A Note From The Principal

End of Year Calendar Changes

Dear ACS Families,

When we hire new teachers at ACS, one of the many qualities we look for is “flexibility” because life as an educator requires us to stretch our “flexibility muscles” often. Each of you have demonstrated a great capacity for being flexible as you went from dropping your kids off at our door to inviting us into your homes by way of student packets, instructional videos, daily emails, and video chats. You became our hands, feet, eyes, and ears as we moved instruction from our classrooms into your living rooms. You have been wonderful partners in education. For your flexibility and so much more during this time of Off Campus Learning, we are grateful!

I believe it is fair to say that we, parents and educators alike, have all experienced an increase in the daily demands of delivering instruction and monitoring student growth over the past few weeks because students are not meeting on campus. In light of this and after consulting with ten area Christian Schools, our Board has determined it is best for us to make adjustments to our End-of-Year calendar.  

ACS Original 2019-2020 Calendar

June 01 - Third trimester ends
June 01-05 - Final week of school (Class trips, exams, tech turn in, etc…)

NEW ACS Calendar for Remainder of the 2019-2020 School Year

May 02 & 04

• Pick-Up/Drop-Off
• No work assigned for Monday, May 4 - Teacher In-Service
• 3 weeks of “normal” work in student packets (May 5-22)
• 1 week of optional enrichment work in student packets. No daily school emails to be sent, no instructional videos, no video conferencing (May 26-29)

May 26-28

• Final student work Drop Off
• Cleaning Out of Lockers
• Tech Turn In
• Library book turn In
• Enrichment Summer Packets provided for all grade levels (optional work)
• Teachers grading work and preparing report cards

May 29 - Drive-Bye Good-bye 

June 05 - Report Cards Shared 

Note: We are considering and working on ideas for events like Graduation and are in a holding pattern until more decisions are made about our “Stay Home, Stay Safe” mandate. We will inform you of plans as quickly as decisions are made.

A Goodbye That Pulls On Heartstrings

It is with mixed emotions that we share Mary Kladder’s decision to retire. Mrs. Kladder took on the role of leading our orchestra students 26 years ago and we have been blessed by her years of service. She inherited a fledgling program of not much more than a handful of students and leaves us with more than 40 students that have demonstrated significant talent under her care. We will miss her but are confident that her legacy will live on and the program will continue to thrive. Well done, good and faithful servant. Mrs. Kladder, thank you for giving to the Lord at Ada Christian School.

We do not need to post this position because a few years ago the Lord sent Mrs. Vruwink to us to fill the role of part time elementary music teacher. Our elementary teachers and parents know her well, and she has been prepared for such a time as this. Mrs. Vruwink is excited about this opportunity to share her love for stringed instruments and the beauty that is an orchestra with our 5th-8th graders next year.

Action Needed

2020-2021 Enrollment is Open

Dear Parents,

It is time to re-enroll your student(s) at ACS. We ask that you complete the online enrollment form by Wednesday, May 06. To complete the enrollment form, log into PowerSchool and click on Ecollect Forms in the navigation menu.

There is a Tuition & Grants section on the form.

• The first TUITION amount you see is the calculation for the “Requested” or “Full Cost”  amount of tuition.
• In the GRANT section, thanks to the generous, ongoing support of the ACS Education Foundation and our annual fundraising efforts, you will be notified of the maximum grant amount you may accept towards your tuition. The grants are available for all families. Families that are able to pay the “Requested” or “Full Cost” of tuition will receive a charitable receipt for the difference.
• For families needing additional tuition assistance, you may complete an online application through FACTS, by May 14. Qualifying families will be notified of the assistance amounts in June and adjustments to your tuition total will be made at that time.

Covenant Care registration is also open at this time. If your family wishes to have Covenant Care for your K-5 student(s) please fill out the Covenant Care form. 

We have worked hard to ensure our online enrollment process will go well for our families; however, we realize you may have questions during this process. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Forgot your password?

Click, Forgot Username or Password? and use your email for your password recovery.

Thank you for choosing Ada Christian School as your partner in education.

FACTS Action Steps

As a reminder, upon enrollment you will receive notifications from FACTS in three separate actions.

   1. Confirmation of the total commitment you have made (this will include tuition and any donations).

   2. Confirmation of the enrollment fee you have paid.

   3.  Confirmation of any financial assistance you will receive (please note that this may not happen       immediately. Our team along with several churches are still calculating assistance.)

Contact Amy if you have any questions or concerns (gro.naitsirhcada@gnitnuocca)

Direct Your Dollars

Do you shop at D&W, Forest Hills Foods, or Family Fare?  If so, please save your receipts! SpartanNash gives Ada Christian School a $1,000 check for each $150,000 in receipts collected.   

We will have a collection box for receipts during pick-up this Saturday and Monday. 

The money earned through this program goes directly back to our students through the PTO. Ask your family and friends to save receipts too! Every little bit helps. Deposit your receipts in the marked container on the office counter.

Questions? Please contact Kristen Yeh (moc.oohay@hey_netsirk, 616.307.2488).

Now You Know

Help Support Student Council's Compassion Children

Each year our ACS Student Council supports two Compassion Children, Brandy and Jenevit, who we adopted several years ago. The proceeds from our school store are used for their support. Because of the school closure, we were unable to sell our merchandise and are short $380 to provide our committed support through August.

Brandy is now 13 (we started with just him) and Jenevit is 5. Brandy turns 14 in June, and we would like to send extra money for a birthday gift for him.

How can you help?

When you come to the ACS pickup on May 02 or 04 there will be a school store cabinet with candy and drinks on it and an Honor Tub for money. Everything is $1 and all proceeds will go toward supporting our Compassion Kids. You will also be able to see pictures of our two Compassion Kids and read about them. We would appreciate your help very much!

-Mrs. Van Noord and the ACS Student Council

ACS Book Exchange

A Note From Mrs. Rauch

My kids cleaned their rooms and found out they have outgrown their books. So instead of donating the books to Goodwill, I thought we could do a book exchange. A book cart will be set up in the lobby. Let’s keep it simple.

If you donate one book, take one book. If you donate two books, you can take one or two books, etc. If you want to join, please do. Any leftover books at the end of May will be donated to the school. Also, please don't not confuse this with the ACS library books. You can still check out books from there as well. 

If you have any questions you may email me at iluvminions7@gmail.com or Mrs. Boerman at lboerman@adachristian.org. ;

Blessings,
Teresa Rauch  

p.s. The following information was shared on the Little Free Library website.

While recent data from The New England Journal of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health shows that the coronavirus is detectable on cardboard for up to 24 hours, the CDC isn’t worried about books transmitting the disease.

Next Pick-Up/Drop-Offs

• If you have completed hardcopies of student work, please bring them to ACS on these days.
• If you put library books on hold by noon on the Wednesday before pick-up days, Mrs. Boerman will have your books on the tables, labeled and with your students’ packets.

Saturday, May 02 from 10:00am-2:00pm
Monday, May 04 from 10:00am-12:00pm

ACS Library Books Available

Your family will be able to check out books from the ACS library. All books must be placed on hold by noon on the Wednesday prior to homework pick up days. The books will be pulled from the shelves and checked out to your children. They will be placed with any other materials that need to be picked up. That means you have two days to place your books on hold.

A tutorial on how to place books on hold can be found here.

Any time the school is open, books may be returned to the lobby M-Th, 10:00am-12:00pm. Place the returned books in the library wagon. 

Returning books as soon as you are finished will make them available for our other readers. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please email or text Lois Boerman (lboerman@adachristian.org or 616.259.3302)

Moms In Prayer

This week we’re praying for our 5th graders and their teachers. God equips - To supply with the necessary items for a particular purpose or situation; to furnish with intellectual or emotional resources; to prepare.

"Now may the God of peace equip you with everything good, that you may do His will, working in you that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.  " - Hebrews 13:20-21

We’re a group of Moms (aunts/grandmas) passionate about lifting up our kids and ACS community in prayer. We are meeting virtually Thursday mornings 8:00-9:00am. If you’d like to be included in this virtual prayer meeting, please contact Kelly Stafford (616.304.2963, ten.tsacmoc@droffats-kj).

COVID-19 Michigan

Updated COVID-19 information from the State of Michigan.

2020-2021 Calendar

Here is a preview of our school calendar for the 2020-2021 school year:

Aug 25 – First Day (Half Day)

Sept 04-Sept 07 – No School (Labor Day)

Sept 28 – No School (In-Service Day)

Oct 13 – 2020 Annual Ada Christian Education Foundation Dinner 

Oct 21-23 – No School (Teacher’s Convention)

Nov 25-29 – No School (Thanksgiving Break)

Dec 19-Jan 03 – No School (Christmas Break)

Jan 18 – No School (In-Service Day)

Feb 18-Feb 22 – No School (Winter Break)

Apr 02-12* – No School (Spring Break) - *Please note, we will start Spring Break on Friday, Apr 02 and return on Tuesday, Apr 13.

May 07 – GrandFriends (Half Day)

May 10 – No School (In-Service Day)

Jun 08 – 8th Grade Graduation

Jun 09 – Last Day (Half Day)

PTO Happenings

Grand Friends Day - Friday, May 01

This year, even though we can’t be together to nibble doughnuts, show off classrooms and artwork and play games with our Grand Friends, we can still celebrate them!

Here are a few ideas to celebrate those special Grand Friends in your child’s life in a creative way: 

• Mail them a letter – include a drawing, a colorful bookmark, or a few jokes.
• Get creative using video chat
  • Show them around – lego masterpieces, art projects, blanket tents, riding bikes – let them see the fun and messy day to day activities in real life
  • Show off a pet’s silly antics or cool tricks
  • Get active – lace up and go for a walk “together”
  • Put on a concert – play an instrument or sing a song
• Interview – let each write a list of 10 questions and take turns interviewing the other. Some examples: What was it like for them as children?  Did they ever have any times that were similar to this?  What toys did they like to play with?  How did they spend their free time?  What are their favorite childhood memories?  For the older kids: What are the most important lessons they’ve learned? What advice do they wish they received when they were young?
• Read stories – Grand Friends can take a turn reading the bedtime stories and saying goodnight prayers to close out this special day

Feeling a bit overwhelmed and the thought of setting up a child, a craft, and the technology a bit too much right now? That’s totally ok. Just call and say I love you. That’s all that really matters on this day anyway.

Supportively,
Your PTO

Walk-a-thon Still On – May 08, 2020

Our focus this year is making the Walk a Thon a fun experience for the children. It won’t be the same, but we hope to pull together a few tangible aspects of this special day and fill the rest in with a virtual connection. This is our way of ending the school year with a strong group connection to one another within a fun, interactive event!

Virtual Event

Join us for a Facebook Event posted on the ACS Facebook page on Friday, May 08 from 1:00-3:00pm.

Check in as attending, post pictures of your runners and see friends, teachers and staff! It’s easy – you can run around your house, run up and down your street, run through your woods – whatever makes you happy.

Tangible Experience

Bracelets – Included in your homework packet this week is a bag of bracelets. As volunteers, we know first hand how much fun it is for the kids to collect bracelets so pass them out to your kiddos as they run/walk! 

Faith Strong – This is a great time to throw on some ACS gear for the run, it is Faith Strong Friday after all!

Cheer – Class cheers are a big part of the fun! This year in a fun new twist, make up a sibling cheer at home if you’d like - post it on the Facebook Event page.

Optional – Popsicles – We usually dole out popsicles to pink-cheeked runners after the event. If it happens to fall in line with a grocery run and you’re up for it, this could be a fun way to celebrate at home.

Contest – What would a Walk-A-Thon be without a little competition and a prize to shoot for? The entire grade who has the highest participation will receive a fun movie treat pack – a Red Box code and popcorn for the family.  Participation is either posting a picture on the FB Event, or giving online - simply being involved one way or another!

Giving

The Walk-A-Thon is the PTO’s only fundraiser for the year. The PTO is fully powered by giving, and through our careful stewardship of financial gifts we are able to create events and programs that support students, teachers and parental involvement. We work hard to make the school year both enjoyable and exciting for everyone. 

Your fully tax-deductible gifts support the following important experiences:

PTO Sponsored Events: Back to School Carnival, Christmas Gift Shop, Daddy Daughter Dance, Mother Son Event, Grand Friends Day, Fine Arts Night, Staff and Bus Driver Appreciation.

PTO Sponsored Programs: 3rd Grade Bibles, 4th Grade Water Safety, 5th Grade Camp, National History Day, Spelling/Geography Bees, Middle School Class Funds, Elementary Class Funds (Room Parents), Preschool Class Funds, Covenant Care Class Funds, Media Center Support, Music Boosters, Yearbook and Curriculum Enhancement

PTO Sponsored Committees: Room Parent Program, Moms in Prayer, Parent Teacher Conferences and School Parties (along with all the committees built to run the events/programs above) 

We fully understand that these times may come with financial uncertainty, and we wholeheartedly want you to enjoy the Walk-A-Thon this year with your children regardless of giving. That’s important to us, because that’s important to the kiddos.

However, if you are in a position to give, we are certainly grateful for your gift and will put it to our very best use to benefit your children along with others. This year, we have set up a streamlined online giving platform. 

Please feel free to share this link with grand friends, aunts and uncles, neighbors, or anyone else who would normally pledge on the paper envelope in the past.

Giving will be open until May 15.

We sincerely thank you for your help, and most of all for jumping in and supporting this fun twist on a childhood-favorite event to end the year strong.

Gratefully,

Your PTO

Questions?  Contact Sarah Plantinga, Leslie Hulst or Holly Karasinski

Teacher Year End Gift

A big thank you to all who have given to our dear teachers’ year end gifts. It’s still a fun surprise, so keep it hush-hush!

This idea has taken shape before our very eyes and we have now extended the gifts from just elementary teachers to also include middle school teachers, and our beloved specials teachers. 

You have given generously, even in a time of potential financial uncertainty. We are grateful for this, and see it as a testament to how much you care about your child’s teachers. We are bringing the giving window to a close, and the PTO will gladly pick up any difference.

An extra big thank you to Sheila Hemker who came up with this brilliant idea and Katie Kiser who helped her facilitate it as Room Parent Coordinator, and the team of 15 amazing Room Parents who have worked diligently to be very good stewards of your monetary gifts.  

Now, we just try to patiently wait until the end of the year to give them all!! 

Covertly,

Your PTO

PTO Positions

• Vice President
• Treasurer

Positions are opening up next year within the PTO Executive Board. This is a great opportunity to get involved in an organization dedicated to supporting students, teachers and parent involvement. Working within the PTO builds invaluable relationships with other parents and develops strong leadership skills - plus it’s simply a lot of fun.  We’d love to have you on the team!

All are welcome to apply. Nominations accepted. Positions will be filled by year end. If you’d like to join us via zoom on our next PTO Meeting on May 21 at 2:00pm, please email Holly Karasinski (moc.liamg@4322kylloh)

Thank you and we very much look forward to new members joining the PTO!  This brings new creativity and new ideas, we gladly welcome all.

Best,
Your PTO

Questions?  Please contact Holly Karasinski 616.901.8882 or Melissa Hoekzema 616.893.3499  ten.tsacmoc@elookjm

Mother Son - Refund and Tickets

We’ve discovered that it will be much easier logistically to mail the refund checks - we sincerely thank you for your patience while we made this change in plans. This process has had to evolve more than we expected!

When you pick up your bag with t shirts, please find a little note card attached.

If you would, please jot down your name, number of tickets and address. That would be wonderful.

You have the option to skip the whole thing, just check the box on the form and the PTO will gratefully accept this as a donation.

Checks will be processed the week of May 04 and mailed to your home address.

Thank you,
The PTO