A Note From Principal Brower

Bright Spots

	First grade students raised enough money by doing extra chores to provide 118 Thanksgiving meals through Mel Trotter.
5th grade band and orchestra students shine in concerts.	[IMAGE '483' /]
[IMAGE '484' /]	Progress on our property, many memorial trees planted, posts for plaques, trenches dug for electric lines and so much more.
ACS band students help bring in the Christmas season by participating in the Ada Parade.	[IMAGE '485' /]

See more bright spots on our ACS Facebook page.

Manly Day of Barn Raising & Fence Post Wrapping

We are looking for about a dozen dads to help us this Saturday from 8am-12pm for some barn raising fun! All materials provided for a great time of building and bonding. We could use one more air nailer for the morning if you have one to bring along. 

Available? RSVP to Bill Hoo (gro.naitsirhcada@etartsgoohb)

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.

This Week

Annual Fund Drive

This is a gentle reminder to send in your year-end contribution to our Annual Fund Drive. The purpose of the drive is to provide tuition assistance for families who qualify for support. We encourage all families who are able, to make a contribution to the fund. You may do this by returning the envelope mailed a last week, or stopping in the office with a check, or through our website. Thank you for your prayerful consideration!

"Faith. Strong." Clubs

Chess With Mr. Hoo

Whether you are a beginner or intermediate player, you will have a good time. This club will help members learn some basic openings and other strategies. Everyone will play at least a couple of games each session. We will all learn how to play tournament chess (with a clock) and have some tournaments. We will try as a club, for those who are able, to go to a tournament in Feb that will be held at Hope College.

Two sections will be offered, both from 3:00-4:15pm:

Tuesdays (Jan 03, 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb 07)

Wednesdays (Jan 04, 11, 18, 25, Feb 01, 08)

Cost is $50. Fill out a form and make checks payable to Bill Hoogstrate. Sign-up deadline is Tuesday, Dec 20. Extra forms are available in the office.

Moms In Prayer

We will be praying this week specifically for 6th grade. God is our counselor.

"All this I have spoken while still with you.But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you"- John 14:25-26

Please join us Thursdays at 8:00-9:00am in the office conference room as we pray for our children, their teachers and the ACS community.

Questions? Contact Laura Cawley (616.425.9728, moc.oohay@57_csarual).

MENistry

A group of ACS dads who meet and dwell with the Word of God every Friday 8:00-9:00am in the back office conference room. This fall we will be going through the book of Ephesians.

Action Needed

Eye Glasses Found

Pick them up in the office - brown and green frame. Found in the gym last week.

Serve Through Bus Driving 

We are in need of a driver. The hours are 6:30-8:00am and 2:45-4:15pm M - F. Training is required and will be provided.

Available? Please contact Bill Venneman or Julie DeKoster (616.676.1289). Kids LOVE their bus drivers and we would love to welcome a new driver to our family!

Lunch Recess Duty Help

Recess supervision has been going well; however, we could use some more help. Even if you can come one lunch recess a month, we'd love your help. The time is from 12:25-1:05pm.

Available to serve? Contact Coach DK (gro.naitsirhcada@enielkeds).

PTO Happenings

Daddy Daughter Dance

[IMAGE '486' /]The PTO cordially invites you to our 3rd Annual Daddy-Daughter Dance 2017.  Our theme is “Let’s Dance under the Sea”.  Join us on Friday, Feb 03 from 7:00-9:00 pm for a memorable evening of music, dessert and activities.  This event is for preK – 8th grade and we welcome grandpas, uncles and special friends!!  The cost is $30 per couple with a $40 family maximum. Purchase tickets online or pay by check in the main office at school. We will not be handing out corsages this year.

Christmas Gift Shop

Last call for volunteers. There are still 20 volunteer positions left for the ACS Christmas Gift Shop.

Please remember: If you have more than one child at ACS, please send each child with their own spending money, rather than writing one large check. This helps us tremendously during checkout, as your children will probably not be shopping together at the same time.

Please have your child bring these items to school on Thursday, Dec 08:

* A large brown grocery bag with their name on it

* A completed order form

* Spending money (check made out to ACS or cash)

Volunteer Opportunities

1 Peter 4:10 “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

We could use your help.

Hot Lunch

If you have never had hot lunch duty, now is the time! Hot lunch is a great opportunity to build relationships with other ACS parents and Sue Prins!

A bonus is seeing your child and/or your child’s classmates when they come through the lunch line. No need to pick a shift and stick with it all year. Simply click individually on the days you can volunteer.

Donate Your Used Newspapers

Have extra or used newspapers? Donate them to PTO to make decorations at the Daddy Daughter Dance. There will be a box in the lobby for your used newspaper donations.  

Direct Your Dollars

[IMAGE '481' /]Want an easy way to earn money for our school? Simply save your Forest Hills Foods and D&W receipts! Through a new program called Direct Your Dollars, Ada Christian School will receive a $1,000 check for every $150,000 we collect in receipts. This money will go directly toward providing a yearbook for each student in May 2017. Please start saving your receipts from Forest Hills Foods and D&W and encourage friends and family to do the same. Place your original receipts in the marked box in the ACS office.

Thank you to all who have been participating. We have reached our first goal of over $10,000! Every little bit helps. Ask your neighbors, grandparents and friends to save their receipts, too!

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

ACS Athletics

PurePlay

Calendar Reminders

Dec 08 - 09 – Christmas Gift Shop

Dec 15 – Middle School concerts

Dec 20 – All School Chapel (8:15am)

Dec 21 - Jan 02 – Christmas Break

Jan 03 – Back to school

Jan 16 – No AM & PM Forest Hills transportation

Jan 19,20 – No PM Forest Hills transportation

Jan 23  – No School - In-service day

Requested Announcements

Calvin College Basketball Academy

Christmas Day Camp, Saturday Dec 17 from 9:00am-12:00pm, for 1st - 6th grade boys and girls. For more information, stop in the office and pick up a flyer.

Kathy Troccoli Concert

You’re invited to join the Calvin College community to celebrate Christ’s birth at an evening concert with Kathy Troccoli. Through Christmas hymns and modern favorites, personal reflection, heartfelt sharing and deep insights, Kathy Troccoli promises to uplift and enlighten.

The concert is Tuesday, Dec 13 at 7:00pm at the Calvin College Covenant Fine Arts Center. Concert tickets are $25. A pre-concert dinner is also available at 5:30 p.m. at the Prince Conference Center for $28.

For more information visit www.calvin.edu/go/troccoli or call 616-526-6282