Letter to a Saint

Our sixth-grade Bible curriculum includes a unit on Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae. In the letter, Paul thanks the Colossians, encourages them, and prays for them. After studying Paul's words to the Colossians, the students were invited to select a person from their own life who exemplifies the character of Christ and with whom they have a personal relationship. They were challenged by teachers to “search their heart for the right words to encourage a saint.” Each student identified a saint and courageously designed a letter that imitated Paul’s words to the people in Colossae. The letters included elements of thanksgiving and encouragement. Each letter concluded with a personalized prayer. Students were invited to step into God’s Word to encourage others. They examined scripture, searched their hearts, and found the words to acknowledge and uplift a saint in their life. This fall they mailed their final drafts with the expectation that God would bless their efforts and, in turn, bless the faithful saints.

Rather than teachers grading the letters, the students used a rubric to self-evaluate their work for Biblical content and high-quality writing. One student reflected, “It was challenging to use ‘Godly words’ and phrases, but I was proud of how my letter sounded.” Another student said, “God’s words are powerful to me because I know that God only speaks the truth.”

Studying the book of Colossians led the sixth graders to see the story. Using the acquired knowledge and understanding allowed the students to live the story. Our theme verse, James 1:22, reads, “Do not merely listen to the word…Do what it says.” This project provided an opportunity for our students to do just that - listen and do!

A Note from Mr. O!

It is with thankfulness that we have been able to celebrate an incredible start to the new school year at Byron Center Christian School (BCCS). We started the 2023-2024 academic year with our focus on a shared mission of providing an excellent education which is rooted in God’s Word in order to prepare our children for lifelong service to Him. It is a blessing to lead our children to both See the Story and Live the Story through our storyline for this year. We are also guided by the words from James 1:22a, where we are called to actively live out what we read in God’s Word:


But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. - James 1:22a

Our students and staff, both returning and new, have embraced each day with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a passion for learning that is inspiring. Students’ eagerness to see the story grow both academically and spiritually is a testament to the nurturing environment cultivated by our staff. Our exceptional team has continued to seek the high academic standards and faith formation that we strive for at BCCS. Their unwavering commitment to our children is a cornerstone of our success and a great blessing.

I must express my heartfelt appreciation to our supportive parents and community as well. Your trust in our school and your active involvement in your children's education make a significant impact on their growth and success. Your partnership and support are invaluable. Our united commitment to faith and service is evident in the numerous activities and initiatives that have already taken place this year.

As we look ahead, we anticipate many more exciting opportunities for growth. We will see growth academically and spiritually through our existing and new programs. We will also see growth in enrollment again next year, and our need for additional space is becoming urgent. Our commitment to Christian education at BCCS and our belief in the potential of every student will continue to guide us in our commitment to serving the children and families in Byron Center and beyond as we live the story together.

Here at BCCS, we are excited about the journey that lies before us and the positive impact that we will make as a school community. We will carry this momentum forward with the knowledge that God's grace is with us every step of the way as we follow His lead. Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to Byron Center Christian School!

Serving Him,

James Onderlinde

Administrator


New Year, Same Story

This year our school storyline is See the Story, Live the Story. This is our theme for the year as we plan everything from classroom lessons and activities to projects and chapels. The supporting verse chosen by our incoming 8th graders is James 1:22a, which reads from the NLT version, “But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says.” It’s a perfect fit for our theme! At BCCS, we want students to explore and learn, then use their acquired understanding to bring renewal to God’s world and His people. This verse is a call for Christian action, a call to LIVE the Story. 

This theme supports the BCCS mission of providing an excellent education that is rooted in God’s Word so that our students are prepared for lifelong service in God’s Kingdom. It also serves as an umbrella that links to each classroom storyline so students can see how learning and applying is seeing and living the story! 

God created each of us with unique passions, abilities, and experiences, which means we have a special and specific part to play in His story. Some students love order discovery in math, and others seek justice in social studies. Some are drawn to creating beauty in art, while others consider image reflecting in Bible. No matter what the topic is, we want each student to use what they learn as a means to do what God’s Word says!

Important Registration Dates at BCCS

We are excited to share some important dates regarding registration and enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year! 

Preschool priority registration will begin Tuesday, December 12. Priority registration is for any family (current or new to BCCS) who plans to or already does send their children to elementary school at BCCS. 

Preschool open registration will begin Tuesday, January 16. This is for any family who does not know where their children will go to elementary school or those who only use our preschool program.

Junior kindergarten and kindergarten registration will also open Tuesday, January 16. Even current BCCS families must register so we know which kindergarten class you prefer for your son or daughter. 

Please save these dates as spaces are limited in preschool, junior kindergarten, and kindergarten classrooms. All registration links will be located at www.bccs.org/registration. 

Following the registration window, email confirmations will be sent in February, and application instructions will be provided in March or April. If you have any questions regarding this process, email Andy Reidsma at reidsma@bccs.org or call 616.878.3347

If you want to learn more about BCCS, we highly recommend a personal campus tour so you can see classrooms, meet teachers, and ask all your questions. We want you to be able to find the place where God has called your family!

From the Desk of Someone: Welcome to 2023-2024!

We are about to begin another year at Byron Center Christian School (BCCS). As teachers begin to prepare their classrooms and final touches are completed on our facilities, I wanted to share what we are most looking forward to as we open our doors this fall. 

We are entering our seventh year of Teaching for Transformation (TfT) at BCCS. TfT is the tool we use so that both our content and our process of education are distinctly Christian. This TfT tool gives us tangible means to accomplish our mission. It’s a combination of reformed teaching and educational best practices so that our students grow as disciples and lifelong learners.

In order to be academically excellent, rooted in God’s Word, and to prepare our students for a life of service, school must be more. Rather than only a place to gain knowledge, complete homework, and pass tests, we want BCCS to be a place where kids experience rich learning opportunities and practice discipleship. In addition to working hard at developing essential curricular skills, teachers intentionally weave learning into the context of playing our part in God's story.

Every teacher in every classroom designs lessons and activities so that students master short-term targets (the skills and practices) which are connected to long-term goals (these reflect discipleship and lifelong learning). Many long-term goals are achieved through formational learning experiences (FLEx) designed to shape both the heart and mind. Rather than consumers of information, students become active participants in their learning. 

So what excites me about the 2023-2024 school year? Each day! Our staff is already designing learning that draws us to Him. This gives each math lesson, each reading skill importance and meaning. This design invites our students to see real needs, real people, discover real work and help find real solutions as part of their learning journeys. 

I loved my own school experience, but I know we can do much more for our students today. Because of the great work of our teachers and a commitment to Christ-centered education, we take steps each day to ensure learning is transformational at BCCS. May this school year be filled with opportunities to see God’s story AND live God’s story. May our students achieve excellence and be deeper rooted in God’s Word so they are truly prepared to be lifelong servants in His Kingdom. 

Andrew Reidsma

Director of Operations and Family Relations

Celebrating Stories

This spring, the eighth graders were invited into a writing project that would highlight the image of God in all people and give value to their unique stories. Their biography unit presented a great opportunity to learn the elements of biography writing, while uncovering the beautiful stories of God’s people. Each student selected one person from a previous generation who had a different cultural background than themselves. They interviewed neighbors, church members, coaches, and community members. The students crafted questions to uncover details, emotions, and events while focusing on learning targets such as “I can ask thoughtful, deep-digging questions that lead to constructive conversations and community building” and “I can actively listen to the stories of others with love, respect, and curiosity.” 

Following their conversations, students gathered the information and used their writing skills to compose a biography that recognized the interviewee’s role in God’s Story. Finally, to express appreciation, the students gifted the biography to the interviewee along with a handwritten thank you card. The project challenged our learners to use their writing skills and reach beyond their inner circle to see how God orchestrates the lives of His beloved people.
Students interviewed people from all around the world, including countries such as South Africa, Scotland, Ireland, Cuba, Kenya, El Salvador, the Netherlands, Brazil, Spain, and many more. They highlighted themes of courage, perseverance, strength, trust, and faithfulness as they wrote about traveling across the world, working through challenges, building families, starting new careers, and finding faith. 

Brief excerpts from several student biographies show evidence of God working through them and the people they interviewed: 

  • “He has shown me that anything is possible if you pray and trust in God.”

  • “His life is very inspiring and can show that God uses all things for the good of His people.”

  • “His life wasn’t spared so he could keep living, but for God to work through him and spread His word to other people.”

  • “His story fascinated me and helped me to grow spiritually.”

  • “If I have learned anything, it’s that God’s plan will always work out, even if there are a few bumps along the way.”

  • “His life shows that God can change people to serve his purpose…”

  • “What motivates me is how motivated she is toward serving God in her family and in her community and outside.”

  • “She has truly shown how to handle the tough times, how to depend on God in them, and also how to celebrate and thank God for the daily blessings.”

And, finally, 

  • “Throughout it all, God remains faithful…”

We want our students to be excellent writers, but our deeper hope is that our students have loving conversations, listen with respect, think curiously, and have a deep appreciation for individual stories within God’s larger Story. We are grateful we can do this work in every subject! 

Music, Maracas, and Movement

All learning at BCCS can point us toward finding roles in God’s Story. Music class in elementary school is a great place to explore music, practice foundational skills, prepare for performances, and above all, worship. It is a place for meaningful learning! 

This year, Mrs. Vieu’s and Mrs. Visser's preschool classes were learning to be Earth Keepers by studying recycling and other ways to care for creation. To practice reusing and recycling,  students created maracas out of recycled materials for music class and used them for movement stations in the classrooms. 

At the same time, our kindergarten music classes were exploring solfege (do, re, mi, fa, sol, etc). The kindergarten classes decided to use this method to compose a song for younger learners. What topic would make for a fun and quirky preschool song? A song about litter, of course! Our kindergarten music classes used their new knowledge of solfege to compose the melody for "The Litter Monster.” A recording of the full song was created and shared with the preschoolers, who were able to play their maracas with their new song! This partnership reinforced concepts from both the preschool unit on recycling and the kindergarten music unit.

Teachers at BCCS continuously collaborate to deepen learning, and learning is enriched when students have a chance to do meaningful work with newly-learned content. In this case, it was sharing and making music together!