Author: Cara Boss

Dear Forest friends,

We’ve had a wonderful start to the year at Forest School! It is a joy to see each student jump back into the rhythms and routines of school! We are so thankful to partner with you in their education and school life this year. Thank you for entrusting us with their hearts and minds as we strive to seek first his kingdom and transform the world for Jesus Christ. We are looking forward to a fun and busy fall as we engage in learning, celebrate together, and continue to grow in community with each of you.

Yours in partnership,

Miska

Announcements

Walkathon

What is Walkathon? Walkathon is an HC-wide fundraiser where elementary students walk to raise money for their school. The funds raised by K-2 Forest School students go directly to Forest needs. These needs include classroom supplies, educational outings, and other resources. Parents are welcome to watch the event from the bleachers, while the track is reserved for teachers and students.

Walkathon forms will be sent home in your child’s backpack soon and are due back by Wednesday, September 18. The Walkathon event will take place at 1:00 on Wednesday, September 25. Thank you for helping to keep our Forest School thriving!

Enrollment/Medical Paperwork 24-25

Thank you so much for all the forms and paperwork you have turned in. If you have any questions, please email the office!

Food Services

Please remember to keep an eye on your child’s lunch account. If you do NOT have a family portal account set up, you will need your student’s ID number. Please email Sue for your student ID number. There is no fee to deposit money into your child’s account with a debit or credit card.

Picture Day

Forest School’s kindergarten & 1st grade picture day is September 5, and order forms were sent home with students. If you are ordering a yearbook this will be the time to do that also. Please note that each form is child specific so please make sure each child has their own form. Picture retakes will be October 7 for kindergarten & 1st grade.

2nd Forest Kids’ school pictures will be taken on September 19 at Pine Ridge. Forms will be coming home soon for these!

Pine Ridge/2nd Grade Forest School Car Line Reminders:

• Always use the Graafscaap Road/60th Street entrance and exit please!
• Always pull ALL THE WAY up to the bike racks (or the car in front of you).
• Never stop in the traffic circle. This is for buses AND in case of an emergency.
• Parent pickup is in front of school; it is not at the baseball fields
• Please use your hazard lights at pickup and leave them on until your student is in the car

Absences

Please call the school office at 616.820.3505 or email the office 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. Please leave any symptoms your sick child may have; this information is a requirement for us to report to the county!

Student Safety

After the school day is underway, all doors will be locked. All students who arrive late for school must notify the school office. This policy also applies to picking a student up from school. Please be sure to inform both your student’s teacher AND the office.

Moms in Prayer

Moms in Prayer is a great way to connect with other moms, pray for your child, and have an impact on the school. Please join us on Fridays, starting September 6th at Providence Church from 8:30-9:30 am. Please email Nicole Shook with questions.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent teacher conferences will be October 17 and 21. More information will be coming later this month.

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:

View the full Holland Christian calendar

September

• 2: No school Labor Day
• 5: K & 1st Picture Day
• 19: 2nd grade Picture Day
• 25: Walkathon

October

• 17: Parent-teacher conferences
• 21:Parent-teacher conferences
• 23: No school: Professional development
• 24-25: No school: CEA Convention

Faith Like A Child.

What a wonderful theme we have been able to discuss this year in our classrooms, chapels, outdoor learning spaces and on our field trips. Parents, we have loved and prayed over, lost sleep about and celebrated with, each of your children this year. As we ponder our theme we have also seen each of your students be teachers as they put their faith on display for the world to see. Your precious children. All 208 of them have impacted us deeply as we watch them live into childlike faith. We pray that their tender roots sown into Jesus’ care will grow deeply and remain strong for their lifetime. These dear ones in turn bring us the joy of Christ and inspire an authentic and true faith in our good, good Father. Your children have been imprinted our hearts. Whether they return to our care at Forest next year or God’s design for their lives takes them elsewhere, they will be held forever in our hearts. Thank you for entrusting them to the care of the loving staff at Forest!

God’s blessings, safety and joy-filled memories be yours this summer!

Miska

Announcements

Class List & Staffing Details

We are waiting for enrollment numbers to be finalized in order to confirm section numbers and teachers at each grade level. Please watch for class lists to be sent out the first week of July!

Parent Board Opportunity

Our beloved parent board serves our Forest Family amazingly well. We are so grateful for their servant hearts and advocacy. Parents on the board meet once a month to discuss upcoming events, support needs and share ideas. We have two openings for the 24-25 school year. We gently ask for a three year commitment but understand if a parent desires a shorter stint or needs to step away from the role. If you are interested in serving the Forest in this capacity or have questions about the role, please email Miska.

Summer Office Hours

June 6-13: The office will be open from 9am-3pm to assist parents. Thursday, June 6 the office will only be closed in the morning due to an off-site staff meeting.

July 29: The office will reopen daily from 9am-3pm, and then resume regular office hours when school begins. There will be a few dates TBD for beginning of the school year all-staff off-site meetings, and those dates will be posted on the door once they become available.

Enrollment/Medical Paperwork 24-25

All new transfer students have a variety of paperwork that needs to be filled out and turned in by August 6, 2024. Additionally, any medication prescription or OTC including an inhaler needs a signed form from the doctor before the first day of school.

• New Transfer Forms
• Medication Forms

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 24-25 school year and moving between grades (kindergarten-5th), your current waiver on file is good unless you have chosen to complete a vaccine series during the year that was waived on the waiver. This does include moving between Holland Christian Schools (Forest School, Pine Ridge, South Side and Rose Park).

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.

Before/After School Care

The doors at Pine Ridge open at 7:45 each school morning and students are dismissed at 3:15 each afternoon for 2nd-5th Grade. Dropoff for Kindergarten and 1st grade begins at  8:00 and students are dismissed at 3:20 for the day. If you need care before these drop off times or after 3:30pm, please check out the Before/After School Programs page.

Forest School Mentor Parents for 24/25

Our goal and prayer is that every child and every family at Holland Christian would be known, nurtured and inspired. To that end, we are seeking warm and welcoming individuals or families who might be willing to serve as a mentor in their Forest Classroom for the 24-25 school year. Please see the list of needs that this role might encompass but is not limited to!

• Host two play dates at a park, beach, or other location of your choice for one hour.
• Pass along emails to the families in your class notifying clearance sales, books, special events that might interest Forest Families.
• Attend the New Family Picnic in August
• Attend Forest special events such as the Forest Family Night Hike
• Willingness to share contact information with classroom families to receive questions, concerns, wonderings and feedback.
• Connect with Miska as needs from families arise

If you’re interested in serving your child’s classroom community in this manner in the 24-25 school year, please email Miska

Important Website Links

• School calendar
• School transportation
• Food Services/Lunch menus

June

• 5: 1/2 day: Last day of school
• 5: Report cards live

July

• 29: Office opens daily 9am-3pm

August

• 1: All paperwork is due via email/mail/drop-off to the office
• 15: Ice Cream Social
• 20: First day of school!
• 30: No school: Labor Day Weekend

Our Forest is exploding with new life and we’re blessed to be in the midst of all this bounty in Creation. When we slow our busyness and join children in viewing our world from their perspective, the intricacies of the mini miracles all around us abound. Children are experts at wondering when they’re gifted with time to wander. I encourage you to wander in creation this spring with your child. Listen to their questions. Absorb their enthusiasm. Notice the world as they see it. Allow God to speak to your heart and to your child’s heart by simply enjoying his presence and each other in the midst of springtime beauty.

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the LORD has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.”

Job 12: 7-10

Yours in Christ’s service,

Miska

Announcements

Kindergarten Visit

We are welcoming the parents of our new 24-25 school year Forest Kindergarteners. Incoming kindergarten parents are invited to meet with us in the Forest School amphitheater, which is near our cabins at 880 Ottawa Avenue, at 6pm on Thursday, May 2. We hope to welcome you to the Forest family and begin to learn about all things related to Forest Kindergarten life! We’re excited to meet and welcome new and familiar friends!

Tulip Time ’24

On Thursday, May 9, our 1st-4th graders will participate in the Tulip Time Kinderparade. We will have a normal school schedule in the morning: kindergarteners will be dismissed at 11:30am. Busing will not run! 1st-4th graders will remain at school until we load the buses to head to the parade route. They will eat lunch at school before heading to the parade. There will be no hot lunch.

An information sheet and pick up slip was sent home with your child. Please return this slip to your child’s teacher ASAP if you have not done so already, and please keep an eye on your email the week of Tulip Time (May 6-10) for correspondence about parade reminders.

Grandparents/friends Day

Please pass along our invitation to your special Grandparents/friends! We’d love to pull out all of the stops and welcome them to our beautiful spaces in our Forest. Friday, May 3 in three different celebrations we will give thanks to God for surrounding us with the support and care of loved ones. Please note the timeframes and locations for each age level:

Forest School Mentor Parents for 24/25

Our goal and prayer is that every child and every family at Holland Christian would be known, nurtured and inspired. To that end, we are seeking warm and welcoming individuals or families who might be willing to serve as a mentor in their Forest Classroom for the 24-25 school year. Please see the list of needs that this role might encompass but is not limited to!

• Host two play dates at a park, beach, or other location of your choice for one hour.
• Pass along emails to the families in your class notifying clearance sales, books, special events that might interest Forest Families.
• Attend the New Family Picnic in August
• Attend Forest special events such as the Forest Family Night Hike
• Willingness to share contact information with classroom families to receive questions, concerns, wonderings and feedback.
• Connect with Miska as needs from families arise

If you’re interested in serving your child’s classroom community in this manner in the 24-25 school year, please email Miska

Important Website Links

• School calendar
• School transportation
• Food Services/Lunch menus

Upcoming Dates

May

• 2: Kindergarten visit day
• 3: Grandparents’ Day (K-2)
• 9: 1/2 day: Tulip Time Parade (1st and 2nd graders stay for parade)
• 24: Field Day
• 27:  No school: Memorial Day

June

• 5: 1/2 day: Last day of school

This year we are holding our first All-School Eastertide Celebration! Most of us think of Easter as a single day, but did you know that many Christians around the world celebrate Jesus’ victory over death for an entire season? This is called Eastertide! On April 17 we’re gathering to proclaim that JESUS IS ALIVE, and we have new life in Him! Be sure to ask your child to share all about the celebration.

Yours in Christ’s service,

Miska

Announcements

Swim Lessons

Holland Christian elementary students have the privilege of receiving swimming lessons each year through Holland Aquatic Center. These lessons are provided  during the school day for 2 weeks. First and second grade lessons will take place from April 8-19. We recognize this program can be a little uncomfortable for children because it could be new and unfamiliar. However, because our children are blessed to be raised in Michigan, surrounded by bodies of water, we believe this safety instruction is a blessing that we pray they will never need but feel responsible to equip them. If you find yourself pondering over the “why” of lessons, please listen to HC mom Jenny White on the why swim safety. HCAC Swim School welcome video could help you understand a bit about the logistics. Any questions please feel free to email the office.

Grandparents/friends Day

Please pass along our invitation to your special Grandparents/friends! We’d love to pull out all of the stops and welcome them to our beautiful spaces in our Forest. Friday, May 3 in three different celebrations we will give thanks to God for surrounding us with the support and care of loved ones. Please note the timeframes and locations for each age level:

Book Fair at South Side

Thank you to each volunteers who helped make this a success and each purchase you made! We had another great sale and were able to raise funds for both the PR and SS libraries to expand their selection of books which we get to use as well!

Important Website Links

• School calendar
• School transportation
• Food Services/Lunch menus

April

• 8: Classes resume

May

• 2: Kindergarten visit day
• 3: Grandparents’ Day (K-2)
• 9: 1/2 day: Tulip Time Parade (1st and 2nd graders stay for parade)
• 15:All School Convocation 9:30am
• 24: Field Day
• 27:  No school: Memorial Day

June

• 5: 1/2 day: Last day of school