Big Blog

Grand Rapids Symphony Concert!

We have been awarded the partnership with the Grand Rapids Symphony this year as an Artist in Residence school. Our links for the first concert are LIVE today! Please access them here. You may view the concert by navigating to this link. I've been informed the concert link is live until October 20! When prompted our passcode is GRSPeterRabbit2020

Placemats

The activities coordinator at Rest Haven shared some sorrowful news with us. The residents at Rest Haven are struggling with feelings of isolation due to COVID restrictions. Actually, their death rate has increased significantly and she believes this is in part due to the emotional toll of no visitors. She has asked if students could decorate their placemats for a bit of cheer and love during mealtime. I hope you approve that I said "YES! We can help!" There is a box of paper placemats in the office. If your class has time, could you please grab a few placemats and ask your kids to decorate them with bright colors and love-filled text? Please bring them back to the office by next Wednesday, Oct 21, and I will deliver them to her. Thank you! 

Opportunity to Consider?

Good morning! I hope your year is off to a great start!  I know navigating a pandemic is not something anyone expected to tackle in their lifetime!  My name is Sydney Del Valle and I’m the Program Intern for Kids’ Food Basket. I wanted to reach out today to see if you would be interested in participating in any activities we have going on this month for Kids’ Food Basket. One major activity going on right now is our Brown Bag Decorating.  The month of October at Kids’ Food Basket is focused on collecting decorated brown bags that are the “touch of love” we send out to all students receiving meals from us. Our goal this year is to collect 100,000 decorated bags by October 23rd! If interested, we could do a zoom call where we can read a book, discuss helping your community, and talk about decorating brown bags for us.  Of course this isn’t necessary for participating, but I wanted to offer it in case anyone was interested.  Ideally, we would love if you could donate the bags you are going to decorate for us, but if this isn’t an option, I can try to get some for you.  We typically ask for the slightly larger bags, usually considered 6 or 8 pound bags, which can be purchased at places like Gordon Food Service.

 

Another opportunity for students to support their local community is through a food drive to help support the Ottawa and Allegan Kids’ Food Basket.  We have a wishlist food drive where individuals could just purchase the items on the list and after a set amount of time, you could either deliver them to the Ottawa+Allegan Kids’ Food Basket location, or we could schedule a time to pick those items up. 

Collaboration Days 

...are coming up! Please take a look here at our schedule.  

Discovery In The Forest

November 7 at 11:00 we'll be inviting prospective families into our learning spaces for one hour. Please put a placeholder in your calendar Ron, Emily and Angie. I'll give you the low down on Friday. 

Chapel Schedule

First Grade! Your turn! :) 

Shalom

These past few weeks seem to be filled with masks and ever-changing mandates which have been challenging to navigate, haven't they? It's tough to know what to rely on. And then over the weekend to learn of Kristen's death just seemed to rock the very foundation we stand on. Again. Deeply. Exodus 15:2 offers old words of truth and comfort, "The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him." God's love and power are stronger than the dark of this world. There are places of chaos mounting all around us. I don't think we're done yet with the storm. But through it ALL, God calls upon us to bring HIS Shalom to these places of chaos. Since we're not short on chaos these days, let's not be shy about Shalom, patience, grace and love. You already do this so well and I thank you for that. You laugh with one another. You speak with truth and grace with parents. You pray faithfully for the decision makers in our society. You serve God with a beautiful servant heart. God is Good all of the time. All of the time, God is good. 

Devotions

Let's meet together in Angie's room for a weekly devotional/small group prayer time together. 7:30! Bright and early! :) 

Report Cards

First and Second grade only during quarter one. We can print your cards and I'll zip them out to you. Please let me know when you're ready! 

SeeSaw Folder

Here is the folder with refresher trainings and resources regarding SeeSaw. Thank you for attending the training and THANK YOU missing Melanie for creating this amazing resource for us! We missed you at the meeting but we're trying! 

Dates and Notes

Given the week we've had, my Forest Friends, I pray your teaching too falls like showers on autumn grass. We've had A LOT of that good teaching and rain....lots of rain....lately :) 

Staff Meeting

Our next staff meeting will take place from 3:30-4:30 on October 7 in the Rose Park media center. The agenda can be found here. You'll notice a "sign in/sign out" box because this meeting will count toward our DPPD hours! WooHoo! 

Enrollment Dates

How about that! We're already thinking about enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year! I, like you, am in prayer that the COVID era would move into the pages of our history books and a new crop of CHILDREN will fill our woods and classrooms! More details will be forthcoming but we're asking for a Saturday 'save the dates' for preparing for next year. An hour in the afternoon on November 7. A Saturday stinks. I acknowledge that. By holding our event on a Saturday we can meet outside during daylight hours! If we shoot for an evening, it will be too dark after school. If we shoot for right after school, too many perspective parents will be stuck at work. So, how will this work? Can we mark our calendars for November 7 in the afternoon. More details forthcoming! 

P/T Conferences

Please refer to Dan Vos's email regarding Zoom set up for your parents. 

Report Cards

Will go home on the 16th of October. 

September Beauty

Thank you for submitting your seating chart to our google doc. Let's pray we do not have to face contact tracing, but this seating chart will be critical to decreasing the number of students sent home for quarantine. 

Collaboration Days 

Are coming! Take a peek at your day and the agenda at the bottom! We're going to have fun learning and playing with STEM resources! 

Aesop

Please log into https://adminweb.aesoponline.com/access to be sure that you are able to access the site in case you have a sudden need. If you have trouble accessing the login, please contact Rachel Hendershot. She'll help assist you or work on the behind the scenes issues.  

Grade Level Meeting Documentation for SCECHs

If you are planning to attend a conference and would like to receive SCECHs for your learning, please see this doc. We need to submit the agenda for the conference to Erin 40 days prior to the conference for approval of SCECH credit. 

Staff Meeting

Our next staff meeting will be a workshop around Google Classroom (3rd-5th) and SeeSaw (preschool-2nd) norms in case of phase 3 learning. This will take place on Oct. 7 from 3:30-4:15. 

Please copy and paste in your teacher blog:

Holland Christian Schools is seeking people who want to build up and encourage young people and families through providing regular school bus transportation for students. Hours are flexible. We are seeking applicants who demonstrate a love for kids, careful, conscientious driving habits, and an interest in providing a needed service to the families of Holland Christian. No previous school bus driving experience necessary. Holland Christian will provide the training necessary. If interested please contact Dan Vos at 616-820-2805 or dvos@hollandchristian.org.

This, That and the Next Thing

Chapel

Friday, September 25 at 9:30? That's where we landed? See you there! I can't wait! Angie, thanks for taking this first one on! Please let me know how I can help or what needs you may have. Ron? Looks like you're next :) 

Kamp David

Is now open for our outdoor learning adventures! Fill out the bus request, please, at least 48 hours in advance so we can find you a driver and ENJOY! Thank you, Mrs. Nykamp! 

Conferences

Will be virtual this year. The times and dates will be the same but we'll hold them virtually. 

Report Cards

Will go home on October 16 first through fifth grade.

Tornado Drill 

OOPH! Tornado Drill Locations! Please print this location to keep handy for a sub file if you are absent and the class needs to seek safe shelter. Looks like we're keeping it classy in the bathrooms and locker rooms for our people! Safe and stinky 😅 I will get the drill dates from Christa ASAP. Nothing on the horizon for next week. 

Walk A Thon

We're celebrating next week! If you're going off campus please remember to reserve your bus 48 hours prior to your trip. This scheduling is being handled through admin. No longer through our office at Rose Park. 

ODC Logo for your blog if you'd like:

Short Week

Isn't it funny how you can't feel that it's been a short week by the time you get to Thursday? 😅😂 I pray you had a rest-filled, sunshiney, wonderful long weekend! I'm looking forward to establishing our intervention groups, smoothing out of drop off routines and chugging into the year successfully developing REAL relationships with our kids and families! Check out our tiny horse experience! 

Mud! Glorious Mud! 

Help From Herrick

Librarians are our friends! Check out what they're offering to support your classroom endeavors this year! 

School Pictures

Pictures are taking on Wednesday and Thursday in the media center. Carla sent the updated schedule in an email. 

Walk a thon Packets

...need to be turned in by the 14th. If you are planning an offsite location for your walk a thon, be sure to submit a bus request. 

P/T Conferences

More details will be forthcoming, our P/T conferences will be done via Zoom and scheduled via Virtual Paragon just like always. 

Delta Math Screener (1st grade through 5th grade)

Double check in Inqwizit that your roster is correct. If you need to make edits to your list, please contact Dan Vos. The assessment we're administering with the students is the "readiness" test. This testing window will take place the week of September 14. 

Delta Math Instructions found here if you'd like a refresher. 

Chapel Schedule

Here it is! 

Margins

Have you ever trained for an athletic event? If you’ve participated in a training program of any sort you’re likely familiar with the concept that resting your muscles is just as important as straining and training your muscles. During the rest day muscles reform and rebuild stronger and more efficiently than they were performing prior to the rest period. Once rested and rebuilt, muscles are ready to push into the workload required and will perform with even more strength and condition.

I was out for a jog (slowly) this weekend and thought with appreciation about how God designed us for rhythms in life. There are times we encounter challenges in life. Times such as these can bring with them anxiety and stress. But we also find ourselves coming together as a community in these times, offering creativity, solutions, hard work and faith. Together we rise to the challenge and serve God in new and strong ways. Sometimes performing in ways we didn’t know we had in us! We lean on our community and find ourselves woven together even more tightly than perhaps we might have been had we not encountered the challenge.

But then there’s the needed rest. A time for rejuvenation and restoration. A time for our heart and faith to rebuild and deepen. A time to rest in our Lord’s goodness and faithfulness. A wise mentor of mine, Mr. Bruce Hekman, calls these important periods of life “margins”. Margins are critical to successful living and servanthood as we work to advance God’s mission here on earth. Sometimes margins come with the rhythm of the work week other times we have to intentionally carve them out.

The next two weeks at school are a bit shorter. We have Friday and Monday with no school. On Labor Day we celebrate and thank so many who labor to bring us safe and enriching communities. We have a long way to go with the work that lies before us, but the upcoming margin from the work is good. Your children and you deserve a rest from the work. Anticipating this school year has been like none other. There have been many good questions, anxieties and adjustments. This has been a challenging time. The best answer to all of the wonderings has been to launch this school year and behold our children smiling, growing, fostering friendships, beginning to bond with their teacher and worshipping our good, good Father together.

I pray during this extended weekend you will be able to come away and rest awhile with your family. Taste together the goodness of our Father. Allow your spirit to be strengthened in the rest. Allow God to rebuild the muscles of your faith. May God bless you with peace and health in these important margins of life.

Fire Drill 

On September 10 at 8:40. I'll be there and will run this with Rob's help :) K just walks to the K area. 1st grade walks to the 1st grade area. 2nd grade....wanna walk to the stump circle area? 

Goats

Would you like me to contact the goat lady? Would you prefer to leave well enough alone? I happy to help but also happy to let this one pass if we have enough life going on in class right now! 

MAP dates

September 8-25 is our testing window. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Thea or me for support or trouble shooting (I actually have no qualifications to be on that short list for help but I can FIND you some help or step in and sub while you run for the hills!) 

Data Sheets 

Are updated for the new year in the google drive for running record scores. We'll refer to these scores for our data meetings to ensure our readers are tracking along. 

Seating Chart

From Megan at admin: I will need you to collect all seating charts from your teachers in each of their classes. Again, I know this is a big ask, but if/when the time comes, it will make contact tracing significantly easier. I have created a folder in Google Drive for each building to upload these files: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zqRRa9t0lHTxJyIAB59DoK8tGgU0SR7S?usp=sharing . Feel free to create your own folders within if it's easier to organize.

GRS dates 

Oct 15 & 16 for first grade “Peter Rabbit”

                Jan 27-29 for second grade “Stone Soup”