Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19
Our new year is underway, friends, and God is on the move! Our children and staff are building relationships and comfort is taking in new routines and spaces. It is a joy to watch all of the prayers and plans come to fruition. Behold, God is doing a new thing….and we love it!
Yours in Christ’s service,
Miska
Announcements
Walkathon 2022!
Our annual prek-8th grade Walkathon will take place on Wednesday, September 28. Our Walkathon raises funds for each of our buildings for things that are beyond our budget. These funds help enhance classrooms, provide special extra resources for teachers, and fill in the gaps for needs that arise throughout the school year. Your child will be coming home with a manilla envelope with instructions this week. In that envelope is also a description of the prizes that can be won this year! We appreciate your willingness to participate and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Your child will be given a theme walkathon t-shirt. Please save this shirt for special events this school year such as the spring program and Tulip Time choices.
Picture Days
Our Rose Park picture days will take place on September 14 and 15. A picture order form will come home with your child in the next week. REMINDER! If you would like a yearbook for your child, please be sure to order one along with your pictures. Our retake day is October 26.
NWEA-MAP
We are intentionally learning about and falling in love with each child in our care. Part of getting to know them is discovering their learning styles, needs and gifts! Your child will be reading one-on-one with his/her teacher in an assessment called a running record. This provides us a very clear diagnostic perspective on your growing reader. Another tool we use is the NWEA-MAP assessment. This is another one of the tools we use in the portfolio of assessment as we learn about our students. Your child will take this assessment on his/her iPad or computer at some point during our testing window which is 9/6-9/16.
Skating Party
Save the date, Tuesday October 11, for a skating party! More details to come.
Grandparents Day
Mark your calendars! Thursday October 27 we will share our classrooms with our grandfriends and grandparents. More details will be forthcoming. For now, save the date!
Half-day Professional Development
In an effort to grow your children with best practices, we take very seriously the growth of our staff and faculty. To that end, you will note periodic Friday half-days in our calendar this year. We are grateful for your accommodating this learning time for your child’s teacher. You will note the first half-day professional development will be on Friday, September 16.
Before & After School Parking Lot Procedures
It is the beginning of a new school year, and a good time to introduce our parking lot procedures to our new families, and remind our current families of the procedures!
The circle drive on the south side of the building is reserved for buses only please. The circle drive to the south side is for cars to pick up and drop off children. This policy can feel like a hard one to adhere to. It is SO tempting to just zip in privately in the open drive to pick up your child and zip right back out. That is obviously so much quicker to bypass the crowd. But, please bear in mind, we have 300 children being dismissed into more than 100 cars. We simply can’t manage cars coming and going through both circles. Our poor buses would never stand a chance of moving in or out. Ultimately, our children would not be safe. I understand sitting in the carpool lane takes longer. I’ve been there myself as a parent. We do appreciate your mindfulness for the whole community and resisting the temptation to allow special privileges for yourself or teaching your child the community expectations don’t apply to him/her. We promise to move our children back into your car as quickly as possible so you can hear all about their adventure while at Rose Park!
The entrance off James Street is for buses only please at the start and close of the day. Even though it might quicken your own personal pick up or drop off, it’s tough for buses to get in and out quickly and safely if cars are also coming and going from James Street entrance as well. Our bus drivers are agreeable to save the Butternut Drive entrance just for you, our car drivers. We ask that our cars not use the James Street entrance only during drop off and pick up hours (8:00-8:20 and 2:50-3:20) but come and go using the Butternut Drive entrance. Thank you.
Hot Lunch
We are getting into the groove with our new hot lunch procedures. Please reach out to the office via phone or email if you need your child’s student ID number to connect to the hot lunch portal. Check out this Food Services document if you’re needing more information about setting up your account. To add money to your child’s account you can use your credit card online (no extra processing fees), bring a check into the office with your child’s name written on the memo line, or bring cash into the office in a sealed envelope with your child’s name on the envelope.
Absences
Please call the school office at 616.820.4055 any time before 8:30am to let us know each day when your child will be absent. You may leave a voicemail any time and it will be checked in the morning when the office opens.
Student Safety
After the school day is underway, all doors except the main entrance 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.
Elementary Handbook
The Elementary Handbook is a great resource for parents providing important details on things like our curriculum, discipline policy, etc.
Moms In Prayer
Moms in Prayer is a great way to connect with other moms, to pray for your child, and have an impact on the community of Rose Park. We are looking for someone to head up this wonderful opportunity to facilitate moms (or dads or grandmas or aunts or grandpas!) who want to join together and pray. If you are curious what this opportunity would look like, we can connect you with the leader for Moms In Prayer for South Side, Pine Ridge and Forest School. Please let Carla or Laura in the office know if you would like to receive more information.
Holland Christian Elementary Unified Soccer
Interested in an inclusive sport opportunity? Unified Sports is a part of the Unified Champion Schools program offered through Special Olympics. It is a unique and inclusive athletic opportunity for students with and without disabilities to play together on the same team, making athletics more accessible for students who may not otherwise be included or invited to be on a team. Holland Christian and Zeeland Christian partner to form the Maroons Unified team. We are offering soccer this fall and are looking for partners to join the team. If you are interested in this opportunity for your child, please fill out this Google form.
Holland Christian Girls Cheer Clinic Opportunity
Calendar
View the full Holland Christian calendar
September
- 2: No school
- 5: No school Labor Day
- 16: 1/2 day: Teacher PD
- 14-15: Picture day
- 28: Walkathon
October
- 11: Rose Park Skating Party
- 17: Parent Teacher Conferences 4-8pm
- 19: Half day of school: Parent Teacher Conferences
- 20-21: CEA Convention: No School
- 26: Picture Day Retakes
- 27: Grandparents Day
