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Ada Connection – June 5, 2024 June 05th, 2024

Now You Know

  • A Warm Welcome
  • Perfect Attendance
  • Report Cards
  • MAP Reports
  • 24-25 Supply Lists
  • Summer Office Hours
  • Joy in the Gym - May

Action Needed

  • EpiPens
  • Immunization Records

Summer Opportunities

  • Summer Camp Openings
  • Summer Covenant Care

PTO Happenings

  • Thank You

Athletics

  • PurePlay (K-4th)
  • Volleyball Camp

Mark Your Calendar

Now You Know 

    A Warm Welcome

    Please help us in welcoming two new teachers to ACS:

    Livingston Garland - 5th/7th/8th Math
    Bryce VanDeWalker - 5th-8th OE and Farm Manager

    A note from Mr. VanDeWalker:

    My name is Bryce VanDeWalker. My wife, Rose, and I have a beautiful 11-month-old daughter, Olive who keeps us awake and busy most of the time! Rose is a Cardiology PA at Meijer Heart Center downtown and has published some incredible research on heart transplant candidacy and recovery. 

    Rose, and I have been attending Mars Hill Bible church for the past three years (Olive for the past 11 months). We are actively engaged in, and share life with a House Church consisting of other young families. With this group, we helped launch a youth group at the Mars Hill Grand Rapids campus.

    I graduated from Calvin University (then College) in 2016 with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education and Integrated Science. This year I earned my Master of Arts in Teaching and Curriculum through Michigan State University with a focus on Elementary Science Education. While in graduate school I participated in two research projects; one that provided alternative avenues for scientists to become educators, and another that guided urban elementary educators in Detroit in utilizing their outdoor spaces for teaching and learning science.  Additionally, I taught master's and undergraduate level science education courses at both Michigan State University and Calvin University. I also, while at MSU, spent time as a Field Instructor, mentoring student teachers as they navigated their first year in elementary classroom settings in Kentwood, Lansing, and Grand Ledge. Prior to my time at Michigan State, I was a middle school math, science, and STEM teacher in Coopersville Michigan.

    I am so excited to be joining the ACS community as the 5th - 8th Outdoor Education teacher! I can't wait to explore God's creation, and His immense and incredible love, with the Ada Christian students!

    A Note from Mr. Garland:

    I am a graduate of Spring Arbor University with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in English and Math with a Secondary Education concentration. I also received my masters degree from Wayne State University in 2021. I take great joy in running and ran three years of collegiate track and field and one year of collegiate cross country. I also enjoy playing music and have played drums and guitar for over fifteen years. I have been to France, India, and spent eighteen weeks student-teaching in Kathmandu, Nepal.

    I have taught all around the state of Michigan, from Sault Ste. Marie, to Midland Christian, to Oakland Christian, and West Ottawa. When I met my wife in Holland in 2019, I truly learned the meaning of “the West side is the best side”.

    My wife, Victoria, along with our baby, Holloway, enjoy running 5Ks, reading books, and spending lots of time outside in the water. We attend church at Second Church in Allendale.

    I am excited to join the team at Ada Christian School as the 5th/7th/8th grade Math Teacher and communicate not only a love for the language of Mathematics, but also impart a mastery of the skills of computation as well as openness for the power behind numbers and mathematical thinking to help us be more clear and precise in our pursuits to further God’s Kingdom.

    Perfect Attendance

    Congratulations to Bryceson Brower, Chase Speyers, and Calder Wanner for having perfect attendance all year. 

    Report Cards

    Report Cards will be sent home today with Kindergarten - 7th grade students. Report Cards for 8th grade students will be mailed home this week. 

    MAP Reports

    Included with your student’s report card, you will find his/her MAP Growth scores, a parent letter, and an explanation for interpreting the data.

    24-25 Supply Lists

    It’s never too early to start shopping for Back to School supplies. Check out the lists below and plan for fall:

    Summer Office Hours

    Our summer school office hours will be Tue - Thurs 9am - 2pm for the months of June, July, and August. The office will be closed July 3rd - July 7th.

    Joy In The Gym - May

    Take a look at the joy we've been having in the gym! May Joy in the Gym

    Action Needed

    EpiPens

    If your student has an Epi Pen held in the office, please come to the office to collect it on the last day of school. Thank you!

    Immunization Records

    Each year we are required to report immunizations for every student enrolled in preschool, kindergarten, and seventh grade. The State of Michigan requires that your child(ren) be immunized for enrollment at Ada Christian School.

    Please complete and return the immunization, health appraisal and consent forms by Aug 20. Completed forms can be turned into the office or emailed to

    Please also note that the State of Michigan has revised its law on immunization waivers.

    • If you intend to complete a non-medical waiver to the immunization policy, you must contact the Kent County Health Department at 616.632.7200 to schedule an appointment to speak with a health educator, complete the waiver process and submit the original certified waiver to the school office.The original certified medical waivers must be completed and signed by a physician then submitted to the school office.
    • Written evidence that immunizations are now up to date or a copy of a certified waiver must be received before the start of the school year and is due by or on August 20, 2024. A new waiver is required each year that your child is reported. 

    If you have any questions please call or email Kimmie Brander (kbrander@adachristian.org, 616-676-1289).

    Summer Opportunities

    Summer Camp Openings

    There are still a few summer camps with openings!

    Summer Covenant Care

    In Summer Covenant Care students will experience the summer alongside friends and participate in enriching activities. Care will be available Mon-Thurs, June 10-August 8.

    Sign-up

    PTO Happenings

    Thank You

    Thank you to all for your support of PTO this year! Because of you, the PTO sponsored many school events, hosted fundraisers, and gave back to our wonderful teachers and community.  We are blessed to have amazing parents and families at ACS and appreciate your contribution to the PTO!  

    Wishing you all a safe and wonderful summer with your families.  Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities for next school year!  

    Athletics

    PurePlay (K-4th)

    Thank you to all the parent volunteers for helping make our 2024 Olympic Field day a success!!

    Fall Soccer

    Fall Soccer Sign-ups are now open!

    Volleyball Summer Camp

    Dates: August 5-7
    Time: 9:00am-11:00am (5/6), 11:30-1:30pm (7/8)
    Grades: Students entering grades 5-8 (boys & girls!)
    Cost: $80

    Come join us for our volleyball team camp that will help you get prepared for the volleyball season in the fall. Throughout this camp you will learn the fundamentals of volleyball that are important for individual and team success. A variety of drills, contests, and other fun volleyball activities will be led by our 8th grade coach, Brenda Berg, and ACS volleyball alumni players.

    Mark Your Calendar

    Looking ahead: 24-25 Calendar

    Whatcha Doin' Out There!? - Nov 2023 December 05th, 2023

    OE News

    November was a month in which the weather transitioned quickly. There were many very warm days in November, but we also found ourselves in some cold, rain, and snow. As the weather turns we are able to consider what happens as creatures get ready for winter. We also wrapped up some of our fall activities like cider and began the transition into Christmas preparation. K-2nd grade made ornaments that will be on display at the Festival of Trees at Legacy Park in Ada for the Christmas season. Check out the ACS tree and the others if you're in town.  

    Kindergarten - In kindergarten we began November with a review of recent letters of the week A,D,S,L. Activities included Act like animals, Dig in the sand, Strolling, Skipping and Sprinting, and Launching Leaves. Later in the month we took a look at wind and made pinwheels as instruments to measure wind, just like an anemometer.  We then shifted to making ornaments that will be displayed at the Festival of Trees in Ada.  First we made a triangle shape out of sticks and then the sticks were wrapped with yarn and decorated with mini ornaments of their own.  

    1st - First grade took a turn with cider making one week and a couple weeks later had a special visitor. Johnny Appleseed met them in the woods to read about his life and enjoy some of the great cider that they made. First grade also learned about animal shelters and made some small places for animals to hide in the woods. To end the month they began Christmas preparations by making ornaments. Students made ornaments by decorating pine cones with ribbon and bells. The ornaments will be on display in the “Festival of Trees” in Ada.  

    2nd - A big theme in second grade was Pioneers. They began with a turn at the cider press. Then they enjoyed some pioneer games to see what kids did for fun long ago.  They also pushed their wheelbarrow wagon through the woods during the Oregon Trail simulation facing many challenges along the way. Lastly they used their pioneer skills to make candles which will serve as ornaments in the Festival of Trees in downtown Ada. Go check it out!

    3rd - Third grade took some time to review the great lakes in an activity where we put the numbers into perspective. Volume of water, perimeter and depth were all compared with the lakes and we reflected on the importance of 20% of the world’s surface fresh water that is in the 5 great lakes. We began to learn about the Native Americans by learning about the three sisters' planting method and clearing out that section of our garden so it is ready to plant in the spring. Lastly, we played games that the native americans played to practice balance and strength.   

    4th - Fourth graders had multiple science connections in OE. To begin we did a simulation that looked at food availability affect population size by searching for food in the form of colored straws. The next week we considered how animals used their senses in an activity in which students had to find animals of their own species by listening for the same sound while blindfolded. It was a challenge to listen to the specific sounds while others were also making sounds and predators were on the prowl. We introduced the topic of Community Supported Agriculture. We took inventory and decided to attempt our first Farm Fresh Box for thanksgiving. They were able to produce enough products for 12 families! Lastly, we talked about soil temperature tolerance and its practical application on the farm. The students learned how to take soil temperature samples and determine by reading the back of a seed packet if the seed would germinate in that environment.

    5th - This month we took a deep dive into the internal anatomy of a chicken. We studied the path of digestion and egg production. We learned how chickens break down their food and absorb nutrients. We learned what the “grade” of an egg means on the outside of an egg carton. Then we cracked some ACS eggs and studied the color/ shape/ and consistency of the yolk to decide what grade eggs our chickens lay. We rounded out the month with some Fun Farm Games. Kids learned how strong you need to be to do daily farm tasks in a fun and silly competition.

    6th - Our 6th graders have spent the month learning external anatomy of a goat. To encourage them to really understand the shape and muscle structure of a goat we learned how to draw one realistically. Now we have a great base understanding as we get more specific with anatomy in December. We rounded out the month with Farm Games and learned how to set product prices for SEED Market.

    7th - November in 7th grade OE involved students mapping out the memorial trees on our campus which will later be available as an interactive map with links to more information on the trees. We then turned our attention to composting. Students began learning about composting. We talked about the importance of composting as well as the basics of what materials are best including a balance of browns and greens. We are now collecting lunch scraps from 7th and 2nd grades for a compost bin here at school to put what we learned into practice.  

    8th - November was a month to transition to the Legacy Project for 8th grade. We began with a tour to see projects from previous grades and considered how well they met the needs of the school and what they offered to students. We then presented students with some potential legacy projects for this year. Now students are researching these topics to see what logistics will be necessary to make this happen.