Time

Time is a funny thing, wouldn't you agree? When you're looking ahead at three busy days, do you ever feel like you need a deep breath and a prayer to climb the mountain before you? Then, you come home on a Friday, and do you ever feel like you just packed Monday morning lunches? As a mere human, the passage of time is tough to grasp. What I know is that time is in God's hands. We are each a piece of His great plan and have faith that we move according to His will for our lives. Thank you for pouring a piece of your heart into the letter to your future 18-year-old child to be placed in the time capsule. After celebrating with you this afternoon and observing all that God has developed in your child, so much growth and development in a short nine month span, my imagination can't begin to guess at all He plans to unfold in these special little people over the next decade. I know this, 11 years from now, I'll sit somewhere in the crowd proudly watching our graduates. My heart will skip a beat 23 times as the names of my very first 1st graders are called. I won't see the beautiful 18-year-old young adult. My eyes and my heart will see our seven-year-olds, full of curiosity, spunk and excitement, crossing the stage. For me, time with your child will stop on Friday. This is the year they were mine. I'll always see and hear the 6 and 7-year-olds, no matter how big they get. This year-in-the-life of your child will hold steady in my heart. 

If you were able to make it to our writing celebration, thank you. If you are able to sit with your child sometime soon to read through his/her published pieces, thank you. Each child is so proud of the stories, poems and papers that have been labored over this year. Please celebrate the growth and progress that is evident in this portfolio. The following video shows snapshots of our writers at work as well as a few clips of students who chose to talk on camera for the movie. 

If you were not able to get the time capsule box into school yet, please don't sweat it. We will begin to load our boxes with school goodies next week. The boxes will only be sealed with a ribbon, so please feel free to take your time and add to anything you'd like to the boxes this summer if you'd like. The only stipulation is each child has to cross that stage before opening the box with you :)

Wednesday is our class picnic day. We will have a pizza lunch in the park. Please pack along something for your child to drink and some additional snacks for him or her to munch. We'll have some lunch and play a few team-building games.

Here are a few more pictures from our writing celebration this afternoon.

Oh, The Places They'll Go

"You have brains in your head. 

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. 

You'll get mixed up of course.

With many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step

Step with care and great tact

And remember that

Life's a great balancing act.

And will you succeed? 

Yes!

You will!

Indeed!

98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed!

KID...

YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!"

As the photos show, we had a wonderful time together all day in St. Joseph. 

...to Transform the World for Jesus Christ: We have a unique opportunity as a South Side Christian School community to live out our mission at the end of our school year. Through the contact and love of our very own Snyder family, we have the very unique opportunity to welcome and help provide for a young Burmese refugee family coming to live in Holland. Here is a link that contains more information, a link to their story, as well as a tool for signing up to help supply needed used items for this family. In the next 10 school days, our classrooms will be talking and deciding together which items they want to bring. If you want to share the experience further at home, we invite you and your families to consider joining us, as well, in sharing the story, and signing up for any of the desired used items on the list. If you have any questions, please email or call the school office.

Wednesday, May 22 is our field day. We have an afternoon of fun outdoor games and activities planned. 

Again, thank you for all you do to make our learning and enjoyment continue to blossom even in our last few weeks. Enjoy the sunshine and warmth this weekend!

Walking and Growing In His Strength

Here we are, walking together hand-in-hand. Each little face beaming with excitement and anticipation for our first parade as a South Sider. There were no questions about who was holding whose hand. No one asked for a trade. Each child easily grasped the hand of the other and began walking. At this point in the year, we've worked together in every possible combination of group settings and partnerships. We've learned so much about each other and discovered the world together, these children have come to trust and know each person in our class. We have grown into a true family of learners. As we unloaded the bus on this Tulip Time Thursday and walked to our parade site, each child found safety, comfort and excitement in the hand of their friend. Each duo walked together, talking with excitement about the adventure they were walking toward. As I walked behind them, I felt the heaviness of these little image bearers of Christ moving forward and away toward new heights and new adventures. They have learned so much in the past nine months, it leaves me astounded. They've grown, explored, matured and discovered. As the temperature warms and the clock keeps ticking, I feel our time together slipping.  They are ready (I am not). By God's grace and providence, each of these special little individuals have given their best effort and the return has been great. As these precious little children continue to walk forward in life, God will be before them, next to them and behind them, continuing to mold, shape and build each of these kingdom workers. It is in His strength and with His strength that we all walk forward. On this mother's day weekend, I want to thank you for gently placing your child in my care. I have loved each child, deeply. It has been my privilege and sheer joy to learn about your child, to discover who each child is, to pray for and with each child and to walk with one hand in God's and the other in your child's. It has been my privilege to love each of them toward God. May you together with your child be blessed on this special weekend. 

Wednesday is our field trip to the Curious Kids Museum in St. Joseph. We will participate in a special SPARK chapel service on Wednesday morning, munch a quick little snack and then board the buses. Our bus trip is a bit over an hour. If you are comfortable sending a simple handheld game with your child, you may. After a day full of adventure and learning, we'll be back to school in time to catch the buses and cars back home. Please send a cold lunch with your child on Wednesday the 15th. I'll send a reminder note home early next week as well.

The following Wednesday, the 22nd, we will have field day at South Side! We will have fun and games outside in the afternoon. If you are willing/able to help out, please email Mrs. Rosencrans at: crosencrans@hollandchristian.org Chris is hoping for about 10 volunteers.

Friday, May 24th we will have our culminating writing celebration. We will meet in the gym at 2:30. This will be a time when you can meet and greet with a variety of renowned authors (of the first grade variety), congratulate them on their impressive works and ask a few questions. We'll celebrate our successful year and share a snack together. This celebration will take place in the gym at 2:30-3:00 on Friday the 24th.

Happy Mother's Day and thank you for all you do!

Oh How He Loves You and Me

Wednesday morning's chapel, led by your children, was such a sweet expression of praise and adoration to our Heavenly Father. Through songs, music, art, motions and acting, each child played an integral role in our chapel service. If you were able to participate in our chapel service, surely you were as blessed as I was. Even better, our Great God surely smiled upon your children while basking in their love. 

Below you see a picture of Luke's sister, famous for her nationally recognized abilities on the track, for her work in the chemistry lab at Calvin, and best of all, famous for her dedication to her Lord and passion to live for Him. Today, she shared with our children what it means to follow God's call in your life. God has a beautiful plan for each of our children's lives. Nicole is a beautiful example of how one person, grateful for the God-given gifts in her life, can dedicate oneself to following His call and living for Jesus in every way. Thank you, Nicole, for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and bear witness to an eager bunch of learners (and one very proud little brother :)

With the help of our warm summer-like weather this week, we had an introductory lesson on the continent of Africa. Here, you see a few of us running throughout the playground, following their map while on an African safari.

Tulip Time is next week! We will be walking in Thursday’s Kinderparade. (It will be moved to Friday if it’s raining). Your child will need to bring a sack lunch and his/her Dutch Costume to school on Thursday (Some students choose to wear their costume all day). We will leave for the parade around 1:00. There will be NO Holland Public School bussing at the 11:30 dismissal on WEDS and THURS, but the busses will run in the AM. See the insert in Monday’s folder for more info. I will send home a "map" of where your child will be positioned in the group. 

Wednesday, May 15, our class will have the opportunity to go to the Curious Kids Museum in St. Joseph. We will leave around 9:15 and return shortly before the end of the school day. Please send a sack lunch along with your child that day, along with a drink box or two. 

May 22 is field day. More details will follow.