk about these details. Please mark your after-break calendars. Preschoolers are welcome to attend as well!

Children will be invited to order her books. A paper order form will be placed in your mailbox for your students' backpack on Monday, April 8. The following is the requested timeline for ordering per Chrystal's message to me:

On Monday, April 8, book order forms will be sent home with the students.

On Friday, April 12, book order forms will be returned to school with students.

Please have the teachers collect the forms and payment (do not separate money from forms) and put them in an envelope with the number of book orders on the outside of the envelope. (example: 3 Our Daily Bread for Kids; 4 Does God Take Naps; etc.) There are only four titles so this should be fairly easy.

On Monday, April 15, please turn in the envelopes with the order forms to the office. I will call each school later in the day to find our how many books I need to bring on the day of my visit.  I hope to fill the orders that day so the students will get their books asap.

You Are Invited

Personal Days for TJ's Sister's Wedding

TJ's sister is getting married over Easter weekend. Our family is very happy for her. We are looking forward to celebrating with her and coming to the wedding. However, the wedding is in Lake Tahoe. Sooo....I'm cashing in my personal days (good thing I didn't take that cleaning personal day in November!) I will be out of the building on April 18 and 19. We fly in late Sunday night. If there's a zombie in the office on Monday, that's just me...time change, late flight, all the things. I'll be sure to have coffee close at hand. I'll miss you but am grateful we have been blessed with the gift of taking a personal day or two to step away from work and celebrate something of this nature.

April 10 Chapel-Program Practice

Shelly is able to free up a little extra time for program practice on April 10. Please plan to start chapel a little early on Wednesday, April 10 so we can put the final touches on our event. We will begin in the gym at 10:45 rather than 11.

MAP Testing 

Our testing window will be open May 13-24.

The Fridge

Oh boy. If you have old food, drinks, odd condiments, science experiments....please take them home. Spring break is a good time to clean up the fridge ;)

Have a blessed break! Make wonderful memories with your family! Allow time to rejuvenate and enjoy God in the slower pace that comes with a break away from school! See you on the other side when we start zipping to the finish line of the year!

More Alike Than Different

I happened to step into Karen Strikwerda's room at just the right time this morning. The kindergarteners were both tickled and curious about the mis-matched socks some students and adults were sporting today. Mrs. Strikwerda explained it is World Down Syndrome Day. This day is special because we take an intentional opportunity to celebrate something we ought to recognize and live into every day: we are each more alike than we are different! What makes us more alike than different? God's love! And you can't get better or more important than that! Even Pastor Dan's Improvement Machine demonstrated the truth that God's love is perfect and universal. Every child, every staff member, every person is created in God's image and is loved! What a blessing to love and care for our 202 South Siders, who are more alike than they are different, every day! The same truth applies to the big people around here too, doesn't it! Such comfort to know that no matter our abilities, uniquenesses or lot in this journey called life, God's love for us is bigger, more powerful and just plain old perfect. God's love and grace is sufficient. God's love is what we stand in need of and God's love is OURS! And in THAT we are more alike than we are different.

Rock Your Socks! 

Contracts
Section numbers are beginning to solidify as enrollment has slowed! That means contracts are starting to roll out! If you have received a contract, please turn that in to me by Monday, March 25. No worries if you haven't received one. More are on the way! If you prefer not to sign one that you did receive, I'm guessing you have a question or need some resolution. Please contact before Monday with concerns or questions.

Richard's Chapel
Richard Nagelkirk has requested a time to hold chapel at South Side and share his story. We will plan to listen to him and his team of guests on Wednesday, March 27 at 11:00.

Kevin Kameraad
Kevin will be presenting to us on Thursday, March 28 from 10:30-11:30. I suspect we'll be especially glad to welcome him and listen after the week we'll have put in at that point!

Conferences
They're coming! Monday and Wednesday evening! Please let me know if I can support/assist you in any way. I'll be meeting with new families both evenings but am happy to step out to help or make an appointment to follow up with any parents or with you!

Welcome Emily VanVliet! 
We have another teacher on our team! Welcome Emily VanVliet to our growing community! Emily will be teaching our first graders in the forest! Emily is currently student teaching at Grand Rapids Christian and has a very unique story. I know that she will be a blessing to our HC community and to Forest School. Welcome, Emily!

Staff Meeting
Our April 18 meeting is going to be a party! For real! (I know...I know...it's always a party!) Our sunshine committee has overtaken our staff meeting and turned it into a baby shower to celebrate our new Mamas: Jenna and Rhea! If you are able, please keep the lunch coverage you have for that Thursday and come to celebrate with our friends! 11:45-12:30. Lunch will be provided!

Spring Break
I may have neglected to mention...we have a few days off coming up. We'll not be in session beginning on March 29. I hope you have a chance to get outta dodge or at least enjoy a relaxing break! You have each poured so much of yourselves into this calling! I love to imagine everyone enjoying some REST over break!

March Madness ;)

Thank you to everyone for providing honest feedback to Erin for my evaluation. I'm SO grateful everyone has this process in order to anonymously share your thoughts, hopes, ideas and suggestions. It is one of my greatest joys to serve alongside each of you and live our day to day journeys together. I LOVE hearing your honest thoughts about this home-away-from-home we create for our little people but the big people too! I will take your feedback and create new goals for myself to grow into in the coming year. While this is a formal form of feedback, please know that I appreciate so much the honesty with which you converse with me on a regular basis as well. It takes this level of honesty for us to work together to grow the children God has entrusted to our care. Thank you!

Fun Night
It's almost here! Thank you for sending out messages, collecting goodies and for serving at Fun Night! It is a big deal for our kiddos when you are willing to meet them in their world....and on a Friday evening! You each go above and beyond the call of duty. This is but one example! Thank you!

Ron Clark Academy Visit
I have been asked to visit the Ron Clark Academy next week. The Ron Clark Academy For that visit, I will be out of the building (and state) on Thursday afternoon and all day on Friday, March 14 and 15. The request for me to attend this learning/observation has been made through the Kevin Witte Memorial. I will let you know what I learn while visiting the school. I'll return on Monday, March 18. 

Dave Zimmer
Would like to update our staff on the state of the union from the financial standpoint. He's planning to meet with us on Tuesday, March 12 at 3:30. This is not a meeting that is in response to anything critical, rather, he would like to keep all employees informed on our financial status.

Richard Nagelkirk
Please mark your calendar. Richard Nagelkirk has asked if he can share his basketball story with our South Siders. He will likely be bringing in a few guest speakers with him. He has asked to come on Wednesday, March 27 at 11:00. I know that is a busy week with reading celebration, prepping for conferences, and field trips. Come if you are able and have time with your class. The assembly is expected to last 30 minutes.

Kevin Kammeraad
March 28 from 10:30-11:30 Kevin Kammeraad will talk with our little ones about creativity and writing! We'll be in the gym for this fun event (helpful, I hope, after a looooong week leading toward spring break! Fweew!)

P/T Conferences
Again, for planning purposes, our parent teacher conferences for the spring will be held on March 25 and 27 from 4:00-8:00.

Report Cards
Just for your planning purposes, our third quarter report cards will go home on March 22. If you're able, please have them completed by the 21st so we can print and stuff them for you.

Lent

Wednesday marks an important day on the Church calendar. We observe the beginning of Lent on this day. The history of the Lenten season is an interesting journey. It tells the story of faith-filled servants spanning time and space seeking to observe and celebrate in gratitude the greatest gift of all, Jesus sacrificial atonement of his people. While God does not command the church to observe Lent, we do seek to prepare our hearts and lives as we walk toward Good Friday and Easter through the Lenten season. I recently read a book (thanks to our onslaught of snowdays!) entitled Mudhouse Sabbath in which Lauren Winner writes, "Practicing the spiritual disciplines does not make us Christians. Instead, the practicing teaches us what it means to live as Christians." We will be preparing our own hearts with music, liturgies and visuals during this time as well as inviting our children to mark themselves uniquely during this time. It is a tangible way for our young ones to remember to whom they belong and how that belonging transforms each of us in big and small tangible ways.

In my time at South Side, we have never walked our students through the practice of placing an ashen cross on their foreheads. Let's talk and think about the value of including this in our Wednesday morning devotions as a staff and with your students. It is a tangible way for them to understand there is something different and special about entering into the upcoming 40 days.

Staff Meeting Change
Dave Zimmer would like to come and share the proposed budget before our HC Society meeting. In order to accommodate his request, let's move our monthly staff meeting from Thursday, March 14 to Tuesday, March 12. Dave is available at 3:30. We will hold a brief after-school meeting with Dave on Tuesday, March 12 at 3:30. All are invited to attend this meeting. 

Report Cards
Just for your planning purposes, our third quarter report cards will go home on March 22. If you're able, please have them completed by the 21st so we can print and stuff them for you.

Parent Teacher Conferences
Again, for planning purposes, our parent teacher conferences for the spring will be held on March 25 and 27 from 4:00-8:00.

Kevin Kammeraad
March 28 from 10:30-11:30 Kevin Kammeraad will talk with our little ones about creativity and writing! We'll be in the gym for this fun event (helpful, I hope, after a looooong week leading toward spring break! Fweew!)