Dear HCHS Families,
Gratitude is the word I think of when reflecting on the beginning of this school year. As I’ve spoken with parents, teachers, and students, a common thread that has formed is the comment that this is what a normal school year should feel like. School athletic programs launched with great momentum into the season; seniors came together to worship and to enter into the presence of God in community; teachers worshiped together in the HS auditorium and started their annual professional development; and our school gathered at convocation to celebrate the gifts that God has provided through his servants to our HC community in the new classrooms, athletic facilities, and much more. This community has experienced many challenges over the last few years, yet this year we’re experiencing the faithfulness of God and a renewed eagerness to continue the good work of equipping minds and nurturing hearts to transform the world for Jesus Christ.
When reflecting on our mission statement this summer, I thought, at first, that it was sort of odd that the end of the statement appears to declare that we are trying to do something that Jesus is not already doing. I then thought of one story I read about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was a Lutheran pastor in Germany and Christian martyr in 1945. Bonhoeffer had been a wealthy aristocrat and an extremely well-educated young man with a very promising future in his country; however, during the late 1930s, he decided for a time to teach a small group of young men on how to become apprentices of Jesus in a remote location. When confronted by one of his friends about this seeming waste of his talents, Bonhoeffer took him to an overlook of a Nazi training camp a short distance away and said, “This is why I am doing what I’m doing.”
What Bonhoeffer knew was that everyone’s mind is being equipped to do something, everyone’s heart is being nurtured to love something, and everyone is transforming the world for a desired purpose whether it be for the self, a country, or evil cause. Through our communal following of Jesus and rigorous education, my prayer is that we make it clearly evident for whom we are equipping our minds, nurturing our hearts, and transforming the world. May we come together this year at the Stream of Living Water and participate in the outpouring of new life that can only be found in Jesus and living together in accordance to how he taught us to live.
Thank you for your partnership and dedication to this community. I look forward to the year ahead and the incredible deeds that God has in store for your families.
Your partner in Kingdom work,
Miles Colago
High School Principal
Announcements
Dress Code
Parents and students, we have spent a fair amount of time dealing with dress code issues in the first two weeks of school, especially with crop tops showing midriffs. Please take a moment as a family to read together the dress code policy listed below from our student handbook. Thank you for your cooperation.
In keeping with the mission of Holland Christian Schools, the Holland Christian School community recognizes the important impact of student dress on the learning environment. We understand that all of our lives, including our dress, bring honor or dishonor to our God. We also embrace our identity as a Christian school and how we dress impacts our witness for Christ to the world. While these principles impact our most basic commitments regarding dress there is more to which we would challenge the HC community.
- No hats, hoods, earbuds, airpods or sunglasses are allowed during school hours. Teacher discretion may be used in class based upon class activity.
- Clothing or accessories depicting alcohol, tobacco, sexual or offensive language should not be worn at school.
- Clothing and accessories that can be considered political or divisive in nature is not allowed, instead, Holland Christian is committed to providing venues for safe and meaningful discussion.
- Shirts, shorts, and dresses must be modest and cover what they are supposed to cover. Cleavage, midriff or butt cheeks should not be visible.
- The administration reserves the right to determine what constitutes appropriate dress. Students who do not adhere to these guidelines will not be allowed to attend class. Parents will be called if appropriate clothing is not available or the student refuses dress-code appropriate clothing.
Security System at HCHS
Just a reminder that we have an intercom/buzz-in system at HCHS. All of the Holland Christian School campuses have such a system. Please note that after 8:10am (9 am on Wednesdays) the front doors to the main high school entrance (Entrance A) are locked and you will need to press the intercom button located to the right of the doors to speak to one of the office personnel who will let you in. Parents may drop off items for their students in the office, and visitors who are going to be in the building must sign in the visitor log and wear a guest badge. Thanks for your cooperation with these important safety protocols.
High School Daily Announcements
All students and parents will be emailed the high school daily student announcements. Please help us by keeping your contact information up to date in PowerSchool. When you log in to PowerSchool, click “SwiftReach SwiftK12;” under “Contact Information” you can make sure your demographics are up to date. Announcements are also posted daily on the High School Announcements Google Doc.
Student Handbook Updates
Parents and students, please take some time to read through the HCHS Student Handbook. Make sure you are familiar with the attendance policy and the dress code.
Student Medical Information and Forms
If your student has any medical situation that the school office should be aware of or has any medication that needs to be kept in the office, the appropriate forms need to be filled out each school year and kept on file in the office. Please make sure all information is current so that we can help keep your child safe and keep the necessary medications here. All the forms can be found on the Medical Information and Forms page of our website. If you have any questions please contact Hendrina Cupery, Manager of the Holland Hospital School Nurse Program, at cupery@hollandhospital.org.
Parent Night
We will be hosting our annual Parent Night on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at 7pm at the high school. This will be an opportunity for you to meet the HCHS staff and learn more about our how we will live into our district mission of “Equipping Minds and Nurturing Hearts to Transform the World for Jesus Christ.” Please add this event to your calendar and make it a priority to attend.
Senior Picture Information
Here are some details on Senior pictures. The deadline for senior pictures is Friday, September 23, 2022.
Parking Permit
All students who drive to school are required to display a parking permit on their vehicle. They are available at no charge in the high school office.
Busing Information
Detailed busing information can be found on the Transportation page of our website. Any questions about busing can be directed to the Administration Office at 616.820.2805 or transportation@hollandchristian.org.
Counselors Corner
The 2022-23 school year is off to a great start. We are committed to building relationships with our students and are looking forward to meeting with each one over the course of this school year.
Information for Seniors
We encourage college bound seniors to get their applications in by Thanksgiving vacation to have the best opportunities for financial aid. We also offer to assist non-college bound seniors with career selection, information, and job placement. We will hold an informational session with all seniors next week and will cover a timeline of things seniors need to be doing throughout the school year, including the college application process. Seniors will also be invited to sign up for a Common Application workshop coming up later this month.
Scholarships
Throughout the school year, various scholarship opportunities will be posted online through the Counseling Department. A listing of outside scholarships, both regional and national, will be updated as we receive notices of scholarships. Beginning in the second semester, there will be information online about the Holland/Zeeland Community Foundation Scholarships that are open to Holland Christian students and also internal HC scholarships, which are for full-time Holland Christian students only. Be sure to check the Scholarship portion of the Counseling Department page.
College Representative Visits
We keep a listing of college reps holding visits at HCHS, that can also be found on the Counseling Department webpage.
FAFSA Night
A college representative will be hosting a virtual workshop for HCHS parents on Monday, September 26, 2022 at 6pm to speak to parents about filling out the FAFSA and other financial aid opportunities. More details, including the link to the meeting, will be emailed out to parents of juniors and seniors.
Testing Information
- Upcoming ACT test dates are October 22 and December 10, 2022. HCHS is a testing site for these test dates. Register for the ACT at www.actstudent.org.
- Upcoming SAT test dates are October 1, November 5, December 3, 2022. HCHS is a testing site for only the November 5 test. To register for the SAT, go to www.sat.org.
- There is information about free ACT and SAT Preparation on the Holland Christian website; also, pick up a free “Preparing for the ACT” and a free “SAT Student Guide” booklet in the counseling office.
- PSAT: This test is a precursor to the SAT. It provides excellent practice for subsequent standardized tests and can provide valuable test preparation feedback and tools. The junior year is the only year a score is considered for the National Merit Scholarship. The test will be given on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 during the school day. Juniors who wish to take the PSAT/NMSQT must sign up and pay on Total Registration (more details to come). All freshmen and sophomores will take the PSAT during a school day this coming spring. There will be no fee charged to students, and they will register through school.
IMPORTANT DATES
The full 2022-23 Holland Christian Calendar is here
September
- 2: No school, Labor Day break
- 5: No school, Labor Day
- 6: Parent Night at the HS 7pm
- 8: Picture make-up day
- 16: Half day, 11:15am dismissal
- 23: Senior picture deadline
- 24: Homecoming dance
- 26: College Financial Aid Seminar 6pm
October
- 6: Parent/Teacher conferences 5:30-8:30pm
- 8: Tuition Grant Fund Auction
- 10: Picture retake at HS
- 12: PSAT/NMSQT
- 13: Parent/Teacher conferences 3:30-6:30pm
- 19: Half day, 11:15am dismissal
- 19: Grandparents’ Day at the HS 8:00-11:15am
- 20 & 21 – CEA Staff Development (No school)
- 20 & 21 – All Tech Center Students must attend Tech Center
