Establish the Work of our Hands (and Hearts!)

 It's probably safe to say we're all missing the beautiful sound of our children regularly singing Christmas songs during this season in we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Yet, have you been blessed to hear, perhaps on spotify or your Alexa, the song "What Can I Give Him?" This is one of my favorite songs I love to hear our children sing. It's a blessing to let that song rumble around the heart throughout the day while buzzing around school as well. YOU, our dedicated and faith-filled staff members, live out the words of that song: "What can I give him? Poor as I am. Give Him my heart." God has clearly blessed each of you with a uniquely designed heart. Your heart was molded by God in a special way to LOVE children unconditionally and patiently tend them to grow in fertile ground back to know HIM! Sometimes I tell parents that the heart of a teacher is a bit odd. Your hearts have been designed by God with a bunch of pockets! It doesn't take long and each child settles right in to the pockets of your heart! Sometimes they never leave! You've been blessed by God with that compassionately beating heart of yours and, in return, you are giving him your beautiful heart in servitude every day within our schools. 

Thank! You! 

The words of Psalm 90:17 paired with that song in my prayer for each of you recently. "May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands--yes, establish the work of our hands." May God see fit to bless the dedicated efforts each of you have so beautifully offered to Him. These are your first fruits! You've stayed up late at night planning, accommodating and modifying. You've connected with people seeking answers to questions, collaborating with others and offering support to colleagues. You've patiently listened to parents, accepted their anxieties and concerns with 'all the things' of this year and loved every imperfect child vulnerably placed in your care. You are serving God so faithfully. We pray that, for a lifetime, God would bless the work of your hands (and heart) to mold, stretch, shape and design each child for his glory. 

One more week to celebrate our way through and let's enJOY a merry Christmas together! 

Printer

While in Ron's room yesterday I noted that, hmmmm, where is that printer we were told in July would be coming. I texted Charlie and he apologized stating it just simply got forgotten in the midst of 'all the things'. A printer is on the way! I'll keep it on my radar as well! 

Angie's Angels

Charlie's Angels got nothin' on Angie's fleet! Beautiful job, second graders! 

Christmas Lunch

Thursday, December 17, our parent team would like to provide YOU with a lunch as their way of sharing their thanks and love! Please leave your peanut butter and jelly at home! The lunch will be boxed but you can sit for a spell in the media center if you'd like! 

Report Cards

C'mon! For real?!?! For those early planners among us, report cards will go home on Friday, January 22. Students who are reading below benchmark need another running record recorded in our data sheets please. Let me know if I can help with this effort! 

2nd grade

1st grade

Kindergarten

Thankful Heart

 

Gratitude fills the epicenter of these days, doesn't it? In our classrooms, small groups at church and in living rooms across our community we come together to express our deep and abiding gratitude for the small and big blessings in life. This school year has not been an easy one. For Pete's sake, 2020 has not been easy. But despite the hardship and the valleys, we have been blessed to see God's hand clearly and presently in all things! 

I am grateful for each one of you! I am grateful for your grace and your faith. I am grateful for your creativity and your 'can do' attitude. I am grateful for your laughter and your joy! I'm telling you, I am so grateful to do life with each one of you! We have a unique bond. God has woven us together in community to help raise a group of beautiful children! We live in relationship marked in truth and grace! Thank you for faithfully serving God with your best! Thank you for dusting each other off when we trip up! Thank you for praying over one another in our times of weakness. I am grateful, this Thanksgiving Day in 2020, to be woven together with you for such a time as this! 

Chapel on the 1st! 

We have Mrs. Render on next! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like ideas or support, Charity! 

Turkey Trot

Well team, I'm putting on a Turkey costume and trotting around the playground with our Rose Parkers on Monday. Tuesday afternoon....anyone around? Want to have your kids trot with a turkey on the track? Send me an email with a 15 minute window of time that works for you and I'll meet your kids on the track! Ron? No hunting gear allowed! ;) 

For your blog please:

Little Maroons Basketball Update

Due to the current safety protocols, our kindergarten through sixth grade Little Maroons basketball programing will be postponed till after Christmas break.  Current registrations will be automatically registered for the new dates.  City of Holland Recreation will also be postponing our 5/6er programing as well, but more specific information will be coming from them as well.  The dates we are planning on at this point for our grade levels are the following: 

K-2: Skill Sessions on 1/9, 1/16 and 1/23.

(10:30-12pm: Girls at Pine Ridge & Boys at High School) 

3-4: Skill Sessions on 1/9, 1/16 and 1/23 & League Play 1/30, 2/6, 2/13 and 2/20. 

(8:30-10am: Girls at Pine Ridge & Boys at High School)

5-6: Skill Sessions on 1/9, 1/16 and 1/23 & City of Holland Dates Coming. 

(12:30-2pm: Girls at Pine Ridge & Boys at High School)

More information about specific safety protocols may be communicated as we get closer to January, but the plan is to continue with our current practice of wearing face masks, 1 spectator per participant, distancing, and washing of hands and equipment.    

Snakes!?

What's up with all of the little beastly snakes in the Forest/Kamp David as of late?!? Have I mentioned this before? I'm so grateful for you courageous, snake-handling people! I so appreciate the blessing that it is to grow with you and serve with/for you in the Forest. See you for devotions tomorrow morning at 7:30! ...or 5! 😂

Virtual Encore Learning Plans

We've talked through several scenarios for encore lessons if we need to move to remote learning. The decision is that our encore teachers will provide a K-2 and 3-5 (if applicable) lesson for our students via email. This link will be sent to Carla/Laura. They will send the lessons along with chapel on Wednesdays via a power announcement. This will follow similarly to what we did last year. Let me know, please, if you have questions. 

iPad Connectivity at Student Homes

A few students have moved to virtual learning recently and we are discovering some connectivity issues at home. If you have a student who asks you to troubleshoot connectivity issues, give this method from Charlie a whirl. 

Sunshine!

Isn't the sunshine glorious!? I understand we're in for a record warm weekend! What a gift given all of the swirling emotions and happenings in our world. I pray you each have time to set your device down and enjoy our Creator outside this weekend! 

Discovery Day

We're on for tomorrow morning! I hear there's a lot of interest in Forest life for next year! We'll bring our A game tomorrow and God will handle the rest...well, Courtney too! Ron and I have been asked to arrive at 10:00. Emily and Angie at 10:15. I believe Courtney asked that IF you have a handy photo roll to stream on your projector in the classroom, great! Don't put time into creating one if it's not handy! Courtney will pregame with us prior to parents' arrival. We should be wrapped up by noon tomorrow to go enjoy the sunshine (or build a new house!) 

Chapel Schedule

We get to hear from our first graders again! Sukkot Celebration learning time! 

Happy Reformation Day!

 Happy Reformation Day, Friends! 

I'm so grateful we get to serve in roles that allow us to work to advance God's Kingdom and raise God's little ones to love and serve our King. We need the wisdom and discernment of our King to hold us together these days don't we. One of the principles Martin Luther brought alive with the Reformation movement was Ora et Labora. Pray and Work. I pray God's mercies over each of you each day. I love the work we pour ourselves into! 

Staff Meeting

Let's meet and take off from school on Thursday, November 5 to walk and talk for our staff meeting after school. We'll check out the new property/farm to see what creative juices get flowing. Emily, you already have a meeting scheduled on Wednesday. This one's optional for you ;) 

Sukkot

You'll notice the first graders beginning their annual deep dive into the study of Sukkot. Check in with Emily to see if you can have your kids sneak a peek at their work in the coming weeks! We can't wait to learn from you, first graders! 

Chapel

I'll be leading chapel on Wednesday this week. See you at 9:30! 

Free Snacks

Nancy McCarthy is able to offer our kids FREE snacks each day! This will begin the week of November 7. You'll get some information soon from her regarding the disbursement process of these free yummies for our kids! 

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Forest School Discovery Day- Saturday, November 7, 11 am

Considering Forest School for the 21-22 school year? Learn more at our Forest School Discovery Day Saturday, November 7, at 11 am, 880 Ottawa Avenue. Hear firsthand why this groundbreaking program is a perfect fit for so many children. Dress warm because we hope to spend most of our time outside. No RSVP necessary.

CEA and a BREAK!

OH MY! Thank you, friends, for your hard work preparing for and working through report cards and parent/teacher conferences! These are treasured moments celebrated dear relationships but MAN, OH MISTER! They're exhausting! Enjoy a well-deserved respite over the long weekend. Below you will find links to the CEA Convention which is held virtually this year. Blessings and health to each of you! See you on Monday! 

2020 CEA Convention

Please use the CEA website for access to the 2020 CEA Virtual Convention. (www.ceateachers.org)

This will work on a mobile application or on your computer.

Click on "Convention" and then click on "Convention 2020"

For mobile applications you may need to click on "Menu", then "Convention" then "Convention 2020".

The opening worship, closing worship and the 2020 CEA sessions are available.

The MANS content is available.

2018 and 2019 CEA Conventions

In addition, you will find audio recordings of previous conventions on the CEA website.

Is there a session that you meant to attend, but missed?

Now's your chance to listen to that.

Click on "Convention" and then on "Audio".

You can find audio recordings of everything from the 2018 and the 2019 CEA Conventions.

That might be a good option for your 2020 CEA session time.

2021 CEA Convention

We look forward to our in-person convention on October 21 & 22, 2021 at Grand Rapids Christian High School.