May 4, 2026

West May News #1

Dear West Families,

We are in our final full month of school AND what a month it is! M-STEP and NWEA testing, VELO Kids Bike School, Staff Appreciation Week, Tulip Time KinderParade and more!

Our fifth grade students have completed M-STEP!! This Tuesday and Wednesday,fourth graders will be taking the ELA portion of MSTEP. Also on Wednesday, third graders will be taking the math portion of the test. Please remember to have your student(s) get a good night of sleep, be on time to school, and have a great breakfast! Please check out the M-STEP schedule below for the remaining testing sessions.

The 2026 KinderParade is this Thursday, May 7! May 7th is a half-day for all student– dismissal is at 11:35 am. Students marching in the parade need to return to the building by 1:00 pm, dressed in their costumes. PLEASE have a plan for reuniting with your student(s) at Kollen Park Band Shell after the parade. The parade will end approximately at 3:00 pm.

2026 Staff Appreciation Week is this week. The best appreciation present is the gift of a compliment. Let your student’s teacher know how important they are by writing a small note or card to them!

As we prepare for the start of the next school year, it's time to register your student for 2026-27. This is something we ask ALL current HPS families to do EVERY year. https://www.hollandpublicschools.org/pub/news/posts/3515.

Holland voters will see a Sinking Fund Proposal on the May 5 ballot. In addition to supporting ongoing facility repairs and improvements, the updated language in the proposal would allow the district to use these funds for transportation and maintenance vehicles.  Learn more about the proposal before voting on May 5: https://www.hollandpublicschools.org/pub/news/posts/3514  

As always, please contact our administrative team with any questions or concerns!

Warmly,

Chad Tolson, Principal

Jennifer Heinritz, Assistant Principal

Important Dates:  

  • April 14-May 15: MSTEP Testing 

  • May 1– Velo Kids Bike School for Kindergarten and 1st Grade 

  • May 7– Half-Day and Tulip Time KinderParade

This Week’s PBIS Focus Lesson: Playground

This week we will be reviewing the routine and expectations for the playground. Help us by reviewing the morning announcements with your student(s), and asking your student(s) how they show POWER in the identified area of the building!

Watch the Daily Announcements HERE: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cDosEwCJlCvw7UoWwl2Ji6sAmQ2L8r5o?usp=sharing

M-Step Testing

For the month of April, and some of May, 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, bring healthy snacks on testing days, and bring a full water bottle. Below are the grade-level testing dates:

  • 3rd Grade: May 6, May 12, May 13

  • 4th Grade: May 5, May 6 

  • Makeups: May 14, 15, 18-20