Zeeland Christian School Announces Next Middle School Principal
Tim Paauw will be the next middle school Principal for Zeeland Christian School
(ZCS). Mr. Paauw is currently the Head of School at Jenison Christian School. Before that Tim was a fourth-grade teacher at Ada Christian School from 2003-2010. Tim attended West Side Christian School through 8th grade and graduated from Calvin Christian High School. He holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Calvin University and an M.A. in School Leadership from Central Michigan University.
Mr. Paauw’s family has been impacted by Zeeland Christian even without attending there. "I have always loved ZCS because of their courage to take risks and try new things. I am forever grateful to ZCS for pioneering the Inclusion efforts for our Christian schools. Both of my sons have autism and are non-verbal. They are able to access Christ-centered education thanks to the incredible vision and efforts that started in the ZCS community and still shines brightly today!”
Tim went on to say, “When I first started as a school leader, I scheduled visits to ZCS a few times with the goal to learn all that I could in building something special. I have always known this ZCS community has a world-class program that is known for its immersion strengths, intentional spiritual and academic focus and welcoming hospitality to the broader community. Each time I visited I left in awe of the students’ excitement that was so clear in every setting. This community is truly burning bright and I am so excited to be joining the team!”
ZCS Head of School Tim McAboy commented on how Paauw is uniquely fit for Zeeland Christian. "Mr. Paauw has a heart for inclusion which is already burning bright in Christian education right here in West Michigan.” Mr. McAboy went on to say, “I already knew Tim before the interview process as a Christian school leader in West Michigan. We often looked to him for help when it came to developing school policies - he has a gift for communicating intentionally and with such care.”
ZCS 7th-grade teacher, Carla Zastrow, was a member of the search committee and stated, “I knew Tim would make solid connections with our middle schoolers when he talked about kissing animals for a fundraiser and high fiving kids as they left chapel. As a teacher, I noticed that Tim is a strong communicator especially in his writing.”
Zeeland Christian School Preschool Director, Nancy Pyle grew up at West Side Christian School with Tim Paauw and remarked, “I’ve seen Tim’s leadership development over the years at Jenison Christian and given his personality and strong character, I knew he would be a great fit with who we are at ZCS.”
Tim is married to Laura Paauw, and they have three children.
Mr. Paauw will begin his role as middle school principal starting July 1.
泽兰基督教学校 – Escuela Cristiana de Zeeland – Zeeland Christian School is the only threeschool - 8th-grade school in the Midwest where your child can learn in a Christ-centered and tri-lingual environment where all abilities are welcome and celebrated. It's what's best for kids - and that's what we're all about.
If you would like information regarding enrollment or to schedule a tour, please contact Nakisha at ndejong@zcs.org. You can also visit www.zcs.org/explore to learn more.