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

Blog Update Wednesday, Jan 6,

I hope you had a good Christmas and New Year with your friends and family! Thank you for all the gifts!

A Note from Mel Solle

Thank you to everyone who donated blankets for the blanket drive. More than 60 blankets were donated to Guiding Light today! We were given a tour of their facilities, met a few residents, and learned how they are making an impact on the homeless and addict population in Grand Rapids. 

After-School Care  

Please welcome Kirk Groenenboom, a Calvin College senior and elementary education major, as our new after-school care coordinator.  (Ms. Ashley and her husband recently moved to Indiana for a new job for her husband.)  Kirk is excited to be working with the students at Rockford Christian!

 Snow Blower

Mr. Bakker is looking for a small snow blower--if you have one sitting in your garage not being used to donate.  If you have one available that you are no longer using, please contact Mr. Bakker at 616-574-6424 or e-mail him at rbakker@grcs.org.

Thanks!

Boxes Needed News

The Learning Commons team is looking for large cardboard boxes for a project that we will be kicking off this month (January). Middle school students will be invited to join a MakerSpace project which is an opportunity for students to use their imagination to create and then test ideas. The focus of the project will be revealed in the coming days. So if you have large boxes, especially as we are just coming out of the Christmas gift-giving season, we would be happy to accept those. Thank you, in advance!

Spelling Bee

We will be holding the Spelling Bee (4th-8th grade) on Friday, January 8, in the Worship Center from 1:30-3:00.  Students that sign up for the Bee can take a practice paper of words that will be used in the Spelling Bee.

Learning Commons

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. Grades 5-8 are welcome.

Kindergartners have finished the take home book bag program. Since school began in the fall, they took home 560 books total, which averages out to 33 books per student! They are excited to be checking out their own books from the library now!

Family Time

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, Jan 5

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

2 Trix for kids

Wednesday, Jan 6

1 Soft shell beef taco, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, spanish rice, black beans, corn, cantelope

2 Turkey sub bag

Thursday, Jan 7

1 Hamburger on a bun with cheese, fun-size chips, baked beans, fresh strawberries

2 Warm pretzel & cheese

Friday, Jan 8

1 Macaroni and cheese, steamed broccoli, fresh carrots, mini chocolate chip muffin, apple slices

2 Banana split cereal bag

Monday, Jan 11

1 Beef dippers, oriental vegetables, rice, baby carrots, dinner roll, pineapple tidbits

2 Nacho bag

Tuesday, Jan 12

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

2 Trix for kids

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.

Upcoming dates

Tue, January 5,

2ND Grade to Camp Roger am

1ST Grade to Camp Roger pm

Thu, January 7,

3rd Grade to Camp Roger pm

Fri, January 8,

4th Grade to Camp Roger pm

Fri, January 15

End of Marking Period, Second Quarter/First Semester

Tue, January 19,

RCS PK and Kindergarten Open House 6pm – 8pm

Prayer Requests:

I would love to continue to pray for you and your family.  Let me know your prayer requests by email or in person.

I’m praying that you have a great week!

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

Mr. Dave

Blog Update Dec 9

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

A Big Thank You from the library!

Thanks to everyone for supporting the Book Fair this year! Rockford Christian School Library will receive more than $2000 to purchase books and other reading materials from Scholastic. Your children will enjoy all the new books to check out and take home to read! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A big thanks to those who volunered at the book fair! We couldn’t have done it without you!

Congratulations, GeoBee Winners!

1st place: Olivia Pastula

Runner up:  Sam Seven

These students did an excellent job of answering the difficult geography questions.

Environmental Classroom news for this week

Shelter Parade this week!!!  This is the week that the students have been eagerly waiting for 6 weeks.  Here was the process

Step 1 :  Research survival shelters and draw what you would like your shelter to look like.

Step 2:    Construct a model using sticks and leaves making sure to make it to scale.

Step 3:  Construct a real survival shelter on your God’s Green Acre that would fit two students.

The past 4 weeks have had the students working hard on step 3.  Tomorrow we get to see the fruit of all their labor.

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.

What’s in the home bulletin?

Lost & Found

Please check out the Lost & Found table. Items left at Christmas break will be donated to New 2 You.

Welcome, Nate, to the RCS Family

Welcome to Nate Bengtson and his parents, Bradley and Anna. Nate has joined Mr. VerMerris' 6th grade classroom. We are excited to have you join our RCS family!

Blanket Drive - Help to Give the Gift of Warmth This Winter!

Imagine your family without a roof over its head.  Imagine that same situation in the bitter cold.  We are doing a blanket drive because we realize we take the little things for granted: heat, homes, meals, and jobs.  This is a simple way the RCS community can give back and it doesn't cost a dime.  Please bring your gently used (no holes) or unwanted blankets and sleeping bags to school between now and December 18.  There will be a table in the RCS lobby designated for blankets/sleeping bags; please bring them folded nicely.  All blankets donated by December 18 will be delivered on January 1 to people who do not have a home to sleep in, but rather find a bed in a park, under a bridge, or in a doorway in Grand Rapids and surrounding communities.  If you have any questions, please contact Mel Solle - mel.solle@gmail.com or 822-8950.  We are not looking for monetary donations, just tangible items (blankets, sleeping bags, etc).

Recognizing RCS Students and Their Accomplishments

Ally Kinstle was recently honored at the 17th annual HATS (High Achieving Talented Students) Off Recognition Ceremony, a statewide awards ceremony to recognize top-scoring students in the Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search.  The students who were recognized have received extremely high scores on a college entrance exam, either the SAT or ACT, while in grades 6 - 8.

Emily Groenenboom was recently selected to the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) all-state middle school band as the second chair French Horn in the band.  This is a state-wide honor and was something for which Emily had to audition.  She will participate in the all-state band concert in January.

Abbigail Poquette's artwork was recently selected from a number of submissions as one of four student works selected for the GRCS Christmas cards this year.  Abbigail is a talented artist, as another of her artistic submissions was also chosen this year as the cover for the RCS Yearbook.We are very proud of these three young ladies and how they have represented themselves, their families, and RCS in developing and using their God-given gifts.  

Family Time

Thank you to Mr. VerMerris and the sixth graders for leading Family Time. Mr. VerMerris read selections from the book The Biggest Story by Kevin DeYoung. He talked about how Jesus’ birth is part of God’s much larger plan of redemption.

Ask your student about this Family Time.

Hot Lunch this week

Wednesday, Dec 8,

1 Two soft shell beef tacos, refried beans, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, applesauce

2 Turkey sub bag

Thursday, Dec 9,

1 Breaded chicken patty on bun, leaf lettuce and tomato, steamed corn, red grapes

2 Warm pretzel and cheese

Friday, Dec 10,

1 Cheesy bread with marinara sauce, green beans, fruit choice

 2 Banana split cereal bag

Monday, Dec 14,

1 Domino’s cheese pizza, romaine garden salad, carrots, apples, oranges

2

Tuesday, Dec 15,

1 Crispy boneless chicken wings, corn muffin, carrots with ranch, apple slices, mandarin oranges

2 Trix for kids

A Week at a Glance

The K-4 grades are continuing  Advent devotions in the morning during the month of December.

Thu, December 10,

K – 4th Grade Christmas Program, 6:30pm – 7:00pm

Live Nativity, 7:15pm – 8:15pm

Thu, December 17

Classroom Christmas parties

I’m praying that you have a great week!

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

Mr. Dave

Blog Update ,December 2

I hope you had a good Thanksgiving with your friends and family!  We have much to be thankful for!

Environmental Classroom news for this week

Things are going well in the 6th grade program as we are working hard in completing our survival shelters at Camp Roger on our GGAs.  God has been kind to us in giving us beautiful weather to build these shelters.  We are working on them two times this week (Today and Friday) and hope to be all completed on Friday.

PE News news for this week

BASKETBALL for all grade levels!!!!!!!

1st - 4th Fun Run December 10th

If you are looking for a fun 5k, downtown GR has The Ugly Sweater Christmas Run this Saturday December 5. Mrs. VanderVeen will be there:) Looks like a blast!

Scholastic Book Fair this week!i

Please come visit the book fair this week in the front lobby, 8:30-4:00. There is a good selection of books for all ages.

Did you know that 50% of the sales go toward buyng books for our library?

Art news for this week

Mary Garrod and her husband, Nick, are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Cooper Charles Garrod.  He was born 11/30/2015 and weighed 7 lbs., 11 oz.  All is well!

Please join us in praising God along with Mary and Nick for this new life and for health for Cooper and Mary!

Mrs. Kelly Tuit will be stepping in for the maternity leave here at RCS..

TRIP Holiday Reminder, through the Christmas season; The whole TRIP inventory will be available at RCS as well as in town.

If you have to shop, get something back for it. Gift cards are easy!

What’s in the home bulletin?     

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.

Family Time

Ask your student about this Family Time.

Hot Lunch this week

Wednesday, Dec 2

1 Warm pretzel with cheese, beef chili, celery & carrots, diced peaches

2 Turkey sub bag

Thursday, Dec 3

1 Macaroni and cheese, steamed broccoli, blueberry muffin, fresh strawberries

2 Warm pretzel & cheese

Friday, Dec 4,

1 Chicken nuggets, whole wheat roll, carrots, steamed corn, fruit choice

2 Banana split cereal bag

Monday, Dec 7,

1 Beef dippers, steamed broccoli, rice, cherry tomatoes, dinner roll, pineapple tidbits

2 Nacho bag

Tuesday, Dec 8,

1 Cinnamon French toast, sausage link, tator tots, apple juice, orange wedges

2 Trix for kids

Geo Bee

Students in grades 4-8 recently competed in a classroom round of the Geography Bee.  Several students from grades 4-8 will be competing in the tiebreaker round and/or final round in our School Geography Bee on Friday, December 4, in our Worship Center from 2:05-about 3:05.  You are welcome to join us for this lively Bee; we hope to see you there!

Upcoming dates

The k-4 grades are going to do  Advent devotions in the morning during the month of December.

Tuesday-Friday, December 1-4

Scholastic Book Fair

Thu, December 3, 7pm – 9pm

5th – 8th Band and Orchestra Concert

Fri, December 4,

Geo Bee, 2:05-3:05

Thu, December 10,

K – 4th Grade Christmas Program, 6:30pm – 7:00pm

Live Nativity, 7:15pm – 8:15pm

Thu, December 17,

Last Day of School with Students Before Break (Full Day)

Friday, December 18, 2015 - Sunday, January 3, 2016

Christmas Break

Mon, January 4, 2016

First Day Back from Christmas Break

I would love to pray for any prayer requests you send me.

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

Mr. Dave