MS – First Day Reminders
Dear Parents,
We are so excited to greet your student on Monday! As we bring our middle school community together and prepare for another incredible school year remember these words from Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
These words come from Paul who sang hymns at midnight in prison with Silas after being severely flogged for doing the right thing. (Acts 16) These words remind us to not be anxious but to rejoice and to spend time in prayer. Please continue to pray for your kids and our school as we partner together this year.
Below is more important information as we embark on a new year.
Tom Strikwerda
Principal
616.820.3205
/ 2020-21 INFORMATION
Check out this helpful MS Video with some Safety Protocols and other helpful information.
Daily At Home Student Screenings Required
As a reminder, parents are required to screen their child at home each morning before going to school. If your child has any new or increasing symptoms below, they should not go to school and you should contact your child’s doctor for additional instruction.
- Temperature of 100.3 or higher or signs of fever (chills/sweating)
- Sore throat
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Severe headache
- Loss of taste or smell
PPE/Safety Update:
Holland Christian will be utilizing a product called MicrobeCare in HC classrooms in a continued effort to keep rooms clean and sanitized as we return to school. MicrobeCare is a long-lasting protective coating that molecularly bonds to all surfaces. The product is safe for skin, clothes and the environment. MicrobeCare creates a barrier that kills 99.99% of microbes, prevents mutation and minimizes the spread of viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae and yeast on a wide variety of products. MicrobeCare is safe and has 10 years of recorded proven results in highly sensitive healthcare environments including stethoscopes, wound care dressings and medical devices. It is a registered antimicrobial with the EPA and also approved by the FDA. It is odorless, colorless, and non-leaching. More information on Microbecare can be found here. Once applied, MicrobeCare will continuously self-sanitize any surfaces it is applied to as an added layer of protection for students and staff.
SAFETY PROTOCOL UPDATE
Please note the new safety protocols that we are implementing this year and share this information with your child. This protocol continues to change as we learn more about COVID and what is best for our students.
- Masks are required indoors unless eating or drinking. Teachers will be designating break times in class for students to drink or eat.
- Masks are not required outside when participating in PE activities, recess or marching in band.
- Students will be eating in classrooms with either lunch from home or an ordered pre packaged hot lunch that will be available for students before the lunch hour begins.
- Students will be socially distanced as best as possible at all times.
- Teachers will be cleaning their rooms between each class.
- Desks will be facing the same direction, if possible.
- Teachers can use the outdoors if it fits within their learning target.
- Grade level cohorts have been developed. We are keeping the grades separated as much as possible.
- Please bring along a personal water bottle to use throughout the day.
BATONS
If you still have your baton at home, please make sure you bring it in to the office or your first hour teacher on the first day of school. Thanks!
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL INFORMATION
Monday, August 24: We start school this year with a full day. This year start and end times will be staggered by five minutes per grade to allow for more room in our hallways. 6th grade will run from 8:05-3:00, 7th grade from 8:00-2:55, and 8th grade from 7:55-2:50.
Due to the middle school renovation schedule, our Middle School Orientation day will be embedded in our first day of school and will include a tour of the building as well as our school picture day.
Upon arrival on the 24th, your student will meet up with their homeroom teacher outside to walk in the building with their homeroom together. An email went out from homeroom teachers on Monday, August 17.
DROP OFF/PICK UP
In our best effort to keep our students appropriately socially distanced, the following is the suggested drop off time for each grade level. If your schedule allows you to drop off your student at this time, this would be greatly appreciated.
Drop Off Times: Pick Up Times:
6th Grade: 7:50-8:00 3:00
7th Grade: 7:45-7:50 2:55
8th Grade: 7:40-7:45 2:50
At the end of the day, each grade level has a designated zone to wait for parent pickup/bus transport.
School Photos
Will be taken on Monday. If you would like to order photos, go to this website. Please note, the Middle School yearbook is included in the yearly activity fee and does not need to be ordered separately. Each student will receive one at the end of the school year.
Picture Make-up day will be Thursday, September 10; retakes will be taken Monday, October 12.
MS HOT LUNCH Menu
SUPPLY LIST –
Please note: it is recommended that students have a NIV Study Bible for their Bible class. 6th and 8th grade Bible classes are full year classes and 7th grade is a semester class.
IMMUNIZATIONS
Please contact your health provider to be sure your student’s immunizations are up to date. All students’ immunizations (whether learning in person or online) must be up to date before the first day of school. In compliance with the Michigan Department of Health, Holland Christian Schools will not allow students whose immunizations are not up to date to attend school. Thank you so much for your help with this. Again this year, as per the Public Health Code, each student must have a copy of their most current immunization record and/or copy of their current waiver in their student file for as long as they are enrolled in school. You may email a copy to ms@hollandchristian.org.
BUSSING
Bussing is available to Holland Christian students in a variety of different ways, depending on where you live. West Ottawa, Holland and HCS South Side Busing cooperate with HCMS and have their own registration forms and fees. If you have not signed up for busing yet, please do that now.
Our Rose Park shuttle and South Side Transportation will be running for both AM and PM pickup times starting on Monday, August 24, for the school year.
West Ottawa bussing will begin on September 8.
Holland bussing will begin on August 26.
Zeeland bussing will begin on September 1.
Please find additional information and busing registration forms on our HC Transportation Page.
FINAL FORMS – ATHLETICS
FINAL FORMS. Final Forms is our hub for “All Things HC Athletics.” You’ll find physical forms, sports sign ups, all forms needed to play sports, and can even pay your Pay to Play fee from this site. Please make sure your student athlete is registered and all forms are signed before their first day of practice.
Our Fall sports season begins Monday, August 24. Please click here for all of our athletic information. This will show you how to register your athlete in Final Forms, which sports are offered when, the sport specific practice/game calendar, and our Athlete Handbook. The physical form, completed by a physician and signed by a parent, is required by the state in order to participate and must be on file in our office before practice begins.
/ IMPORTANT DATES
September
1 – Parent Night Done Virtually
4 – No School
7 – Labor Day Break