Faithfully Forward

Safe + Welcoming
First Impressions

Holland Christian is committed to the safety and care of every student entrusted to us. A key component of the Faithfully Forward campaign is the creation of best-practice secure entrances at each Holland Christian campus. These new secure entries at South Side, Pine Ridge, Rose Park and the High School will mirror the model completed as part of the 2019 Middle School renovation—requiring all visitors to pass through a secured front office, be screened by staff, and receive authorization before gaining access to the building. This design thoughtfully balances security with hospitality, ensuring our campuses remain both protected and welcoming.

As a part of overall safety, parking lots and traffic flows are important to be addressed. For many families, the school day begins and ends in the parking lot. Morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up are some of the busiest moments of the day, and when these moments go well, they set a positive tone for students, parents, and staff alike.

As our community has grown, our parking lots and traffic patterns must grow with it. Faithfully Forward includes a variety of work repaving and redesigning traffic flow across select lots on our campuses—creating safer, more efficient, and more welcoming experiences for everyone who arrives on our grounds.

Clear signage, dedicated bus lanes, improved striping, and thoughtful traffic design may not be flashy, but they impact nearly every family, every day. Together with secure entries, these improvements reflect our belief that first impressions matter and that safety is foundational to flourishing.

Sassafras Ridge
classrooms +infrastructure

In just seven years, Forest School has grown from a bold idea into a fully realized elementary program that continues to shape how Holland Christian thinks about education, learning, and formation.

Sassafras Ridge, an almost 60-acre gift of God’s creation, has become an incredible resource for our school community. Its woods, trails, ponds and open spaces invite wonder, curiosity, and hands-on learning. Yet the current classroom space, a converted home, was never designed to support long-term growth or multiple-grade learning environments. As enrollment and interest continue to expand, limited classroom capacity presents real challenges. With the opportunity to more fully utilize this remarkable land for the benefit of students across our district, thoughtful investment is both timely and necessary.

Faithfully Forward will provide purpose-built classroom spaces designed specifically for
Forest School learning, along with improved safety and security and better access for buses and visiting classes. These enhancements will allow Sassafras Ridge to be shared more broadly across the entire Holland Christian community—extending outdoor, experiential learning opportunities to even more students and ensuring this unique program continues to flourish for years to come.

South Side Elementary
renovation

South Side Elementary has long served as an important entry point into Holland Christian Schools. Tucked into an established neighborhood, its focus on early childhood education from preschool through second grade has made it a true gem within our system. For more than seventy years, its sturdy bones have held the sounds of giggles and wide-eyed wonder of children stepping into Christian education.

While the heart of South Side—loving teachers, focused care for young learners, and a strong sense of belonging—remains unchanged, the spaces that support this important work are ready for thoughtful transformation. Faithfully Forward will bring a complete remodel of South Side Elementary with modern and flexible learning environments, spaces that invite curiosity, and opportunities for outdoor exploration of God’s creation.

Classrooms will be refreshed with vibrant, age-appropriate fixtures, and all Preschool and Kindergarten rooms will include single-person restrooms designed with young learners in mind. Modernized electrical and mechanical systems, along with the addition of air conditioning throughout the building, will enhance learning environments and reduce heat-related school closures.