Category: South Side Newsletter

We spent much of the summer moving, unpacking, and setting up the Longfellow building. But something changed on August 25 and 26—your children entered the space. They brought stories of missing teeth, trips to the pool, and the delicious snacks packed in their lunches. They arrived with smiles and laughter, sometimes a few tears, and boundless energy. Suddenly, the halls were filled with singing, stories, joy, and life.

As I reflect on those first few days, all I can say is: To God be the glory. May God be glorified in the small moments gathered around a story, in the praise songs and dancing during devotions, in the tiny creations made and the big games played. One of our anchor discipleship flags is God Glorifying. We desire to glorify God in all that we do and say at South Side. Your children remind me each day of the joy, wonder, and beauty of God’s creation, and they help me praise His name. To God be the glory!

Christy Haig, South Side Principal

Announcements

Absences

Please call the school office at 616.820.3535 any time before 8:30am to let us know each day when 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. If you’d prefer to send an email, please email Rachel Steen. Please be sure to mention symptoms your child is experiencing (fever, vomiting, headache, cough, etc.), as we need this information to submit our weekly health report. Thank you for your help!

Picture Day

South Side’s picture day is Wednesday, September 30. Once we receive the order forms from GPI, we will send them home with students. If you have multiple children at Holland Christian, please remember that order forms are student-specific. If you are planning to order a yearbook, be sure to check that box on your order form.

Medications at School

If your child needs to take medication at school, we need an updated form signed by the physician each school year. If you have not done this yet, please do so as soon as possible. You are welcome to email Lindsey Prentice, our school nurse, if you have any questions. Holland Christian medical forms can be found on our Medical Information & Forms page. For safety reasons, Holland Christian Schools is not able to dispense any medication (whether prescription or non-prescription) to our students without a doctor’s order. Thank you!

Student Life and Discipleship

At South Side we talk every day about being South Side Stars. We frame these conversations with students around three targets:

• Self: “Control myself”
• Servant: “Think about others”
• Stuff: “Take care of our stuff”

As you child to show you the motions that go along with each of these.

Student Safety

After student drop-off, all external school doors are locked for your students’ safety. All students who arrive late for school must arrive through the main front door by buzzing in to the school secretary, and check in at the school office. Parents are asked to sign children in and out at the school office if they are coming or going any time within the normal school hours.

Save the Date

Parent Partners is planning a fun night of skating for South Side students and their families on Monday, November 9.  More details to come.

Important Website Links

• School Calendar
• School Supply Lists
• Lunch Menu
• Medical Information & Forms
• School Transportation
• Before & After School Programs

Upcoming Dates:

September

• 4: No school
• 7: No school/Labor Day
• 12: Fall Kids Stuff Resale: HCHS 9am-12pm
• 18: Holland Christian Homecoming
• 23:Walkathon
• 30: PreK-2nd, HC2 Picture Day

October

• 7: Grandparents Day
• 8: Parent Teacher Conferences (full time Young Fives-2nd)
• 12:  Parent Teacher Conferences (full time Young Fives- 2nd)
• 14-16: No school: CEA Convention

As we look ahead to an exciting new school year, we are filled with gratitude for God’s faithfulness and all that He has in store for our South Side community. Our renovation project is off to a wonderful start, and it’s exciting to see the transformation already underway! At the same time, we’re settling into our temporary home at Longfellow, where classrooms are coming together and we’re preparing to welcome students with the same joyful, Christ-centered learning environment you know and love. We can’t wait to begin this new adventure with your family!

Check out the empty playground and classroom at South Side!

And here are some of our new Longfellow spaces. All that is missing is your kids!

Blessings,

Christy Haig

Announcements

South Side at Longfellow this year

As you know, our beloved South Side building is going through an exciting renovation. During this time God has provided a wonderful school building for us to use. We will be meeting this year at the Longfellow Elementary building. It is located at 45 E 25th St. We are working at setting everything up and the building is starting to really feel like South Side already.

Class Lists & School Supplies

We are so excited to welcome your child back to school! Class lists were sent to your email. If you didn’t receive this communication, please check your spam folder first and then let us know. Here is the list of school supplies for each grade level/class preschool through 2nd grade.

Play Date

We have one more summer play date on Wednesday August 12. HC2 families are invited to come and meet together on the playground at Longfellow at 9:30 and all elementary families can come and join them at 10:00.

Parent Information Night

This will be a night where just parents come to meet Mrs. Haig and your child’s classroom teacher. You’ll be able to ask more detailed questions about your child’s school and classroom experience.
Preschool, elementary and our homeschool connection (HC2) program will all host their parent information night on Thursday, August 27 at 5:30pm.

Ice Cream Social

On Thursday, August 20, 6-7pm, all preschool, elementary and HC2 students and their families are invited to come together and walk through their classrooms, meet their teachers, find their lockers–all the fun things about starting a new school year! Once your family has had a chance to do that, everyone heads out to the playground to enjoy an ice cream sundae bar and fellowship as a school community.

Wednesday Morning Late Start

As we continue partnering with families to provide the best possible learning experience for your child(ren), we’re excited to share a schedule update for this year. All HC campuses will begin classes at 8:30 a.m. each Wednesday, aligning our elementary campuses with the schedule already in place at Holland Christian’s middle and high schools.

This dedicated time each week will allow teachers to collaborate across grade levels, strengthen curriculum planning, and participate in professional development together—all while reducing interruptions to the school week, such as additional half-days.

First Days of School

• Our first day of school is a full day, Tuesday, August 25.
• 3-day preschool and 3-day young 5s students enjoy their first day on Wednesday, August 26.
• HC2 students enjoy their first day on Wednesday, August 26.
• Dismissal will be at 11:15am for AM preschool students and 3:15pm for full-day preschool students and Young 5 – 2nd grade students.

Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures

We ask that you adhere to the following traffic policies for Drop-Off and Pick-Up as specified. We appreciate your cooperation and doing your part to keep our children entering and exiting school safely each day. Please note that in the mornings the front doors will be locked until 7:50am. With a new location this year, drop-off and pick-up are going to feel a bit different. As we experience it all together, we may need to make some tweaks to ensure that everything is smooth and safe.

Parent Opportunity

We have many opportunities for you to partner with us throughout the school year. Right now we are looking for some parents to join our parent partner team. We are also looking for some help and donations to get our playground at Longfellow ready for fun! Click here to sign up or to get more information.

Picture Day

For those of you planning ahead, South Side’s picture day is Wednesday, September 30. Once order forms are received from GPI they will be sent home with students. If you are ordering a yearbook this will be the time to do that also.

Medication at School

If your child needs to take medication at school, we need an updated form signed by their physician each school year. If you have not done this yet, please do so asap. The medication forms can be found on the Medical Information and Forms Page for your convenience. You are welcome to email Lindsey Prentice, our school nurse. She will help you set up a plan for the office to assist in administering the medication. For safety reasons, Holland Christian Schools is not able to dispense any medication (prescription or non-prescription) to our students without a doctor’s order. Thank you!

Absences

Please call the school office at 616.820.3535 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.

Summer Office Hours

The South Side office will be open starting August 3 on Mondays-Fridays from 9am-3pm until school starts. 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.

Student Safety

After the school day is underway, all doors will be locked. All students who arrive late for school must stop in the school office. Parents are asked to sign children in and out at the school office if they are coming or going any time within the normal school hours.

PowerSchool

PowerSchool is our student information database. You will want to bookmark this site! There is also an app available for PowerSchool for your phone which can be very helpful.  If there is a change in your phone number or address any time during the school year, it is important that we are informed right away. Parents can update their information on PowerSchool directly on the Demographics Change tab. This assures up-to-date contact information for your child.

You must update your demographic information in PowerSchool each fall with your latest and most accurate contact information. Simply login, then either an “update demographic screen” will automatically pop up, or simply click the “change demographics” button on the left of the screen. This information is necessary for field trip participation, emergency response and treatment, student photo permission, and for the office to easily be able to contact a parent or guardian as needed or desired. When listing your child’s emergency contacts, please be sure to list two contacts other than yourself.

Elementary Handbook

The Elementary Handbook is a great resource for parents providing important details on things like our curriculum, discipline policy, etc.

Moms In Prayer

Community Opportunities

Important Website Links

• School Calendar
• School Supply Lists
• Hot Lunch Information
• Medical Information & Forms
• School Transportation
• Before & After School Programs

Upcoming Dates:

August

• 20: PreK-2nd grade Ice Cream Social 6-7pm
• 25: First day of school
• 27: Parent Information Night 5:30-6:30pm

September

• 4: No school: Labor Day weekend
• 7: No school: Labor Day
• 9: All School Convocation
• 23: Walkathon
• 30: Preschool-2nd grade: School Pictures

October

• 7: Grandparents Day
• 8: Parent-Teacher Conferences
• 12: Parent-Teacher Conferences
• 14-16: CEA Convention: No school

Thank you for partnering with us this year at South Side and for sharing your amazing children with us. Their joy, curiosity, and love for learning have filled our building each day, and we are so grateful to walk alongside your family this year.

As we look ahead to summer and next year, we are thankful for God’s blessings surrounding our upcoming renovation project and excited for this new chapter at South Side. Please take a few minutes to read through the information below for important updates and details. If you are able to help with parts of our move this summer, we would greatly appreciate your support—more information is included below as well.

Thank you for being such an important part of our South Side community!

Christy Haig

Announcements

End of the Year Chapel and Groundbreaking Ceremony

Come join us! We will have a special end-of-the-year chapel on Wednesday June 3 from 10:15-11:15. We will be sending off our second graders and celebrating/praying for the soon-to-start construction project at South Side. We’ll be out on the playground, so bring a lawn chair if you’d like (if there’s rain we’ll move it inside.) After chapel, students will be dismissed and there will be refreshments on the playground your family can stay to enjoy.

Renovation, Next Year, and Help Needed

• We are getting so excited for our renovation project next year at South Side. In preparation, we are packing up the building and getting ready to move to a temporary location during construction.
• Read all about the renovation and our temporary location here.
• Many families have asked how they can help. We will need a lot of volunteers to make this transition successful. Please check out our Moving South Side Sign Up for opportunities to help!
  

Medication Pickup

If your child has medication at school, an email will be coming to you regarding pick up, since medication is not stored at school through the summer. All forms for bringing/administering medication at school are available on the Forms and Medications page, and they need to be filled out by your doctor at the beginning of each school year.

26-27 Enrollment & Medical Paperwork

All students entering preschool, kindergarten, and new transfers need to fill out and turn in a variety of paperwork by August 7, 2026:

• Preschool Forms
• Young 5s/Kindergarten Forms
• New Transfer Forms

Non-Medical Exemptions (Formerly Waivers) Information:

If your child is a new student coming to HC from a different school district (HC is IN-DISTRICT with HPS), your old non-medical exemption is invalid and you will need to schedule an appointment. If your child currently has a non-medical exemption and is returning to Holland Christian for the 26-27 school year and moving from:

• 3s preschool to 4s preschool: The current non-medical exemption on file is good unless you have chosen to complete a vaccine series during the year that was waived on the non-medical exemption.
• 3s/4s preschool to Young 5s: New non-medical exemption needed; please schedule an appointment
• 4s preschool to kindergarten or Young Fives: New non-medical exemption needed; schedule an appointment ASAP at your county health department.
• Young 5s to Kindergarten: Current non-medical exemption on file is good unless you have chosen to complete a vaccine series during the year that was waived on the non-medical exemption.

Contact Rachel in the school office if you have any questions 616.820.3535.

South Side Office Hours

• June 4: The office will be closed in the morning due to an off-site meeting
• June 5: The office will be open from 9am-2pm to assist parents.
• August 3: 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.

Class Lists

The 26-27 class lists will be available via email in early July.

School Supply Lists

If you would like to access preschool through second grade school supply lists for the 25-26 school year, you can find them on our South Side Christian website.

Summer Playground Dates

Come and see the playground at Longfellow this summer! We have set up some dates for your family to come and play on the playground, see some friends, and get to know the new space a bit.

• Thursday August 6 9:30-10:30 Preschool Families
• Friday August 7 9:30-10:30 HC2 Families
• Friday August 7 10:00-11:00 Y5-2nd grade Families
• Wednesday August 12 9:30-10:30 HC2 Families
• Wednesday  August 12 10:00-11:00 Y5-2nd grade Families

Thank You!

Thank you to the parent team for hosting and to all who purchased from our book fairs! With the profit we were able to purchase hundreds of new books for our Pine Ridge and South Side libraries, including high interest fiction at a variety of reading levels, and curriculum related nonfiction.

Lost & Found

The office is continuing to update our South Side Lost and Found Album as items come into the gray tub in the office. Please check it out to see if any of these items belong to your child. Email Rachel Steen to claim your item(s), and we will be sure to get it into your child’s backpack. All remaining items will be donated to Ditto after our final day of school on Wednesday, June 4.

Important Website Links

• School calendar
• School transportation

Calendar

June

• 3: Last day of school: 2nd grade Sendoff Chapel and Groundbreaking Ceremony 10:15-11:15am
• 4-5: Office open 9am-2pm

August

• 4: Office opens daily from 9am-3pm
• 7: All preschool, Young 5s, and kindergarten paperwork is due via email/mail/drop-off to the office
• 20: South Side Ice Cream Social for preschool-2nd grade 5:30-6:30pm
• 25: First day of school for preschool-12th grade, full day
• 27: Parent information night (preschool-2nd grade, parents only) at 6:30pm- tentative

September

• 4: No school
• 7: No school: Labor Day

All year long at South Side, we have been intentionally focusing on two discipleship practices. These practices help our students live out their Christian identity in meaningful, everyday ways, and we continue to look for opportunities for them to grow in both.

Beauty Creating
Our students love to create! Whether it’s preschoolers designing and building a block city, children constructing forts outside, first graders transforming their hallway into a rainforest, or second graders crafting treasures from recycled materials for their KidTown, creativity is alive and thriving. This ability to create reflects the image of God, our ultimate Creator. It also provides a hands-on way for students to explore the world around them, deepening both their understanding and their joy in learning.

Community Growing
We also place a strong emphasis on building and celebrating community at South Side. From second graders leading reading groups with younger students, to collaborative class projects, to friends rushing to help a classmate on the playground, our students are learning what it means to care for one another. Even our kindergarteners have taken on leadership roles, working together to lead chapel. Through these experiences, students live out God’s call to love and serve one another in community.

The next time you are at South Side, we invite you to take a moment to walk through the main hall and enjoy the many photos of our students putting these discipleship practices into action. It’s a beautiful glimpse of faith in motion!

Christy Haig

Announcements

Tulip Time

On Thursday, May 7, our 1st and 2nd graders will participate in the Tulip Time Kinderparade. We will have a normal school schedule in the morning: Preschoolers will be dismissed at 11-11:15am with no afternoon class. Young Fives and kindergarteners will be dismissed at 11:30am. All young five and kindergarten students will need to use carpool that day, as all buses are being used for getting students to the parade. First and second graders will remain at school, eat a sack lunch from home (hot lunch is NOT provided), have recess, change into their marching apparel (if they choose not to wear it to school that day), and be bused to the parade route.

An information page and pick up slip  was sent home with all first and second graders. If you haven’t already done so, please return the bottom portion of this slip to your child’s teacher so she has the contact information of the person who will be picking up your child at the parade. Thank you!

Young Fives and Kindergarten Visit Day

On Friday, May 1, we will be welcoming our newest group of young fives and kindergarten students to visit South Side from 9-10am. There will be fun activities for newly enrolled young fives and kindergarten students for the 26-27 school year, and a time of information for the parents. Families who enrolled will be receiving more communication via email.

End of the Year Chapel and Groundbreaking Ceremony

Save the date! We will have a special end-of-the-year chapel to send off our second graders and we will also be using this time to celebrate and pray for the soon to start construction project at South Side. Join us on the last day of school, Wednesday, June 3 from 10:15-11:15am for a time of worship together. We’ll be out on the playground, so bring a lawn chair if you’d like (if there’s rain we’ll move it to the gym). After chapel, preschool students will be dismissed, and Y5-2 students will have a quick 15 minutes to close out the year in the classrooms with their teacher, and their dismissal will follow at 11:30am.

Thank You

A huge thank you to all for supporting the 1st grade Rainforest Bake Sale initiative to raise funds to help support missionaries that work in the rainforest region! Through your support, we raised almost $300! We feel so blessed by your support and are excited for how this money will help build God’s Kingdom!

Lost & Found

The office is continuing to update our South Side Lost and Found Album as items come into the gray tub in the office. Please check it out to see if any of these items belong to your child. Feel free to email Rachel Steen, to claim your item(s), and we will be sure to get it into your child’s backpack.

Important Website Links

• School calendar
• Lunch menu
• School transportation

Calendar

May

• 1: South Side Visit Day for incoming young fives and kindergarten students & their parents
• 7: Tulip Time ½ day: 11-11:15am dismissal for preschoolers, 11:30am dismissal for young fives and kindergarteners, 1st & 2nd graders stay at school for Kinderparade
• 25: No school: Memorial Day
• 29: Field Day

June

• 3: Last day of school: 2nd grade send-off chapel 10:15-11:15am, half day with 11:30am dismissal. Report cards will be sent out.

This winter, our 4s preschool classes have been taking turns visiting Resthaven on Monday mornings. During these special visits, students spend time with the “grandmas” and “grandpas,” building meaningful connections and community. Together, they sing songs, create crafts, and proudly share their growing skills—like counting and naming colors. When asked why they enjoy going to Resthaven, one preschooler simply said, “They don’t get many visitors, and they love people coming here!”

These visits are a beautiful example of our value of “Renewal” in action. Even at a young age, our students are learning to share God’s love, joy, and kindness with those around them. Whether it’s passing out blessing bags at Thanksgiving, offering a hug to a friend in need, collecting food for Hand2Hand, or caring for baby chicks, all of our South Side students are living out their faith in tangible ways.

We are so proud to see our students actively joining in Christ’s mission of renewal—partnering with Jesus to bring hope, love, and transformation to the world around them.

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!
• Also, many thanks to the Parent Board and parents who signed up to provide meals for teachers during conferences. The meals were delicious, and the teachers enjoyed gathering around the table together without having to worry about packing extra meals in the midst of conferences. Your generosity is SO appreciated!
• We also want to extend a big thank you to the volunteers who helped with the book fair for your time and dedication. Your hard work in setting up, assisting shoppers, and ensuring everything ran smoothly made a huge difference. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Tuition Grant Application

The Tuition Grant online application process for the 26-27 school year began February 1, and the Facts Application for tuition assistance is available on the FACTS website. If you have questions, please email Terry VanDerKolk, our tuition accounts manager, or call her at 616.820.2807.

Tulip Time

1st and 2nd grade families: Tulip Time will be here before we know it! Please fill out this Tulip Time Survey so we know which section your child will be participating in.

On Thursday, May 7, school will be dismissed for preschool starting at 11am. Young fives and kindergarteners will be dismissed at 11:30am. 1st and 2nd graders will remain at school, eat a sack lunch from home, have recess, change into their apparel (if they choose not to wear it to school that day), and be bused to the parade route. More information will come as we get closer to the parade.

Swimming Lessons

Holland Christian elementary students have the privilege of receiving swimming lessons each year through the Holland Aquatic Center. These lessons are provided  during the school day for 2 weeks. First and second grade will be doing lessons on May 11-May 22. We recognize this program could be a little uncomfortable for children. However, because our children are blessed to be raised in Michigan and surrounded by bodies of water, we believe this safety instruction is a blessing that we pray they will never need, but that we feel responsible to equip them with. If you find yourself pondering over the “why” of lessons, please take listen to HC mom Jenny White on the why swim safety. This HCAC Swim School welcome video might help you understand a bit about the logistics. Please feel free to contact the South Side office with any questions.

Student Life and Discipleship

Recently, our elementary students all took a survey. They gave themselves 5 stars for knowing our South Side Stars rules and routines. They gave the teachers 5 stars for helping students when they make a wrong choice. They gave our school only 4 stars for kids choosing to be kind. So that is one thing we will be practicing–being kind! Maybe at the end of each school day this next month, instead of asking “What did you do today?” you could ask, “What did you do to be kind today?”

Lost & Found

The office is continuing to update our South Side Lost and Found Album as items come into the gray tub in the office. Please check it out to see if any of these items belong to your child. Feel free to email Rachel Steen to claim your item(s), and we will be sure to get it into your child’s backpack.

Important Website Links

• School calendar
• Lunch menu
• School transportation

Calendar

April

• April 3-10: No school: Spring break
• 13: School resumes
• 15: Eastertide

May

• 1: South Side Visit Day for incoming Young Fives and Kindergarten students
• 7: Tulip Time ½ Day; 11am dismissal for preschool, 11:30am dismissal for young fives and kindergarteners, 1st & 2nd graders stay at school for Kinderparade
• 25: No school: Memorial Day
• 29: Field Day

June

• 3: Last day of school: ½ day with 11:30am dismissal

This week I had the opportunity to visit our second grade classrooms, where students were eager to share their prayer journals. During personal devotional time, students write out prayers in their journals, creating a meaningful space for reflection and conversation with God. One student explained, “It’s nice that you can write prayers on your own and remember them.”

Students shared that their prayers often include thankfulness, requests for forgiveness, praise to God, and prayers for the needs of people listed on their classroom prayer boards. When I asked what they enjoy most about their prayer journals, students thoughtfully replied, “We have time to write” and “It is a nice, quiet time to pray.” Their teachers hope this meaningful practice of prayer becomes a lifelong rhythm that continues well beyond second grade.

One of our Holland Christian values is Discipleship. It is our deepest hope that students find their identity and purpose in Jesus. Throughout the school day, students are nurtured in their faith in many ways — through chapel, weekly praise times, classroom devotions, and Bible lessons where they learn the stories of Jesus. They also practice living like Jesus through acts of kindness, community-growing, and servant-living choices.

In both the big moments and the small ones, we seek to nurture students’ hearts so they know how deeply Jesus loves them and how they can share His love with the world.

Christy Haig, South Side Principal

Announcements

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences for kindergarten – 2nd grade students are coming up Thursday, March 26 and Monday, March 30, from 4-8pm both days. You received an email on February 12 about how to sign up. Teachers deeply value your partnership, and are looking forward to this time of conversation with you!

From the Parent Board

Parents: We would love to support our teachers with a meal the night of conferences on Thursday, March 26. If you are willing to contribute, please sign up through the Conference Signup Genius.

South Side Book Fair

The Scholastic Book Fair will be coming to South Side during conferences in March. It will be open Thursday, March 26 and Monday, March 30 from 4-8pm at South Side. We are in need of a few volunteers to make this a success. Please sign up through the Book Fair Signup Genius if you are willing to help out!
This is an amazing way for our school to get new books! You can also shop online from March 26-April 8 in case you can’t make it in to school! 

Spring Program

South Side, along with Pine Ridge and Forest School will be holding our Spring Program on Thursday, March 12 from 6:30-7:30pm at Christ Memorial.

Young 5s through 5th grade students should arrive between 6:00-6:15 to meet with their teachers in the lobby. Families will head into the sanctuary to be seated by 6:20.

Preschoolers should arrive with their families and be seated in the sanctuary by 6:20. They will be called up to the stage to sing part-way into the program

Student Life and Discipleship

One of our Discipleship Practices at South Side is Servant Living. Students learn to look beyond themselves by considering others’ perspectives, noticing needs, and finding ways to help those around them. These important lessons are woven into everyday classroom life. Students hear stories about people who serve others, practice sharing and cooperating with classmates, and take responsibility for caring for their learning spaces — even helping pick up paper scraps at the end of the day.

We encourage you to take a moment to show this flag to your child and ask what they did today to practice servant living. These small, everyday acts help shape hearts that reflect the love of Jesus.

Lost and Found

The office is continuing to update our South Side Lost and Found Album as items come into the gray tub in the office. Please check it out to see if any of these items belong to your child. Feel free to email Rachel Steen, to claim your item(s), and we will be sure to get it into your child’s backpack.

Job Opportunity

Important Website Links

• School calendar
• Lunch menu
• School transportation

Calendar

March

• 7: Kids’ Stuff Resale 9am-noon @ HCHS
• 13: End of 3rd Quarter
• 20: Report cards
• 26: Parent-teacher conferences 4-8pm (kindergarten- second grade)
• 30: Parent-teacher conferences 4-8pm (kindergarten-second grade)

April

• 3-10: No school: Spring break
• 13: School resumes

Our Young Fives students love going on field trips, and they have many opportunities to learn beyond our classroom walls. Recently, I stopped by their room during snack time, and they could hardly wait to tell me about their upcoming trip to visit their second-grade Forest School buddies at Sassafras Ridge. Eager voices shared plans for building snow bricks and tree forts, climbing trees, and practicing letter writing alongside their older friends. They also told me that the second graders are always excited when they visit because they are “so friendly.”

“So friendly” may be a Young Fives description, but it beautifully captures the heart of hospitality. Hospitality is one of our Holland Christian values and something we intentionally practice at South Side each day. At its core, hospitality is about giving and receiving grace. We see this on the playground when a student accidentally knocks over a snow creation, or in the classroom when two children reach for the same marker at the same time. Hospitality means interacting with care and kindness. It is evident when second graders lead younger students during Create Time and when classmates help a friend find the playground teacher after a fall and scraped knee.

Hospitality also extends beyond the walls of South Side. We welcome family and community volunteers who read and serve alongside our students. Our classes ring the Salvation Army bell downtown, visit local nursing homes, and share blessing bags within our neighborhood. We also build reciprocal relationships with other Holland Christian classrooms, learning and playing together in meaningful ways. Through these experiences, our students are growing into gracious, caring members of their school and wider community, getting to practice hospitality every day.

Christy Haig

Announcements

Enrollment for 2026-27

As of January 2026, preschool is now a part of HC’s Continuous Enrollment, which means that currently enrolled preschool and currently enrolled young five students will no longer be required to re-apply for the following academic school year.  A Commitment Countdown form has been emailed to all preschool & Young Five families at South Side Elementary, if you have not submitted yours, please fill out the Commitment Countdown form ASAP. For more enrollment information please reference the previous email from Admissions sent on January 28th.

New-to-Holland-Christian-families, or current families who have a new student to enroll for the 2026-27 school year can do so by applying at dev.hollandchristian.org/apply on Monday, February 2 starting at 9am.

Discovery Night

Thank you so much for coming out to our preschool, young fives and kindergarten Discovery Nights, and for passing along information about our school district to your family and friends. We had a great turn out, and are so grateful for the partnership we get to continue with families at HC!

Wacky Wednesdays

The Parent Board has some fun Wacky Wednesdays planned to spruce up our winter Wednesdays at South Side and Pine Ridge! Here is the schedule:

• February 4: Pajama Day
• February 11: Sports Day (Clothing and hats only; no equipment please)
• February 18: Hawaiian Day
• February 25: Backwards Day

The winning class for each week (highest % participation) will win a voucher for a hot chocolate party on a date that works for the class.

Lost & Found:

The office is continuing to update our South Side Lost and Found Album as items come into the gray tub in the office. Please check it out to see if any of these items belong to your child. Feel free to email Rachel Steen, to claim your item(s), and we will be sure to get it into your child’s backpack.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences are coming up for parents of kindergarten-second grade students! You will receive an email with instructions on how to register for conferences in a few weeks.

• Thursday, March 26: 4-8pm
• Monday, March 30: 4-8pm

Spring Program

We will be having our Spring Program on Thursday, March 12 at 6:30pm with Pine Ridge and Forest School. Please join us at Christ Memorial to celebrate everything we’ve learned this year and to worship together.

Student Life and Discipleship

Our students have done it again! Another South Side Star poster has been completely filled, and we couldn’t be more proud. This accomplishment reflects the many fun and safe choices our students are making with their friends on the playground each day.

What better way to celebrate than with extra time outside? We will be kicking off the month of February with a special sledding party to celebrate their hard work. Please take a moment to congratulate your students on this achievement—they are incredibly proud of what they’ve accomplished, and we are too!

News from Food Service

Did you know that you may apply for lunch benefits at any time of the school year? Situations change, so don’t be hesitant to apply to this confidential resource. Go to familyportal.cloud and apply for Lunch Benefits. This is very easy, no need knowing your student’s ID number, and it’s extremely confidential. If you have any questions, please contact Sue at 616.820.2934.

Substitutes Needed

We can always use more available substitute teachers! If you love working with kids, have obtained 60 or more college credits, and are willing to have a background check/fingerprinting done, we would love to add you to our list! If you are interested, please email Rachel Hendershot, or you can start an application on edustaff.org.

Important Website Links

• School calendar
• Lunch menu
• School transportation

Upcoming Dates

February

• 2: Preschool and kindergarten 2026-27 application open for new families at 9am
• 4: Wacky Wednesday: Pajama Day
• 11: Wacky Wednesday: Sports Day (Clothing and hats only; no equipment please)
• 13: No school (teacher professional learning)
• 16: No school (Presidents Day)
• 18: Wacky Wednesday: Hawaiian Day
• 25: Wacky Wednesday: Backwards Day

March

• 12: Spring Program at Christ Memorial
• 13: End of 3rd Quarter
• 20: Report Cards
• 26: Parent-teacher conferences 4-8pm
• 30: Parent-teacher conferences 4-8pm

April

• 3-10: No school: Spring break
• 13: School resumes

When I walk into our 3s preschool classroom, I’m greeted with the biggest smiles and an enthusiastic chorus of “Mrs. Haig! Mrs. Haig!” as little hands tug me over to see what they’re working on. Whether they’re enjoying a snack, reading a favorite book, or proudly taking the cap off a glue stick to begin a project, our preschoolers are eager to show off their growing “school skills!”

But this confidence didn’t appear overnight. I remember those first weeks of school so clearly—tiny faces tucked into a parent’s shoulder, too shy to say hello, or the uncertainty of learning how to pause play and clean up when it was time to go home. Since then, these little learners have already grown in remarkable ways. They’ve moved from not knowing that their names are made of letters to now being able to “spell their names in lights.”

Our 3s preschoolers are flourishing. Flourishing is one of our core Holland Christian values and something we pray over all our students at South Side. We want them to grow in knowledge as they learn to read and count, to grow in strength as they run, play, and learn to put on snow gear independently, and to grow in heart as they experience God’s love and share it generously with others.

Christy Haig

Announcements

Discover South Side

Calling all families interested in preschool-kindergarten programs at HC! There are many opportunities for current & new families to check out what we offer at our upcoming Discovery Night on Tuesday, January 13 at 6-7pm. Since we prepare individually for each family visiting these Discovery Nights, an RSVP is necessary. We also invite you to share these times with your friends and family. For more information, please email admissions@dev.hollandchristian.org

Preschool and Young Fives Admission Enhancements

HC has enhanced the application process for all currently enrolled 3’s preschool, 4’s preschool and young five students. Starting January 2026, currently enrolled preschool and young five students will no longer be required to re-apply for the following academic school year. Preschool is now a part of HC’s Continuous Enrollment. Instead, they will be asked to fill out a Commitment Countdown form. This Commitment Countdown form is a quick and easy way for currently enrolled preschool and young five families to let HC know what their hopes are for their child’s 2026-27 enrollment. Completing it lets Admissions know their intentions, but it does not guarantee placement or availability. The information families share will help HC thoughtfully plan for class sizes, teacher placements, and learning spaces that support every child’s academic, faith, and character growth.

Enrollment for 26-27

New Student Applications open to the public on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 9am

Note: Continuous enrollment means that once a student is enrolled at HC, they remain enrolled automatically each year until they graduate or formally withdraw. This includes ALL current kindergarteners.

South Side Building Renovation

We are in the planning stages of an exciting renovation to our beloved South Side building as part of a larger facilities campaign which will be publicly launched in February! If all continues as hoped, these updates will take place during the 26-27 school year. The renovation plans include a vibrant “creative heart” at the center of the building, featuring enhanced art, music, library, and multi-use spaces. We are also envisioning a new playground that blends traditional equipment with nature-inspired play, an updated office with a new secure entry model, and important infrastructure improvements such as new windows, flooring, lighting, and more.

During this season of transformation, our South Side community will temporarily relocate for the 26–27 school year. While our location may look different for a time, the heart of South Side will remain the same. Our staff, students, and families will continue to bring the belonging, creativity, and strong sense of community that makes South Side such a special place.

If you want to share in our excitement or have any questions, please feel free to stop by the office and chat with us.

To our Parent Board

Thank you for the wonderful Christmas lunch the Parent Team provided for the staff. Also, thanks for covering the noon recess duties too! The time spent together over lunch was so fun for the teachers. Your generosity and extra thoughtfulness is so very much appreciated.

Student Life and Discipleship Highlight

Ask a student what their favorite thing about school is, and many will quickly reply, “Recess!” Free play and outdoor exploration are both things we deeply value at South Side. Recess is certainly fun, and it gives students an important brain break from classroom learning. But it’s also a rich time of social growth. On the playground, students learn to share, make friends, solve disagreements, and speak kind words. These moments are key to developing servant living, grace breathing, and community growing—three of our core discipleship practices.

This winter, as part of our South Side Stars focus, we’re emphasizing safe play on the playground. We want students to “control myself” by keeping themselves safe, and to “think about others” by making choices that keep their classmates safe as well. For example, during football games, we can throw and catch the ball, but we don’t tackle since we’re not wearing football pads or helmets. When climbing snow hills, we can slide down on our bottoms or bellies, but we don’t pull or push others off the hill. And when it comes to snowballs—ask your child! I bet they can tell you some of the fun, safe snow play ideas we’ve been practicing.

Report Cards

God is so faithful! We can’t believe we’re already nearing the end of the first semester! It officially ends on Friday, January 16 and Report Cards will be available electronically on Friday, January 23. Take some time to celebrate and reflect on the growth your child has already made this year, and let’s continue to find ways to keep challenging your child during the second semester.

Drop Off Reminder

To help make sure our morning drop off lines run smoothly, please remember that if you are going to get out of your car to help your child with drop off please park in the left lane. This will allow cars in the right lane to move through the line quicker. Thank you for your help with this.

Substitutes Needed

We can always use more available substitute teachers! If you love working with kids, have obtained 60 or more college credits, and are willing to have a background check/fingerprinting done, we would love to add you to our list! If you are interested, please email Rachel Hendershot, or you can start an application on the Edustaff Website.

We’re Invited

One of our local partners in education, Outdoor Discovery Center, is hosting a 4-part speaker series featuring nationally-renowned experts who will explore how technology is reshaping our lives. Please see the attached flyer to register for these free opportunities!

Important Website Links

• School Calendar
• Lunch Menu
• School Transportation
• Medical Information & Forms

Upcoming Dates

January:

• 1-2: No school
• 5: Classes resume
• 13: Discovery Night at South Side 6pm
• 16: End of first semester
• 19: No school (MLK day)
• 23: Report cards
• 28: Preschool and kindergarten 2026-2027 enrollment open for current HC families

February:

• 2:  Preschool and kindergarten 2026-2027 application open for new families at 9am
• 13: No school (Teacher professional learning)
• 16: No school

We LOVE it when Mr. Russ, our HC Director of Faith Formation, visits us at South Side! Earlier this year he stopped into our kindergarten classroom to talk with students about what it means to practice “Kingdom Bringing.” He told the story of the Israelites as slaves in Egypt—how God wanted to free them, and although He could have done it alone, He chose to work through Moses.

After hearing the story, our kindergarteners created their own “God’s Story” posters. They reflected on God’s wonderful, beautiful creation, how it was broken by sin, and how God always had a plan to send a Savior. And now, they learned, God chooses to use them, like He did Moses, as His “Kingdom bringers” in the world.

One of our core values at Holland Christian is discernment. It can feel like a big word for little learners, but at its heart, discernment means learning God’s Word and putting it into practice. This is something we strive to do every day at South Side. From hearing Bible stories to sharing toys, from memorizing Scripture to inviting a classmate to join in the sandbox, from understanding our discipleship practices to making God’s Story posters, our young learners are listening to God’s instructions and practicing how to live them out.

This idea is summed up beautifully in one of their favorite songs. Perhaps you’ve heard it before—and if not, ask your child to sing it for you!

I’m gonna stand on the Rock,
I’m gonna stand on the Rock,
I’m gonna stand on the Rock of God’s Word.
I’m gonna try to obey,
I’m gonna try to obey,
I’m gonna try to obey—obey God’s Word.

Christy Haig

Announcements

Illness

We continue to use precautions at school to keep everyone healthy and in school each day. Thanks for your help with this in monitoring your child for any symptoms he/she may be experiencing at home. For fevers, your child must be fever free without the use of fever reducing medicine for 24 hours before returning to school. If your child will not be present at school, please remember to report the absence and symptoms by calling 616.820.3535, or by emailing rsteen@hollandchristian.org.

Just a friendly reminder that the office is not able to administer medication (prescription and over the counter) without a doctor’s signature on a medical consent form. Students are also not able to store any medication in their classrooms, backpacks, or lockers. All medication needs to be kept in the office. You can find the medical forms needed on the Medical Forms & Information Page.

Snowy Weather

Along with the snow comes recess time on the sledding hill! South Side will be providing sleds again this year, so please do not bring your own sleds from home. This will allow us to keep them stacked neat and tidy in the building, and give all students a chance to sled!

We also see a lot of winter gear in these months–hats, mittens, snow pants! Please remember to label all of your student’s belongings to help prevent items from getting mixed up or lost!

Lost & Found

Our South Side lost & found items are in a gray tub in the office. If you are missing anything, please stop in and take a peek, or check out our South Side Lost and Found Photo Album before Christmas break, as we will be donating the remaining items.

Book Fair

Pine Ridge Book Fair will run December 5-11 and we are in need of parent volunteers to staff the times that are open for shopping! Interested in helping at the Book Fair? Please check out this link for the Book Fair sign up for 2025.
The Book Fair will be open for families to shop Wednesday, December 10  from 2-4pm and Thursday, December 11  from 3-5:30pm. If you plan to shop with your child Wednesday or Thursday, the Book Fair will accept cash, check, or credit card. Checks can be made to Holland Christian Schools. The book fair has an abundance of books, but there are also pens/pencils, posters, and other fun items to purchase.

We appreciate your support of the book fair which supplies funds for the library!

Christmas Spirit Week

To get in the spirit of Christmas, we are going to have some fun, themed days our last week of school before Christmas Break, December 15-19. Here’s what we (along with Pine Ridge & Forest School) have planned:

• 12/15 Monday: Christmas headgear (antlers, hats)
• 12/16 Tuesday: Christmas sweater
• 12/17 Wednesday: Red/green day
• 12/18 Thursday: Christmas socks
• 12/19 Friday: Christmas PJs

Student Life and Discipleship Highlight

Second grade might seem young, but at South Side our second graders are truly school leaders. This fall they walked down the road to Maranatha Church for our South Side School Leadership Conference. There, they learned that good leaders follow Jesus’ example, brainstormed ways they can lead by showing patience, helpfulness, perseverance, and problem-solving, and even applied for South Side leadership jobs. We ended our time together by praying over them and giving each student a Scripture magnet for their locker.

Now they’re putting those leadership skills into practice. They are using encouraging words with classmates and younger students, leading small-group activities during Create Time, keeping our playground balls pumped up, and making announcements that celebrate our South Side Star behavior traits. Our second graders are shining as leaders in our school community!

Thank You from the Parent Board!

The Parent Board would like to thank you for your support of our teachers and staff during the month of November! Your cards and tokens of appreciation brightened their days.

Preschool & Kindergarten Discovery Nights

Tuesday, January 13, 6-7 pm: Families welcome! Join us right at 6pm for an evening created just for your family. We’ve packed a lot into the hour, and we can’t wait to share it with you! Includes information about our 3s and 4s preschool, young 5s and kindergarten programs.
Please use this RSVP link to sign up.

If you are unable to make it to Discovery Night, you are still welcome to visit Holland Christian Schools in person and see things in action for yourself. Feel free to schedule a campus tour through our Admissions Department at admissions@hollandchristian.org or 616.820.2806. You can begin by filling out our Inquiry Form.

Save the Date

South Side, along with Pine Ridge and Forest School will be holding our Spring Program on Thursday, March 12 from 6:30-7:30 at Christ Memorial Church. More details to follow.

Substitutes Needed

We can always use more available substitute teachers! If you love working with kids, have obtained 60 or more college credits, and are willing to have a background check/fingerprinting done, we would love to add you to our list! If you are interested, please contact Rachel Hendershot or start an application on Edustaff.org.

Important Website Links

• School Calendar
• Lunch Menu
• Medical Information & Forms
• School Transportation
• Before & After School Programs

Upcoming Dates

December:

• 15: Christmas headgear day (antlers, hats)
• 16: Christmas sweater day
• 17: Red/green day
• 18: Christmas socks day
• 19: Christmas PJs
• 22: Christmas break begins

January:

• 5: School resumes
• 5-16: MAP testing
• 13: South Side Discovery Night 6pm
• 16: End of second quarter
• 19: No school (MLK Day)
• 23: Report cards live in Power School

I walked into our first-grade classroom to find students huddled in a tight circle, faces glowing with excitement. As I approached, they bounced up and down, eager to greet me with a joyful, “Come and see!” In the middle of their huddle sat a caterpillar habitat. Hanging from the top of the mesh enclosure was one plump chrysalis and the delicate shell of another. As I shared in their delight, stories came pouring out—some students pointed out the five caterpillars still crawling under the leaves, others proudly explained how they could tell the newly emerged butterfly was a female because she didn’t have a dot on her wing. A few even described how carefully they released the first butterflies so as not to damage their wings.

At Holland Christian, one of our key values is DISCOVERY. Part of discovery is cultivating wonder—and as I walk through the halls and playground at South Side, I see that wonder everywhere. Students are fascinated by what they can create in the sandbox, thrilled when they read a new word, and filled with anticipation to learn who will be the next star student. And of course, they’re eager to see if the next butterfly will be male or female!

Discovery also means enriching faith. Students at South Side hear stories from the Bible, fill the halls with songs of praise, discover what it means to live like Jesus as they play with their friends, and care for God’s creation—even His butterflies.

Christy Haig
Principal

Announcements

Thank You!

A sincere thank you to the Parent Board, and many of you, for bringing in delicious food to refuel teachers during parent-teacher conferences. The meal was greatly enjoyed and appreciated!

Also, thank you for taking the time to come out and meet with your child(ren)’s teacher(s). These conversations are so valuable as we partner together to continue our mission of equipping minds and nurturing hearts to transform the world for Jesus Christ.

From the Parent Board

• November is our MONTH OF THANKS! Keep your eye out for an email with more details from the South Side/Pine Ridge office and consider blessing our teachers and staff! Remember, cards and small tokens of appreciation go a long way. Thank you for your support of those who care for our kiddos!
• Thank you for signing up to bring meals for conferences. Stay tuned for more opportunities to volunteer coming up in the coming months!
• Mark your calendars for the Book Fair coming to Pine Ridge December 5-12.

Student Life and Discipleship

Holland Christian’s mission reminds us of the unique calling we have as a Christian school: to both equip minds and nurture hearts. At South Side, we want to teach strong academics and foster holistic and spiritual growth in our students’ lives.

Last month, we shared about our Super Star behaviors—one way we intentionally nurture our students’ hearts. Our goal isn’t simply for children to follow rules, but to make kind, thoughtful choices that flow from a Christ-like heart. We know this kind of behavior doesn’t always come naturally; it’s something we all must learn and practice again and again. Just as we teach, practice, and celebrate as students learn their letters and sounds, we also teach, practice, and celebrate Super Star behaviors at South Side.

In our school office, we have a Super Star poster where students add a star sticker whenever they are “caught being good.” Maybe they waited patiently for their turn, helped a friend who was feeling lonely, or put away extra toys on the playground. Recently, our poster filled up with stars—so we celebrated! Students enjoyed some extra creative playtime on the playground, complete with new additions for imaginative fun.

Now a brand-new Super Star poster hangs in our office, ready to fill again. If you get the chance, ask your child if they’ve added a star recently—and celebrate with them the joy of a heart growing to be more like Jesus.

Kingdom Bringing Opportunity with Community Action House

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news! This season, we’ll be serving as a collection site for Community Action House’s Winter Gear Drive. At Holland Christian, part of our mission is to “transform the world for Jesus Christ,” and we’re eager to give our students a tangible way to live that out by helping care for those in need right here in our community. If you’d like to join us, you can find all the details—including a list of needed donations—in the flier linked here. The donation box will be available starting on November 17 and be at South Side through December 1. Together, we can help bring a piece of God’s kingdom to our local community.

Parent Volunteer Opportunity

We are doing some cleaning out of our storage rooms at South Side this year and will be gathering items that we no longer need to be boxed up and donated to Ditto. We are looking for a parent who might be able to stop in about once a month to gather the boxes and drive them over to Ditto for us. If you are interested please reach out to us at ss@hollandchristian.org. Thanks!

Lost and Found

The office is continuing to update our South Side Lost and Found Photo Album as items come into the gray tub in the office. Please check it out to see if any of these items belong to your child. Feel free to email the secretary, Rachel, to claim your item(s), and we will be sure to get it in your child’s backpack.

Thanksgiving Break

There will be no school Wednesday, November 26-Friday, November 28 so families can celebrate Thanksgiving. Enjoy this special time together as a family celebrating our great God, and the many blessings in our lives.

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.

Important Website Links

• School Calendar
• School Supply Lists
• Lunch Menu
• Medical Information & Forms
• School Transportation
• Before & After School Programs

Upcoming Dates

November:

• 17-30: Community Action House winter gear collection box accepting donations
• 26-28: No school: Thanksgiving break

December:

• 22-January 2: No school: Christmas break

January:

• 5: School resumes