June 5, 2023

Holland Language Academy family, 

It is hard to believe that another school year has come to an end. It seems like just yesterday we had our first day of school parade, where balloons, cheers, parents and community members welcomed our students back. Thank you for a fabulous year - so many wonderful memories! 

With the end of every school year also comes bittersweet goodbyes. I want to congratulate three outstanding educators that are retiring. Mary Camfferman, Keren Fuentes and Rosa Rodriguez have been pillars of our school district for many years, and their absence will be deeply felt. Their tireless commitment to our students and our community is a testament to their character and dedication. Their contributions will be felt for many years to come. Best wishes to each of our retirees. 

We congratulate our graduating fifth graders on their promotion to middle school. You began your journey as kindergartners six years ago and we have had the opportunity to watch you grow from our youngest learners to our eldest. You have learned to read, write, add, subtract, multiply and divide; you have learned how to observe the world around you and record your observations; you have learned to work through conflict and the importance of social emotional health, not to mention you've done this in two languages. To our fifth grade families, thank you for the privilege you gave us of partnering with you in your child’s education, it’s truly been an honor. We hope that you will look back fondly on your time with us at HLA.  

For our returning HLA families, we cannot wait to see you again in August. For our departing families, please know it’s been our honor to serve you. We hope you have a wonderful and relaxing summer break and we look forward to welcoming you and your children back in the new academic year. 

Save the date: 

Monday, August 21, Open House 4:00-6:00

Wednesday, August 23, First day of school (Early Release Day) 

Proud to be your principal, Iliana 

After school Clubs for Fall ‘23 | Volunteer Opportunities 

Nothing enhances the school experience like extracurricular programs. It’s the best opportunity most kids have for social and emotional development without the pressures of an academic setting. As a result, kids become more connected to their school and their community.

In the past, we’ve had voluntary parent-led after school programs such as chess club and creative writing club. Now is the time to be thinking if you or someone you know would like to lead an 8 week afterschool program for our students. You decide the day of the week, the target grade, the total number of students you can accommodate, and the topic. We’d like to have a variety of programs for our students. 

Dates 

• Week of October 2- Week of November 20
• Week of January 15- Week of March 4 

Times,

• after school -4:30

Please email with any questions and ideas you may have ivasquez@hollandpublicschools.org  

Community Partner Appreciation | Staff Wellness Challenge

Thank you to all of the organizations and businesses that donated items toward a wellness goodie basket for the winner of our staff mental health self-care challenge: Healthy Holland, Holland Recreation, Lark, Peachwave Frozen Yogurt and Gelato, and Salubrity Vida Day Spa. We appreciate your support for staff well-being!

FREE Adult ESL and GED Classes in Holland | July-August 2023

Zeeland Adult Education is offering FREE ESL and GED classes for adults this summer at Midtown Center in Holland (96 W 15th Street). For more information and to register, see here. 

HLA Student Council | Year-End Celebrations

Our 5th grade Student Council members celebrate the initiatives they organized this school year. We thank them for their service to HLA!

Community Service Committee - Organized Movie Night, which raised $723.34 to contribute toward a native planting project, a composting pilot project for 2023-2024, and to help fund initial budgets for next year’s Student Council.

Green Team - Led recycling education, organized an Earth Day poster contest and activity stations, and initiated a courtyard cleanup.

Leadership Committee - Planned and provided English or Spanish reading or math tutoring for K-2 small groups this spring. 

School Spirit Committee - Organized the Talent Show, which celebrated students and raised $206.86 to purchase school supplies for classroom teachers and vacuums for popcorn Fridays.

Kids Bowl Free | All summer long!

Kids Bowl Free offers kids 2 FREE games of bowling EVERY DAY at BAM! in Holland during the summer months. (Fees still apply for rental shoes and adult admission.) See here for more details and to register your students for this fun, free program. 

May Classroom Attendance Winner

Congratulations to Maestra Roa’s class for winning our May attendance incentive! Our goal is 90% or more of each class present every day. Maestra Roa’s class met that goal every single day in May and had an overall attendance of 96%. Thank you, Craig’s Cruisers, for sponsoring our May attendance celebration with free attraction passes for students! If your organization would like to sponsor an attendance or positive behavior incentive next school year, please reach out to our OCSN Coordinator Ashley Golin at agolin@hollandpublicschools.org. 

Medicaid Renewals + WIC Income Guideline Increase

As of 5/11/23, all families receiving Medicaid benefits will need to go through the redetermination process. Learn more here about what you can do to avoid a gap in your Medicaid or CHIP coverage. Also, as of 6/1/23, the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) has increased their income guidelines so additional families may now qualify. WIC is a supplemental nutrition program for pregnant (or recently pregnant) women and children up to age 5. See here to determine if you qualify. 

NEW Girl Scouts Daisy Troop at HLA | Troop Leaders Needed!

The Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore is hoping to start up a new Daisy troop for kindergarten and 1st grade students at HLA this fall. Parents of current or incoming HLA kindergarteners – we are in need of at least one Troop Leader and one Assistant Troop Leader in order to make this happen! See here for more information. Troop Leaders can choose the date, time, and place they meet, as well as how often. This is a great opportunity to get involved in your child’s extracurricular activities and build a strong sense of community! If you are interested in helping start a troop, please reach out to Taylor Zenobia at tzenobia@gsmists.org or 231-220-0508. 
 

Summer Swim Opportunities | Bouws Pool and Holland Aquatic Center

There are many opportunities for summer swimming in Holland. Two pool options include:

Bouws Pool - Free for all kids, $1 for adults 16 and over

Holland Aquatic Center - The HAC is offering a new membership option this year called “Summer Splash Pass,” which includes unlimited visits during designated Splash Time hours. Significantly reduced-rate memberships are available to qualifying families (click here to see if you qualify for financial aid). 

Volunteer Opportunity | Community Action House and Ottawa Food

Volunteers are needed to help Community Action House and Ottawa Food deliver food to migrant communities this summer. See here for more information and to sign up. As CAH/OF shared, “This is a great opportunity for Spanish-speaking volunteers or families to get to know the migrant workers who live in and serve Ottawa County!”