CALVIN CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL

NEWSLETTER

JANUARY, 2023

CALENDAR

January 4 - Classes Resume (Late Start - classes begin at 8:30 a.m.)

January 9-13 - Winterfest Week

January 10 - Submit 1st Semester Service Hours (ALL students)

January 14 - Snowcoming - Under the Northern Lights Dance

January 15 - Senior All-Nighter registrations due

January 16 - Grandville busing - A.M. only

January 16 - Kids Against Hunger Meal-Packing Service Day

January 18 - Athletic Boosters meeting

January 20 - Homecoming Basketball Games

January 23 - Discover Calvin II

February 2 - Future Squires 8th Grade Scheduling Night

February 3 - Honoring retiring coaches night

February 13 - Band Night (CCMS & CCHS)

February 16 - No School (Professional Development)

February 17-20 - No School (Mid-Winter Break)

February 17 - GCCS Auction (Online auction begins)

February 18 - Winter Blast 5K and Winter Flurry 1K Kids Run

February 22 - Orchestra Night (CCMS & CCHS)

February 23 - GCCS Auction (Online auction ends)

February 25 - GCCS Auction (Live auction in CCHS gym)

NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Big Goals take a lot to accomplish! Small goals are safe and easy to accomplish, but I believe we need to move in faith, even when it’s easier to have small goals. We are planning on a huge impact event on Monday, January 16, but we still need to raise a lot of money. Last year, we were able to pull off a huge Kids Against Hunger meal-packing event where we raised over $35,000 and packed 100,000 meals. It was evident the profound impact the event had upon our students, in addition to the life changing impact it had through providing food for hungry children locally and internationally.  

On January 16, we are hoping to pack another 100,000 meals and have currently raised enough funds to pack 40,000 meals. We still need to raise another $20,800 by Friday, January 13, to meet that goal and hold this event. Our Kids Against Hunger meal packing event is an opportunity for our school community to give generously while serving others and living out the call of Christ. One of the most important things that made a difference in fundraising last year was when our students and staff reached out to friends and family with donation requests. We were blessed with many donations from grandparents, aunts and uncles, parents, neighbors, etc. If you have additional connections who may be willing to give to this important cause, please pass on the donation information below. 

If you haven’t given yet and are able to support our Kids Against Hunger event financially, there is still time. Donation checks should be made payable to Kids Coalition Against Hunger and dropped off at the high school. You can also donate online at Calvin Christian High School Food Packaging. 

Any donation amount will be helpful.

• A $20 donation buys 57 meals
• $50 buys 142 meals
• $100 (285 meals)
• $250 (714 meals
• $500 (1428 meals)
• $1000 (2857 meals)

For larger donors, we have recognized sponsorship levels:

• Event Sponsor: $5,000 donation
• Gold Sponsor: $1,000-$4,999 donation
• Silver Sponsor: $500-$999 donation
• Bronze Sponsor: $250-$499 donation 

We will also be partnering with Hope Seeds International and Chances for Children on this day, by packing vegetable seeds that will be distributed to families and other countries. Hope Seeds International is providing the seeds we will be packing, so we don't need any additional funding for this work. There are links below if you'd like to learn more about these two organizations.

We also ask that you lift this event up in prayer by praying for funding for the event, for the children who will receive this food, and for a powerful experience for our students as they grow in their hearts to serve others.

In His Service,

Todd Henderson



NOTES FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL OFFICE

CCHS SECOND SEMESTER

School resumes on Wednesday, January 4, 2023, with a late start. CCHS classes will begin at 8:30 a.m. Students need to be aware of their 2nd-semester schedule which can be found on Power School.

EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING (inclement weather)

Announcements regarding school closings due to inclement weather are made on radio stations WOOD, WCUZ, WGRD, WFUR and TV channels 8 and 13. Since we are reliant on busing by public school districts, decisions made by public schools affect us.

SNOW DAY PROCEDURES – High School

In the event of a snow day, we will follow these procedures in order to maintain an equal number of block periods for each period for the week:

If there is a Snow Day on Monday:

Monday block classes (2, 4, 6, 8) will be moved to Friday

If there is a Snow Day on Tuesday:

Tuesday block classes (1, 3, 5, 7) will be moved to Friday

If there is a Snow Day on Wednesday:

Wednesday block classes (2, 4, 6, 8) will be moved to Friday

If there is a Snow Day on Thursday:

Thursday block classes (1, 3, 5, 7) will be moved to Friday

If there is a Snow Day on Friday:

No adjustments made (classes canceled)

If there are two consecutive snow days (M-T, T-W, or W-Th), school will resume with the regularly scheduled days. Alternate plans will be communicated as they occur for any other unexpected situations.

If there are more than two Snow Days in a semester, virtual learning expectations will begin on the third day home from school.



SNOWCOMING - UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

The dance will be held on Saturday, January 14, from 7:00-10:00 p.m.

This semi-formal dance will be held in the Calvin Christian Middle School gym for all Calvin Christian High School students. Tickets are $30, pre-sale only. No tickets will be sold at the door. See details on the permission form below or grab one from the office. Return it with payment to the CCHS office by Tuesday, January 10.  

SCHOOL BUS NOTES

Monday, January 16: Grandville Public busing for AM only



DISCOVER CALVIN II

Monday, January 23, 2023

Please help us spread the word about Discover Calvin II!

We have one of our most important nights of the year on the evening of Monday, January 23: Discover Calvin II. We had a great turnout for our Discover Calvin event in October. Discover Calvin II will provide the same experiences as the October event, but we want to open our doors back up to families who may have missed us in October. This is Calvin Christian High School’s Open House event for area middle school students and parents to learn about the amazing opportunities that await students at CCHS! Please invite friends, neighbors, and coworkers with middle school students, so they can discover:

• Why parents want their children to learn, grow, and develop their faith at Calvin
• How Calvin students, teachers, and staff build strong and caring relationships
• Our amazing teachers who mentor while teaching Calvin’s Christ-centered curriculum
• Why our students love CCHS
• The ways we glorify God through athletics, the arts, and our clubs

This is an outstanding opportunity to welcome new families and introduce them to the great things happening at Calvin Christian High School. We are looking forward to all of our Calvin Christian Middle School students and their parents joining us for Discover Calvin, but we’re also asking for your help in broadening our reach for this evening. Please let your friends, family, and colleagues know about this event and encourage them to join us!  

A personal note, text, or a call to someone could make the difference in their children becoming Calvin Christian Squires. In the past, this event has been targeted toward 8th-grade families; however, we know that families in other schools are making decisions about high school as early as 6th and 7th grade, so we would like to open our doors to those families as well. Please check out the Discover Calvin video below and share it on social media or send it to your friends!

We are offering in-person tour sessions that evening beginning at 6:30 p.m. We are asking that all attendees register in advance, so we can balance out our groups and plan appropriately for the event.

FUTURE SQUIRES 8th GRADE SCHEDULING NIGHT

Join us on Thursday, February 2, at 7:00 p.m. in the CCHS Learning Commons for class scheduling, course sequences for each subject area, graduation requirements, a clear vision of all the opportunities which await your future Squire, and an opportunity to ask questions. This meeting is for parents only. We will meet with 8th graders during the school day so they will also receive the information we are sharing this evening.

Please help us spread the word to 8th grade families about this important event.

REGISTRATION FOR 2023–24 COURSES

In January and February, students in grades 8-11 will go through the process of requesting classes for the 2023-24 school year. These requests need to be approved by parents and counselors. 

Each grade level will be assigned a time where the counselors will review the scheduling process and distribute scheduling forms along with detailed instructions for online registration. As needed, counselors will follow up with students on an individual basis to finalize course requests.

Remember, parents of current 8^th grade students are encouraged to attend our Future Squires Night being held at 7:00 p.m. on February 2. Parents will receive detailed information about scheduling courses for the 2023-24 school year at that time.

All the scheduling information – including the Curriculum Guide which lists all courses, course requirements, and a brief synopsis of each course – will be available online by February 1. If you have any questions regarding registration, please call the high school office at 616-538-9930.

KCTC enrollment begins February 1. KCTC programs close when filled. Students interested in KCTC programs for 2023-24 should contact their counselor as soon as possible.

SERVICE HOURS

Please remember all service hours earned MUST have a supervisor's signature!  Here is some important information about service hour requirements.  

Submission deadlines for Service Hours:

• September 1 - For any hours earned between June 1 - August 30
• January 10 - For any hours earned between August 30 - December 31
• June 1 - For any hours earned between December 31-May 31

Remember the following:

• We are adjusting the Class of 2023's service hour requirement to 30 hours, due to the COVID shutdown during freshman year

• Students should log at least some service hours each school year.

• CCHS service hours should be earned by positively impacting others and in the greater Grand Rapids region and beyond.

Questions can be directed to John Timmer. 

WINTER BLAST RUN – Saturday, February 18

The 14th annual Winter Blast 5K and Winter Flurry 1K Kids Run will kick off the racing season in West Michigan. Over 400 runners are anticipated. The 5K is flat and accurate with all 3 miles visibly marked. With over 50 volunteers, it is known as a “race for runners put on by runners”. Thank you for your support of our race in the past and we look forward to seeing you on Saturday, February 18.  Register online at winterblastrun.com or pick up a form in the high school office.

CALVIN DRAMATIC ARTS SOCIETY

Calvin Christian High School Dramatic Arts Society will be presenting Fiddler on the Roof March 2 & 3 at 7:00 p.m. and March 4 at 5:00 p.m. at Godwin Heights High School Auditorium. Mark your calendar to experience this timely classic about tradition, faith, and family values. Look for ticket information coming in February.

CLASS OF 2023 SENIOR PICTURES

The final deadline for turning in all senior pictures is Friday, April 28. Late pictures will not be guaranteed a place in the book, so please be timely. If you have questions, email the CCHS yearbook staff at the link below.

We again are asking for traditional poses for a uniform look. Please keep the following things in mind:

• No props or pets
• Indoor or outdoor plain background preferred
• Color (matte or glossy)
• Vertical pose: Minimum 2” x 3” and 300 dpi

Make sure your photographer follows these things in order for your picture to be in the yearbook.

We reserve the right to refuse pictures that do not meet these standards. Inappropriate pictures will not be accepted. We also reserve the right to PhotoShop pictures that do not meet the standards.

If you desire, the Shadow staff can take a picture free of charge for your yearbook senior picture.

Seniors who wish to have a baby picture in the yearbook need to either bring a physical picture or email it to the yearbook email. A family message can be added underneath the picture for a fee of $25.00.

YEARBOOK CHECKLIST FOR SENIORS

Please make use of the Yearbook Checklist form found by clicking on the button at the end of the Yearbook section.

Any questions about the yearbook can be directed to the yearbook staff by clicking on the button at the end of the Yearbook section.

SENIOR ALL-NIGHTER

ATTENTION SENIOR PARENTS

The early payment deadline is approaching! Starting on January 1, the SAN party fee will be $90 instead of $80. Please also complete the 2-page form in the button below with emergency contact information, parental consent, and fun facts about your son or daughter which will be used in a trivia game the night of the party. Please return the form and a check (with SAN in the memo) to the office or pay online in the button below the Senior All-Nighter section. If the cost is not manageable, please contact Todd Henderson or email the committee as we absolutely want all our senior students to be able to attend.



January 15 - Senior All-Nighter registrations are due

HITMEN VOLLEYBALL

Save the date for our Hitmen Volleyball game! Our annual volleyball competition between Junior and Senior boys will be Saturday, March 25. More info to come.

NOTES FROM THE COUNSELING OFFICE

COUNSELOR ASSIGNMENTS: 

Miss Rebekah Karel (9^th)

Mr. Nate Vander Wal (10^th-12^th)

INFORMATION FOR ALL PARENTS

CHECK OUT THE COUNSELING PAGE!

The CCHS Counseling Office webpage is designed to be a helpful resource for students and parents. Check out the Counseling Web Page link above to check out information on college planning, scholarships, job shadow opportunities, and more.

SCHEDULING FOR 2023-24 CLASSES

The Counseling Department and Registrar will provide information for 2023-2024 student scheduling in January and will wrap up collecting initial schedule requests from students by February. In March and April there is follow-up and the completion of data entry. Actual schedules will not be made until May or June and then there will be summer scheduling office hours for addressing issues or desired changes.  

CAREER EXPLORATION

Mr. Vander Wal will continue to guide students through career exploration, but we also encourage students to take advantage of opportunities outside of CCHS throughout the year. Job shadows, career interviews, and KISD Career Readiness offerings are all great options! Click on the button below the Counseling Section marked KISD Career Readiness.

ACT TESTING OPPORTUNITIES

Test Dates      Reg. Deadline          Late Fee Deadline

February 11        January 6                    January 20

 April 15                March 10                    March 24

*June 10                 May 5                         May 19

July 15                   June 16                       June 23

*CCHS is a testing site

SAT TESTING OPPORTUNITIES

Test Dates      Reg. Deadline          Late Fee Deadline

March 11            February 10                 February 28

March 22 Juniors test at CCHS - no registration required

May 6                 April 7                      April 25

June 3                May 4                       May 23

INFORMATION FOR FRESHMEN PARENTS

Mr. Vander Wal visited English classes to set up College Board accounts with students. These accounts can be used to view PSAT 9 results and to access other tools and resources for college and career development. Students also have Xello accounts for career and college exploration (easiest to access through GCCS Bookmarks on their Chromebooks). Click on the button below the Counseling Section marked Xello Accounts.

INFORMATION FOR SOPHOMORE PARENTS

KCTC (Kent Career Tech Center) enrollment opens in February, and many programs fill quickly. If your student is interested in learning more or enrolling, please contact Mr. Vander Wal to register for a program visit in January.

The PSAT 10 (Preliminary/practice SAT) will be given to the class of 2025 at school on the morning of March 21. Test fees were included in sophomore dues, so no payment or registration is necessary. 

INFORMATION FOR JUNIOR PARENTS

An email was sent out to students and parents regarding Junior Conferences and Mr. Vander Wal has started meeting with students and families. Sign up by clicking on the button below the Counseling Section marked Juniors Schedule Visit with Mr. Vander Wal for a preferred time, and there are some evening time slots available.  Remember to use the Junior Year Timeline as a planning resource for this year by clicking on the button below the Counseling Section.  

PSAT/NMSQT RESULTS

Score reports from the October PSAT/NMSQT are available through students’ College Board accounts. Most students have linked College Board and Khan Academy accounts so that they can use Khan Academy for personalized SAT practice based on these most recent results. 

The SAT will be given to the Class of 2024 at school on the morning of Wednesday, March 22. Test fees were included in junior dues, so no payment or registration is necessary.

INFORMATION FOR SENIOR PARENTS

CALVIN UNIVERSITY PETERS SCHOLARSHIP

A Theodore J. Peters Scholarship will go to one CCHS student who will be attending Calvin University next year. Students must be accepted for admission to Calvin University by February 1 to be assured of consideration. This scholarship will be for roughly $6,400 this year. 

GET THOSE COLLEGE APPLICATIONS IN!

It is not too late to apply for colleges for the fall of 2023. For maximum consideration, do not delay! 

All seniors applying for college should complete the FAFSA this month if they haven’t already done so.

CCHS SCHOLARSHIPS APPLICATION

The form was emailed to the class and is available on the Scholarship Resources button below the Counseling Section. Due February 24, 2023.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Seniors should watch their email and visit the Scholarship Resources button below the Counseling Section for scholarship opportunities.

MUSIC DEPARTMENT NOTES

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 21- MSBOA All-State Orchestra Concert at DeVos Place (8:45 a.m.)

January 21- MSVMA State Honors Choir Concert at DeVos Place (3:00 p.m.)

February 9 - Chorale/WMC Chamber Choir at Calvin University Worship

Symposium (1:15 p.m.)

February 10 - Orchestra/GRCHS Orchestra at Calvin University Worship

Symposium (1:15 p.m.)

February 13 - Band Night (5th-12th Bands) in the HS Gym (6:30 p.m.)

February 22 - Orchestra Night (5th-12th Strings) in the MS Gym (7:00 p.m.)

STUDENT RECOGNITION

Congratulations to Lola Bryce for making the MSBOA All-State Orchestra!

Congratulations to Calvin Aupperlee, Jonathan Bouwman, Leah Elliott, Yura Rozendal, Henry TerBeek and Alayna VanDoeselaar for making the MSVMA State Honors Choir.

ATHLETIC OFFICE NOTES

WINTER SPORTS 

We are excited to be well under way in our winter sport season.

• We have five Calvin Christian boys on the co-op hockey team with Grandville HS. 
• Our boys and girls basketball teams are both currently 5-1.
• Jax Vogel won the OK Silver opening bowling tournament, and the team finished second overall.

ATHLETIC BOOSTERS

The Athletic Boosters are in need of more members. The Boosters provide all of the uniforms and many of the extras for our athletic teams. We consider every parent who has an athlete at Calvin a Booster, but we need a few more members who are active. If you would consider becoming a member, come to the next meeting on Wednesday, January 18, at 7:00 p.m. in the CCHS Teachers’ Lounge.

ADVANCE NOTICE FOR 2023-24 ATHLETES

Calvin Christian High School offers several sports during the fall season. Please note that practices/tryouts will begin on the following date:

Monday, August 7, 2023

 Football

Boys Soccer

Boys Tennis

Cross Country 

Girls Golf

Girls Swimming 

Girls Volleyball

Remember that prior to trying out for any sport each athlete must have a yellow “Pay-to-Participate” card to hand to his/her coach. To obtain this, each athlete must:

• Be officially enrolled at Calvin Christian High School.  
• Have a physical on file in the school office (signed by the physician, parent, and athlete). To be official, the athlete’s physical must be given on April 15, 2023, or later. 
• Have paid the $100 “Pay-to-Participate” fee. 

ATHLETIC PASS INFORMATION FOR 2022-23

The sports passes are good for all Calvin Christian High School HOME events except the MHSAA tournaments and post-season events.  

• A single pass is $50.
• A family pass (2 adults and all children under 22 in the same household)

          is $125.

• The pass will be valid for 2022-23 and will be year-long, not specifically for separate seasons.
•  A lost pass will be replaced for a fee of $5.
•  Passes will have individual names on them and are non-transferable.
•  With a Family Pass, each member of the family will receive an individual pass.
•  The pass is not valid for tournament contests.

Athletic Pass Order Forms can be found in the high school office or by clicking on the button at the end of the Athletic section.

KEY CARDS

Support your Athletic Boosters by purchasing a Key Card book. The Key Cards are available for $30 each (checks made payable to GCCS) in the GCCS Business Office or the CCHS Athletic Office. Questions can be directed to Keisha Houtsma by clicking on the button at the end of the Athletic section.



AUCTION 2023

Save The Dates!

Friday, February 17

• Online Silent Auction begins at 1:00 p.m. and goes through Thursday, February 23, ending at 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 25

• Strolling heavy appetizer reception tour of Campaign project areas from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
• In-person, live auction begins in the high school gym at 7:00 p.m.

More details coming soon. If you would like to sponsor or donate a product, please contact Jill Boomstra or Joan Staal-Seeley in the Business Office at 616-532-2373 or send them an email at the links below.