Parenting
Thy Kingdom Come: Engaging the Whole Student in Middle School
Written by Ben Kapenga, 7th Grade Teacher + ZCS Parent When Jesus taught his disciples to pray the Lord’s Prayer, he offered not only a set of words but a vision for how God’s people might live. “Thy kingdom come” stands out as both a prayer and a calling. It invites us to experience life…
Read More“It’s Different Here”
Five years ago, my family and I were visiting Zeeland Christian shortly after I had accepted the position here. It was Good Friday, and the enduring memory of that day is the worship during all-school chapel. As chapel ended, longtime ZCS facility manager Paul Meeuwsen walked up and took the microphone, tearfully telling the students…
Read MoreResponding to Ukraine/Russia with Your Children
The following statement was sent to our middle and elementary teachers and staff on the morning of Feb. 24, 2022. Middle School and Elementary Teams, Please read the following information from Tim Paauw regarding the Ukraine/Russia situation. Paauw and I (Betsy Koop) continue to be in prayer for you as teachers who field students many questions…
Read MoreAssisting Parents
Parents, we’re here for you. How can we help? The phrase “assisting parents” is included in the mission of ZCS, and we see this aspect of our mission lived out each day in our hallways, classrooms, playgrounds, hiking trails, and specials. Stacy Deters, Dir. of Student Support Services, recently shared this story with our Board,…
Read MoreZCS to Pay for Your Family’s Will Creation
A little over two years ago, a former ZCS parent dropped by the school and asked to meet with me (Peter). He introduced himself and said, “I don’t want ZCS to become a school for rich kids and I don’t want to ask for people for checks right now.” I was puzzled, but since I…
Read MoreResponse to Anti-Asian Attacks
爱上帝，爱孩子，爱学习 Ama a Dios, Ama a los niños, Ama aprender Love God, Love Kids, Love Learning At Zeeland Christian, our community is stronger because of a faculty and staff born in twelve different countries. We see God’s world through a variety of cultures. We deepen our faith through stories of commitment to sharing the good…
Read MoreTwo Ways to Give Kids Emotional Feedback When Adults are Wearing Masks
ZCS School Counselor, Mrs. Postmus shared two ideas with our staff to help kids continue to see smiling faces and a wide variety of facial expressions in the age of having faces covered by masks. The first is a poster of her with a big picture in the middle of a very real smile that…
Read MoreUnified Basketball 2018: #18 Levi
Last Friday, for the second year in a row, Zeeland Christian and Baldwin Middle School’s Unified Basketball teams played each other. Teams are made up of unified athletes, who are students with varying levels of disabilities and their partners who are students without disabilities. What happens on the court is beautiful, fun and energetic. What…
Read MoreLove Rescued Me
Love Rescued Me. On December 2, 2003, Love rescued me when my daughter Lily was carried off the elevator in a hotel conference room in China and into our waiting arms, making me “Daddy.” Looking back on that day, I didn’t know I needed to be rescued. To be honest, I thought I was doing…
Read MoreDo Your Children and Grandchildren Know…
When my Grandma McAboy came to visit, she would often stay for a few days at a time. One night as I was falling asleep, I heard her in her room talking. After a minute or two I realized she was praying, and after another moment I realized she was praying for me. Grandma McAboy…
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