JCS News - September 30, 2020

"In the same way, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Thank you, JCS!

As many of you saw on Facebook, the JCS community raised $24,269 this week with their bidding! Wow! Thank you all so much for helping us leap past our $21,000 goal in our first ever virtual auction! We are so thankful for everyone who bid on items, donated items, and helped this auction happen. We are thankful for all of you and the constant support you give to keep JCS thriving!

Last week our students and staff spent purposeful time studying our school year's theme: Shine your light! God was glorified and our students and staff were blessed through this time. Students spent time praying around the school, in devotion and study of what it means to know and be the light, doing special projects about light, and so much more. In case you didn't see it, here is a video of our elementary and middle school students worshipping outside as a culmination of our Spiritual Emphasis Week! The joy and enthusiasm from your kids when they are in community is truly a blessing.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Sept 30 - School Pictures

Sept 30 - TRIP pick up, JCS office lot (6:30-7 PM)

Oct 1 - School Pictures

Oct 2 - Parents in Prayer, ZOOM

Oct 6 - TRIP orders due

Oct 9 - School picture retakes

ATHLETICS

Our JCS middle school fall athletics have started! Please be sure to review the updated protocols for sports at JCS this Fall. Thank you, parents, for your partnership in helping sports for our middle school students to be a success!

All games and practices are listed on the school calendar, with the game schedules attached below.

Boys 7th/8th grade Soccer

Girls 7th grade Volleyball

Girls 8th grade Volleyball

ALL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

School Pictures this week are today and tomorrow. Your child's picture form does not need to come with them to school for their picture. It is due on October 13, once you've had a chance to see their pictures online (pictures online the evening of your child's photos). The website is huttengaphoto.shootproof.com, and the school access code is jcs7469. Wednesday School Pictures: Otte, Breuker, Steenwyk, M/W Preschool & Stob, DeBoer, LaPlaca, DeWeerd, Schipper, Huttinga, Ponstein. Thursday School Pictures: Bremer, Wohlford, Damstra/Westlund, T/Th Preschool, Oosterheert, DeVries, Geels. Retakes are on October 9. If you'd like retakes, please email Karen Huttenga.

Parent Pick-up: Thank you parents for doing a great job with our new drop off and pick up procedures! We have a great routine now and feel the process is going very smoothly. A couple of reminders:

Every family received a yellow number card. Please make sure these are visible from outside your car. They fit very nicely on the passenger visor with a couple of rubber bands. If you choose to put it on your dash or in your window take a quick look from the outside of your car to make sure the number is visible.
As you move through the pick up line make sure the person inputting numbers gives you a wave or thumbs up to ensure she has seen your number and you are good to pull forward.
Starting Wednesday we will be requiring all cars picking up students to have the yellow number card issued by school. You can email Mrs. Doornbos at jdoornbos@jenisonchristian.org to receive a new card or if you need more cards. If you do not have a card we will need to verify that the person picking up is allowed to do so. If you have a friend or family member picking up your child please make sure your child's teacher or the office is aware of who is picking up.
Please follow the slow/stop sign accordingly and move as far up in the line as possible. This will ensure we can get as many students out as quickly as possible. Thank you again for working with us! We want to make pickup as safe as we can for every student, parent and staff member.

"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20. Join other JCS parents and grandparents in praying for our students! The new Parents in Prayer group (formerly, Moms in Prayer) will be meeting virtually via Zoom every other Friday from 1-2pm during the school year. All moms, dads and grandparents of JCS students are welcome to attend! Contact Jenna Bosch to join or find out more details. You can call/text 616-990-4325 or email lambersj@gmail.com.

Our second hand sale and fall arts and crafts fest have been canceled in light of Covid. However, we have other opportunities for you to be involved at JCS! Our biggest needs for volunteers right now are the Saturday grounds work at JCS, hot lunch helpers, and playground helpers. Grounds work will include projects around JCS, like power washing, weeding, trimming, etc. These are great parent-involved opportunities to earn some of your parent points! Sign up today!

JCS gators and theme t-shirts are available for sale in the office: $5/gators and $7/t-shirts. If you've ordered an extra theme shirt already and have not received it, we need you to pay for it, and we will send it home with your student!

Two of our middle school teachers are doing a podcast as an additional way to keep the community heartbeat of JCS going with you all. Please take the time to listen to their first segment!

A reminder from the office: If you're picking up students for an appointment in the afternoon or leaving school early, please notify your child's teacher by noon that day. Many of our classes are heading outside for their learning, so locating and getting your child to the office is taking a bit more time. Thank you!

The Entertainment Book sale ends today! For $30 you can purchase a whole book of local coupons that are good through next December (2021)!

The Key Card sale is back, and all ordering can be done online! There are two cards - an auto card ($10) and dining card ($20), each with tons of coupons for you to use through 2021, many of which are unlimited use coupons! Half of your purchase price for the card goes to supporting our JCS middle school students' year end fees. Use code '550' at checkout to make your purchase in support of JCS. Buy one for you and one for a friend; they make a great gift! If ordering online isn't your thing and you'd like to purchase a key card, we have a few physical cards in the JCS office! Please stop by and purchase one!

The Passing on the Faith drive completed last week. With your support we have received over $42,000 in gifts and pledges. Thank you all who pledged, and have already given toward our annual fund goal of $145,000. There is still time to support this fund and the needs that it fulfills - tuition assistance, unique experiences within the classroom and in God's big world, and meeting special needs of our student community. We value the continued support we receive from our families and community in meeting these special needs at JCS!

Tuition Reduction Incentive Program (T.R.I.P.)

Curbside TRIP will be offered approximately twice a month up to Christmas. All orders MUST be preordered. TRIP has dwindled down its inventory and gift cards are now being ordered on an as needed basis. Pick ups will be offered ONLY on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-7:00 PM as volunteers and parents are not able to be in the school building during school hours at this time. The order due and pick up dates for September through December are as follows to help you plan accordingly.

Order by Tuesday, October 6 and pick up on on Wednesday, October 14,
Order by Tuesday, October 27 and pick up on Wednesday, November 4,
Order by Tuesday, November 10 and pick up on Wednesday, November 18,
Order by Tuesday, December 1 and pick up on Wednesday, December 9 and
Order by Tuesday, December 8 and pick up on Wednesday, December 16.

When picking up your order, please enter the parking lot down by the ball field and follow along the sidewalk towards the office. A volunteer will greet you and deliver your order to your car. TRIP monetary distribution that normally occurs the end of August will not be happening this fall due to the limited availability of being able to order TRIP this spring/summer. TRIP earnings will be credited to your accounts as usual in April. Thank you for your understanding. Please pass this information along to friends and family that don’t receive emails from JCS. As a reminder, we will NOT be able to fulfill any orders at pick up. ALL ORDERS ARE PREORDER ONLY.

BUS BULLETIN

There will be no AM or PM bussing for students riding the JPS Rabbit bus on Friday, October 30.

JCS #14 Deer and #18 Eagle bus parents, please email your driver when your student does not need morning pick-up at deer14@jenisonchristian.org & eagle18@jenisonchristian.org. Bus drivers are not able to communicate during their morning bus runs from 6:50 am to 8:30 am.