Blog Update Tuesday, January 26,

I hope you had a good weekend with your friends and family!

What’s in the home bulletin?

WinterFest - February 18

The first event is our 2nd annual RCS WinterFest, which will be held this year at Camp Roger, just a few miles up Belding Road.  It will be held on Thursday, February 18, from 4:00  - 7:30 p.m.   (FYI:  There is no school on Friday, February 19, or Monday, February 22.)  Camp Roger is a wonderful partner with us at RCS, and we are excited to host the event there this year and to let RCS parents who have never experienced Camp get a taste.

To RSVP for WinterFest click here.

Also, in order to make WinterFest a success, we need lots of teachers/parents to help by either bringing something for our dinner or volunteering 30 minutes of your time to either oversee an activity or help with setup/cleanup. Please click here to volunteer.

8th Grade Presents: "Peter Pan" on February 5

Make sure that you have the 8th Grade Class Play penciled in on your calendar for Friday, February 5! The play will be performed as a dress rehearsal for the students at school that afternoon, and the regular evening performance with full make-up, costumes and effects, begins at 7:00 p.m. that evening.  This year the 8th graders chose to perform the well-known story of "Peter Pan," and your evening at the play will guarantee many laughs; this is a great idea for a family night out!

MS Rollerskating Party - February 8

6:30-8:30, Woodland Skating Center; busing will be provided from and back to RCS

Family Time

Thank you to Mr. Seinen and the 8th graders leading us in Devotional Groups.

Ask your student about this Family Time.

Hot Lunch this week

Wednesday, January  27,

1 Sloppy joe on bun, with chips, fresh carrots, broccoli, pickle chips, fresh grapes

2 Turkey sub bag

Thursday, January 28

1 Rotini beef pasta, garlic bread, romaine garden salad with ranch, Italian fruit ice

2 Warm pretzel and cheese

Friday, January  29,

1 Domino’s cheese pizza, fun chips, carrots, broccoli, celery with ranch dip, apples, oranges and grapes

2 Banana split cereal bag

Monday, February 1

1 Mini corn dogs, smiley fries, broccoli/cauliflower with ranch, peach slices

2 Nacho bag

Tuesday, February 2

1 Breaded chicken drumstick, whipped potatoes, gravy, carrots, dinner roll, grapes

2 Trix for kids

Learning Commons News

5th graders are investigating the genre of mysteries. After they complete four mystery books, they will receive a “detective kit” as a prize. Some of them have set the goal of reading 16 mysteries for a grand prize.

Middle Schoolers are invited to our Makerspace Grand Opening on Thursday during lunch break in the Computer Lab. The Makerspace is a place where students can can gather to design, invent, tinker and learn. We are offering a variety of materials, from cardboard and packing tape to computer circuitry. Our first Makerspace challenge is to create a cardboard arcade game. The Makerspace will be open on Thursdays and Fridays.

MAPS Testing continues.

This week’s upcoming tests:

1st grade: Wed & Thurs at 11:00

5th grade: Tues at 11:20 & Wed at 8:50

6th grade: Tues at 9:30

8th grade: Tues at 1:00

Next week:

1st grade: Mon at 9:50 & Thurs at 9:00

2nd grade: Wed at 11:00

3rd grade: Tues at 11:00

4th grade & Spanish Immersion: Wed at 8:50 and Thurs at 11:15

7th grade: Tues at 9:30

8th grade: Mon at 11:20

Please try to avoid absences during these testing sessions.

6th Environmental Classroom news for this week

This week we will be going to Camp Roger Wednesday afternoon and then to Calvin College on Friday morning.

Calvin College Botany Lab

This Friday morning the students will be going to Calvin College for a class with Prof. Dave Warners.  If that name sound familiar it is because he is the younger brother of Mr. Phil Warners of Camp Roger.  Prof. Warners will be teaching the students all about plants will the title being “How Great is Our God—The Wonder of Plants”.  It promises to be a wonderful learning opportunity for our environmental students

PE News

Reminder: All students must wear tennis shoes for PE. If they do not have their tennis shoes they are not able to participate as regular shoes make scuffs on the gym floor. for 5th-8th grade they will lose half their participation points for the day if they do not have their shoes.

I would love to continue to pray for you and your family.  If you would like to let me know any prayer requests, I would be happy to pray.

I’m praying that you have a great week!

Thanks for all that you do for God’s kingdom!

Mr. Dave

Blog Update Wednesday, January 20

I hope you had a good weekend with your friends and family!

Highlights from the home bulletin

Yearbook

Start ordering your yearbook today. Please note that online ordering is also available this year!! http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01045598 If you have questions about ordering please contact Kim Wierenga kwierenga@grcs.org

Family Time

Thank you to Mr. Kuiper and Mr. Burgess for leading us in music and speaking about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and how his faith impacted his message of equality for all.

Ask your student about this Family Time.

Next Week’s Family Time

At next week's Family Time, we will be trying something new, led by our 8th graders.  All of the K - 8th students will be broken into 11-12 small groups, which will be led by our 8th graders.  They will participate in a brief time of devotion around our theme-"In the Hands of the Potter"-and then we will join back together for a time of singing in the Worship Center.  Parents are welcome to join us for both the devotional time (you may join a small group to listen in) and/or to join the time of singing; the singing portion will start about 9:00.  As always, RCS parents are invited to join our Family Time to worship and learn along with your children at 8:45 every Monday morning.

Hot Lunch

Please remind your children that, if they order hot lunch, they must pick up the item they ordered. We do not want to waste food, and we need to keep accurate counts so that what is ordered in the morning is available at lunch.

Hot Lunch this week

Wednesday January 20

1 Cheesy bread with marinara sauce, hearty romaine garden salad with ranch, fruit choice

2 Turkey sub bag

Thursday January 21

1 Chips & cheese with beef taco meat, lettuce, tomatoes, refried beans, mandarin oranges

2 Warm pretzel & cheese, fresh broccoli, apple slices, danimals yogurt

Friday  January 22

1 Chicken nuggets, carrots, celery, broccoli with ranch, whole wheat muffin, fresh apple

2 Banana split bag: coco puffs, strawberry banana yogurt, sunflower seeds, pineapple tidbits, tropical twist juice

Monday  January 25

1 Orange chicken bowl, rice, oriental blend vegetables, mandarin oranges and pineapple

2 Tostitos scoops, cheese cups, salsa, go-gurt, refried beans, fruit

Tuesday, January 26

1 Waffle with strawberries & whipped cream, sausage link, potato wedges, orange wedges, juice choice

2 Trix for kids: trix cereal, trix yogurt, smiley potatoes, animal crackers, fruit

Learning Commons News

MAPS Testing began on Monday. Please try to avoid absences during testing hours. Here is the schedule for the next week:

1st grade: (first test is Wednesday, January 27)

2nd grade: Wednesday at 9:00

3rd grade: Thursday at 11:00

4th grade + SI: Wednesday at 11:00

5th grade: Tuesday at 8:50

6th grade: Tuesday at 10:45; next Monday at 10:45

7th grade: Thursday at 8:50; next Monday at 9:30

8th grade: (had their first test yesterday)

Materials Needed for Makerspace:

The Learning Commons team is looking for materials for a Makerspace project. MakerSpace project is an opportunity for students to use their imagination to create and then test ideas. Thank you, in advance for sharing your reusable household items with us--Please bring all donations to the computer lab. Materials needed are:

large boxes, packing tape, string, paint and brushes, aluminum foil, permanent markers, rubber bands, masking tape, paper towel rolls, and empty jars

5th Environmental Classroom news for this week

we’ll be learning about the history of the National Parks and about the impact preservation has had on the environment in the United States.

Battery Recycling: At the moment, we are not collecting batteries for recycling at school.  The drop-off centers we use to use are no longer taking batteries.   The students in the Environmental Program are reviewing options for battery recycling and, once they come up with a plan, we will communicate it to the RCS community.

6th grade Environmental Classroom news for this week

Today Wednesday the environmental students from the 6th grade will be going to Frederik Meijer Gardens to assist the horticulture staff.  The students will be planting seedlings in the greenhouse, washing windows, help put away Christmas decorations, sweeping, etc.  This is the second of three times that they will be going to FMG.  On Friday EC students will be going to Camp Roger.  

By the way, if you haven’t purchased your delicious Ozark Delight Lollipop from a sixth grader yet, do so soon!!  They are going lightning fast!

PE News news for this week

Reminder: All students must wear tennis shoes for PE. If they do not have their tennis shoes they are not able to participate as regular shoes make scuffs on the gym floor. for 5th-8th grade they will lose half their participation points for the day if they do not have their shoes.

1st-4th - Paddles with Balloons

5th-8th - Badminton

Penguin Plunge FUN RUN Thursday January 21 for 1st-4th grade!!!!

A Week at a Glance

1st grade: (first test is Wednesday, January 27)

2nd grade: Wednesday at 9:00

3rd grade: Thursday at 11:00

4th grade + SI: Wednesday at 11:00

5th grade: Tuesday at 8:50

6th grade: Tuesday at 10:45; next Monday at 10:45

7th grade: Thursday at 8:50; next Monday at 9:30

8th grade: (had their first test was Monday

I would love to continue to pray for you and your family if you would like to let me know any prayer requests.

I’m praying that you have a great week!

Thanks for all that you do for God’s kingdom!

Mr. Dave

Blog Update Wednesday , January 13,

I hope you had a good snow day

What’s in the home bulletin?

Kleenex Donations Needed

Please consider donating a box or two of Kleenex to the school office. Our supply is getting low and the number of winter colds are up. Our noses thank you!

Welcome New Students

We welcomed two new students to our kindergarten classroom after the Christmas break: Alexis Pepper and Jackson Heaton (both students previously attended PK at RCS).  Welcome to the RCS family!

Spelling Bee Congrats

Spelling Bee Congratulations to 1st place winner, Danielle Fedrigo (8th) and 2nd place winner, Lauren Brainard (8th) in our school Spelling Bee! They will be participating in the Regional Bee at Zion Christian School on February 23 at 4:30 p.m. Noah Solle (7th) was our 3rd place winner.  We had 43 participants in grades 4-8; it was quite the competition!

MS Rollerskating Party - February 8

6:30-8:30, Woodland Skating Center; busing will be provided from and back to RCS

WinterFest - February 18

Get out your sleds and beat the winter blues by attending the 2nd Annual RCS WinterFest on Thursday, February 18th! This year WinterFest will take place at Camp Roger giving you, the parents, an opportunity to see where your kiddos go to learn once every month. Please click here to RSVP.

In order to make WinterFest a success, we need lots of teachers/parents to help by either bringing something for our dinner or volunteering 30 minutes of your time to either oversee an activity or help with setup/cleanup. Please click here to volunteer.

Fun Run - May 13

Hello Rockford Christian Families! We are just around the corner from our next annual Fun Run.  Every year we look for sponsors to help us with this event.  Do you own your own business and would like to be a sponsor?  Do you have a family member or work for someone that would be willing to be a sponsor?  If so, please contact Rachael Segard at (616)648-4380 or segiefamily@gmail.com.  $500 will get the company's logo on the back of the Fun Run T-shirts and on a banner at the event. (This is a tax deduction.)  Thank you for considering!  

Emergency School Closings:

When inclement weather makes it necessary to cancel school, announcements are made over the following radio and television stations: WOOD AM 1300, and TV Channels 8 and 13, it will also be posted on the front page of the website www.grcs.org and also on our facebook page.

The decision to cancel school rests with the superintendent or his designee.

For our campus, if Rockford Public Schools are closed/delayed, we are also.The announcement will state that Rockford Christian School and/or Grand Rapids Christian Schools will be closed.

Mother-Son Event (PK-8) - March 13, 1:30-4;30 p.m.

3 Mile Project

Reball will be available for grades 5-8 only.

AMC 8  Congrats

In mid-November Rockford Christian students participated in the Mathematics Association of America’s AMC 8 exam. The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple choice, assessment covering middle school mathematics.  It is designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills. The examination provides an opportunity for students to apply the concepts taught at the middle school level to problems which not only range from easy to difficult but also cover a wide range of applications. Many problems are designed to challenge students and to offer problem solving experiences beyond those provided in most middle school mathematics classes.

Forty-two students in seventh and eighth grade participated along with a handful of sixth graders. This past week the test results came back with the following students achieving school level honors.

Eighth Grade First place Drew Wurn Second place Graham Kort Emily Groenenboom Devin Meeuwsen Third place – Andrew  Treizenberg

Seventh Grade First place Jessica Axtman Second place Eli Lewis Third place Sam Bollman Ainsley Leja Noah Solle

Sixth Grade First place Olivia Pastula Second place Ewan Jolliffe Dylan Christophel Third place Ainsley Weeber

The overall school winner was Drew Wurn.

Congratulations to all who participated!

Sports Pictures

Did your child play a sport at RCS last spring? Please send in pictures from the season to use in the yearbook! If your child is currently in a fall sport, make sure to take pictures during the game and send a few in for the yearbook! All pictures can be emailed to Kim Wierenga kwierenga@grcs.org

Yearbook

Start ordering your yearbook today.  Order forms went home with your child(ren) yesterday.  Please note that online ordering is also available this year!! http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01045598 If you have questions about ordering please contact Kim Wierenga kwierenga@grcs.org

Family Time

Thank you to Mr. Kuiper and his Winterim class for leading us in praise and worship songs. Mr. Kuiper talked about the students in his class who are ministering to those who live in subsidized housing. He showed how many of those around us are needful of love,attention, or just a listening ear, and how we can show God’s face to them.

Ask your student about this Family Time.

Hot Lunch

Please remind your children that, if they order hot lunch, they must pick up the item they ordered. We do not want to waste food, and we need to keep accurate counts so that what is ordered in the morning is available at lunch.

Hot Lunch this week

Tuesday, January 12,

1 Cinnamon french toast, sausage link, potato wedges, apple juice, orange wedges, bananas

2 Trix for kids

Wednesday, January 13,

1 Yogurt cup, warm pretzel, chicken noodle soup, celery & carrot sticks, mandarin oranges

2 Turkey sub bag

Thursday, January 14,

1 Chicken tenders, corn muffin, mixed vegetable, fun-size chip, fresh grapes

2 Warm pretzel and cheese

Friday January 15,

1 Domino’s cheese pizza, hearty romaine garden salad, carrots, cherry tomatoes, apples, oranges, grapes

2 Banana split cereal bag

Monday, January 18

1  Popcorn chicken bowl, whipped potatoes & gravy, carrots, dinner roll, fruit choices

Learning Commons News

Lunchtime games begin in the library this week! The game this month is “Spoons”, a fast moving card game. In addition, there is always a jigsaw puzzle going or detailed coloring pages to color. Grades 5-8 are welcome.

MAPS Testing begins next week, January 18. Stay tuned for your students’ schedules.

The Learning Commons is collecting large cardboard boxes and cardboard tubes (toilet paper/paper towel rolls) for a project that will be introduced on January 21. Please drop off your donations in the computer lab.

 

Environmental Classroom news for this week

Paper Gator

If you are looking for the Paper Gator dumpster to recycle those old papers and magazines, it is located near the bus garage in the staff parking lot.  Please feel free to drop off papers whenever you have the opportunity, and thanks for being good stewards and for supporting RCS through your recycling efforts.

PE News news for this week

Reminder: All students must wear tennis shoes for PE. If they do not have their tennis shoes they are not able to participate as regular shoes make scuffs on the gym floor. for 5th-8th grade they will lose half their participation points for the day if they do not have their shoes.

 

Sports Pictures

Is your child playing a sport at RCS? Please send in pictures from the season to use in the yearbook! If your child is currently in a fall sport, make sure to take pictures during the game and send a few in for the yearbook! All pictures can be emailed to Kim Wierenga kwierenga@grcs.org

Yearbook

Start ordering your yearbook today. Please note that online ordering is also available this year!! http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01045598 If you have questions about ordering please contact Kim Wierenga kwierenga@grcs.org

A Week at a Glance

Wed, January 13,

6th Grade Environmental Classroom GGA with 5th Graders—Animal Tracks

I am continuing to pray for you and your family.  If you would like to let me know any prayer requests, I would be happy to pray for you, please email me.

I’m praying that you have a great week!

Thanks for all that you do for God’s kingdom!

Mr. Dave