Dear Parents,
I hope each of you is enjoying your students as much as we are at middle school. The start to this year has gone very smoothly from our end. We are in our second year of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). So far we have come up with common expectations for different areas of our school using the words “Be Honorable, Be Engaged, and Be Ready.” PBIS has improved the culture of our school as we work to have more consistent, positive behavior. This will continue as we launch into the 2nd year.
Thank you for coming in to parent-teacher conferences as we partner with you to help each of your students flourish academically, socially, and spiritually. We also are appreciative of all the food that was brought in by you to feed the staff on those extra long days of school.
Finally, we all traveled to South Bend for our annual teacher convention. A lot of learning and connecting happens every year at the convention as we listen and discuss topics about our faith and glean information about how to best do our roles as teachers and administrators. At our closing ceremony we all heard a speaker who started with the words, “Jesus give me what you want me to know and the guts to live it.” He then told us that obedience is key, and the desire of our hearts needs to be God. He explained that we need to obey the “10 second rule” which is to do what God wants us to do and do it quickly. He challenged us to read God’s word more as God reveals himself through his word. He concluded that we need to love every student no matter how challenging they are. My hope is that both you, the parents, and our staff at HC are able to do that each and every day.
God bless,
Tom Strikwerda
November at HCMS
Food Fight
One thing we do at the middle school every year to show our love for our neighbor is hold a fall food drive leading up to the Thanksgiving season. Starting Monday, November 7 and ending on Friday, November 18 we are going collect food for Community Action House in Holland. We would love it if you can help your student bring in any or all of the following food items to the spot in the library that is labeled with their house name:
Things most needed:
- Cans of fruit (peaches, applesauce)
- Cookie, cake, or brownie mix
- Cans of beans (black, pinto)
- Cans of tuna/chicken
- Cans of green beans & corn
- Containers of broth (cans, boxes)
- Cooking oil (16 oz.)
- Boxed pasta & pasta sides
- Laundry detergent
- Shampoo & conditioner
- Toothbrushes & toothpaste
- Toilet paper
- Dish soap
We will have a fun “food fight” by seeing which house (Windmill/Dunes/Lighthouse/Lake) brings in the most items. Thanks for helping us support our community! As we head into this Thanksgiving season, my prayer is that you and your family have a season of JOY.
End of Quarter 1
The end of quarter #1 is November 2. This is a great time to check in with your student, and see how they are doing in regards to academics. We would also recommend checking Powerschool weekly and discussing with your student(s) how they are doing. If you need help read about how to login to Powerschool.
Little Maroons
Little Maroons is a Holland Christian winter basketball opportunity for kindergarten-sixth graders to develop in both skill and game play. Grades 5-6 have three clinics before Christmas to prepare for their local 5-6 league run through City of Holland Recreation. Registration for the Holland Christian sessions and clinics is available through our camps registration system, and the early bird discount is good through November 4.
Ski Club
HCMS will be participating in Ski Club again this year! We will be selling discounted tickets for both students and adults. More information on Ski Club will be sent out in the coming weeks. Looking forward to seeing the snow fall!
MOMS in Prayer
Moms In Prayer meets 8:30-9:30am at Providence Church (across the street from the MS) on Fridays. Contact Nicole Shook ncshook@gmail.com with questions.
Conference Follow-up
We learned from parent-teacher conferences that not everybody is aware of our Middle School Learning Google Doc. This is a great resource for both students and parents to keep track of what is happening in your student’s daily academic life. You will notice the tabs at the bottom of the page, one for 6th grade, one for 7th, one for 8th, and then a page for our daily announcements. Please bookmark this page for quick access and communication with your student.
Important Dates
November
2: End of quarter 1
3: Beginning of quarter 2
4: Swingin’ the Night Away: MS/HS Jazz Band Members
11: ½ day: Professional learning for teachers & Veteran’s Day assembly @ HCHS
23-25: No school, Thanksgiving weekend
December
5: HCMS Band/Orchestra Concert
8: HCMS Choir Concerts
19-30: Christmas Break
