Photo credit: Cloud Photography
Dear Rose Park Friends,
Hello, friends! I feel like it’s been FOREVER since we’ve seen each other! I can’t WAIT to welcome your children back to school! It’s been unnaturally quiet inside Rose Park. Schools are always at their best when every space is full of the life your children bring. But our playground hasn’t been quiet! Have you taken a peek at the construction of our beautiful playscape?!? Check out these links! Even the Holland Sentinel picked up on our excitement! Additionally, our Ottawa Area Intermediate School District shared our Rose Park Ranch story! Boy oh boy! We better invest in some red carpet when we welcome our littles back into our learning spaces at school again. I’m so grateful to our supportive community and how they entrust our staff with innovation and care as we work together growing the WHOLE child of each learner!
Our theme this year is Faith Like A Child. We’ll dig into the faith that Jesus held up and modeled in dear children. Children receive the gift of grace with open arms and thanksgiving! May these next few weeks of summertime beauty give you and your family the opportunity to open your arms to God’s grace and goodness. God’s glory is on display all around us. Soak it in, my friends.
Also, can I just add a moment? I am just so filled with gratitude and excitement for all that God has in store for this coming school year! I look forward to loving each child, serving your family, supporting our staff and praying each day that God would bless the work of our hands and heart!
All joy and thanksgiving,
Miska
Announcements
Food Services
Per state law, all private schools are not included in the “Free Meals for All” program that you may have heard about in the news. Families may still apply for lunch benefits on the Holland Christian Family Portal. If your students qualified for Free or Reduced benefits last year, those benefits carryover through September 30. Please apply for Free and Reduced benefits as soon as possible.
Family portal accounts will be ready to receive deposits on Monday, August 14. If you do NOT have a family portal account set up, you will need your student’s ID number. Please email slambers@hollandchristian.org for your student ID number. There is no fee to deposit money into your child’s account with a debit or credit card.
23-24 meal prices are the same as last year:
- Elementary: $2.75
- Middle School: $3.00
- High School Lunch $3.25
- Milk Ala Carte $0.50
- Free and Reduced Meals $0.00
Equipping Young Minds
I’ve been doing a lot of reading this summer about how we can continue to do better engaging your child’s interest, growing them in their God-given talents and equipping their minds. We are partners in this effort, friends, and we need your help at home. Digital devices and screens have the potential to change the chemical balance in our human brains particularly when left unchecked. If you have a few moments, would you be willing to listen to this podcast from 1000 Hours Outside? Offered by a child psychologist, Dr. Victoria Dunckley, we can learn about the physiological effect of unchecked screen time and how, together, we can bring health to our children’s formative years.
Our New Administrative Assistant Team
Mrs. Katie VanFaasen
Hi, Rose Park families! My name is Katie Van Faasen and I am excited to officially be a part of the Rose Park staff! My husband Chip and I have three kids, one at the middle school and two here at Rose Park. We also have a very silly-looking Basset Hound that has waddled his way into our hearts. As a family we love boating, traveling, and spending time with friends.
I have been a guest teacher in the building for several years and have gotten to know so many of the amazing children here. I look forward to seeing their sweet faces on a more regular basis! I am also happily anticipating walking alongside the staff so they can continue doing incredible work in their classrooms. I love being a part of the Rose Park community and I am eager to help all of you as we navigate this new school year together.
Mrs. Suzanne VanderZee
I enjoy traveling, hanging out with friends, laughter, playing games, the beach, mowing the lawn and being outside. Fiercely love my God and my family. Looking forward to helping others shine, serving families and meeting new people.
Class Lists & School Supplies
We are so excited to welcome your child back to school! Below you will find the links for class lists and school supply lists per class and/or grade level.
Enrollment & Medical Paperwork 23-24
All students entering preschool, kindergarten, and new transfers have a variety of paperwork that needs to be filled out and turned in by August 4, 2023:
Please be sure your child entering these grades is up to date on all immunizations, and if you are pursuing an immunization waiver through your county health department, please call them for an appointment ASAP as appointments fill up quickly, and it needs to be done before attending the first day of school.
Waiver Information:
If your child with a waiver is returning to Holland Christian for the 23-24 school year and moving from:
- 3s preschool to 4s preschool: Current waiver on file is good unless you have chosen to complete a vaccine series during the year that was waived on the waiver.
- 3s/4s preschool to Young 5s: New waiver needed; please schedule an appointment!
- 4s preschool to kindergarten: New waiver needed; please schedule an appointment!
- Young 5s to kindergarten: Current waiver on file is good unless you have chosen to complete a vaccine series during the year that was waived on the waiver.
- If your child is a new student coming to HC from a different school district, your old waiver is invalid and you will need to schedule an appointment.
Contact the Rose Park office if you have any questions 616.820.4055.
Rose Park Office Hours
The office reopened daily on August 1 from 9am-noon, and then resume regular office hours when school begins.
Parent Information Nights
This will be a night where just parents come to meet with your child’s classroom teacher. You’ll be able to ask more detailed questions about your child’s school and classroom experience.
- Tuesday, August 15 @ 6:30pm: 3s/4s Preschool
- Thursday, August 24 @ 6:00pm: Kindergarten – 5th grade
Ice Cream Social
Thursday, August 17th 6-7pm: This is an evening where all preschool-5th graders come together with their families and walk through their classrooms, meet their teacher, find their lockers–all the fun things about starting a new school year! Once your family has had a chance to do that, then everyone gets to head out to the playground to enjoy an ice cream sundae bar and have fellowship as a school community.
First Day of School
Our first day of school is a full day, Tuesday, August 22. Dismissal will be at:
- 11:15am for am preschool students
- 3:15pm for all-day preschool students and K-5th grade students
Before & After School Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures
We ask that you adhere to the following traffic policies for drop-off and pick-up as specified. We appreciate your cooperation and doing your part to keep our children entering and exiting school safely each day.
Picture Day
For those of you really planning ahead, Rose Park’s picture day is September 14. Once order forms are received from GPI they will be sent home with students. If you are ordering a yearbook this will be the time to do that also.
Medication at School
If your child needs to take medication at school, we need an updated form signed by their physician each school year. If you have not done this yet, please do so asap. The medication forms can be found on the Medical Information and Forms Page for your convenience. You are welcome to contact our school nurse, Hendrina Cupery who will help you set up a plan for the office to assist in administering the medication. For safety reasons, Holland Christian Schools is not able to dispense any medication (prescription or non-prescription) to our students without a doctor’s order. Thank you!
Absences
Please call the school office at 616.820.4055 any time before 8:30am to let us know each day your child will be absent. You may leave a voicemail any time and it will be checked in the morning when the office opens.
Transportation
Busing is available for some students needing transportation to and from Rose Park. For complete busing details and to register, please visit our Transportation page.
Student Safety
After the school day is underway, all doors will be locked. All students who arrive late for school must stop in the school office. Parents are asked to sign children in and out at the school office if they are coming or going any time within the normal school hours.
PowerSchool
PowerSchool is our student information database. You will want to bookmark this site! There is also an app available for PowerSchool for your phone which can be very helpful. If there is a change in your phone number or address any time during the school year, it is important that we are informed right away. Parents can update their information on PowerSchool directly on the Demographics Change tab. This assures up-to-date contact information for your child.
You must update your demographic information in Powerschool each fall with your latest and most accurate contact information. Simply login, then either an “update demographic screen” will automatically pop up, or simply click the “change demographics” button on the left of the screen. This information is necessary for field trip participation, emergency response and treatment, student photo permission, and for the office to easily be able to contact a parent or guardian as needed or desired. When listing your child’s emergency contacts, please be sure to list two contacts other than yourself.
Elementary Handbook
The Elementary Handbook is a great resource for parents providing important details on things like our curriculum, discipline policy, etc.
Important Website Links
- School Calendar
- School Supply Lists
- Hot Lunch Information
- Medical Information & Forms
- School Transportation
- Before & After School Programs
Upcoming Dates:
August
- 15: Preschool parent night 6:30pm
- 17: PreK-5th grade Ice cream social 6-7pm
- 22: First day of school
- 24: K-5th Parent Information Night 6:30pm
- 30: All school Convocation
September
- 1: No school
- 4: No school Labor Day
- 14: PreK-5th picture day
- 27: Walkathon
October
- 16: Parent-Teacher Conferences 4-8pm
- 18: Half day of school: Afternoon parent-teacher conferences
- 19-20: CEA Convention: No school
