A Note From Principal Brower
What A Wonderful Week
The chatter of children in our hallways, laughter on the playground, action in the forts, and students filling our classrooms is a blessing! Our school year is off to a great start as we learn more about one another, make new friends, and explore God's world through engaging subjects. Thank you for your partnership.
A Warm Welcome
With more than 130 preschool students registered for preschool this year and 52 families signed up for Covenant Care, we needed additional help. We are pleased to inform you of our two more recent hires. Brecken Grieve and Leanne Schoenheer (pronounced Shaner) are joining our ACS team as aides.
Mrs. Grieve is no stranger to ACS, with five children who have been enrolled at our school. In addition to being an ACS parent, she has served on numerous ACS boards and committees and has been a substitute for our preschool program.
Mrs. Schoenheer joins us with extensive training and teaching experience. She recently moved to Ada from North Carolina and has enjoyed working with children in many settings.
Morning Procedures
Help your children and their classmates get the day off to a smooth start by arriving by 7:55am.
- Classes begin at 8am.
- Students not in their classrooms by 8:00am will be marked tardy.
- Hallway doors will remain open until 8:05am.
- Students arriving after 8:05 need to sign in at the office.
Calling The Classroom
To help us keep classrooms as free from distractions and interruptions as much as possible, we are asking students to come to the office at an appropriate time to pick up lunches, practice clothes, computers, instruments, assignments, and other forgotten items without an announcement being made in the classroom.
As you can imagine, calling classrooms for the numerous deliveries made to ACS each day can equal several interruptions to instruction, quizzes, tests, labs and the like. If students need a forgotten item, they need to check in the office at a convenient time.
Parents, if you are making a delivery, please tell your students you will be leaving the items in the office rather than delivering them personally or having them called to the office.
Action Needed
Important Student Information Forms – Due Aug 30
Several forms which formerly came in your August mailing have now been digitized and are ready for you to complete (emergency authorization, chaperone agreement etc). These forms are due Wed, Aug 30.
To complete the forms:
- Log into your existing PowerSchool parent portal.
- Select Ecollect Forms
- Complete all forms under the category Back to School Forms.
- Pay special attention to the submission instructions at the bottom of each form.
Note: Middle School students may not attend the retreat tomorrow if these forms are not completed.
Hot Lunch
ACS is happy to provide hot lunch again this year, starting Sept 05. Here’s a few of the highlights.
- Forest Hills Food Service will again be providing our lunches.
- The cost of each lunch will be $3.05 and it will include milk.
- Your child can order just milk for $.65 each day.
- Payments will be processed through a different service (SchoolPay) this year. You will need to create a new account.
- Set up your account.
- Select “Forest Hills” as your school district.
- Select "Ada Christian" as your school.
- Add your students to your account using their first and last name.
- What’s for lunch? Check the menu to see daily choices, starting Sept 05.
Keep up with all the hot lunch details!
Hot Lunch help is needed Monday-Friday to start the year off right. If you would be willing to help out once a month that would be awesome! Sign ups are on the office counter. Questions? Email Sue Prins, (gro.naitsirhcada@snirps). Thanks in advance and I look forward to working with you!
This Week
School Pictures
Scheduled for Aug 29 - Aug 31. The photo schedule is:
Tues Aug 29 – 5th grade Hoo/Witte, 6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade
Wed Aug 30 – Kindergarten Diepstra & Phillips, 1st grade, 4th grade Slauer & DeYoung, 5th grade Slauer
Thur Aug 31 – Kindergarten Wittenbach, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade Quist
Look for an email next Tuesday from Ada Christian School containing a link, password and detailed instructions for ordering photos.
Recess Fun!
This year there will be 3 different recess times that need coverage each day:
7/8 – 11:35am-12:00pm
5/6 – 11:55am-12:20pm
K-4 – 12:25-1:05pm
Sharon DeKleine will be supervising our K-4 recess time and the MS staff will work with the 7/8 and 5/6 parents.
Have time to volunteer? Email Julie DeKoster, (gro.naitsirhcada@retsokedj).
Now You Know
Moms In Prayer – Thursday Mornings
“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name…
And forget not all his benefits” Psalm 103:1-2
A few years ago, I mistakenly thought we came together to submit our requests weekly at our Father’s feet hoping that he would answer in the way I thought best or least painful to me. I’m not there anymore. Yes, we will pray for all the requests that come in and that we moms bring in on burdened hearts. But, as the psalmist says, we’ll concentrate on our constant and desperate need for more of his presence in our lives and those for whom we pray rather than for a “fix” for our circumstances. We’ll plead for more of his presence through the circumstances in which he’s placed us, and we’ll "forget not all his benefits.”
Come join us on this journey when you can. We meet weekly on Thursdays, 8:00-9:00am, in the ACS office back conference room. Not sure? Have questions? That’s why we start every season with an informal coffee as an opportunity for you to meet other moms, learn about Moms in Prayer, and ask questions. We will hold an informal/informational coffee on Thursday, Sept 07, 8:00-9:00am. Meet us in the ACS office back conference room. Younger siblings always welcome!
Need more information? Contact Kelly Stafford, (616.304.2963, ten.tsacmoc@droffats-kj).
Van Andel Institute Purple Day
Ada Christian School is partnering with Purple Community to raise money for the Van Andel Institute. Through biomedical research and science education the Van Andel Institute is committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations. The Purple Community event will take place here at ACS on Saturday, Sept 23.
Our PurePlay and middle school athletic teams will all be playing here and sporting some purple gear! Be sure to check out the Wildcat athletics page for information about fundraising for our upcoming Purple Community event.
Car Safety First
Please, for everyone’s safety:
- Back into parking spaces in the afternoon
- Don’t drive through the cross walk when leaving the parking lot
- Cell phones ARE NOT allowed while driving in the parking lot
School Guidelines
There are a number of details of which you need to be aware. Please review the list below to become familiar with some basic requirements.
- Latex Balloons And Pets: These are dangerous to our students with allergies and therefore are not allowed at school.
- Vacation Absences: Parents, if you are taking students out of school for a family vacation, please write or email (email addresses are in the front of your directories) a note of explanation to the school office and your student’s teacher at least one week prior to the absence.
- Leaving Early From School: When you pick up your child(ren) before the end of the day, you must first come to the office to sign them out, and then the office will call them from their room. (Please do not tell your child(ren) to come wait in the office for you and do not go to their classroom to get them).
- Cell Phone Numbers: ACS will not give out cell phone numbers that are given to us on the emergency form. We use those numbers as contact for emergencies only. Please be sure to exchange cell phone numbers with your friends that you want to have those cell numbers.
- Tardies or Early Dismissals, and Appointments: All students who arrive late or leave before the end of the school day must go to the office to sign in or out. School begins at 8:00am. The first minutes of the day are important for devotions and announcements, and your child should not miss them. Please send a note or email to the teacher the day before, if you plan on being late the next morning due to an appointment.
- Messages: Please call before 2:30pm in order for the office to have time to give the message to your child.
- Leaving Phone Messages: Please instruct/train your children to leave a message on your home phone and/or cell phone if they call home during the school day. If it is an emergency, we will continue to call until we reach you.
- School Closings Or Delays: If fog or weather conditions result in a two hour delay or closing being necessary, local TV and radio stations will list Ada Christian School. Since many of our students are bused by Forest Hills Public Schools, we close when they do during weather emergencies. If Lowell Public Schools closes and Forest Hills Schools remain open, Ada Christian School will remain open, but the Ada Christian buses to Lowell will not run and those parents will need to bring their students into school that day and pick up at the end of the day.
Attention New Students
Birth Certificates: Any student new to Ada Christian School, Kindergarten - 8th (2017-2018 school year) must bring to the office a copy of his/her birth certificate. This is required by law in the state of Michigan. The office will make a copy for you.
Immunization Forms: Immunization forms are due now. By state law the school must have this form on file for your child by the start of school. If this form is not in, please turn it in yet this week or call Sharon DeJong in the office at 616.676.1289 to let her know when it will be arriving.
Advisory To Parents (As Required By Michigan Department of Agriculture)
As part of Ada Christian School’s pest management program, pesticides are occasionally applied. You have the right to be informed of any pesticide application made to the school grounds or building. In certain emergencies, pesticides may be applied without prior notice, but you will be provided notice following any such application. If you need prior notification, please email Mr. Jeff Droge, school custodian (gro.naitsirhcada@egordj).
PTO Happenings
Back To School Picnic And Carnival
Come one and come all! Wed, Aug 30 from 6:00-8:00pm.
Last chance to buy your carnival wristbands at a discounted price! Pre sale wristbands are just $12 each! You can get your wristbands any time today from the office or at the table inside the lobby from 2:30-3:20pm today. After 3:20pm, you must buy them at the gate for $15. One wristband allows your preschool through 8th grade student to play all the carnival games and rides.
We want to give a special thanks to Spartan Stores and Forest Hills Foods for making donations for our back to school picnic.
Volunteer Opportunities
Get started right and volunteer. We have the following immediate openings:
Room Parent - We need room parents for Beth Diepstra (Kindergarten) and Anika Slauer (5th grade).
Carnival Co-chair - The work for this year is done but we need a 2nd co-chair for next year to complete this committee. It would be beneficial to shadow our current chairs on Wed if you can.
Daddy Daughter Dance -We are looking for a 3rd co-chair to complete this committee.
Bus Driver Appreciation - We are looking for a 3rd co-chair to complete this committee.
School Parties - We are looking for a chair for this event.
Mother/Son Event - We are looking for a 2nd co-chair to complete this event.
Is God calling you to one of these volunteer opportunities? If you want to volunteer or have questions, please email pto@adachristian.org. Thank you!
Class Coffees
All coffees will be held in the ACS Outdoor Education classroom from 8:00-9:00am. Childcare provided for K-4th grade class coffees.
Aug 31 – 3rd grade class coffee
Sept 06 – 4th grade class coffee
Sept 07 – 5-6th grade class coffee
Sept 08 – 7-8th grade class coffee
ACS Athletics
PurePlay
Calendar Reminders
Aug 30 - Aug 31 – School Pictures
Aug 30 – Back to School Picnic and Carnival (6:00-8:00pm)
Sept 01 - 04 – No School
Sept 07 – Elementary and Middle School Parent Orientation 6:30pm
Sept 08 – Picture Retake Day
September 25 – No School - Inservice day
September 29 – No Forest Hills Bus Transportation (PM)