January 10 Home Communicator – “Schools shape your kids to a great extent. The environment and exposure they get in school directly affect their future. They learn to adjust between a group of people, interact with them, react in various situations.” This powerful sentence concluding an article I was reading hit me hard and prompted me…
DetailsDecember 20 Home Communicator – “He shall reign, forevermore, forevermore.” These are the words I heard sung with zeal from 2nd graders as I walked past their classroom a few weeks ago. Like many of our elementary students, they were preparing for last week’s HCS Christmas Celebration at Fair Haven Church. The event was a wonderful…
DetailsDecember 13 Home Communicator – Walking into the elementary building on the morning of December 1, I was greeted by a chorus of students telling me they had already found a wandering wise man! They could hardly contain their excitement. Every morning since then has been the same…”Miss Staal! I found a wise man!” Throughout the…
DetailsDecember 6 Home Communicator – On Thanksgiving weekend, we have a tradition of digging into a box of Christmas books and movies with our boys and so begins the full-on anticipation of Christmas. One of my favorite little stories in our stash of Christmas books is about a little mouse who takes up residence in…
DetailsNovember 29 Home Communicator “I can’t do this.” These were the words I recently heard a student say when I was in their classroom. The student felt overwhelmed- they were tasked with a challenge that felt difficult and overwhelming to them. Thankfully, this student’s teacher overheard and responded quickly and calmly- “I believe in…
DetailsNovember 22 Home Communicator – A few months ago, after witnessing a chapel where students spent the morning reading Scripture, I wrote about how I should “act a little more like a middle schooler”. People thought I was crazy, yet appreciated a perspective that challenged typical assumptions of middle schoolers. Here’s another crazy idea. Last Wednesday…
DetailsNovember 15 Home Communicator – Three points determine a plane. Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve thought about that handy little fact but it’s been on my mind, or some variation of it, a lot lately. Think of a plane as a sheet of paper that extends forever and ever in all directions. If you…
DetailsNovember 8 Home Communicator – “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His faithfulness continues from generation to generation.” By now I am hopeful that you all have heard the news and had the opportunity to rejoice in the Lord’s provision of a fully funded Forward in Faith Middle School Project! In 6 short…
DetailsNovember 1 Home Communicator – My husband and I have taken to announcing things when we drive places. It all started when we lived in Chicago and it felt like we needed two people on the lookout in order to drive safely. We would say things like BICYCLIST ON RIGHT or RED LIGHT CAMERA or PEDESTRIAN…
DetailsOctober 25 Home Communicator – I trust that everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable fall break over the extended weekend. Hopefully it was a time that was spent with family and friends. Our Hudsonville Christian School teachers and staff had an enjoyable fall break as well. Teachers and staff attended the Christian Educators Association (CEA) conference…
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