Red Note - HLA Newsletter
Week 3, Sunday September 8
¡Aquí Jugamos!: is LAUP's unstructured play program for 1st-5th graders, available this fall to all HPS elementary students in grades 1-5. The program will begin on Wednesday, September 18th, 2024, at HLA and will run until Wednesday, May 28th, 2025. It will serve between 15-20 students for the fall semester.
To enroll, families can call the LAUP office at 616-888-7225 or email Marlen Barrios, LAUP’s Case Manager, at marlen@laup.org to schedule a required youth intake appointment.
We are excited to announce that Emma Ortiz, a graduate of HLA, HPS, and the LAUP Mas Adelante! program (Class of 2023), has been hired as the Youth Program Instructor. Emma is eager to begin her journey with LAUP Youth Development Programs and is thrilled to serve at the school that helped shape her!
Attendance Reminders: Part of our behavior expectation Participo (I participate in learning) includes regular attendance. Too many absences and late arrivals lead to missed academic time that negatively impacts student learning. We value your child and are invested in their wellbeing and education! A few attendance reminders for this year:
Please call the main office at 616-494-2600 whenever your student is going to be late or absent.
Students are considered chronically absent when they have missed 10% or more of their enrolled school days (approximately 2 or more days per month).
Both unexcused AND excused absences are factored into chronic absenteeism percentages to account for overall missed learning time.
Please try to schedule vacations and appointments (medical, dental, etc.) during scheduled breaks or after school hours whenever possible. Otherwise, please provide a doctor’s note for the absence.
For questions related to illness, please contact our school nurse, Emily Byl (ebyl@hollandpublicschools.org).
We will work closely with families to help eliminate any existing attendance barriers. Read here for ways you can help encourage good attendance. Thank you for partnering with us to help your child be present and ready to learn this year!
Donation Thank-You’s: A big thank you to D&W Fresh Market for collecting school supplies for our teachers, and to Aldi and Sam’s Club for gift card donations to purchase classroom snacks. We are so grateful for your investment in our students!
HPS Nutrition: is asking for some help is clarifying the cost of a la carte milk…. Could you please add this link to your next newsletter:
Breakfast and Lunch are no cost to students, but a la carte milk is .75 cents. Here’s an explanation.
https://www.hollandpublicschools.org/pub/news/posts/2960
Homecoming: is just around the corner, and we’d love for you to join us in celebrating! We’re inviting all of our school families to march with us in the Homecoming Parade on September 27th. We’ll be gathering on the 10th Street side of Centennial Park at 5:00 pm, with the parade kicking off at 5:30 pm. This year, the parade route is slightly longer, so come ready for a bit of extra fun!
We’re looking for a spirited group of students to proudly represent our school. Be sure to wear your best Holland gear and keep an eye out for our school banner. After the parade, we’ll head over to the Hope College Stadium to cheer on our Holland Dutch as they take on Kellogsville in the Homecoming football game.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Homecoming Spirit Week: September 23- 27
Monday, September 23: Comfy Day
Tuesday, September 24: Hat Day
Wednesday, September 25: Superhero Day
Thursday, September 26: Sports Jersey Day
Friday, September 27: Red & White Day
PBIS: As we progress into the 2024-2025 school year, we are excited to continue our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program. Here’s a brief overview:
PODER Expectations:
Participate in learning and use active listening
Take pride and do your best work and keep our area clean
Think first, then act and follow rules
Take responsibility for your actions, behavior and be honest
Be respectful, use kind words and care for others
PODER Acknowledgment System: Students demonstrating these behaviors will receive PODER tickets, which they can use to buy items from our PODER store every Friday.
Bi-weekly Recognition: Every two weeks, students showing consistent PODER behaviors will receive a certificate, a special prize, and recognition in announcements, with a photo displayed. They will also join an end-of-month celebration.
To support these initiatives, we ask for a $10 contribution per family. Please complete the form that was sent home with an envelope and return it by Monday, September 30. Your support helps us maintain a positive school environment.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sincerely,
Principal Iliana and the HLA PBIS Leadership Team
School Food Assistance Programs | Hand2Hand and Kids’ Food Basket
In addition to no-cost breakfast and lunch at school, we have two take-home food assistance programs for our HLA students. Kids’ Food Basket provides daily Sack Suppers on Mondays through Thursdays. Sack Suppers include fresh produce and other healthy snacks. See here for more information. Hand2Hand provides weekend food bags that include breakfast, lunch, and dinner items. See here for more information. Sign up sheets for both programs were sent home with all students. Extra copies are available in the office. Signed forms can be turned in at the office or to your child’s teacher at any time this year.
School Resource Center | Donations Welcome All Year!
Our School Resource Center at HLA helps address student needs during the school day, offering school supplies, winter gear, and other clothing. Current donation needs include new girls’ and boys’ socks and underwear and new or gently used shorts, leggings, and athletic pants in any size. Donations can be dropped off at the main office. Please contact our Community Coordinator Ashley Golin (agolin@hollandpublicschools.org) with any questions. Thank you for your support!
Sponsorship Opportunities
There are a variety of sponsorship opportunities for local businesses and nonprofits to get involved at HLA. These include providing activities for monthly positive behavior and attendance student celebrations as well as supporting other school events and initiatives. If your organization is interested in partnering with us, please reach out to our Community Coordinator, Ashley Golin (agolin@hollandpublicschools.org). If you would like to volunteer at HLA, be sure to complete our district’s online background check form. Thank you for your consideration!