HOME COMMUNICATOR
One of the regular parts of my job as a principal is asking people to do things that aren’t always convenient or fun—covering an extra recess duty, unclogging a toilet, subbing in a classroom, or stepping into a different role when something unexpected comes up. However, over the past year, I’ve noticed a wonderful thing that has really encouraged me. There are several people who, when asked, almost always respond the same way: “I can do that.” These tasks are rarely glamorous and often come at inconvenient times, yet they are met with a spirit of willingness and grace. I am always so thankful for these moments and for the people who quietly step in to help carry the load.
”Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.
1 Samuel 3:10 NIV
This posture of availability reminds me of young Samuel, who (eventually) responded to the Lord’s call in 1 Samuel 3:10 by saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”. Samuel didn’t fully understand what was being asked of him, but his heart was open and ready to respond, even when it involved delivering some hard news to Eli.
I am grateful to be part of a school community where this same spirit of service is lived out so beautifully. As a school community, may we continue to be people who listen for the needs around us and respond with willing hearts—trusting that God often works through small acts of faithfulness and a simple, “I can do that.”
In Christ,
Tricia Kiepert
Elementary Principal
SCHOOL-WIDE NEWS
Staff Appreciation Week March 9-13
All HCS Parents AND Students: Since we certainly appreciate our HCS Teachers and Staff, the Parents’ Club Board would like to invite all HCS parents and students to express your appreciation for them this week!
You’re Invited: Tell Me About My Kid! with Dan Landstra 🗓️
Parenting today can feel overwhelming. Join us for “Tell Me About My Kid!” with Dan Landstra on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 7:00 PM for an evening designed to help us better understand the hearts and minds of students in today’s culture. Dan will share practical tools and provide a strong biblical framework to lead students with wisdom and confidence as we explore topics like technology, mental health, identity, and faith. Learn more about the event and RSVP on our website.
Auction
We are humbled by God’s faithfulness to us and our community’s generosity at the 2026 HCS Auction. Together, we raised over $185,000 to support Christian education at HCS.
During the Auction, we took a special collection in support of security advancements at HCS. Thanks to the incredible support of our community, we received $17,622 and, thanks to a donor, every dollar was matched! There is still time to give. Donations will continue to be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000 through this Saturday, March 14. Thank you for partnering with us to keep HCS a safe place to challenge minds and lives for Christ.
Please watch this great video for more information and give online by Saturday.
We are so grateful for the support of our sponsors and donors, the enthusiasm of our bidders, and the many volunteers who gave their time. It was a wonderful evening of fellowship, fun, and generosity. We are truly blessed by a community that cares so deeply about Christian education and the mission of Hudsonville Christian School. Your support makes a lasting impact on our students and our school.
Moms in Prayer
Moms in Prayer invites you to boldly approach the throne of grace on behalf of your children and HCS by praying with other moms this Friday. We will be meeting in the Middle School conference room from 8:00-9:00 a.m. Check in at the main office. Join us as we pray for and thank God for the office staff, custodians and Administrators this week. We hope to see you there!
Early Release
Next week Friday, March 20 is an early release day, with dismissal at 11:10 AM. Our staff will be engaged in valuable professional development during this afternoon. Hudsonville Public buses will run as normal but students riding Unity buses will need to arrange for transportation home.
HCS Society Meeting
The HCS Annual Society Meeting will be held next Monday, March 16 at 7 p.m. in the elementary Gathering Space, and you are all invited to attend! In addition to voting on the budget and tuition scale, we will also elect school board members for the coming year. Here is the agenda for that meeting – HCS Society Report 2026
Parents’ Club Board – General Assembly Meeting
As a parent/guardian of a student at HCS you are a part of the Parents’ Club! Two times each year the Parents’ Club Board (PCB) hosts “General Assembly” meetings to provide updates and information specific to Parents’ Club support services, events and fundraisers. The spring meeting will be held during the HCS Society Meeting on Monday, March 16. We hope to see you there!
Parents’ Club Board Positions
The PCB is looking to fill 3 board positions for the 2026-2027 school year. The mission and goal of the PCB is to display good stewardship as we raise and allocate funds that benefit our children in a Christ-centered education, as well as to promote fellowship and the spirit of unity among parents, faculty and staff. Our 9-seat board is composed of current HCS parents that must attend monthly meetings and fulfill various assigned tasks. If you are interested in joining the Parents’ Club Board for a 3-year term starting in the fall of 2026, fill out this questionnaire by March 13, 2026. Email pcb@4hcs.org with any questions.
Class Placement Requests
Soon after spring break, staff will begin constructing next year’s class lists. This is an involved process that requires input of all the staff members who know your child. Because parents have information that is important, we wish to provide an avenue for this input. If you have a request, you must fill out the online form to ensure that it will be considered throughout the process. Class Placement Request Form. Forms are due Friday, March 13.
Walkathon
It is almost time for the HCS WALKATHON! The Walkathon will be held on Friday, May 1st at Unity Christian High School Track. Our only student-led fundraiser has a goal of $100,000 to cover the cost of technology improvements, sports teams, field trips, and event rentals. The preschoolers have a goal of $5,000 for the Early Childhood Program. The last 15 years have been a huge success and we are grateful for the support of our sponsors, parents and for the energy and hard work of our students. Donations will be accepted online or through pledge forms. You can make straight donations only with a credit card online. Pledge forms will be coming home Friday, March 13. Encourage your student to get pledges early before the busy spring arrives!
- Preschool-3rd grade: straight donations only.
- 4th grade-8th grade: Straight donation or per-lap. Prizes for each top boy/girl lap runner per grade.
Thanks again for your support and look forward to seeing you at the track on May 1st!
Scrap Metal Drive
Save the date for the annual Scrap Metal Drive for Unity Christian High School and Hudsonville Christian School will be held on May 1 & 2. We are in need of a few more volunteers to help at this fundraiser. Click here for more information and to sign up!
Employment Opportunities
If you are passionate about Christian education and are dedicated to following Christ, we invite you to consider one of the open employment positions at Hudsonville Christian School.
Pigs in a Blanket Sale
Pigs in a blanket are in the admin. office at the elementary building for $15/dozen! Thanks so much for supporting HCS!
Summer Hiking Trips
Students and parents of 4th through 8th graders interested in the summer hiking trips can find more information and a signup form here.
Summer Tutoring
A list of teachers that are available for summer tutoring can be found on our website.
Tuition Assistance – FACTS Program
Hudsonville Christian will again be participating in FACTS, a grant application program. Families who wish to apply for tuition assistance will need to use the FACTS application format online via their confidential website. The application fee will be paid by HCS. The FACTS organization will analyze the information of each applicant. Through FACTS, HCS has the ability to more evenly distribute available tuition assistance funds based upon factual information the families provide in the application. Please note that any additional information provided in the comments section at the end of the application is very helpful when making the decision for distribution.
Parents who have children in more than one EOCS school need only to fill out the application one time — the information will be available to the schools where their children attend. The FACTS online website application is available now. Please contact FACTS at 1-866-315-9262 with any questions. The deadline for submitting this application is March 31. For registration please go to www.factsmgt.com.
EARLY CHILDHOOD & KIDS' CORNER NEWS
Coffee and Praise and Worship
Preschool parents are invited to join us for a special coffee and praise & worship time with our preschool classes. Enjoy coffee, fellowship, and a meaningful time of worship alongside your child. You may attend on the day that best fits your schedule: Monday, March 30 or Tuesday, March 31 — starting at 10:00. Coffee will be served in Room 83 with praise and worship following in the East Gym at 10:20. We look forward to celebrating God’s goodness together with our preschool families! Please complete this survey so that you can be pre-registered with our school visitor system for this event.
ELEMENTARY NEWS
Chapel
This week Friday, March 13, Mrs. DeJong’s 1st Grade class will lead chapel from 10:00-10:25. Parents are welcome to join us and may enter through the west gym lobby doors.
New this week – Join us for coffee before and after chapel at the concession stand in the lobby of the west gym! Hot and iced coffee will be available by donation only, with a suggested $3 contribution. You can pay with cash or simply tap your phone or card. All proceeds will go directly to the Tuition Stabilization Fund. Enjoy some coffee and help support our school!
Elementary Hot Lunch
Information on the Elementary Hot Lunch program provided by JenHud Food Service can be found on the JenHud Food Service website. Make deposits and monitor your account through the Family Portal. If you have questions please contact the food service at foodservice@hpseagles.net.
Whitecaps Reading Club
Students in grades Y5-4th grade are taking home Whitecaps Reading Club forms this week. Students are able to earn two free tickets to a Whitecaps game by reading during the month of March. These forms do not need to be returned to school. Everything needed to order the tickets is included on the form. Happy Reading!
4th Grade Middle School Orientation Night
As we move further into the second semester we are starting to think about next year! With this comes a transition from the elementary to the middle school for 4th graders. This parent orientation night will take place on Tuesday, March 24 at 7:00 PM in the middle school Orchestra room.
Hearing and Vision Screening
Ottawa County Health Department will be coming to HCS in April to conduct Hearing screening (grades K, 2 and 4) and Vision screening (grades 1 and 3). If you would like to OPT OUT of these screenings, please let Linda Kellar (lkellar@4hcs.org) know – in writing – before March 30, 2026. If we do not receive a note requesting to have your student OPT OUT of these screenings, we will be providing the health department with class lists including student’s gender, date of birth, address, and parent contact information. Please let Linda Kellar know if you have any questions.
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Chapel
Students and staff will gather for chapel from 7:55-8:25 AM in the south gym on Tuesday and Friday. Parents are welcome to join us!
- March 10 – Cory Nederveld leading chapel
- March 13 – 7th Grade Students leading chapel
Hot Lunch
Hot lunch this week Wednesday will be Jets Pizza for $2.50/slice, chips $.50 & pop $1.00 (limit of 1).
Donuts
This Friday, donuts will be sold during morning break for $1.75.
5th-8th Grade FiddleFest
The 5th-8th grade Orchestras will be performing their annual FiddleFest at FairHaven at 7:00 on Tuesday, March 17. Please reach out to Mrs. Sara Jager with questions, and all are welcome to attend.
Sensational Science Day-March 20
On Friday, March 20, we will be hosting our Sensational Science Day. Students will attend multiple sessions from a variety of 20 presenters. The goal of the day is to show students how God shows up in science. Thanks to everyone who will be presenting and be sure to ask your son/daughter what they learned!
Hand 2 Hand
We have the opportunity to Follow His Footsteps by feeding hungry kids in our area as we partner with Hand 2 Hand. This ministry delivers weekend food to kids who need it most, giving them fuel to learn, grow and reach their God-given potential. Our family discipleship groups will pack “snack packs” together on March 31. We are asking that students in each grade-level bring two boxes (or one large Costco-sized box) of the following items by Friday, March 27. We will happily accept ANY brand! Please check the expiration dates (we are looking for dates at least 6 months out). If you are able, we also need quart-sized zip lock bags (any brand) to pack the snacks.
- 5th Grade: microwave popcorn
- 6th Grade: fruit snacks
- 7th Grade: breakfast bars or granola bars
- 8th Grade: trail mix or Rice Krispie treat
A letter was sent to parents via email on March 9 with more information. Contact Evamarie Eggebeen with any questions.
8th Grade Unity Mixer
Save the Date for the 8th Grade Bowling Night on Friday, March 27 from 7:00-8:30 pm at Hudsonville Lanes. Cost is $10 per person for 2 games and shoes. NO RSVP, just come! Extra drinks/snacks will be available for purchase.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Unity Middle School Bass Fishing
There is a middle school division for Bass Fishing Tournaments in West Michigan. If you are interested in learning more about tournament opportunities and would like to order a UC Fishing jersey, please contact Chad Essebaggers by email or phone at cessebaggers@yahoo.com or 616-822-5787.
