Author: Miska Rynsburger

Dear Forest Friends,

Even as the world at large seems to be ever frustrated and fractured, our Forest Kids are launching into one of the most stunning of seasons in Michigan. Our children are quite immune to the worldly discord as they are surrounded every day by evidence of God’s majesty and beauty. As they engage with each other and explore creation under the leadership of their loving teachers, may they be blessed to grow in awe and gratitude of our all powerful and providential God of restoration, order, sanctification and love. I pray the words of the Heidelberg Catechism question and answer 27 offer truth and hope to you, each of our families:

Question 27: What do you mean by the providence of God?

Answer: Providence is the almighty, ever-present power of God by which he still upholds, as though with his own hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so governs them

that leaf and blade,

rain and drought,

fruitful and lean years,

food and drink,

health and sickness,

riches and poverty

— indeed, all things, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand.

All hope and peace be yours, friends.

Miska Rynsburger

Announcements

Student Life and Discipleship (SLD)

All of the school building communities at Holland Christian are creating and implementing a new initiative we call Student Life and Discipleship (SLD). Preschool through 12th grade, our students learn what they can expect of us and are taught what is expected of them as we learn to do life together and seek to bring glory to God. We directly teach our Forest Kids how to ride the bus safely, how to worship in chapel, how to safely hike as a class, how to care for one another and how to enjoy play and learning in the Forest. When we see children living into the expectations, we celebrate their effort! When we see them fall short, we offer grace, restoration and a renewed opportunity.

In quarter one of this school year, each grade is focusing on one particular Discipleship Practice:

Shhh….toward the end of October we have a very special surprise celebration planned for our students’ efforts and care. Ask your child about our pinning ceremony! We’ll be sure to share proud pictures with you!

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences will take place on Thursday, October 16 from 4-8pm and Monday, October 20 from 4-8pm. This is a great time to connect with your child’s teacher and discover how the year has begun for your child. You can find all the details on how to sign up in the all-school newsletter emailed to you.

Late Arrival & Early Pick-Up

Please remember to let both the office and your child’s teacher know if your student is going to be late or leaving during our school day. Also, please make sure to sign your student in and out with our attendance form.

Food Services

Please remember to keep an eye on your child’s lunch account.

Picture Day

Picture retakes will be October 6 for kindergarten & 1st grade. Please remember to turn in your original pictures if you wish to have retakes.

2nd grade retakes will be taken on October 30 at Pine Ridge. Again, please remember to turn in your original pictures if you wish to have retakes.

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!

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 at Providence Church from 8:30-9:30am. Please email Nicole Shook with questions.

Mentor Parents

Have a question or would you like advice from an experienced Forest parent? We are blessed with Mentor Parents at each grade level. They are eager to receive your questions and connect with you.

• Christy Jones: Kindergarten Mentor Parent: Parent of Dock (3rd grade), Charlotte (2nd grade) and Etta (Kindergarten)
• Wonder Compton: 1st Grade Mentor Parent: Parent of Reagan (3rd grade), Carson 1st grade, Quinn and Brooks
• Meagan Cotton: 2nd Grade Mentor Parent: Parent of Nathan (2nd grade) and Kate (6th grade)

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

October

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

November

• 27-29: No school: Thanksgiving Break

Dear Forest Families,

Thank you for all of your support, prayers, feedback and commitment at the start of this new school year. Together we are grateful for a smooth launch to all that God has in store for us together in 25-26! It is an absolute JOY to have our learning spaces filled with the LIFE your children bring to us! I pray that our relationship continues to be marked in truth, respect, care and love.

Speaking of caring for one another, I have a unique request to share with you as we’re building habits this school year. As a community, we deeply appreciate our teachers and all they do to pour into the lives of our children. It’s a tall task they’re engaged in and they each serve so faithfully. The calling of teaching has changed dramatically in the digital era. You, as parents, and I, as their administrator, can access our teachers’ attention around the clock, seven days a week if we so desire. Teachers do work evenings and weekends. However, a full inbox, particularly on a Sunday, means our dedicated teachers may not be able to celebrate the God-given gift of restoration and rejuvenation on the Sabbath.

My request to you: Could we all commit to messaging our teachers when necessary using the “schedule send” feature when we’re thinking of something or raising a need in the off hours? If we all limit our communication to their working day, utilizing schedule send in the off hours, we’ll be able, together, to allow teachers to enjoy tech-free moments in the evenings and particularly on Sundays. If and when you have an imminent need on a particular topic, would you please message me at mrynsburger@hollandchristian.org? I will help as I am able and then, together, we’ll connect with our teacher at the appropriate time.

All joy and thanksgiving,

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 on Wednesday, September 24. Thank you for helping to keep our Forest School thriving!

Enrollment/Medical Paperwork 25-26

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 4, 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 6 for kindergarten & 1st grade.

2nd Forest Kids’ school pictures will be taken on September 18 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 will be starting back up again this school year on September 5 at Providence Church (across from the middle school) 8:30-9:30am. We look forward to welcoming any moms who would like to partner in prayer for this school year! Please email Nicole Shook for any 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

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

October

• 6: K & 1st Picture Retakes
• 16: Parent-teacher conferences
• 20:Parent-teacher conferences
• 22-24: No school: CEA Convention
• 29: 2nd grade Picture Retakes

As God begins to wake up seemingly all of creation in springtime, one of our particularly observant students noted something rather profound while digging in the soft soil. She noted that often times, when new life begins, it first goes down into the dirt with lacy tendrils as roots begins to pull nutrition from the earth. We don’t even realize this is taking place below our feet! Life underground gathers hold quietly the dark and gains strength. When God’s timing is right, green shoots burst into the light from below.

“That’s like what happens on hard days when we just need to sit with God to feel all better again.”

“Wow. Yeah. That’s exactly the place we need to go on the hard days to pull strength from God. Thank you for that lesson. I’ll remember this illustration forever.”

God reveals so much to us in creation. Like our fledglings in the faith may we pause. Listen. Pray. Like this little child with innocent love, may our lacy, fragile tendrils of faith forever reach to our Father for strength and life that we too might burst forth giving glory to our Maker.

Yours in Christ’s service,

Miska

Announcements

Class Lists for 25-26

As we look to the new year our team also begins planning for the 2025-2026 school year. We will soon be in the process of creating class lists. Many staff members put a great deal of effort into creating balanced lists for the upcoming school year. Children are paired with teachers and friends in an environment that allows for new relationships to form and flourish. Our priority is each child would be placed in the best learning environment to meet their developing needs. Among other criteria we weigh the following when carefully creating a new class community:

• Academic progress/needs
• Relational values/needs with teachers’ style
• Behavioral balance
• Friend balance/new friends

We deeply value your partnership and input but, in order to create a balanced class community, we are not able to accept teacher requests. We commit to give our best to provide each child with a healthy, balanced home away from home and thank you for your understanding.

Kindergarten Visit

We are welcoming the parents of our new 25-26 school year Forest Kindergarteners! Incoming kindergarten parents are invited to meet with us in the Forest School chapel, which is near our cabins at 880 Ottawa Avenue, at 4pm on Thursday, May 1. We’re excited to meet and welcome new and familiar friends!

Tulip Time ’25

On Thursday, May 8, 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 5-9) for correspondence about parade reminders.

Grandparents Day

Important Website Links

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

Upcoming Dates

May

• 1: Kindergarten visit day at 4pm
• 2: Grandparents’ Day (K-2)
• 8: 1/2 day: Tulip Time Parade (1st and 2nd graders stay for parade)
• 22: Field Day
• 26:  No school: Memorial Day

June

• 4: 1/2 day: Last day of school

Dear Forest Friends,

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! We are holding our second annual All-School Eastertide Celebration this spring. On April 23 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.

Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!

Miska

Announcements

Thank You

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedules to meet with teachers for conferences. What a wonderful time of celebrating all the growth that has already happened this year!

Grandparents/friends Day Friday, May 2

Tulip Time Is Coming!

1st and 2nd grade parents, please fill out the Tulip Time Choices 2025 Form to indicate your student’s participation and attire for the Kinderparade on May 9th.

Class Lists for 25-26

As we look to the new year our team also begins planning for the 2025-2026 school year. We will soon be in the process of creating class lists. Many staff members put a great deal of effort into creating balanced lists for the upcoming school year. Children are paired with teachers and friends in an environment that allows for new relationships to form and flourish. Our priority is each child would be placed in the best learning environment to meet their developing needs. Among other criteria we weigh the following when carefully creating a new class community:

• Academic progress/needs
• Relational values/needs with teachers’ style
• Behavioral balance
• Friend balance/new friends

We deeply value your partnership and input but, in order to create a balanced class community, we are not able to accept teacher requests. We commit to give our best to provide each child with a healthy, balanced home away from home and thank you for your understanding.

Important Website Links

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

April

• 14: Classes resume

May

• 1: Kindergarten visit day @ 4pm
• 2: Grandparents’ Day (K-2)
• 8: 1/2 day: Tulip Time Parade (1st and 2nd graders stay for parade.)
• 22: Field Day
• 26:  No school: Memorial Day

June

• 5: 1/2 day: Last day of school

“I have shifted from pursuing adventures of a lifetime towards a lifetime of just trying to live a little more adventurously every day.” ~Alastair Humphreys

What joy to behold our Forest Kids thriving as they explore, wonder, and connect with God’s creation outdoors. From discovering the beauty of a simple leaf to marveling at the vast sky above, every moment is an opportunity to grow in awe of the Creator and find our place in His story. We are incredibly grateful for the unwavering prayers, love, and support from our dedicated staff and YOU, our families, whose partnership makes this journey of faith and learning possible. Together, we are fostering a love for the world God made, and it’s truly a gift to witness our students flourishing in such a vibrant, hands-on environment.

All joy and wonder,

Miska

Announcements

Wacky Wednesdays

Forest Kids, we have TWO more Wacky Wednesday left:

February 5 – Hat Day
February 12 – PJ Day (Snow day make up!)

Let’s finish strong!

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Spring parent-teacher conferences will be on March 20 and 25. More details and signup information will be coming as we get closer.

Forest Family Night Hike

We hope you can join us for a special evening in the forest with your family from 6-7:30pm on Thursday, February 20! The FS Parent Board has planned a nighttime hike at the FS campus. Families are encouraged to bring headlamps/flashlights and sleds depending on weather conditions. No RSVP necessary for this event.

Swimming Lessons

Our Holland Aquatic Center is providing swim lessons for us again this year! I recognize this program is a little uncomfortable for some children and families especially if it’s new and unfamiliar to you. 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 take a listen to HC mom Jenny White on the why for swim safety. HCAC Swim School welcome video will help you understand a bit about the logistics. Our 1st-2nd graders will be bused to the pool each day the weeks of March 17-28.

• 9-10 am: 2nd Grade
• 10-11 am: 1st Grade

Enrollment for 2025-26

Continuous enrollment begins after kindergarten. As a continuous enrollment school, this means, in an effort to simplify the process for our current K-12 families, you will not need to re-apply every year once your child is in kindergarten. We are happy that you are a part of the Holland Christian family and our hope and plan is that you will continue partnering with us in the years to come! New-to-Holland-Christian families who are interested in enrolling for the 2025-26 school year can do so by applying at dev.hollandchristian.org/apply on Monday, February 3 starting at 9am.

Illness Reminders

Please remember that we do have a 24-hour policy for any fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. For colds and coughs, please use your discretion as we know these things can linger.

Absences

Please call 616.820.3505 or email the school office EVEN IF you have let your student’s teacher know any time before 8:30am to let us know each day your child will be absent. You may leave a voicemail at any time and it will be checked in the morning when the office opens.

Lunar New Year Community Celebration

February 7 from 5-7:30pm at the Holland Fish and Game Club. Join us as we celebrate the Lunar New Year! All are invited to this family-friendly event with cultural activities and food for purchase: Crafts and games, performances, Dragon Dance, red envelope give away and Asian food!

Family Fun Math Night at Hope College

Hope College is hosting a Family Math Fun Festival on Saturday, March 8, 10 am – 12 pm on campus that is free and open to families with children in grades K-8. The festival features a wide variety of interactive low-floor, high-ceiling tasks that will engage families in creative problem solving that won’t even feel like mathematics! They’ll also be giving away goody bags to all participants with math games and other school supplies.

Important Website Links

• School calendar
• School Supply Lists
• Hot Lunch Information
• Medical Information & Forms
• School Transportation
• Before & After School Programs
• Elementary Handbook
• PowerSchool

Upcoming Dates:

February

• 3: Preschool and kindergarten 2025-26 application open for new families at 9am
• 14: No school (teacher professional learning)
• 17: No school (Presidents Day)

March

• 14: End of 3rd quarter
• 15: Kids stuff resale 9am-12pm @ HCHS
• 20: Parent-teacher conferences 4-8pm
• 25: Parent-teacher conferences 4-8pm

April

• 4-13:  No school: Spring break
• 14: School resumes