Tolsma (Preschool). I am grateful for the team of dedicated and gifted individuals and educators, who love, serve, lead, and learn along with your children.
HC 2015 Theme
Our theme for next year is “Life Together.” As a fitting follow up to last year’s “Love Does” theme, Life Together will focus our attention on living and growing together, learning more and more in very age appropriate ways what it means to live as disciples of Christ. As we did last year, we will also embark as an entire HCS community on another book study. John Ortberg’s The Life You’ve Always Wanted will guide our reflection, thoughts, and actions. Watch for more information this fall. Our theme is based on Colossians 2:5-7 (NIV) where we read these words: "For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
We will explore in classes and in chapels how we can lovingly do what we know in service to our neighbor, and worship of our LORD and King.
Important To Do Today
It is imperative that you update your demographic information in Powerschool now with your latest and most accurate contact information. Simply go in your browser to ps.hollandchristian.org, and, if you are a returning parent, log in with your personal log in and password. If you have difficulty, click the “If you are having trouble…” link to retrieve your log in information. If you are a first-time parent, create a login for yourself. 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. Again, please do this today. Thank you!
Health Appraisal Forms a.k.a. "Green Form" Due to a new State of Michigan mandate, all students must have a health appraisal on file with their school to ensure their child's education is not disrupted. If your child attended school at South Side
last year, you are all set. If your child is new to South Side, whether kindergarten or otherwise, or if
your child's health information has changed within the last year, please contact your pediatrician's
office for an updated form. Please don't hesitate to contact your pediatrician's office or our South
Side office for assistance.
South Side Needs You!
We rely on a wonderful volunteer base to assist the staff as needed. For some positions, we even pay! We currently have a need for lunch recess supervisors on the playground, from 11:45-12:30 each day. Even if you can’t commit to every day but know that you would like to help out in this capacity, please email pmeiste@hollandchristian.org, or call Pat in the office at 616-820-3535. Thank you for considering this opportunity to help ensure our children are safe as they play outside!
Back-to-School Events
We have some wonderful events planned for you in August. Please find information below regarding these dates and additional items related to the beginning of school:
Ice Cream Social / Open House: Thursday night, August 20, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM
- “Socialize” with old friends and meet new families. (Challenge: Talk to at least three parents with whom you are not very familiar! Also – help your child meet the new students in their class.)
- Visit classrooms, introduce yourself to the teacher, find your child’s locker and desk, bring in school supplies. (See the Holland Christian South Side webpage for the list.)
- Pay for busing, or put money into your child’s lunch account – having your child’s account number will be a huge help. Assistance will be available to new families wishing to fund lunch accounts.
- Inform the teacher about your child’s transportation to and from school – needed before the first day of school.
- Enjoy some ice cream!
HCS Back-to-School 2015 Convocation for all Preschool-12th grade students and all who are part of the HCS community: Wednesday, September 2, 9AM, HCHS Gymnasium. You are invited along with the entire Holland Christian Schools community to our annual Convocation Ceremony to kick-off our 2015-2016 school year. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, alumnus, friend, or supporter, we would love to welcome you along with all of our Preschool-12 grade students in a time of celebration, prayer, praise, and listening to God's Word at the beginning of this exciting new year. Various Holland Christian students, staff, and community members will lead in song, prayer, and devotion. Come and join us Wednesday, September 2, 9AM in the high school gym for this very special convocation service. You will be blessed!
K-2 Parent Night
Tuesday, August 25, at 7:00 PM
Meet collectively as a South Side parent and staff community. Children do not typically attend this event. Spend time with your child’s teacher and learn about the year ahead. Sorry, no ice cream this time.
School begins!
Monday, August 24, for all students in Kindergarten through 9th grade. Our school day will run from 8:10 AM (first bell) to 3:15 PM. Office hours are 7:45 AM – 3:45 PM. Because Holland Christian is starting school earlier than public schools, there will be no Holland Public busing until September 8.
HC Batons We hope you have treasured the note written to your child from last year's teacher and tucked inside the special HC baton. Please feel free to write a note to your child detailing all that you see that God has packed inside your special little one in this stage of life (it goes so quickly!) We ask that each baton be returned to school in time for our convocation on September 2. Your child's teacher has a special devotional planned during which batons will be passed from your child to his or her new teacher, even as Teacher will be already holding your child's heart gently in her hands. You are welcome to bring these batons at the Ice Cream Social event, during Parent Night or on the first day of school. Whichever is most convenient for you. Please keep in mind we'd like to have them here at
school by Wednesday, September 2.
Before/After School Programs
New for 2015-2016 we will be offering a before school program for families that need to drop off students as early as 7:00 AM, as well as our after school program starting at 3:15 until 5:30. Families need to pre-register prior to using these programs to allow us time to provide adequate supervision. We will allow drop-in’s as long as space allows. Please give the office a call at least 24 hours in advance. Click this online registration link to begin the registration process for either of these programs. If you have any questions regarding these programs please contact program director Amanda Brouwer at 616-820-4081.
Advance Notice
Teacher Learning Day/No School for Students: Monday, September 28. Our teachers will be engaged in learning, sharing and growing on Monday, September 28 to enable us to offer your child the best educational experience we are able. There will be no school that day for your child(ren).
Communication
While we will still send home the occasional email, weekly information from the office (Fridays), as well as the weekly notes from classroom teachers, will be posted on each teacher’s, as well as South Side’s blog page. We will send out the links for blog pages for you to bookmark in your browser very soon. If and when papers that need to be returned to school are sent home, we will notify you of this in our blogs.
Preschool News!
Preschool Paperwork is now available on-line at: hollandchristian.org/preschool/student_information_forms. Please download and print all forms and return to the school office before August 24, 2015.
Preschool families join the whole South Side Christian School family on Thursday, August 20 from 6:30-8 PM for our annual Ice Cream Social. This is a great night to come out and visit your student’s classroom, meet the teacher, and enjoy fellowship with other South Side families.
Our Preschool Parent Meeting is Tuesday, August 25 starting at 6 PM in your child's classroom. This meeting is for parents only. You will hear more from the teacher regarding the year and your student's experience. You don't want to miss this!
Thank You!
Join us in thanking our custodian, Todd Bruinsma, for our beautifully cleaned building. He washed, scrubbed, and waxed during our summer vacation, getting the classrooms and halls readyfor us to use.
Please feel free to call or email our school secretariy, Pat Meiste, or me with any questions you may have regarding this upcoming school year. If you know any families who are still making school decisions for their children, and are interested in learning more about HC, please give them my number. I would love to show them around and tell them about the great things that happen here!
I am looking forward to seeing you all, again, very soon. I am eagerly anticipating a great year experiencing what God again has in store for us at South Side! Please continue to join me in prayer for this coming school year.
Warmest Blessings,
Miska Rynsburger
Principal
mrynsburger@hollandchristian.org
616-820-3535
PS...And, if you're looking for one more fun summer activity with your kids, consider joining Good Sam's Wild Run on August 15, 2015. Click here for more details and registration material. Great fun for the kids, and great benefit for our community!
