Dear Rose Park Families,
It is by this time of year that our have children reviewed and committed the words of the 23rd Psalm to memory. Our prayer is that these promises of comfort will become part of the fabric of who they are! May that readily be recalled anytime our dear children find themselves in times of spiritual need throughout their journey this side of heaven. We also put the meaning of these words into practice.
Most recently the words from the fourth verse have taken on new depth of meaning for our children. “Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and your staff they comfort me.” A dear mother from our Rose Park family died and was brought into the loving arms of our Jesus this month. Moments like this stop our world from spinning. Illness seems to be spreading despite our efforts to keep healthy. In times of trouble, God is with us and provides his rod and staff to give us the strength we need to keep on keeping on. Our children are learning and living something special. That rod and staff? That’s us, friends. You and me! That is our children! We are God’s rod and staff in the time of need we see in others. God calls us to be his partners in this broken world. To bring shalom to chaos. To be close to the brokenhearted. We are ready and we are equipped for such a time as this.
Thank you for your outpouring of love and gentle kindness. Thank you for your patience and cooperation. Thank you for coming around loved ones in our community and modeling life as God’s rod and staff in the valley.
Yours in Christ’s service,
Miska
/ Announcements
Vacation Learning
With Christmas break coming up and travel plans being made, I would like to ask for a consideration on behalf of our hard-working teachers. Students are engaging in learning both in person as well as remotely as we currently have families who have had to quarantine due to illness or contact tracing. This is a hefty work load teachers are carrying to advance all students’ learning and meet them right where they are. I’m so grateful to these hard-working, joy-filled teachers! Not one of them comments on this hefty workload.
If your family vacation plans include an extension into the school days, we understand and know that you will treasure the memories made. We also do appreciate your desire to continue advancing your child’s learning during your time away. However, before the requests for “take home packets” come in, I’m hoping to help you see life from our teachers’ perspective. Creating a packet of worksheets that are convenient for travel is a third learning experience being requested of teachers to plan, collate and detail the instructions. Very little of our student learning is driven by worksheets anymore. That’s a GOOD indicator of authentic learning and excellent teaching! But our authentic learning experiences don’t translate well to a convenient road trip packet. This request is fully coming from me, but out of a desire to protect our hard-working teachers. If your family will be extending vacation due to travel, please ask your child to take home a reading book from his/her book box. You might choose to pick up a grade level math workbook at a local shop. Perhaps bring along a writing journal for your child to write about your family’s time away with details, neatness and proper mechanics. Be assured we will work to catch your child up on the power standards missed during your time away upon your return. Don’t feel guilty about your travels! Those are critical memory making experiences! We love it! But in an effort to value our teachers’ personal time and much-needed vacation time as well, I’m asking that we not request the school packets of work and instruction to be prepared from our teachers. Please reach out to me if you seek clarification or if I can help suggest some travel-friendly learning activities for your family. Thank you for your understanding.
Teacher Christmas Tea
Each year around Christmas time, we invite the teachers and staff to take a break from their day and enjoy a nice lunch, provided to them by our wonderful Rose Park families. Please help us out by signing up for something in the link. Anything contributed is greatly appreciated! Please ensure whatever you sign up for is delivered to school the morning of December 9. If it needs to stay hot, please plan a way to do so or deliver by 11 am. Thank you!
Winter Gear
We have had some cold days! We would like to request that students have the extra winter clothing needed for the winter months: boots, snow pants, mittens, hat. We have limited items at school to loan students, but if there is a large number of students borrowing items, we deplete the inventory quickly. Thank you for making this a priority for your child’s health and warmth.
If you happen to have any of these extra items, we’d love to have them donated to our stash:
- Mittens & gloves
- Hats
- Boots
Illness
Fall has arrived along with Covid, cold and flu! We continue to use precautions at school such as diligent hand washing and wiping down of surfaces. We would love your help in keeping our kids healthy and in school. Please continue to be aware of symptoms your child may experiencing. If your child has the following symptoms, please keep them home:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever (over 100.3)
- Fatigue and chills
- Loss of taste and/or smell
Your child needs to be free of these symptoms for at least 24 hours. For fevers, your child must be fever free without the use of fever reducing medicine for 24 hours. If your child will not be present at school, please let our office know at 616.820.4055.
Kindergarten Cookie Sale
December 9 will be the date for the annual kindergarten cookie sale! This year, all money raised will go to support Syrian refugee children through Tent Schools International! Get those quarters ready to support these treasured children.
Caring for Our Troops
We will be collecting items to go in care packages for US military troops deployed overseas. Items needed are listed below. We will be collecting these (UNWRAPPED) from November 15 – December 13. Thanks for any items your family can contribute. Note: Glass and aerosol containers are not allowed.
Toiletries:
- face wipes for women
- body wipes for men
- toothbrushes
- toothpaste
- deodorant
- razors
- shave gel for men/women (in tubes – no aerosol)
- foot powder
- body wash
- shampoo
- cough drops
- ibuprofen
- insoles for boots
- sunblock lotion
Snacks:
- individual serving containers of peanut butter, applesauce, fruit cups, pudding
- dried fruit
- shelled sunflower seeds
- tuna packets
- protein bars
- coffee creamer (powdered)
- individual coffee bags (Folger makes these; they look like tea bags.)
- mini size candy
- granola bars
- hot chocolate packets
- individual packets of Oreos, etc.
- beef jerky or beef sticks
Other Items: playing cards, puzzle books, adult coloring books, colored pencils and markers
Hot Lunch
View the December Hot Lunch Menu. Lunch will be free as well with all the favorite options as before! To see all food service options for all our schools see the back to school food service options flyer.
Little Maroons Winter Basketball
For your young ones: an opportunity for kindergarteners through sixth graders to develop in both skill and game play in a fun environment. Please find additional information and registration at the following link on the Little Maroons Registration Page.
Girls Running Club
One day when spring returns….3rd – 5th grade girls running club will be offered! Girls will train March 15 until May 5. The culminating event to celebrate their hard work and training will be to run the tulip time 5K on May 7! Practices will be Tuesday and Thursday after school from 3:15 – 4:30 pm! Sign up will be until Fri. Feb 25th. For more information contact Sarah Dangler at 616.403.8761 or csdangler@yahoo.com.
TTQ 3rd-5th Boys Running Club
Here is more information regarding the 3rd-5th grade boys running club.
/ Calendar
View the full Holland Christian Calendar
December
- 9: 4th-6th grade Band and Orchestra Concert
- 9: Kindergarten cookie sale
- 20-Jan 2: No school/Christmas break
January
- 14: End of 2nd quarter/semester
