April Newsletter
Calendar
April 10: Early Release Day
April 15: PTO Meeting 3:45 at West
April 17: Early Release Day
April 18: Power H Shop
April 22-26: Autism Acceptance Week Theme Days
April 24: Early Release Day
April 26: HALF-Day All Students
April 30: Registration Block Party
Principals Corner
Dear West Families,
Welcome to the April and Spring edition of our school newsletter! As we have entered our standardized testing (MSTEP) window for 3rd-5th grade and spring break is behind us, I encourage everyone to stay focused, rested, and engaged in our collective pursuit of academic excellence Holland West. Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to our school community. Here's to a month filled with growth, joy, and memorable moments.
Student Achievements: Let's celebrate our students' successes! We will be having a schoolwide PBIS celebration in the coming weeks. Students will enjoy a dance party in the cafeteria with their grade level.
Upcoming Events:
OK2Say Presentation - 4th and 5th grade students
April 30 - District Registration Block Party
Here are links to important information about Registration and the Block Party coming up on April 30.
May 17 - Field Day at West
Safety Reminder: Please do not park on the curb and get out of your vehicle during student drop-off and pick-up.
As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued partnership in fostering a positive and enriching learning environment for our students.
Wishing you a wonderful April filled with learning, growth, and joy!
Yours in Education,
Chad Tolson
Autism Acceptance Week April 22-26 Theme Days
April is Autism Acceptance Month. The recognition raises awareness about autism acceptance and promotes inclusion and connectedness for people with autism. Social and community support can help people with autism achieve optimal health and reach their full potential. We are recognizing Autism Month by having Themed days listed below:
- Magnificent Mind Monday: Wear hats and/or favorite hairstyle day
- Tie Dye Tuesday: Wear Tie Day/Rainbow Day
- Team Up for Autism Wednesday: Wear your favorite jersey or shirt
- Get Comfy with Inclusion Thursday: Wear Pajamas
- Red and Gold Friday: Wear red and gold shirt
KinderParade
HPS Students (Grades 1-5) are invited to march in the Tulip Time KinderParade on Thursday May 9. If you are planning on your child walking in the parade, they must have a costume and you must fill out this form by Monday, May 6.
Tulip Time Costume Rental - $5
Friday, May 3 | 4:30-7pm at Holland Language Academy, 461 VanRaalte
Saturday, May 4 | 9:30-12pm at Holland Language Academy, 461 VanRaalte
For HPS students, Grades 1-5, marching in the KinderParade on Thursday, May 9. Cash or Check ONLY.
Students must have permission from parents to join HPS in the KinderParade on May 9.
2024-25 Student Registration
As we prepare for the start of the next school year, it's time register your student for 2024-25. This is something we ask ALL current HPS families to do EVERY year.
Completing the registration lets us know your student(s) will be returning next year! It also lets you:
Review and update household contact information
Review and update student health information
Request transportation for the 2024-2025 school year (Deadline to request bussing is August 1)
Without this information, your student can not be added to a class list for next year OR have a class schedule created for them.
It doesn't take long to update this information in your Parent Portal account - but it is so important that you do it very soon!
Enrollment/Registration Block Party - Tuesday, April 30
We’ll celebrate new students and families to Holland Public Schools and offer assistance to complete online registration and enrollment.
Tuesday, April 30, 5:30-7:30pm at Holland Middle School
EVERY family enrolled in HPS Kindergarten who attends the BLOCK PARTY will get a Summer Goodie Bag with books and fun activities for summer learning!
The Ottawa County Health Dept and Miles of Smiles will be there giving the required Vision, Hearing & Dental screenings for K Enrollment.
Current HPS families who are registered for 2024-25 by the May 1 will be entered into a drawing for $100 Meijer gift cards! More..
Ok2SAY Presentations
Our school will be hosting a presentation on OK2SAY – Michigan’s student safety program for students.
K-5 students: Thursday & Friday, April 18 & 19
HMS students: Tuesday, April 23
HHS students: Wednesday, April 17
The program is designed to inform students how they can help make their school and community safer by reporting dangerous and concerning behaviors to a trusted adult or OK2SAY.
If you do NOT want your child to participate in these presentations, please fill out the following form before Monday, April 15
Student Learner Profiles Due May 1
If you want to complete a Student Learner Profile please focus on
specific information about your child’s learning styles,
educational needs and other special considerations
that should be made when placing your child into a
class next school year. Please return to the school
office once completed or email to mtatlock@hollandpublicschools.org
M-Step Testing
For the next several weeks our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students will be taking M-STEP, which is the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress. Please help us support our West students with a successful testing experience by doing the following: Get a good night of sleep, eat breakfast at home or at school, arrive on-time to school, avoid any appointments, bring healthy snacks on testing days, and bring a full water bottle. Below are the grade-level testing dates:
April 9,10, 16, 17 ,23, and 24 - 5th Grade
May 1, 2, 7 and 8 - 3rd/4th Grades
PBIS Updates
The PBIS team continues to look at school wide data regarding student behavior. Our referrals are holding steady. We continue to review school expectations with students on a weekly basis.
In February students earned an extra recess with a bag of chips.
For March students worked to earn green tickets by making Wise Choices. The students earned time to play bingo with Mr. Tolson.
In April students will be working to earn yellow POWER tickets. The focus is Being Engaged in learning. When the school has filled the jar we will celebrate with a school wide dance party.
STEM
Dear Parents,
Last year the 5th graders had an opportunity to create cardboard arcade games. They used their engineering and design skills and creativity to create some pretty cool games for the younger grades to play. We are planning on doing it again in May, but we need your help with materials. If you would like to donate any of these items, please send them with your student.
If you are curious about this project, google “CAINES ARCADE”
Needed items:
*Duct tape *Large cardboard boxes *hot glue gun glue *card board cutter *Ribbon *stickers *fabric *cardboard tubes *craft sticks
*wooden dowels *wooden skewers *pipe cleaners
*tickets *small prizes *pretend coins
____________________________________________________________________
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED in STEM:
If you have completed the volunteer form and would be interested in helping with the 5th graders build their arcade games, please email Mrs. Johns at jjohn@hollandpublicschools.org
Dates and times:
Monday April 29, or Tuesday April 30 2:45-3:30
Monday May 6 or Tuesday May 7 2:45 - 3:30
Monday May 15th 2:45- 3:30
West PTO News
READ-A-THON
Thank you to all the teachers and students who helped make the District PTO Read-A-Thon a success! West students read 43,852 minutes and raised $6910. The top two participating classes - Chamness and Hildebrand - will get donuts with Superintendent Cassidy, thanks to deBoer Bakkerij. Kempf was a close third! Teachers Forbes, Kempf, and LePard all earned an extra $25 in classroom cash for having 50% of their students participating. Special thanks to Craigs Cruisers for donating all the “free ticket” prizes. Funds raised help West PTO support field trips, staff appreciation, free popcorn Fridays, field day, and more.
Special thanks and congrats to these overall winners at West! We appreciate all your hard work!
Minutes Read:
First Place: Matthew (Hildebrand) - 1925 min
Second Place: Emma (Chamness) - 1340 min
Third Place (three-way tie):
Mara (Hildebrand) - 1180 min
Niel (Chamness) - 1180 min
Ellie (Kempf) - 1180 min
Donations Raised:
First Place: Aria (Smith)
Second Place: Mara (Hildebrand)
Third Place: Myrtle (LePard)
STAFF APPRECIATION
On April 26, HPS PTO will be providing a light lunch for district staff during professional development. West and Jefferson have been asked to provide drinks. Please sign up here if you can help. All donated items can be dropped off or delivered to the HPS Administration office.
May 6-10 is national Teacher Appreciation Week and we will once again be celebrating ALL the amazing staff at West. We are in need of volunteers to help plan fun little surprises each day that week. Please reach out if you are able to help and follow us on Facebook for updates.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are in urgent need of volunteers to finish up the year - especially April popcorn Friday, Field Day and staff appreciation week. This year, we are looking to bring back VIP Day on Field Day. This could be an exciting opportunity for your student to invite a special VIP to watch them participate or volunteer with an activity. We are currently in need of a co-chair to pull this off. Please email HollandWestPTO@gmail.com if you can help with any of these events.
SAVE THE DATE:
Next PTO Meeting - Monday, April 15 @ 3:45 at West
Free Popcorn Friday – April 26
Field Day - Friday, May 17 (rain date: May 24)
OCSN News
Building Healthy Communities: A Healthy Breakfast makes for a Healthy Student!
This month, students will be taught BHC lessons on ‘Healthy Breakfast’ and ‘Around the
World’. Students will learn why breakfast is an important meal to make time for, to provide us
energy to get through the day, and what a healthy breakfast should consist of, including multiple
food groups. Students will also learn about how people eat breakfast around the world in
different ways! Check out BHC’s parent tip sheet on Flavor Remix to ‘spice up’ some of your
usual meals!
Your child’s ability to learn and succeed in the classroom improves when he or she has eaten
breakfast. Help encourage your child(ren) to eat at least 3 different food groups at breakfast! Plan
ahead and find healthy foods that make a quick breakfast for mornings on-the-go! Check out
BHC’s parent tip sheets featuring Healthy Breakfast!
BHC provided our school with lots of new recess and PE equipment to use this year to encourage
physical activity, which they love to play with and keeps them more active! Please help to
reiterate at home the importance of eating breakfast, so they can learn and play at their best and
have a successful, fun day! Celebrate National Walking Day and World Health Day with your
child(ren) this week, to discuss the importance of movement and eating healthy!
Here are some helpful tips for helping your child cope with stress.
Late Student Arrivals and Parent Pick-up
If your student is arriving at school after the start of the day, 8:30 AM, then he/she/they must be signed into the office by an adult. Please do not send your child into the building unaccompanied.
Our school day ends at 3:36 PM. Please pick your child(ren) up promptly at the end of the day. Our office and administrative staff often have other obligations, and we cannot guarantee that there will be supervision.
Drop-off and Pick-up Reminders
Our number one goal during drop-off and pick-up is to keep our West students safe.
Please read over our Pick-up and Drop-off procedures to help ensure that our students are coming and going from school in a safe manner:
Morning Drop-off
Morning Drop-Off begins at 8:15 AM for all students.
Pull your vehicle all of the way forward to the curb to unload your student(s).
After your student(s) has exited your vehicle, please pull forward, so the next car can unload.
Parking is NOT allowed curbside! Please park in the parking lot if you need to stay longer or get out of your car with your child. This will help keep traffic moving!
Students go directly to their class lines, and should not enter the office.
Afternoon Pick Up
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) , Kindergarten, First and Second Grade students are picked up in the front of building on 24th Street.
Third through Fifth Grades are picked up on the large West playground facing Christ Memorial, or the front loop.
No parking in the pick up or drive lanes. We are trying to keep traffic moving quickly and safely for everyone. Please be patient as we get students to each car safely.
Do not motion students across the traffic lanes to the parking lot, or motion students into the traffic lanes to get into your vehicle. We want to keep our students safe!
You may park in the parking lot and walk-up to the building to get your student.