The middle school year is off to a great start!
On Wednesday, we had our first chapel, where we talked about building community in our middle school through the story of Zacchaeus. We connected his story to our Student Commitments, which are posted on the wall in the Alley and included in our Student Handbook under “Student Commitments.” Each student will also receive a copy to keep.
As we begin a new school year, it is important for each of us to focus on building a strong and caring community. Middle school is a place where every student should feel known, valued, included, and cared for. Our Student Commitments give us practical ways to live this out each day—through kindness, forgiveness, honoring the image of God in one another, and looking for opportunities to include others.
My hope is that these commitments will become more than words on a wall. I pray they will shape the way we treat one another and help make HCMS a community where everyone knows they belong.
Attached below are some pictures from our 6th grade orientation! One of the highlights of the day was having our 8th grade House Leaders lead the 6th graders around the school on a scavenger hunt. Our House Leaders did a wonderful job welcoming the 6th graders, helping them get acclimated to a new school building, and making them feel at home. It was a great example of our students building community and caring for one another!
We are looking forward to partnering together for another school year.
God bless,
Tom Strikwerda
Principal
September at HCMS
Parent Night
Parent Night is coming up Wednesday, September 2 6:30-7:30. This is an important night for you to meet your child’s teachers, hear their heart and passion for teaching in a Christian School, and learn about what your child will be learning about! This is a great first touch-point in working together in your child’s middle school year.
MS Chapel
Middle School Chapel will take place at the high school most Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9:15. Please keep this in mind when scheduling appointments.
House System
Today, 6th graders and new students and staff were put into a house (Dunes, Lake, Lighthouse or Windmill), and now students can earn points for various positive things. We will also have our first house competition- house tug of war- on Thursday.
Parent Team
Hey Parents! Want to stay connected with what’s going on in the middle school?! Join our parent team! We will be meeting once a month on Friday’s at 8am, plus a social outing or two. The time commitment is flexible throughout the year with what works with your schedule, although we do hope to have most at each Friday meeting. Heading the team this year is Anita Mulder (anitacmulder@gmail.com). Contact her if you are interested in joining! We look forward to a great school year with planning fabulous activities for the kids and teachers!
Walkathon is September 23! If you are willing to help at the event, please sign up Here!
MAP Testing
MAP testing at the middle school is coming up! If at all possible, please avoid taking your student out for appointments or vacation during that time. If any testing is missed, it will have to be made up by the end of the testing window, which will result in missing regular class time.
- Tuesday, September 8 8:00-10:00 AM
- Tuesday, September 15 8:00-10:00 AM
On these dates, please help your child remember the following things:
- Get a good night of sleep
- Eat a healthy breakfast
- Charge laptops overnight
Please contact the middle school at ms@hollandchristian.org with any questions.
Faces & Our Culture
This year, Holland Christian will be part of an exciting cultural exchange program with Guatemala, and we are excited to share more about this opportunity with you!
Faces & Our Cultures is an organization dedicated to empowering students through academic and cultural exchange experiences. Through the program, Guatemalan students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in our community and experience life in the United States for eight enriching weeks.
During their stay, our Guatemalan ambassadors will become an active part of the HC community, attending school alongside their peers and participating in school activities.
Program Dates: Sunday, October 18th – Saturday, December 12th.
We’re currently looking for one volunteer host family to welcome Sofia, one of our ambassadors, this fall. If you are interested in hosting contact Lucia Viteri who is Faces and our Cultures state coordinator. You can contact Lucia at lucia.viteri@facesandcultures.com
Important Dates
The full 26-27 school calendar is available here
September
1: 7th Grade Vision Screening
4: No School- Labor Day Weekend
7: No School- Labor Day
9: Convocation
10: 6th Graders to Camp Beechpoint
Picture Make-Up Day (for students who missed Orientation/Open House)
23: Walkathon
October
1: Fall Parent Teacher Conferences (3:30-6:30 pm)
8: Fall Parent Teacher Conferences (5:30-8:30 pm)
12: Picture Retakes
14-16: No School- CEA Convention
30: End of Quarter 1