Blog Update Thursday, October 27

I'm trying something new. If you want to go to another page, click the arrow.

Blog Update Wednesday, October 12

I hope you’re having a good week with your friends and family!  

A note from Mr. Burgess

Change Challenge

Two weeks ago at Family Time, we introduced to the students the RCS “Change Challenge for-

Clean Water.” RCS is doing this project in order to raise awareness of global issues

and to support Mrs. Katy Spengler, a parent of three former RCS students, in

her team effort to raise money for WorldVision's clean water project for Africa.

Between now and mid-October, teachers will collect change in each homeroom. This is a friendly contest to spur us on to help collect change to raise funds for clean water in

Africa. If you would like to check out a brief video about this WorldVision global

initiative, go to the following website:

http://www.worldvision.org/our-work/clean-water

The deadline to bring in change is Tuesday, October 18.

"20th Anniversary Celebration"

Thursday evening, October 27th, will be a very special day at Rockford Christian.  This year, we celebrate the 20th school year at Rockford Christian School. We are grateful for the years of dedicated service of staff and parents over the years as we have grown.

On October 27, we will have a special 20th anniversary celebration that we want ALL of our families-those new to school and those who were part of the beginning-to attend as we reflect on the past and look forward to the future.  Whether this is your first year at RCS or if you have been here for a long time, we want you to attend to celebrate with us!

We will enjoy appetizers from Martha's Vineyard and a time of fellowship from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m., and then we will gather for a time of worship and hear testimonies from RCS alum Lucas Balk and from current RCS parent Penny Lloyd-Jones about the foundation of faith that God has used our school to help build in their lives and in the lives of their families.

You can get more details and register for this special event here.   You may also stop in the RCS office to get a formal invitation for your family or to share with someone else.  We hope to see everyone there for a night of fellowship and worship as we celebrate what God has done in the first 20 years of our school and look forward to what is to come.

Highlights from the home bulletin

Transportation News - Friday, October 14 - No PM RPS Busing

Parent Pick-up at 3:15 p.m.

GRCS Busing running normal schedule

Have you seen your Parent/Teacher Conference slip? If not, please contact the school office for your date and time.

Co-curricular Conferences

Subject	Teacher	Available
Art	Mrs. Garrod	October 13
Band/Music/Choi	Mrs. Schaap	October 13
MS Math	Mrs. Still	October 13 & 18
Orchestra	Mrs. Drafta	October 13
PE	Mr, Nieboer	October 18
Spanish	Mrs. Katerberg	October 13

Conference Babysitting

Parents, do you need someone to watch your children while you attend Parent-Teacher Conferences on THIS Thursday, October 13 (4:00-8:00), and NEXT Tuesday, October 18 (4:00-8:00)?  If so, you have a fun and friendly option to choose right here at school!  8th graders will be offering their babysitting services, complete with activities planned, during these Conference times in order to raise money for their class trip to Mackinaw City in May.

Take advantage of this convenient and entertaining (or educational if your child needs to get some homework done!) opportunity, and help to support the 8th graders with a donation.  Sign in/out will be in the middle school hallway.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mrs. Oren.  Thanks!

Market Day - December 2

This year Rockford Christian will be having it's first Market Day! We will be joining the Iroquois, Evergreen, and GRCMS campuses with this event.  If they need it, please help your child fill out the application that was sent home with them and then send it back to school no later than October 14th. This is an excellent way to teach our children about finances, hard work, creativity, and blessing others! The profits made will go to help Yezelalem Minch in Ethiopia, International Needs Ghana, and D.A. Blodgett-St. John's home right here in Kent County.

If you have any questions please contact Rachael Segard at: (616)648-4380 or segiefamily@gmail.com.

Kleenex Donations

If possible, we ask that each family donate a box of tissues for classroom use. They can be dropped off in the school office. Our noses thank you!

Do You Use Outdoor Lighting? The 20th Anniversary Planning Committee would like to borrow your strands of "bistro lighting" for the October 27th event. You may drop them off at the school office or email Katie Underwood at katieann.underwood@gmail.com if you have a strand or more that could be borrowed.

Yearbook Order Forms will be handed out to all students this week! Order one today online (link on RCS website!) or by filling out an order form and return it to the office. If you have any questions, please email Kim Wierenga (kwierenga@grcs.org)

Yearbook Cover Contest

Yearbook cover contest is here.  All kindergarten through 8th grade ORIGINAL, non-computer aided, parent aided, or relative aided work will be eligible.

Cover entries must contain the following:

• Our school theme "Building on a Solid Foundation
• Our theme verse, Matthew 7: 24-25 (Whole verse must be written out)
• Rockford Christian School
• 2016-2017
• Your name and grade in pencil ON THE BACK only!

All entries must be submitted with marker, no crayon or colored pencil entries will be accepted. Paper size must be 8 ½ X 11 and white, although you can color it however you would like. Mr. Burgess will be selecting 2 winners, one for the front cover and one for the back cover. All entries will be displayed after the winners are chosen. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Kim Wierenga at kwierenga@grcs.org.  Entries should be turned in to the school office. Entries are due by Friday, October 14.

Family Time

Family Time is one of my favorite things at R.C.S.  We have guests come in to help us!!  

Please pray for this time!

Monday’s Family Time was our second small group family time led by the 7th and 8th graders. We talked about prayer and prayed together.

Upcoming Family Times

Date	Special Guest	Grade
October 17, 2016	R. Iveson	K – 4
October 17, 2016	Mr.VerMerris	5 – 8

Hearing/Vision Screening

We will have Hearing and Vision Screening when we return after CEA on Monday, October 24 and Tuesday, October 25.

PK - Hearing/Vision

K/2/4 - Hearing

1/3/5/7 - Vision

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

Thursday, October 13

1 Cheeseburger on bun, fun size chips, snap peas, carrots with hummus, fruit choice

2 Warm pretzel & cheese

Friday, October 14

1 Domino’s pizza: Pepperoni/cheese pizza, tossed salad, fruit choice, surprise treat

2 Banana split cereal bag

Monday, October 17

1 Cheesy bread with marinara, garden salad with croutons & cheese, apple slices, grapes

2 Nacho bag   

Tuesday, October 18

1 Chicken quesadilla, black beans and corn, salsa, cantelope

2 Trix for kids

5th and 6th grade

We’re planning on a combined  activity today. Assuming the weather cooperates, the students will participate in a prayer hike around Pickerel Lake. As teachers, this annual activity is one of our favorites of the year; please join us in praying that this is a wonderful prayer time for the students as they experience time with God while on a hike. We won’t go outside if the weather is dangerous, but we might go outside in a sprinkle; students should be prepared to go outside.

5th Grade Update

Our realistic fiction unit will conclude with a breakfast on Monday, October 24th. If you are able to help by sending in food or helping serve the breakfast that morning, please sign up by clicking here.  Thanks for helping make this a special and fun morning. I’ve been so proud of all the reading that the students have completed so far; looking forward to celebrating the end of the unit together that morning.

Science

The students did an awesome job on their reuse projects! It was fun to see everything they created and brought in. Students presented their projects last Friday; their grades were returned today. The projects will remain on display outside the 5th grade classroom until Friday of this week. If you are in school, feel free to stop by and check them out!

6th Grade Updates

They went  to Camp Roger this afternoon doing an environmental assignment.

On Friday we will be digging up the invasive plant (Autumn Olive) from the RCS property. This

project is called Operation A-O Eradication.

Learning Commons Update

Fourth graders will be “Reading Around the USA” beginning this week. They will be learning about our amazing country as they read books, informational and fiction, and putting pins in the map located in the library.

MAPS testing for elementary students is done! Watch the blog for the dates for middle school testing later in the year.

The Middle School Makerspace is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday during lunch break. Encourage your middle schooler to check out our new supplies and use their creative talents during lunch break. Our theme right now is duct tape and origami, but many supplies are available.

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.

Middle School Sports News

Winter sport sign-ups are due by Wednesday, October 19. Please go to the https://goo.gl/forms/ByBBgtpIfQFwxrTi1 to sign up for Boys Basketball or Girls Basketbll.

Upcoming dates for October

Thu, October 13,

Parent Teachers Conference

4pm – 8pm

Tue, October 18,

Parent Teacher Conferences

4pm – 8pm

Wed, October 19,

No School (Professional Day, for teachers)

Thu, October 20 – Fri, October 21

No School (Teachers at Christian Educators Convention in South Bend)

Mon-Tues, October 24-25

Hearing/Vision screening

Wed, October 26, 12:50pm – 3:00pm

6th graders are going to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park to help them out!

Thu, October 27,

20th Anniversary Event

Mon, October 31,

7th Grade team building

8:30am – 11:30am

8th Grade team building

12pm – 3pm

Praise God that Alexis Pepper is finally home after two and a half weeks of being sick, and nearly a full week in the hospital!  She continues her recovery but is able to be back at school! Thank you for praying for our dear classmate and friend! Keep praying for her full restoration of health!

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, October 5

I hope you’re having a good week!

Highlights from the home bulletin

20th Anniversary Celebration - Thursday, October 27th

On Thursday evening, October 27, we will have a special 20th anniversary celebration that we want ALL of our families-those new to school and those who were part of the beginning-to attend as we reflect on the past and look forward to the future.  We will hear testimonies from RCS alum Lucas Balk and from current RCS parent Penny Lloyd-Jones about the foundation of faith that God has used our school to help build.

You can get more details and register for this special event at www.grcs.org/RCS20.   You may also stop in the RCS office to get a formal invitation for your family or to share with someone else.  We hope to see everyone there for a night of fellowship and worship as we celebrate what God has done in the first 20 years of our school and look forward to what is to come.

PUMPKINS FOR SALE!

All students will be able to purchase an RCS homegrown pumpkin starting this week Friday, Grandfriend's Day.

Small: $1.00

Medium for $3.00

Large for $4.00

2nd graders will be available to sell pumpkins outside our classroom during morning break from 10:30-10:45am to both students and parents! All profits will be donated to Kid's Food Basket.

Grandfriends' Day is a busy and exciting day at Rockford Christian that is a highlight of the year for our school community.  The kids get to share with grandparents and other grandfriends the wonderful things they are learning at RCS. The following schedule is what we will follow for when guests should plan to visit in classrooms and enjoy our program and luncheon:

9:00	11:20	Visiting in Classrooms  (K - 8th grades)
10:00	11:15	Visiting in PK Classrooms
11:20	12:15	Program in Worship Center   (K - 8th grades)
12:15	1:00	Luncheon in the Gym  (served by the 8th graders)

Please Note:

If you have any pictures of your children/grandchildren who go to RCS, please send them to me and I’ll be happy to put those pictures up on the monitors in the front lobby.  You may email those to me at dworst@grcs.org i ask if all photos can be sent to me  by Wednesday     October 6 2”00pm

Yearbook Order Forms will be handed out to all students this week! Order one today online (link on RCS website!) or by filling out an order form and return it to the office. If you have any questions, please email Kim Wierenga (kwierenga@grcs.org)

Yearbook Cover Contest

Yearbook cover contest is here.  All kindergarten through 8th grade ORIGINAL, non-computer aided, parent aided, or relative aided work will be eligible.

Cover entries must contain the following:

• Our school theme "Building on a Solid Foundation
• Our theme verse, Matthew 7: 24-25 (Whole verse must be written out)
• Rockford Christian School
• 2016-2017
• Your name and grade in pencil ON THE BACK only!

All entries must be submitted with marker, no crayon or colored pencil entries will be accepted. Paper size must be 8 ½ X 11 and white, although you can color it however you would like. Mr. Burgess will be selecting 2 winners, one for the front cover and one for the back cover. All entries will be displayed after the winners are chosen. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Kim Wierenga at kwierenga@grcs.org.  Entries should be turned in to the school office. Entries are due by Friday, October 14.

Family Time

On Monday, Mrs. Still talked to the middle schoolers about practicing tolerating others’ differences and supporting each other. Mrs. Broersma and Mr. Kuiper led the elementary grades in singing. We combined to hear about Marketplace, a fundraiser for Ethiopa, Ghana, and a local charity to be held here at RCS in December.

pcoming Family Times

Date	Special Guest	Grade
October 10, 2016	Second Small Group Family Time	K-8
October 17, 2016	R. Iveson	K – 4
October 17, 2016	Mr.VerMerris	5 – 8

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

Thursday, October 6

1 Hot dog with bun, crinkle cut fries, baked beans, watermelon

2 Warm pretzel & cheese

Friday, October 7

1 Domino’s pizza: Pepperoni/Cheese pizza, garden salad, apple slices, surprise treat

2 Banana split cereal bag

Monday, October 10

1 Cheesy lasagna rollup with marinara, garden salad with croutons & cheese, apple slices, grapes

2 Nacho bag

Tuesday, October 11

1 Chips and Nacho cheese sauce, taco meat, black beans, corn, lettuce, cheese, salsa, diced peaches

2 Trix for kids

Wednesday, October 12

1 Chicken nuggets, whipped potatoes, gravy, biscuit with honey, apple slices, grapes

2 Turkey sub bag

Learning Commons

MarkerSpace is open for all middle schoolers at lunchtime Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. We would love to add LEGOs to our MakerSpace. Please consider donating LEGOs if you have any extras lying around or happen to see them at a thrift shop or garage sale.

Thank you to the Meemic Foundation and Quill.com for giving us a $100 grant toward supplies for our Makerspace. We were able to purchase many rolls of duct tape, six pairs of special non-stick scissors for cutting tape, and a lot of origami paper. We have some great projects in mind for using these supplies.

Preschool news for this week

6th Grade Environmental

This Wednesday the 6th grade environmental students will be going to Camp Roger and measuring the circumference of their trees on their God’s Green Acre (GGA).  They will be using that data in order to find out each tree’s diameter. On Friday the students will be on campus since it is Grand Friends’ Day.

6th Grade Environmental Class is in need of three items from your home that are usually thrown away: dryer lint, cardboard toilet paper tubes, and/or used crayons.  If you are throwing any of those items away, please place the item(s) in a baggie and bring to RCS.  There will be a box outside the 6th grade classroom for these items.  Thank you!

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. As the weather starts to change middle school PE please make sure to bring appropriate shoes and clothes to go outside.

Sports News for the week

Winter sport sign-ups have been emailed out. The deadline to sign up is Wednesday, October 19.

Upcoming dates for October

Tue, October 4

2nd Grade to Camp Roger

8:45am – 12:00pm

1st Grade to Camp Roger

12:00pm – 2:45pm

Wed, October 5,

6th Grade to Camp Roger

12pm – 3pm

Thu, October 6,

Kindergarten to Camp Roger

8:45am – 12:45pm

3rd Grade to Camp Roger

12:00pm – 2:45pm

Fri, October 7,

Grandfriends' Day

9am – 1pm

Thu, October 13,

Parent Teachers Conference

4pm – 8pm

Tue, October 18,

Parent Teacher Conferences

When

4pm – 8pm

Wed, October 19

No School (Professional Day, for teachers)

Thu, October 27,

20th Anniversary Event

7pm – 9pm

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