Dear Parents,
It has been a cold snowy February, but March has arrived which means spring is not too far away! With the beginning of March, the life cycle of the high school gets even busier and it feels like time goes even faster than before as we begin to finalize schedules and confirm plans for the upcoming year.
I wanted to thank all of you who were able to join us this past week for parent teacher conferences. Based on parent requests, we did offer two hours of virtual conferences this spring as an option for those families who find that helpful. We will take a look at the turn out and decide how to move forward with the virtual option in the future. Whether virtual or in person, we value connecting with parents as we partner together to make your student’s high school experience as smooth as possible, and we thank you for taking the time to meet with us.
This month HCHS students will be taking the PSAT. The following is detailed information about the day:
On Wednesday, March 23, 2022 @ 8 a.m. at the High School, 9th graders will be taking the PSAT 8/9, 10th graders the PSAT 10, and 11th graders the SAT. The PSAT and SAT showcase the classroom skills and knowledge that are essential for college and career readiness. In addition, this benchmark data helps Holland Christian continuously improve its strong approach towards academic excellence. Ninth-11th graders will be dismissed after testing at noon. If you are a senior you do not need to attend school on March 23.
The reasons Holland Christian is giving the P/SAT are to:
- Help students on their educational path and to continuously improve Holland Christian’s strong approach and design of education.
- Project and practice for the SAT
- Set aside a time and place for the SAT, including coverage of costs
- Connect families to colleges and scholarships.
If you have questions, contact Doug Greer, Director of Learning, or Dan Vos, High School Registrar.
With the busyness of spring, please be sure to have your students check the Daily Announcements and keep up-to-date with things that are happening so that they do not miss out on important opportunities and events.
I pray this Lenten season is a time of reflection and prayer as we walk the path to the cross and rejoice in the promise and hope of the resurrection.
In Him,
Deb
General Information
Spring Break: April 1 – 8
If you are planning on leaving early for Spring Break, please send a note, email Kelli Van Eerden at kvaneerden@hollandchristian.org, or call the office at 616.820.2905 before you leave. This will help us greatly with attendance.
Batons
Parents and students, if you have not returned your baton yet this year, please turn it in to your Family Flex teacher as soon as possible. If you are unsure if your baton was returned, stop in the office and ask. These must be returned before spring break so they can be prepared for this school year. All 9th grade ZCS students will receive a new HC baton this year; you do not need to turn in your ZCS baton.
Parents and Guardians of the Class of 2022
Help make your child’s end-of-high school career even more memorable by surprising them with a message in the yearbook! Purchase an ad for your senior with this Senior Graduation Ad opportunity. We can accept submissions only until March 21, 2022!
Reminder Senior Exam Exemption Policy
During the second semester, seniors may work towards being exempt from their final exams. To earn this exemption seniors must meet at least one of the following:
- Have a B average in the course for which there is an exam through the final day of that course
- Have handed in all homework on time with a passing grade, and have no more than two days absent in that course for the whole semester (for any reason except “school activity”)
Reminder of PSAT/SAT on March 23
On Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 8 a.m. at the High School, 9th graders will be taking the PSAT 8/9, 10th graders the PSAT 10, and 11th graders the SAT. The PSAT and SAT showcases the classroom skills and knowledge that are essential for college and career readiness. In addition, this benchmark data helps Holland Christian to continuously improve its strong approach towards academic excellence. 9th – 11th graders will be dismissed at noon after testing. If you are a senior, you do not have school on March 23.
Athletic Department
Spring Sport Tryouts
Spring Sport tryouts start the week of March 14. Please check the High School Sports page for details about the spring season.
Athletic Physicals
A physical dated after April 15, 2022 will be required of all athletes before trying out for their sport. Physical forms will be available to print from individual Final Forms accounts to take to your appointment for your DO/MD/NP/PA to sign. There is still a possibility that the Athletic Department will host a physical night, but details are still being worked out. Stay tuned for more information.
Final Forms
22-23 school year is the fourth year Holland Christian will be using our online sign-up for athletic teams, FinalForms. Those already on FinalForms only need to login and update any changes in your information, print the updated 22-23 physical form to take to the physical appointment for the doctor to complete, and sign up for any sports that your child will be trying out for. Registration for 22-23 sports on FinalForms will be open on April 1. Because of this online process, we will not have hard copy physical forms available for you for the 22-23 school year.
Down Time
July 3-July 10, 2022 is a dead week for all athletics. Preseason down time is August 1-7, 2022. Fall high school sports begin on August 9.
Fine Arts
Swingin’ the Night Away
The HCHS music department and jazz ensembles invite you to Swingin’ the Night Away on Friday, March 25, 6:45 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. in the HS Cafeteria. Free dance instructions from 6:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Enjoy intergenerational fun, dancing, desserts and beverages from 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door. Enjoy Afro-Cuban influenced music, funk tunes, the blues, and a vocal soloist!
Band Extravaganza
Come one, come all to the Holland Christian Schools Band Extravaganza for a wonderful night of music Tuesday, March 22. HC’s 5th, 6th, Middle School, and High School Bands will perform at the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts on Hope College’s campus at 7 p.m. Hear a wide variety of musical styles and sounds and you won’t want to miss the closer, featuring over 200 musicians combined!
The Most Excellent ’80s: A Night of Killer Jams and Moves! (A Living Hope Showcase Event)
The dance moves are being perfected and the songs are being rehearsed…this ’80s Showcase will make you want to “Get On Your Feet”! Don’t miss your chance to see the Living Hope Singers as they entertain us with song and dance from the 1980s! Tickets are on sale NOW for Showcase 2022, Friday and Saturday, March 18 & 19 at 7 p.m. in the Holland Christian High School Auditorium. Reserved seating, HCHS student general admission, and livestream tickets can be purchased on the Choir page ($1 of each ticket will be donated to our HC Special Olympics Unified Sports teams). Get your tickets now before it’s too late!
Counselors’ Corner
Seniors/Parents of Seniors:
FAFSA & Financial Aid
If you have filed your online FAFSA you will receive your SAR (Student Aid Report) by email. The SAR explains your eligibility for student aid and lists the calculation for your EFC (Expected Family Contribution). Some colleges require an Aid Package from each college that you listed on your FAFSA application. This package is usually made up of (a) grants and scholarships (gift money you don’t need to pay back), (b) work-study (money earned by the student on campus), and (c) loans (you need to pay back + interest). The package may cover all of your need or a portion of it. The balance is your responsibility. You are encouraged to compare packages from similar colleges. If you want to attend the college that did not offer you the best financial aid package, contact the college financial aid officer to see if they will match the best package.
Scholarships
Internal scholarships offered to current, full-time Holland Christian seniors (this includes Tech Center seniors) are available. Details have been emailed to seniors and also posted on the HC website under the counseling section. These are listed on Google Classroom under the course “HCHS Internal Scholarships.” The due date for these is March 30, 2022 by 8 a.m. There is still a list of outside opportunities listed on the HC website under the counseling section.
Honors Night/Graduation Programs
We would like to celebrate the accomplishments of your seniors by including a list of all merit scholarship recipients in the Honors Night and Graduation Programs. If your senior son/daughter is receiving a merit scholarship (not financial aid) from a college you know he/she will be attending, please provide Mrs. VanderLaan in the high school office with written verification of the award. You may copy the letter or the email notifying you of the award. Please have all scholarships turned in by April 22, 2022. Once a student turns in scholarship(s), he/she will receive an invitation letter to Honors Night. Please reserve the evening of Monday, May 16, 2022 for this event. It is a special night to acknowledge the hard work of our seniors, and we still want to celebrate their accomplishments!
ACT/SAT
Upcoming ACT test dates are: April 2 (registration deadline March 11 with late fee), June 11 (registration deadline May 6), July 16 (registration deadline June 17). SAT test dates are: May 7 (registration deadline April 8), June 4 (registration deadline May 5). The ACT and SAT may be taken more than once; colleges accept the highest score for admission and scholarships. To register visit www.actstudent.org and also www.sat.org/register.
College Visits
We encourage juniors to begin exploring specific colleges. Juniors and seniors may use parental approved absence days to visit colleges during a school day. For seniors, college visit days DO count toward the minimum of two absences for exam exemption. Spring break of junior year is an ideal time to visit colleges.
Calendar
March
5: Kids’ Stuff Resale
18 & 19: Living Hope Showcase (7 p.m. HCHS)
22: Band Extravaganza (7 p.m. Jack Miller Center @ Hope College)
25: Swingin’ the Night Away (7 p.m. HCHS)
April
1-8: Spring vacation
11: School resumes
23: HS Oratorio
29: Jr/Sr Prom
