Dear HCHS Families,
Welcome to March and to the season of Lent! As the days grow longer and signs of spring slowly emerge, we are reminded that God is always at work bringing new life, often in quiet and slowly developing ways. This Lenten season invites us to pay attention to that work, both around us and within us.
This month, we are reflecting on another one of Holland Christian’s core values, Discipleship. At HCS, discipleship means being rooted in Jesus Christ, finding our identity, purpose, and direction in Him. It is not simply a program or a set of practices, but a lifelong way of following Jesus in every part of life, learning how to be with him, become like him, and do as he did.
Scripture makes clear that discipleship begins with relationships. When Jesus called His first disciples, He did not give them a list of expectations. He invited them into life with Him. “Come, follow me,” He said (Matthew 4:19), and from that invitation everything else took shape. They walked with Him, listened to His teaching, asked questions, witnessed His miracles, and were gradually shaped into people who reflected His character. Discipleship is not primarily about information, but transformation. It is about remaining in Christ, trusting that as we stay connected to Him, He forms us into who we are created to be (John 15:5). Our identity is not rooted in achievement, status, or comparison, but in being beloved children of God. From that identity, we begin to understand our purpose and direction, not as something we create on our own, but as something we receive and live out in response to His call.
For many of our students, this vision of discipleship can feel both meaningful and difficult. They are growing up in a world that encourages them to define themselves, to build their own identity, and to measure their worth by performance or approval. In that setting, the call to be rooted in Christ can feel unfamiliar. It asks for surrender, patience, and trust in a process that often unfolds slowly. Discipleship does not happen all at once. It is formed through daily choices, through time in Scripture, prayer, community, and service. It is shaped as students bring their questions, doubts, successes, and failures before God, trusting that He meets them in all of it. At HCHS, we are encouraged by the ways students are growing in this. In classrooms, students are invited to consider how their learning connects to God’s story and their place within it. In chapels and small groups, they are given space to reflect on who they are in Christ and how He is calling them to live. Through athletics, the arts, and service opportunities, students are learning that following Jesus shapes not only what they believe, but how they live, compete, create, and care for others.
Discipleship is not meant to be lived alone. Jesus formed His disciples in community, and the early church grew as believers devoted themselves to shared life together (Acts 2:42). In the same way, our students are shaped through relationships with teachers, coaches, mentors, and one another. They need people who model what it looks like to follow Jesus with humility, faithfulness, and grace. They need communities where they can be known, encouraged, and challenged. Discipleship grows where there is consistency between what is taught and what is lived, where faith is not set aside but becomes part of everyday life.
This is why our partnership with the home and church matters so deeply. Families play a vital role in shaping discipleship by creating rhythms of faith at home through prayer, Scripture, conversation, and shared practices that point to Christ. Churches provide spaces of worship, teaching, and community where students can experience the body of Christ. As Paul writes, we are called to follow God’s example and walk in the way of love (Ephesians 5:1-2), and this calling is best lived out together. When school, church, and home are aligned in this purpose, students are surrounded by a consistent invitation to root their lives in Jesus.
As we move through this month of March, may we be reminded that discipleship is both simple and deep. It is the daily choice to follow Jesus, to remain in Him, and to trust that He is at work shaping us into His likeness. It is not about perfection, but about direction, turning again and again toward Jesus, who is our foundation and our hope. We are grateful to walk with you in this calling, trusting that God, who began a good work in our students, will carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6).
With Thanks,
Miles Colago
HS Principal
General Information
Spring Break: April 3 – 12
If you are planning on leaving early for spring break, please send a note, email Kelli Van Eerden, or call the office at 616.820.2905 before you leave. This will help us greatly with attendance.
Parents & Guardians of the Class of 2026
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 16, 2026!
Senior Exam Exemption Policy Reminder
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.”)
PSAT & SAT for HCHS Students
On Wednesday, March 18 at 8:30am at HCHS, 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 to continuously improve its strong approach towards academic excellence. Students will be dismissed when the testing is finished, approximately 11:30am (no cafeteria services that day). Seniors do not need to attend school on March 18. Tech Center is required for seniors, but juniors will be excused from Tech Center due to the testing.
Athletic Department
Registration through Final Forms for the 26-27 school year begins on April 1, 2026. The MHSAA requires a pre-participation physical dated on or after April 15, 2026, to participate in school sports for the 26-27 school year. Athletes will not be allowed to participate in tryouts until a current and cleared physical form (a picture or scan of it) has been uploaded to their Final Forms account. Summer and school year sport opportunities are also generally communicated to students who have already registered and selected particular sports, so please register for 26-27 sports in April! If you have any questions please contact the athletic department.
- All families with 6th-12th grade potential athletes need to be registered with our online registration system Final Forms. For those already registered for the current year, you simply need to login, select the sports your child is interested in and update any changes to your and your child’s information. This is also the place where you print the updated 25-26 physical form to take with you to your DO/MD/NP/PA appointment and have that individual sign the form.
- For Summer Camps information and registration, please go to our “Active Summer Camps Registration Page”
Important Dates
- Final Forms registration opens for the 26-27 school year on April 1, 2026
- Our 2026 sports physical nights will be on April 23 and May 6
- MHSAA Dead Week: June 29 – July 5 (no team activities or use of facilities)
- MHSAA Fall Sports Pre-Season Downtime: August 1-9 (limited activities for fall teams)
- High School Fall Sports begin: August 10
- Middle School Fall Sports: August 17
Athlete Physicals
Holland Christian encourages every child to see their primary care physician for their well child visit, but also understands the annual MHSAA pre-participation sports physical requirement does not always align with insurance requirements. Holland Christian’s sports physical night offers a low cost visit that meets the MHSAA requirements, but it is not an alternative to an annual well child visit. Regardless of where the MHSAA physical is performed, it must be completed by a MD, DO, NP or PA who will check for significant medical concerns that could arise through participation in sports. The MHSAA physical form must be completed between April 15 and the first practice/try-out for a student to participate in any in-season sport.
For spring 2026, Holland Hospital and Shoreline Orthopedic Sports Medicine are collectively offering two evenings for all area partner schools. The first date is Thursday, April 23 at Shoreline Orthopaedic in Zeeland from 6:00-8:00pm at 8251 Westpark Way, Suite #150, Zeeland, 49464. The second date is Wednesday, May 6 at the Saugatuck location of Holland Hospital from 6:00-8:00pm at 6490 Blue Star Hwy, Saugatuck, 49453.
Families can register for a physical slot at maroonsathletics.org/
Fine Arts
Living Hope Showcase 2026: Vintage Vibes: Groovy Songs of the ’70s
Join the Living Hope Singers in celebrating the iconic songs of the ’70s. From Disco to Rock, Folk to Funk, Showcase 2026 will take you back, and it’s sure to be a groovy time! Performances will be held Friday and Saturday, March 13 & 14 at 7pm in the HCHS Auditorium. Tickets are available on the Living Hope page.
Holland Christian Band Extravaganza
Mark your calendars for the HCS 5th – 12th Band Extravaganza Concert on Tuesday, March 17 at 7pm at the West Ottawa High School Performing Arts Center (3685 Butternut Dr, Holland, MI 49424)
Swingin’ the Night Away
Counselors’ Corner
Testing Information
- All 11th grade students will take the SAT during the school day on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. 9th and 10th grade students will take the PSAT on this day. Students do not need to register for these tests, and there is no cost for students.
- Upcoming Saturday SAT dates are available in May. You can search testing sites in our area when you go to the SAT website to register.
- Upcoming Saturday ACT test dates are available in April. You can search for testing sites in our area when you go to the ACT website to register.
- Test Preparation: There are free resources for SAT test preparation. There are also free resources available for ACT test preparation.
College Financial Aid
The financial aid office of the college(s) you are considering is the best place to go if you have specific FAFSA or financial aid related questions.
Scholarships
Internal scholarships are available to current, full-time Holland Christian seniors (this includes Tech Center seniors). Details have been emailed to all full-time seniors. These are listed on Google Classroom under the course “HCHS Internal Scholarships.” The due date for these applications is Friday, March 27, 2026 by 3pm. There is still a list of outside opportunities listed on the HC website under the counseling section.
Scholarship Night
We would like to celebrate the accomplishments of our seniors by including a list of all merit scholarship recipients in the Scholarship Night and graduation programs. If your senior son/daughter is receiving a merit scholarship from a college you know he/she will be attending, please provide Mrs. Silva in the high school office with written verification of the award. You may copy the letter or the email notifying you of the award received. This does not include need-based financial aid awards. Please have all scholarships turned in by Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Once a student turns in scholarship(s), he/she will receive an invitation letter to Scholarship Night. Please reserve the evening of Thursday, May 7, 2026 for this event. It is a special night to acknowledge the hard work of our seniors, and we want to celebrate their accomplishments!
College Visits
We encourage juniors to begin exploring colleges of interest. Students are allowed two school-related absences per semester for college visits. School-related absence means the absence does not count toward the ten absences allowed. There is a form that the student must fill out before the visit. This must be completed and signed by the college official and returned to the high school office in order for the absence to be cleared. The college visit permission form is available in the high school office and the counseling office. We hope this helps encourage students to explore college/career options without worrying about accruing too many absences. Please note that parents do need to call in the absence ahead of time. Once the completed form is turned in to the office, the absence will get coded as a college visit and will not count against the student.
25-26 School Calendar
Important Dates
March
- 5: Parent-Teacher Conferences (5:30-8:30pm)
- 13 & 14: Living Hope Showcase, 7pm
- 17: Band Extravaganza Concert, 7pm
- 20: Swingin’ the Night Away, 6:45-9pm
April
- 3-12: No school, Spring break
- 13: School resumes
- 25: Junior/Senior Banquet
- 30: Spring Show, Wait Until Dark, 7pm
May
- 1: Spring Show, Wait Until Dark, 7 pm
- 2: Spring Show, Wait Until Dark, 2 & 7pm
- 7: Grandparents Day, special schedule, Tulip Time (half day, 11:10 dismissal)
- 7: Senior Scholarship Night, 7 pm
- 11: Spring Choir Concert, HS Auditorium, 7:30pm
- 13: Orchestra Concert at Jack Miller Center 7:30pm
- 14: Band Concert at West Ottawa HS Performing Arts Center 7:30pm
- 15: Last day for seniors
- 18: Senior exams
- 19: Commencement for Class of 2026
- 25: Memorial Day vacation
- 29: HCHS exams begin