Dear HC Families,
Welcome to May, the last full month of the school year! Equipping minds and nurturing hearts and transforming the world for Jesus is running at full speed with concerts, spring theatrical performances, Tulip Time, athletics, end-of-year club gatherings, final projects and semester exams, and senior graduation! This time of year is such a joyous season of bringing things to completion and regathering for a time of renewal and celebration. We thank God for all of the growth that he has produced in our students as followers of Jesus.
Recently, one of my pastors gave a powerful sermon on the year of Jubilee, a time that God commanded to be practiced every 50 years (Leviticus 25). Within a lifetime, people would have experienced the year of Jubilee most likely once, and it was meant to provide alleviation for people who fell on hard times. One could imagine the need for such a law. A farmer could be forced to sell his land because of a string of bad annual crops. A merchant could be tricked into a bad deal and lend money to someone who runs off. A father could have a son who falls into prodigal living and hurts the family’s reputation and business. Situations like these could even result in the family needing to sell themselves as servants in order to survive. For these situations, the year of Jubilee would have been a source of great hope, for God proclaimed during this time “liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you shall return to your family property and to your own clan” (Lev. 25:10).
Sadly, we learned in our pastor’s message that it’s possible that the Israelites may not have ever practiced the year of Jubilee even though it would have been widely known given the educational requirements of Torah memorization at the time (Baker, 1998). Isaiah, however, does allude to this celebration in Isaiah 61 as the “year of the Lord’s favor,” so this shows that there would be a collective anticipation for this moment of redemption.
When Jesus arrives at his hometown, he read this Scripture to his family and childhood friends:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:19)
Shortly after completing this reading, he then stated, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,” proclaiming something that they most likely did not want to hear. This proclamation would have meant the cancellation of the debts to servants and the surrendering of land that had been acquired. He was declaring the age of Jubilee, and sometimes people are not ready for God’s Kingdom to invade their own.
As followers of Jesus, we are Jubilee people. This is how Pastor Yonker puts it: when you see church members providing foot care for the homeless so that they can get back on their feet, that’s jubilee; when you see Christian organizations providing affordable housing for people while they try to restart their lives, you are seeing Jubilee; and when you see deacons walking alongside folks and praying with them and listening to them, you are seeing jubilee. Similarly, we see Jubilee in action in the hallways when a student tutors a struggling classmate after school, when a senior walks a lost freshman to her next class, when a teacher stays after class to listen to a student in distress, and when coaches walk along their athletes after a season ending injury.
As we come to the end of this school year, our prayer is that our students enter into the world as Jubilee people, followers of Jesus who are loving God and their neighbor without counting the cost. Whether they’re restoring a home, landscaping a yard, translating for a new community member, playing the violin at a nursing home, tutoring a child, or serving food to guests, they can be active participants in the hope of the resurrection and the era of Lord’s favor, transforming the world distinctively for Jesus.
Miles Colago
High School Principal
Tulip Time Week Schedule
- Monday, May 6 – Friday schedule
- Tuesday, May 7 – normal Tuesday
- Wednesday, May 8 – normal Wednesday
- Thursday, May 9 – Grandparents Day/ Half day for Tulip Time
- 8-8:35 – 1st hour
- 8:45-9:10 – Chapel-9th & 11th & Tour/Coffee 10th &12th
- 9:20-9:45 – Tour/Coffee 9th & 11th & Chapel 10th & 12th
- 9:50-10:25 – 2nd hour
- 10:35-11:10 – 3rd hour
- Friday, May 10 – normal Friday
Grandparents & Grandfriends Day
Your student’s grandparents and grandfriends are invited to join us on May 9, 2024 from 8-11:10am. Grandparents & Grandfriends Day at the high school is a wonderful morning where they will join you in class, experience chapel and enjoy conversations over coffee and cookies. Thank you in advance for sharing these special people with us! Students will be dismissed at 11:10am on this half day for Tulip Time.
Fine Arts
Holland Christian Spring Band Concert
Join the Holland Christian High School Bands as they present their Spring Concert on Monday, May 13, 2024 at 7:30pm at the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts. Enjoy concert band, symphonic band, jazz music, the Holland Christian drumline, and a tribute to our seniors.
Holland Christian Spring Choral Concert
Join the Holland Christian High School Choirs as they present their Spring Choral Concert on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 7:30pm at the Holland Christian High School Auditorium. Enjoy a variety of music in song and a tribute to our seniors.
Holland Christian Spring All Orchestra Concert
You are invited to join the Holland Christian School Orchestras in the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 7pm. See the wonderful progression from 4th to high school orchestras, a beautiful picture of education at Holland Christian.
Spring Theater Production: Little Women
We’re delighted to welcome you to Little Women, based on the beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott. Set in New England during the American Civil War, Little Women tells the coming-of-age story of the four March sisters: practical Meg, self-conscious Amy, timid Beth, and headstrong Jo, along with their male neighbor and partner-in-crime, Laurie. The play, which spans several years of their lives, follows the sisters as they grow up, fall in love, heal from tragedy, and struggle to find their place in a wide and changing world. This American drama is full of humor and heartbreak, as well as timeless themes of courage, empowerment, and family love.
Performances are on May 2, 3, and 4 at 7pm. We will also have streaming rights for each show if you would like to watch virtually. Tickets are available for purchase on the Theatre Page.
Athletic Department
Registration on Final Forms for the 24-25 school year begins on April 1, 2024. The athletic department requires a pre-participation physical dated after April 15, 2024, to participate in school sports for the 24-25 school year. Athletes will not be allowed to participate in tryouts until a current physical form is on file with the athletic department. If you have any questions please contact the HCHS athletic department.
- All families with 6th-12th grade potential athletes need to be registered with our online registration system Final Forms. For those already registered for the current year, you simply need to login, select the sports your child is interested in and update any changes to your and your child’s information. This is also the place where you print the updated 24-25 physical form to take with you to your DO/MD/NP/PA appointment and have that individual sign the form.
- For complete information about all athletic opportunities at Holland Christian, please take a look at the Athletic Opportunities page
- For information specifically about summer camps, go to the Summer Camps page.
Athletic Physicals
Although it is preferred for athletes to obtain a sports physical from their primary care physician, we realize this is not always possible due to insurance restrictions and the MHSAA requirement for a completed physical between April 15, 2024 and the start of a student’s sport for the 24-25 school year. Therefore, we offer athletic physicals for Holland Christian students each spring. At the request of the physicians and medical staff who donate their time, the Holland Hospital & Shoreline Orthopedic Sports Medicine Collaborative schools are collectively offering two evenings for all partner schools. You can register for a physical on the Maroons Athletics website.
- Monday, April 29, 6-8pm at Shoreline Orthopedic
- Thursday, May 9, 6-8pm at South Washington Clinic
Important Athletic Dates
- Final Forms registration opens for 24-25 school year: April 1, 2024
- MHSAA Dead Week: July 1-7 no team activities or use of facilities
- MHSAA fall sports pre-season downtime: August 1-11 limited activities for fall teams
- High school fall sports begin: August 12
- Middle school fall sports: Football begins August 19, all other Middle School sports begin August 26
Seniors and Parents of Seniors
Seniors End of the year schedule
- May 15: All Media Center materials and replacement fees for lost library books due. All textbook damage fees and replacement fees for missing text books due. If you need a textbook for an exam, let Mrs. Hekman or Mrs. Lokker know so that you are not charged for it.
- May 16-17: Any forgotten books may be returned to the wire rack in the Media Center
- May 16: Honors Evening, HS Auditorium, 7pm (by invitation only)
- May 17: Seniors’ last day of school
- May 22: Senior exams for students who are required to take them in the Lecture Hall
- May 21: Graduation rehearsal (required) 10am
- May 21: Graduation Ceremony 7:30pm
- June 10-14: Diploma pick up
After Graduation Party
The “Senior All Night Party” follows graduation on May 21. The 2024 graduation party committee has emailed parents with this information.
Senior Exam Exemption
During the second semester, seniors may work towards being exempt from their final exams. To earn this exemption seniors must meet at least one of the following:
- Have a B average in the course for which there is an exam through the final day of that course;
- Have handed in all homework on time with a passing grade, and have no more than two days absent in that course for the whole semester (for any reason except “school activity.”)
Diploma pick up
Diplomas will be available for pick up from the High School Office June 10-14. Diplomas can be picked up anytime between 8am-3pm. Before students can get their diploma all textbooks, library materials/books must be returned (or overdue fees paid) and your hot lunch and tuition balance taken care of. If your senior is the only child enrolled in your family at HC, or if you have not made previous arrangements with the business office, please contact Terry VanDerKolk at 616.820.2807. Final transcripts will also be sent after these arrangements are made. Your cooperation is appreciated!
Counselors’ Corner
Seniors/Parents of Seniors
Honors Night
On Thursday, May 16, we will hold an Honors Night for full-time seniors who have been awarded scholarships from colleges or private agencies. Parents are invited to this special evening, which will begin at 7pm in the High School Auditorium and will include refreshments. The due date for turning in scholarships has passed. Just a reminder that if you submitted scholarship information to the counseling office, please make sure to RSVP for Honors Night by May 3.
College Athletics
Students who are considering a Division I or II University and hope to compete on an athletic team must be registered with the NCAA eligibility center. You can access and complete the process on the NCAA Clearing House website. NCAA rules require that official test scores come directly from ACT or SAT. The NCAA code is 9999.
Students who are considering an NAIA member school must complete the NAIA application. View a complete listing of NAIA schools & an application. Students should request their transcripts be sent to NCAA Eligibility Center via their Parchment account. NAIA does not accept transcripts via Parchment, so contact the counseling office about submitting transcripts to the NAIA eligibility center. It is the student’s responsibility to check requirements and make sure their high school courses meet NCAA or NAIA eligibility requirements.
Juniors/Parents of Juniors
ACT & SAT Registration
The registration deadline for the June 8, 2024 ACT is May 3, 2024. Registration is done on the ACT website. SAT registration for the June 1, 2024 SAT is May 16, 2024. Registration is done on the SAT website.
Summer College Visits
Many students visit colleges in the summer, especially those that are a far distance from home. The counselors recommend that you look at online guides beforehand that can help you prepare for and schedule a productive college visit.
Student Life Update
Greetings from HCHS! We’re writing to share some exciting news about a recent HS initiative aimed at providing intentional formational moments throughout a student’s high school experience.
A little context…we started Senior Camp several years ago as a set-aside time to challenge the incoming 12th graders to be leaders in the upcoming school year. This quickly became a “standing stone moment” for students–a marker on the timeline of their high school careers that commemorates something important God did in their lives.
Senior camp has transformed the culture of our senior classes, and of our school.
Recently we asked the question, Why don’t we have a “standing stone moment” like senior camp at every high school grade level? After some praying and brainstorming, we decided this idea was worth pursuing. This fall we piloted the first ever Freshman Retreat, a one day experience at Camp Geneva aimed at acclimating 9th graders to high school as well as challenging them to think intentionally about their trajectory.
Truthfully, important formational moments like these are happening regularly in the “normal” days of students (pivotal conversations with teachers, reflections after a chapel speaker, shared experiences in theatre, sports, and clubs, etc.). But we also believe there is tremendous value in setting aside time as a community to consider who God is calling us to be at each unique level of spiritual development.
With this in mind, we’re committing to “Standing Stone” moments at each grade level moving forward to ensure that each student is seen, known, encouraged and challenged throughout their high school journey. Below is a short description of each experience as well as the grade-based theme:
- 9th Grade – Community
- 1 day Fall retreat at Geneva | What does it mean to be a high schooler living in community with one another?
- 10th Grade – Identity
- 1 day Fall retreat at Saugatuck Dunes State Park | What does it mean to be an apprentice to Jesus?
- 11th Grade – Mission/Calling
- 2 day overnight retreat at Camp Ao-Wa-Kiya just before the beginning of Senior Year (Senior Camp) | What does it mean to lead like Jesus?
- 12th Grade – Discipleship beyond High School
- Optional Bible-lands trip after graduation | What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus in His world?
We’re informing you about these experiences because we want to take seriously our commitment to partnering with you, HC parents. You will receive much more detailed grade-specific information year-by-year, but right now we’re simply inviting you to pray for our teachers and leaders as they continue to develop and implement these “Standing Stone” events.
If you have questions please feel free to email Miles Colago, Kevin Koeman, or Bryant Russ, the High School Student Life Leadership Team.
Exam Schedule
- Friday, May 31
- 8:45am – 10:15am – 1st hour
- 10:30am – 12:00pm – 2nd hour
- Monday, June 3
- 8:45am – 10:15am – 3rd hour
- 10:30am – 12:00pm – 4th Hour
- Tuesday, June 4
- 8:45am – 10:15am – 5th hour
- 10:30am – 12:00pm – 6th hour
- Wednesday, June 5
- 8:45am – 10:15am – 7th hour
- 10:15am – 12:00pm – Makeup slot
Exam Notes:
- Students are not required to be at school unless they have an exam.
- You will not be allowed to take your exams until all detentions have been served, and you will not receive credit for your second semester courses until you take your exams.
- All books must be returned and fines paid in the Media Center before exams may be taken.
- All lunch accounts must be paid up before exams may be taken.
9th-11th Media Center and Textbook Returns
The deadline for returning materials to the Media Center for freshmen, sophomores and juniors is May 29.
- All Media Center materials and replacement fees for lost library books are due
- All textbook damage fees and replacement fees for missing textbooks are due
- Textbooks must be turned into the wire rack in Media Center.
- If you need a textbook for an exam, let Mrs. Hekman or Mrs Lokker know so that you are not charged for it.
Calendar
HCS 2023-24 School Calendar
May
- 2-4: Spring play: Little Women
- 9: Grandparents Day, special schedule, Tulip Time (half day, 11:10 dismissal)
- 13: Band Concert at Jack Miller Center 7:30pm
- 14: Orchestra Concert at Jack Miller Center 7pm
- 15: Spring Choral Concert, HS Auditorium
- 16: Senior Honors Evening 7pm
- 17: Last day for seniors
- 20: Senior exams
- 21: Commencement for Class of 2024
- 27: Memorial Day vacation
- 31: HCHS exams begin
June
Can learning be meaningful AND fun?!? With these kids, we wouldn’t have it any other way!