FS Newsletter – October 2020

Our calendar has flipped to October. With that comes all of the beauty and excitement autumn brings. We will be exploring the brilliance of color that bursts forth at this time of year. Animals continue to take on new habits. Temperatures begin to change. All of changes around us are the work of our good, good Father’s care for us and our world. When we tune our hearts and open our eyes to really SEE God’s providential care, it becomes so clear all around us! What a joy it is to rediscover, through the eyes of a child, the beauty of the earth on full display as we engage in learning both indoors and outdoors in this new season. We want to offer you a tremendous and heartfelt THANKS for adhering to the new safety protocols at school as we leave the first weeks of this school year behind us. This has been a period of grace, grace, grace. We are so grateful to see healthy children coming and going, learning and living here at school.

/ Announcements

Executive Order Update

Pursuant to the executive order issued on Friday, September 25, our kindergarten through fifth grade students must wear a mask when inside the school building. Children will not be required to wear a mask when eating or drinking, but they will need to wear their mask when learning in the classroom. During times of outdoor learning and outdoor play, our children will not be required to wear their masks. Our teachers are watching over your child’s comfort and prepared to allow for outdoor times for learning and play more frequently in order to take a mask break as needed. Thank you for your grace as we navigate through this change together.

Walkathon

Thank you so much for your generous giving and support for our walk-a-thon this year.  Combined with all 4 elementary campuses and Business Sponsors we raised $54,024.53.  GOD IS GOOD!!

Chapel

Forest School is starting to feel grown up! We have three full classes this year as you know! We are SO grateful for entrusting us with your young learner and serving as an integral part of our Forest community! We’ve been blessed with a beautiful amphitheater which we will now use for our very own chapel times for worship and learning together. Your child’s teacher will communicate with you when your child will participate in leading chapel. Parents of the class leading chapel are invited to attend. We just ask that you bring your own chair, wear a mask and we ask that you reserve the amphitheater seating for the children. We have a lovely nosebleed section for you! The following is the schedule for chapel during the next few months. Our chapel times begins at 9:30 unless otherwise noted:

• 10/7 – Kindergarten
• 10/21 – First Grade
• 11/4 – Mrs. Rynsburger
• 11/18 – Sukkot (Mrs. VanDyke)
• 12/2 – Mrs. Render
• 12/16 – Mrs. Allen

Virtual Parent Teacher Conference Schedule

We can’t wait to celebrate the gift of your child with YOU! We value your partnership and are eager to spend time in prayer and conversation around the growth of your child. Parent/teacher conferences will be held remotely with appointments from 4:00-8:00 on October 19 and 20 unless other arrangements have been made by your child’s teacher. Sign up notification was sent via email on Monday. HC Virtual Paragon – our conference reservation system, will be utilized to schedule your conferences.

Here is a Parent Guide for connecting to the scheduled Virtual Parent/Teacher Conferences on the day of your conferences.

Student Absences

Please report to us if your child(ren) is going to be absent. This needs to be done each day they will not be in school. Also, we would appreciate it if they were reported in by 8:45 AM, but you can call and leave a message anytime before that time. If you do not call us, and if the child’s teacher does not know about the absence, we will try to call you. This policy is to protect your child; we want to ensure your child’s safe arrival at school.

Hot Lunch Menu

September/October Hot Lunch Menu

Medical Information Reminder

Parents: if your child has a medical plan on file or takes meds at school, we need an updated form signed by their physician each school year. So, if you have not done this yet, please do so asap. You are welcome to contact our school nurse, Hendrina Cupery. 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!

/ Calendar

View the full Holland Christian Calendar.

October

12 – Picture retakes at the Middle School Media center
18 – Report cards go home
21 – Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00pm-8:00pm
22 – Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00pm-8:oopm
22-23 – CEA – No School

November

25: Half-day
26-27: Thanksgiving Break

/ Requested Announcements

Write Michigan Writing Contest

Kent District Library is offering an exciting opportunity this year. The Write Michigan Short Story Contest is open to writers of all ages across the state of Michigan. You can check out the Write Michigan website which contains all of the contest’s information. This is an amazing opportunity for young people to win a cash prize and get their story published! Stories can be submitted through Monday, November 30 until noon.