Reformation Day

We're approaching a special time of year, friends! Reformation Day! I am mentioning the following to our parents in the blog (just a reminder of some of what makes our HC family and Reformed faith tradition special):

Autumn in Michigan brings with it many glorious, beauty-making moments for teachers and students to enjoy together as well as for families making warm memories. It feels as though all of the earth is waiting for the right moment to explode in brilliant color and radiant God's goodness. Some of the learning experiences we hold dear at school during this time of year surround the celebration of Reformation Day on October 31. Your children are being reminded of the truths embedded in the reformed tradition. More than 500 years ago these truths were nailed to the door of a church and today we still post these tenants of our faith on our walls at school. Based in Scripture, people of many walks find these statements of faith resonate in their traditions and beliefs.

The Five Solas:

“Sola Scriptura” (Scripture Alone: 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
“Sola Gratia” (Grace Alone: Ephesians 2:8-9)
“Sola Fide” (Faith Alone: Galatians 3:11)
“Solus Christus” (Christ Alone: 1 Timothy 2:5)
“Soli Deo Gloria” (To God Alone Be Glory: 1Peter 4:11)

Our prayer is that our children, the next generation of Kingdom bringers and partners in the restorative work God is doing in this world, will be well equipped and eager to take up their calling in this world. May the roots of their faith tended today grow strong and deep in the great love of our Father in heaven.

Staff Meeting

Wednesday, November 3 will be our next staff meeting. One of the learning components of this meeting will be gleaning treasures from each other! Right after celebrating Reformed perspective, I'm going to ask you to brag a bit. As I'm beginning to document our walkthroughs in classrooms I'm THRILLED with the creative and energetic strategies you amazing teachers are employing to engage our learners! Student engagement is one of the focus areas of our walkthroughs. Let's focus on this area and really rock it! All research points to the correlation between student engagement and quality learning. That's why it is our first focus area this year! For our staff meeting, would you please bring an artifact that you likely already have in your class or even just a brief verbal overview of a technique you find effective for learners and are willing to share? Remember this cool tool Stacia shared years ago? 

There have been so many gems I've seen in classrooms that ROCK student engagement. While celebrating the 7 days of creation, students are engaged with the story by painting a mural all together in the gathering area. A question ball is passed from student to student eliciting opinions. Post it notes placed on a spectrum of opinions with classmates and moving along the spectrum based on an article read. There are SO many effective student engagement strategies you naturally and intentionally employ. Please be ready to 'show and tell' one strategy you utilize showcasing student engagement in your classroom at Wednesday's staff meeting. 

Discovery Night

Boy oh boy! It's kind of odd to think we're already in the planning stages for our enrollment season already! Take a peek please at our Discovery Night document. We'll be welcoming families on November 9 following the same format we did last year. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have about this special event! 

Accreditation Site Visit

Holland Christian is an accredited school by CSI. Part of what we are asked to do is work, when called, to help guide, support and assess the accreditation of other schools for CSI. I have been asked to help with this process for Ada Christian Schools. They are in their final stages of accreditation and will be under review November 8, 9 and 10. These guys are our farm inspiration friends! I will need to be on location at Ada Christian for those three dates. That feels weird to me to be missing from our Rose Park/Forest busy life, but I also appreciate the need for new CSI schools to be invited into the fold. I'll be available as I am able by email but will be missing in person on those days. 

Air Conditioner Units

We have these wonderful new air conditioning units but....it's a little chilly to keep them cranking now. Time to put them away. We don't have a huge storage space for each unit so we're hoping to put these bad boys in your classroom somewhere out of the way? Rob will be working with each teacher to take down your unit and close up your windows. Please start thinking a bit about where you might like your air conditioning unit shoved. 

Please copy and paste in your blog:

Your Voice in Our Partnership

Parents, we are seeking your feedback about life at Rose Park. If you are able to find time to complete this survey and have not yet, please consider voicing your perspective by Wednesday, November 3. Here it is en espanol  Thank you! We so value and appreciate your partnership! 

Help Wanted

FOREST SCHOOL INCLUSIVE EDUCATION PARAPROFESSIONAL/RESOURCE CLASSROOM ASSISTANT

Holland Christian Schools is looking for an inclusive education paraprofessional/resource classroom assistant to provide assistance both to teachers and students within the K-2 Forest School setting. This position will support students both academically and social/emotionally throughout the school day. Please note that this is a three-year position funded by EANS (Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools) dollars, and that insurance/benefits are not provided. After three years, a determination will be made regarding the possibility of integrating this job into Holland Christian Schools regularized staffing. Please apply online here.