High School Craft Show
Date: November 4, 2024
Time: 9am-3pm
Place: Kenowa Hills High School
All proceeds go to the class of 2025 Senior All Night Party!
Attention Seniors!
Senior Photos are due for yearbook submission by 10/31/24. All photos must be a VERTICAL photo with your head and shoulders in the frame. Please reach out to Ms. Hughes if you have any questions! (ahughes@khps.org)
Reminders
Parking/Drop Off
Just a reminder that student drop-off and pick-up is on the north side of the parking lot. Parking lots are labeled. Please do not drop off or pick up in the bus loop.
Athletics - High Sports are back!!
You can view the KH Fall Athletic Schedules at kenowahillsathletics.com. All tickets are $5.00 each, students (age 5 and above) and adult. We offer online tickets through GoFan and will also have cash sales available. ONLY KH students get into home athletic events for free if wearing Kenowa Hills swag and/or theme night with a valid student ID! PreK-8th grade students must be accompanied by an adult. You are responsible for supervising your own children.
Attendance
The county-wide Strive for 5 is still our goal for every student. Students with excessive chargeable absences will not be allowed to attend dances and/or other extracurricular activities. Please refer to the Student handbook for more information as to which kind of absences count against them. Students over 5 minutes late to class other than their first hour are considered absent. The rest of our attendance policy can be found in our student handbook.
If your student is going to be absent, late, or needs to leave early, please call the attendance line at 616-784-2400 Ext. 2 or you can email at hsattendance@khps.org. Please call ahead if your student needs to leave early. It is important to have limited interruptions into the classroom. Please call in the morning and leave a message if needed, so a pass can be written. Students
may not leave class without permission from the office.
Food Service Changes
We are excited to share that KHPS will be participating in the MI School Meals Program and will be offering breakfast and lunch to all students at NO COST starting this fall. Although meals are free, we encourage all families to complete the Education Benefit Form found here. You may be entitled to additional benefits.
Zinser Spotlight
That’s a wrap to the 2023-24 school year! Today we honored our 5th graders for a celebration ceremony, enjoyed a little Kona Ice, held our annual Flag Lowering ceremony, and saw the buses off one last time! What a special school community - we are Kids Who Care!
2024 Spring Awards
Zinser awarded students and our volunteer of the year at our end of the
year assembly on Wednesday. Congratulations to all of our winners!
★ Kids Who Care Award: Jack Beaudo
★ Perfect Attendance Award: Olivia Hall, Holly Andree, & Raymond Kerkorian-Reese
★ Volunteer of the Year: Erika Holleran
Gold Academy - Summer Basketball Academy
The Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, announced today its 2024 Gold Academy Schedule. The team will hold four week-long basketball camps for children ages 8-14. Each program covers on court fundamental instruction and are designed to build basic skills alongside members of the NBA G League staff. All skill levels are welcome.
Current locations and times:
MSA Fieldhouse | June 24-27
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Holland Recreation | July 8-11
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Downtown YMCA | July 15-18
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Lakeshore MSA| July 29 - Aug. 1
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Camp includes: 4 Grand Rapids Gold tickets for the 2024-25 season, Gold Academy t-shirt, & snacks/drinks.
For more information, contact Trey Conner at 616.350.4881 or tconner@nbagrandrapids.com or register here.
Summer Meals Program Info - click here
Parking Lot Notes: MAP
➔ Please consider utilizing our bus transportation option to avoid the busy parent pick-up lot
➔ Always look to pull up in line and when possible to help with the flow of traffic.
◆ Tell your child(ren) to look for the correct car and be ready. If your child is late to the class sign and you’ve pulled past it, you can circle around the lot and keep your car moving.
➔ Thank you for those turning right only! We know it’s an inconvenience, but we believe it will help speed up the line and be safer in the long run ( We have a couple accidents a year with vehicles turning left)
➔ Drop off starts at 8:30; children may exit vehicles a few minutes early to get traffic flowing, and must wait by their grade sign until the 8:30 bell.
➔ We do have two lanes in the parking lot. Please only use the right lane for drop off and pick up, the inside lane is a pass by lane only! Please pass by with caution.
DROP OFF EXPECTATIONS:
DISMISSAL EXPECTATIONS:
The school day ends at 3:37
Attendance/Drop Off - Pick Up
Our start time is 8:35 am! We need your help getting students here on time! Any students arriving after 8:40 will be marked tardy. Any students arriving after 9:05 am without an excused call/absence will be marked unexcused for the morning session. Please call our attendance line at 616-453-2461 opt.1 or email ziattendance@khps.org to communicate your student’s absence, early leave time, or late arrival. STRIVE FOR FIVE!!!
AthleticsSave the Date
August 20-22 we will be having school registration. It will consist of students' class schedule pick-up, school pictures, and other various info to help start off the 2024-25 year! PLEASE keep in mind we will still be under construction so hallways and some areas will be restricted during this time.
2024-2025 Fall Athletics
8/19 - MS Fall Practices/Try Outs
Gold Academy - Summer Basketball Academy
The Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, announced today its 2024 Gold Academy Schedule. The team will hold four week-long basketball camps for children ages 8-14. Each program covers on court fundamental instruction and are designed to build basic skills alongside members of the NBA G League staff. All skill levels are welcome.
Current locations and times:
MSA Fieldhouse | June 24-27
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Holland Recreation | July 8-11
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Downtown YMCA | July 15-18
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Lakeshore MSA| July 29 - Aug. 1
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Camp includes: 4 Grand Rapids Gold tickets for the 2024-25 season, Gold Academy t-shirt, & snacks/drinks.
For more information, contact Trey Conner at 616.350.4881 or tconner@nbagrandrapids.com or register here.
Summer Meals Program Info - click here
Middle School Lifting, Summer Session:
Any questions please contact Jordyn Boitos, jboitos@khps.org
Lifting Sign-Up
Summer Schedule
Attention Incoming Freshman Interested In Sideline Cheer Next Fall!
Here is our registration form for varsity tryouts! This link has our tentative tryout dates and information, but
we are still working on some coaching transitions so there is a small chance tryout days/times will change.
Have them complete this form and prior to tryouts, please!
Football 2024-2025 7th & 8th Grade: Summer Workout
Embrace Her Summit - July 18
The EmbraceHer Summit brings together young girls of color, providing a space to instill their confidence and establish a firm belief in their strength. This is a free event for girls ages 12-17 with inspiring speakers, insightful workshops, engaging activities, giveaways, lunch & transportation provided. Register today.
Attendance:
Our start time is 7:45am! We need your help getting students here on time! Any students arriving 10 minutes after class starts without an excused call/absence will be marked unexcused for the class (not a tardy). Please call the absence line 616-785-3225 or email, msattendance@khps.org. Please call ahead if your student/s need to leave early. We need to limit interruptions into the classroom. Please call in the morning and leave a message if needed, so a pass can be written. Students may not leave class without permission from the office.
Updated Attendance Policy for 2023-2024: All absences count toward attendance numbers, the only exception will be hospital stays. These are some changes we want to highlight:
Athletics Participation & Attendance: Athletes must be in school for the entire day in order to be eligible to compete in a scheduled practice or athletic event. In extreme situations, arrangements must be made with the Athletic Director and/or the Building Principal to acquire an excused absence. Scheduled appointments and funerals are an acceptable reason to be pre-excused. A medical/scheduled appointment note must be given to the athletic office if the appointment is during the scheduled school day.
Free and Reduced Program:
Please follow the link below to complete the Education Benefit Form online KHPS Education Benefit Form Although meals will be available at no cost this year, we encourage all families to complete the Education Benefit Form. Families that complete the form and qualify for free or reduced school meals may receive additional benefits including: Waived participation costs for athletics (excluding club sports), reduced fees for high school assessments like AP exams, waived student device (Chromebook) insurance and home internet costs through local providers*Additionally, the number of qualified families increases district funding for student support programs. It is important for all families to apply, whether it seems qualification is likely or not.
Important End of Year Updates:
Gold Academy - Summer Basketball Academy
The Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, announced today its 2024 Gold Academy Schedule. The team will hold four week-long basketball camps for children ages 8-14. Each program covers on court fundamental instruction and are designed to build basic skills alongside members of the NBA G League staff. All skill levels are welcome.
Current locations and times:
MSA Fieldhouse | June 24-27
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Holland Recreation | July 8-11
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Downtown YMCA | July 15-18
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Lakeshore MSA| July 29 - Aug. 1
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Camp includes: 4 Grand Rapids Gold tickets for the 2024-25 season, Gold Academy t-shirt, & snacks/drinks.
For more information, contact Trey Conner at 616.350.4881 or tconner@nbagrandrapids.com or register here.
Summer Meals Program Info - click here
Middle School Lifting, Summer Session:
Any questions please contact Jordyn Boitos, jboitos@khps.org
Lifting Sign-Up
Summer Schedule
Attention Incoming Freshman Interested In Sideline Cheer Next Fall!
Here is our registration form for varsity tryouts! This link has our tentative tryout dates and information, but
we are still working on some coaching transitions so there is a small chance tryout days/times will change.
Have them complete this form and prior to tryouts, please!
Football 2024-2025 7th & 8th Grade: Summer Workout
Embrace Her Summit - July 18
The EmbraceHer Summit brings together young girls of color, providing a space to instill their confidence and establish a firm belief in their strength. This is a free event for girls ages 12-17 with inspiring speakers, insightful workshops, engaging activities, giveaways, lunch & transportation provided. Register today.
FinalForms: We are asking ALL parents of athletes to use FinalForms starting this upcoming 2023-2024 athletic season. Participation fees can be paid online with FinalForms, Efunds, cash or check sent to the athletic offices prior to the start of each sports season. Please register at FinalForms and follow the prompts to create your account, create your students, and sign all your forms prior to the start of the participating sport. Get Started with the Parent Playbook
Notes From HealthBar:
This month we will be focusing on mental health overall. Our mental health is something that we all need to actively work on and if it is put on the back burner problems will quickly develop. Here are some things you can do for daily mental health maintenance:
1. Get plenty of sleep
2. Notice and take the time to enjoy the small things
3. Exercise
4. Eat healthy
5. Cut back on social media and disconnect
6. Get outside in nature
7. Connect with family and friends
Attached is a mental health fact sheet for children and teens. Facts Sheet
Attendance:
Our start time is 7:45am! We need your help getting students here on time! Any students arriving 10 minutes after class starts without an excused call/absence will be marked unexcused for the class (not a tardy). Please call the absence line 616-785-3225 or email, msattendance@khps.org. Please call ahead if your student/s need to leave early. We need to limit interruptions into the classroom. Please call in the morning and leave a message if needed, so a pass can be written. Students may not leave class without permission from the office.
Updated Attendance Policy for 2023-2024: All absences count toward attendance numbers, the only exception will be hospital stays. These are some changes we want to highlight:
Athletics Participation & Attendance: Athletes must be in school for the entire day in order to be eligible to compete in a scheduled practice or athletic event. In extreme situations, arrangements must be made with the Athletic Director and/or the Building Principal to acquire an excused absence. Scheduled appointments and funerals are an acceptable reason to be pre-excused. A medical/scheduled appointment note must be given to the athletic office if the appointment is during the scheduled school day.
Free and Reduced Program:
Please follow the link below to complete the Education Benefit Form online KHPS Education Benefit Form Although meals will be available at no cost this year, we encourage all families to complete the Education Benefit Form. Families that complete the form and qualify for free or reduced school meals may receive additional benefits including: Waived participation costs for athletics (excluding club sports), reduced fees for high school assessments like AP exams, waived student device (Chromebook) insurance and home internet costs through local providers*Additionally, the number of qualified families increases district funding for student support programs. It is important for all families to apply, whether it seems qualification is likely or not.
Important End of Year Updates:
Gold Academy - Summer Basketball Academy
The Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, announced today its 2024 Gold Academy Schedule. The team will hold four week-long basketball camps for children ages 8-14. Each program covers on court fundamental instruction and are designed to build basic skills alongside members of the NBA G League staff. All skill levels are welcome.
Current locations and times:
MSA Fieldhouse | June 24-27
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Holland Recreation | July 8-11
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Downtown YMCA | July 15-18
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Lakeshore MSA| July 29 - Aug. 1
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Camp includes: 4 Grand Rapids Gold tickets for the 2024-25 season, Gold Academy t-shirt, & snacks/drinks.
For more information, contact Trey Conner at 616.350.4881 or tconner@nbagrandrapids.com or register here.
Summer Meals Program Info - click here
Middle School Lifting, Summer Session:
Any questions please contact Jordyn Boitos, jboitos@khps.org
Lifting Sign-Up
Summer Schedule
FinalForms: We are asking ALL parents of athletes to use FinalForms starting this upcoming 2023-2024 athletic season. Participation fees can be paid online with FinalForms, Efunds, cash or check sent to the athletic offices prior to the start of each sports season. Please register at FinalForms and follow the prompts to create your account, create your students, and sign all your forms prior to the start of the participating sport. Get Started with the Parent Playbook
Notes From HealthBar:
This month we will be focusing on mental health overall. Our mental health is something that we all need to actively work on and if it is put on the back burner problems will quickly develop. Here are some things you can do for daily mental health maintenance:
1. Get plenty of sleep
2. Notice and take the time to enjoy the small things
3. Exercise
4. Eat healthy
5. Cut back on social media and disconnect
6. Get outside in nature
7. Connect with family and friends
Attached is a mental health fact sheet for children and teens. Facts Sheet
Attendance:
Our start time is 7:45am! We need your help getting students here on time! Any students arriving 10 minutes after class starts without an excused call/absence will be marked unexcused for the class (not a tardy). Please call the absence line 616-785-3225 or email, msattendance@khps.org. Please call ahead if your student/s need to leave early. We need to limit interruptions into the classroom. Please call in the morning and leave a message if needed, so a pass can be written. Students may not leave class without permission from the office.
Updated Attendance Policy for 2023-2024: All absences count toward attendance numbers, the only exception will be hospital stays. These are some changes we want to highlight:
Athletics Participation & Attendance: Athletes must be in school for the entire day in order to be eligible to compete in a scheduled practice or athletic event. In extreme situations, arrangements must be made with the Athletic Director and/or the Building Principal to acquire an excused absence. Scheduled appointments and funerals are an acceptable reason to be pre-excused. A medical/scheduled appointment note must be given to the athletic office if the appointment is during the scheduled school day.
Free and Reduced Program:
Please follow the link below to complete the Education Benefit Form online KHPS Education Benefit Form Although meals will be available at no cost this year, we encourage all families to complete the Education Benefit Form. Families that complete the form and qualify for free or reduced school meals may receive additional benefits including: Waived participation costs for athletics (excluding club sports), reduced fees for high school assessments like AP exams, waived student device (Chromebook) insurance and home internet costs through local providers*Additionally, the number of qualified families increases district funding for student support programs. It is important for all families to apply, whether it seems qualification is likely or not.
Zinser Spotlight
HI! I'm Lisa Wisneski, better known by students as Mrs. W! I have been part of the Zinser family since 2005 when I transferred here from the Marne Elementary Resource Room where I had taught for four years. As the Resource Room Teacher, I provide one-on-one and small-group instruction in reading, writing, and math as well as support for student's behavior needs. I collaborate with classroom teachers to modify classroom assignments to help students succeed. I love building relationships with students and watching them grow! In addition to the classroom, I also help with staff social events, our child study team, our CKH Process Champion team, and the Leadership team.
My husband Dan and I live in the Kenowa Hills district where we raised our 3 children, Bre, Bekah, and Trevor. This year I am retiring from teaching and looking forward to traveling, spending time with family in Massachusetts, and helping my daughter plan her 2025 wedding! Our first trip will be to Alaska.
I also plan to spend time enjoying hobbies and interests such as reading, biking, hiking, and gardening. I will miss the daily relationships and collaboration with students and teachers, it has been a blessing and a privilege to be a Knight for the past 24 years! Go Knights!
Gold Academy - Summer Basketball Academy
The Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, announced today its 2024 Gold Academy Schedule. The team will hold four week-long basketball camps for children ages 8-14. Each program covers on court fundamental instruction and are designed to build basic skills alongside members of the NBA G League staff. All skill levels are welcome.
Current locations and times:
MSA Fieldhouse | June 24-27
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Holland Recreation | July 8-11
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Downtown YMCA | July 15-18
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Lakeshore MSA| July 29 - Aug. 1
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Camp includes: 4 Grand Rapids Gold tickets for the 2024-25 season, Gold Academy t-shirt, & snacks/drinks.
For more information, contact Trey Conner at 616.350.4881 or tconner@nbagrandrapids.com or register here.
Summer Meals Program Info - click here
Note from Nurse Courtney - Need to Stay Home Sick Chart
Nurse Courtney offers free Strep, Flu, & Covid tests for students. Please give her a call if you have any questions or would like to schedule a test for your child 616-453-2461 ext 4340.
Parking Lot Notes: MAP
➔ Please consider utilizing our bus transportation option to avoid the busy parent pick-up lot
➔ Always look to pull up in line and when possible to help with the flow of traffic.
◆ Tell your child(ren) to look for the correct car and be ready. If your child is late to the class sign and you’ve pulled past it, you can circle around the lot and keep your car moving.
➔ Thank you for those turning right only! We know it’s an inconvenience, but we believe it will help speed up the line and be safer in the long run ( We have a couple accidents a year with vehicles turning left)
➔ Drop off starts at 8:30; children may exit vehicles a few minutes early to get traffic flowing, and must wait by their grade sign until the 8:30 bell.
➔ We do have two lanes in the parking lot. Please only use the right lane for drop off and pick up, the inside lane is a pass by lane only! Please pass by with caution.
DROP OFF EXPECTATIONS:
DISMISSAL EXPECTATIONS:
The school day ends at 3:37
Attendance/Drop Off - Pick Up
Our start time is 8:35 am! We need your help getting students here on time! Any students arriving after 8:40 will be marked tardy. Any students arriving after 9:05 am without an excused call/absence will be marked unexcused for the morning session. Please call our attendance line at 616-453-2461 opt.1 or email ziattendance@khps.org to communicate your student’s absence, early leave time, or late arrival. STRIVE FOR FIVE!!!
PTO Meetings
Wednesday, June 5th @ 6:00 pm
Field Day
Monday, June 3rd
Volunteers
If you would like to volunteer or visit the school during school hours (this includes reading with students, helping teachers, attending a classroom party, watching a class play production and so forth), you must complete a background check for the new school year.
Background checks must be completed in person at any KH front office. Please bring a state-issued photo ID.
Mindful Minute with Pine Rest SAP
Back-to-school anxiety is tough... for the parent and the child! Are you nervous about your Kindergartner's first day or your college student being away from home for the first time? Pine Rest has a wealth of resources to assist you and your student during this transitional time. See below for age-relevant articles to battle those back-to-school blues.
Tips to Help Your Child Transition to Kindergarten
Tips to Ease Your Child's Back-to-School Anxiety
What to do When Your Child Avoids School: Tips for Parents
5 Tips for Sending your Child off to College
Letter from the Nurse
Hello, my name is Michelle and I am the Registered Nurse at Central Elementary. For those of you that do not know me, this will be my second year at Central and I am so excited to be back for another great school year! With the first day of school rapidly approaching, I wanted to send out a reminder that all medications kept at the school, prescription and non- prescription, will need a medication consent form filled out and signed by both a guardian and a physician. Attached you will find the Medication Consent form. This needs to be dated no earlier than July 1 and must be completed before administration of any medications at school.
If your child has allergies, asthma, diabetes, or seizures, an Emergency Action Plan is also required. You can receive these forms from your child's physician. If you would like a blank generic form, please contact me. Please note, these also require a physician signature. If your child has other chronic conditions that could require care at school or that I should be aware of, please let me know.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
Michelle Sikkema, BSN, RN
Central Elementary - Kenowa Hills Public Schools
616.453.6351 ext. 6342
msikkema@khps.org
Transportation Reminder
If your student will get picked up or dropped off at a location that is not your home you’ll need to email an alternate transportation form to transportation@khps.org. Alternate bus changes take about 2 weeks to update.
The transportation department can also be reached at (616) 453-4757 or see more info at khps.org/transportation.
Bus Tracking - Ride 360
Kenowa Hills is proud to announce the launch of My Ride 360 and in-vehicle GPS geolocation to provide parents and students with real-time access to the bus stop locations, routes, pick-up times, and more. Register your account, add your students, and access tracking and bus information here.
Breakfast and Lunch
All students in Michigan will once again have the option of free breakfast and lunch at school! An Education Benefit application will take the place of the free & reduced meal benefit application. We will send it out via email as soon as it is shared with us. We ask that every family take a few moments to complete this application when it arrives. A snack bar will still be offered at Central. Money can be added to an account for purchasing these items using our new system, Titan. More information, and menus can be found here.
Strive for Less than Five
A reminder that attendance is important! At KHPS we strive for less than five absences for every student. Make every day count by being on time, setting appointments for before or after school when possible, and planning vacations when school is out. Read the flyer from the Kent ISD for details on this initiative (Eng and Sp).
Hand2Hand at Central
We would like to offer your student the opportunity to participate in a program at Central Elementary called “Hand2Hand”. This program helps provide a student with food for the weekends and is intended for families who currently may be experiencing a financial burden. The first backpack is set to be delivered on September 22nd. Learn more about this program, or how you can participate here.
Ride the Rapid Bus Changes
The Rapid has extended one of its bus routes to better serve businesses and families in our area. See the attached flyer for details.
Drop-off & Pick-up Reminders
We show Respect, We all stay Safe, Central SHINES! Earliest drop-off time is 8:30 am and school begins at 8:35 am. School ends at 3:37 pm. Please see the attached flyer for our Procedures Map and more information.
Zinser Spotlight
We had a wonderful opportunity to experience the newest Junior Achievement Curriculum. The curriculum teaches the fourth grade economics state standards in an exciting innovative way. The students learned about citizenship, community, financial planning, banking, and career readiness skills. The culminating activity was a visit to the JABiztown. We experienced a simulation of what adult life is like. The students each had to interview for a job and work at JABiztown. They had to budget money, bank, repay loans, help run an effective business, stay on a schedule, vote, and more. The students most enjoyed interacting with other citizens while in the jobs, shopping, running the business, and going to the bank.
Gold Academy - Summer Basketball Academy
The Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, announced today its 2024 Gold Academy Schedule. The team will hold four week-long basketball camps for children ages 8-14. Each program covers on court fundamental instruction and are designed to build basic skills alongside members of the NBA G League staff. All skill levels are welcome.
Current locations and times:
MSA Fieldhouse | June 24-27
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Holland Recreation | July 8-11
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Downtown YMCA | July 15-18
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Lakeshore MSA| July 29 - Aug. 1
8am to noon, Monday through Thursday
Click here to sign up
Camp includes: 4 Grand Rapids Gold tickets for the 2024-25 season, Gold Academy t-shirt, & snacks/drinks.
For more information, contact Trey Conner at 616.350.4881 or tconner@nbagrandrapids.com or register here.
Summer Meals Program Info - click here
5th Grade Instrument Fitting
The 5th grade had instrument fitting Monday. The kids got to try every instrument! Thanks to Myer music & the KH Band & Orchestra teachers! The kids were amazing and received many comments about their respect & kindness.
KH Buy, Sell Trade - Sports Card Night
The 5th-Grade Sport Card Club of Zinser Elementary is hosting a Buy, Sell, and Trade Sports (and Pokemon) Card night for all Kenowa students. Admission is free for students and parents, with complimentary sports cards for all students who attend. The event will be held on Friday, May 17th, from 5:30 to 8:00 PM in the Zinser gymnasium. For inquiries about participating as a vendor or for further information, please reach out to Jeff Verkaik at jverkaik@khps.org.
Note from Nurse Courtney - Need to Stay Home Sick Chart
Nurse Courtney offers free Strep, Flu, & Covid tests for students. Please give her a call if you have any questions or would like to schedule a test for your child 616-453-2461 ext 4340.
Parking Lot Notes: MAP
➔ Please consider utilizing our bus transportation option to avoid the busy parent pick-up lot
➔ Always look to pull up in line and when possible to help with the flow of traffic.
◆ Tell your child(ren) to look for the correct car and be ready. If your child is late to the class sign and you’ve pulled past it, you can circle around the lot and keep your car moving.
➔ Thank you for those turning right only! We know it’s an inconvenience, but we believe it will help speed up the line and be safer in the long run ( We have a couple accidents a year with vehicles turning left)
➔ Drop off starts at 8:30; children may exit vehicles a few minutes early to get traffic flowing, and must wait by their grade sign until the 8:30 bell.
➔ We do have two lanes in the parking lot. Please only use the right lane for drop off and pick up, the inside lane is a pass by lane only! Please pass by with caution.
DROP OFF EXPECTATIONS:
DISMISSAL EXPECTATIONS:
The school day ends at 3:37
Attendance/Drop Off - Pick Up
Our start time is 8:35 am! We need your help getting students here on time! Any students arriving after 8:40 will be marked tardy. Any students arriving after 9:05 am without an excused call/absence will be marked unexcused for the morning session. Please call our attendance line at 616-453-2461 opt.1 or email ziattendance@khps.org to communicate your student’s absence, early leave time, or late arrival. STRIVE FOR FIVE!!!
Spring Conferences
Thursday, March 7 4:00 - 7:30 pm
Tuesday, March 12 4:00 - 7:30 pm
Friday, March 15 12:30 - 2:30 pm
PTO Meetings
Wednesday, November 1st @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, December 6th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, January 10th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, February 7th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, March 6th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, April 10th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, May 1st @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, June 5th @ 6:00 pm
Field Day
Monday, June 3rd
Volunteers
If you would like to volunteer or visit the school during school hours (this includes reading with students, helping teachers, attending a classroom party, watching a class play production and so forth), you must complete a background check for the new school year.
Background checks must be completed in person at any KH front office. Please bring a state-issued photo ID.
Mindful Minute with Pine Rest SAP
Back-to-school anxiety is tough... for the parent and the child! Are you nervous about your Kindergartner's first day or your college student being away from home for the first time? Pine Rest has a wealth of resources to assist you and your student during this transitional time. See below for age-relevant articles to battle those back-to-school blues.
Tips to Help Your Child Transition to Kindergarten
Tips to Ease Your Child's Back-to-School Anxiety
What to do When Your Child Avoids School: Tips for Parents
5 Tips for Sending your Child off to College
Letter from the Nurse
Hello, my name is Michelle and I am the Registered Nurse at Central Elementary. For those of you that do not know me, this will be my second year at Central and I am so excited to be back for another great school year! With the first day of school rapidly approaching, I wanted to send out a reminder that all medications kept at the school, prescription and non- prescription, will need a medication consent form filled out and signed by both a guardian and a physician. Attached you will find the Medication Consent form. This needs to be dated no earlier than July 1 and must be completed before administration of any medications at school.
If your child has allergies, asthma, diabetes, or seizures, an Emergency Action Plan is also required. You can receive these forms from your child's physician. If you would like a blank generic form, please contact me. Please note, these also require a physician signature. If your child has other chronic conditions that could require care at school or that I should be aware of, please let me know.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
Michelle Sikkema, BSN, RN
Central Elementary - Kenowa Hills Public Schools
616.453.6351 ext. 6342
msikkema@khps.org
Transportation Reminder
If your student will get picked up or dropped off at a location that is not your home you’ll need to email an alternate transportation form to transportation@khps.org. Alternate bus changes take about 2 weeks to update.
The transportation department can also be reached at (616) 453-4757 or see more info at khps.org/transportation.
Bus Tracking - Ride 360
Kenowa Hills is proud to announce the launch of My Ride 360 and in-vehicle GPS geolocation to provide parents and students with real-time access to the bus stop locations, routes, pick-up times, and more. Register your account, add your students, and access tracking and bus information here.
Breakfast and Lunch
All students in Michigan will once again have the option of free breakfast and lunch at school! An Education Benefit application will take the place of the free & reduced meal benefit application. We will send it out via email as soon as it is shared with us. We ask that every family take a few moments to complete this application when it arrives. A snack bar will still be offered at Central. Money can be added to an account for purchasing these items using our new system, Titan. More information, and menus can be found here.
Strive for Less than Five
A reminder that attendance is important! At KHPS we strive for less than five absences for every student. Make every day count by being on time, setting appointments for before or after school when possible, and planning vacations when school is out. Read the flyer from the Kent ISD for details on this initiative (Eng and Sp).
Hand2Hand at Central
We would like to offer your student the opportunity to participate in a program at Central Elementary called “Hand2Hand”. This program helps provide a student with food for the weekends and is intended for families who currently may be experiencing a financial burden. The first backpack is set to be delivered on September 22nd. Learn more about this program, or how you can participate here.
Ride the Rapid Bus Changes
The Rapid has extended one of its bus routes to better serve businesses and families in our area. See the attached flyer for details.
Drop-off & Pick-up Reminders
We show Respect, We all stay Safe, Central SHINES! Earliest drop-off time is 8:30 am and school begins at 8:35 am. School ends at 3:37 pm. Please see the attached flyer for our Procedures Map and more information.
Will you have a Kindergartener next year?
Mobile Dentist - is coming March 21st and March 22nd.
Forms were sent home, but here is where you can go to enroll your child online: https://www.myschooldentist.com/KHKEMI_schsrm.
PTO Meetings
Wednesday, May 1st @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, June 5th @ 6:00 pm
Field Day
Monday, June 3rd
Spring Conferences
Thursday, March 7 4:00 - 7:30 pm
Tuesday, March 12 4:00 - 7:30 pm
Friday, March 15 12:30 - 2:30 pm
PTO Meetings
Wednesday, November 1st @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, December 6th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, January 10th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, February 7th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, March 6th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, April 10th @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, May 1st @ 6:00 pm
Wednesday, June 5th @ 6:00 pm
Field Day
Monday, June 3rd
Volunteers
If you would like to volunteer or visit the school during school hours (this includes reading with students, helping teachers, attending a classroom party, watching a class play production and so forth), you must complete a background check for the new school year.
Background checks must be completed in person at any KH front office. Please bring a state-issued photo ID.
Mindful Minute with Pine Rest SAP
Back-to-school anxiety is tough... for the parent and the child! Are you nervous about your Kindergartner's first day or your college student being away from home for the first time? Pine Rest has a wealth of resources to assist you and your student during this transitional time. See below for age-relevant articles to battle those back-to-school blues.
Tips to Help Your Child Transition to Kindergarten
Tips to Ease Your Child's Back-to-School Anxiety
What to do When Your Child Avoids School: Tips for Parents
5 Tips for Sending your Child off to College
Letter from the Nurse
Hello, my name is Michelle and I am the Registered Nurse at Central Elementary. For those of you that do not know me, this will be my second year at Central and I am so excited to be back for another great school year! With the first day of school rapidly approaching, I wanted to send out a reminder that all medications kept at the school, prescription and non- prescription, will need a medication consent form filled out and signed by both a guardian and a physician. Attached you will find the Medication Consent form. This needs to be dated no earlier than July 1 and must be completed before administration of any medications at school.
If your child has allergies, asthma, diabetes, or seizures, an Emergency Action Plan is also required. You can receive these forms from your child's physician. If you would like a blank generic form, please contact me. Please note, these also require a physician signature. If your child has other chronic conditions that could require care at school or that I should be aware of, please let me know.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
Michelle Sikkema, BSN, RN
Central Elementary - Kenowa Hills Public Schools
616.453.6351 ext. 6342
msikkema@khps.org
Transportation Reminder
If your student will get picked up or dropped off at a location that is not your home you’ll need to email an alternate transportation form to transportation@khps.org. Alternate bus changes take about 2 weeks to update.
The transportation department can also be reached at (616) 453-4757 or see more info at khps.org/transportation.
Bus Tracking - Ride 360
Kenowa Hills is proud to announce the launch of My Ride 360 and in-vehicle GPS geolocation to provide parents and students with real-time access to the bus stop locations, routes, pick-up times, and more. Register your account, add your students, and access tracking and bus information here.
Breakfast and Lunch
All students in Michigan will once again have the option of free breakfast and lunch at school! An Education Benefit application will take the place of the free & reduced meal benefit application. We will send it out via email as soon as it is shared with us. We ask that every family take a few moments to complete this application when it arrives. A snack bar will still be offered at Central. Money can be added to an account for purchasing these items using our new system, Titan. More information, and menus can be found here.
Strive for Less than Five
A reminder that attendance is important! At KHPS we strive for less than five absences for every student. Make every day count by being on time, setting appointments for before or after school when possible, and planning vacations when school is out. Read the flyer from the Kent ISD for details on this initiative (Eng and Sp).
Hand2Hand at Central
We would like to offer your student the opportunity to participate in a program at Central Elementary called “Hand2Hand”. This program helps provide a student with food for the weekends and is intended for families who currently may be experiencing a financial burden. The first backpack is set to be delivered on September 22nd. Learn more about this program, or how you can participate here.
Ride the Rapid Bus Changes
The Rapid has extended one of its bus routes to better serve businesses and families in our area. See the attached flyer for details.
Drop-off & Pick-up Reminders
We show Respect, We all stay Safe, Central SHINES! Earliest drop-off time is 8:30 am and school begins at 8:35 am. School ends at 3:37 pm. Please see the attached flyer for our Procedures Map and more information.
5th Grade Parent Meeting (for Incoming 6th Grade Students)
Join us in the new Large Group Instruction room at the Middle School for an informative meeting that will cover the scheduling process, 6th-grade course offerings, 6th-grade orientation, and extracurricular offerings.
This is for families of students at Alpine, Zinser, and Central Elementary schools. Please choose ONE meeting time to attend: Monday (2/26) or Wednesday (2/28) this week at 6 pm, at the Middle School. If you cannot attend or have questions, please contact the Kenowa Hills Middle School Office at (616) 785-3225.
Note from the Principal
Dear Parents,
I continue to be amazed by just how quickly the year seems to pass. Teachers have been celebrating the student growth they have seen and it has been amazing to see students excited about the progress they’ve made and overcoming various challenges. Mid-winter break is now behind us and conferences are right around the corner. We even had a couple of small tastes of spring with the warmer temperatures that have occurred this past week! I love seeing our students excited to be outside and it is healthy for them to enjoy the sunshine after our gray and cloudy winter days. Listed below are some tips for navigating the long winter season with your family and helping to maintain mental health:
Attending conferences is the most important way you can be involved in your child’s education and a great way to build a positive relationship with your child’s teacher. Please watch for further communication from our school to sign up for a conference time. If you are struggling to schedule a conference, please call our school office and we are happy to assist you. If your schedule does not allow you to connect at times we have available, I know our teachers will work hard to find a time that works. All conferences will be offered to parents IN PERSON, however, if you prefer a VIRTUAL conference, please communicate that directly to your child’s teacher and the teacher will work to coordinate that. We recognize that continuous communication between home and school may be occurring and we value the time parents spend to work as an educational team with us. Conferences can be optional for parents if both the parent and teacher agree there is not a need to meet for various reasons. However, relationships are important to us and if you would like to still connect or have concerns that you would like addressed at a conference, please know we would love to meet with our families.
Reading month is right around the corner! Your child will be receiving a reading month calendar shortly. If you do not receive a reading month calendar, please be sure to reach out to your child’s teacher. There are a variety of daily events that will hopefully excite students to read this month and foster a love for reading long term. Please continue to stay informed by reading our building newsletter and all communication you receive from your child’s teacher as well. If you have questions or a specific need, please be sure to connect with your child’s teacher or our office for support.
Your partner in education,
Jason Snyder
OLDER NEWS
SCHOOL DAY
Our school day for the 2022-2023 school year begins at 8:37 and ends at 3:35.
STUDENT DROP-OFF DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER
If it is raining outside or we have extremely cold weather, student drop offs will be permitted into the building starting at 8:30. All student drop offs will be asked to enter through the main office doors and proceed to their individual classroom.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
If you would like to volunteer or attend a classroom event, please complete a background check. Background checks can be completed by bringing in a driver's license or state ID to any Kenowa Hills Secretary and completing a background form.
Alpine Elementary Nurse
Nurse Ashley, 616-784-0884 ext. 8293 or abeene@khps.org
Social Media
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Safety and Security Commitment to Anti-Bullying Creating Inclusive Environments Safety DrillsLife is busy. At Kenowa Hills, we partner with families to make life easier.
TRANSPORTATION BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CAREOur Personal Mastery educational experience has redefined education and has gained attention around the state and nation. Personal Mastery provides your child with personalized attention from teachers. Instead of teaching to a broad group of students without an understanding of their individual strengths and weaknesses, Personal Mastery allows teachers to interact with students individually or in small groups to help them better address their weaknesses. In this way, we strive to help your child reach their full potential.
PERSONAL MASTERY SPECIAL EDUCATION ENGLISH LEARNERS TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOMAt the home of the Knights, athletic programs are a vital part of building character, drive, commitment, and teamwork for our student athletes.
UP-TO-DATE SPORTS INFO ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT YOUTH SPORTS Athletic BoostersThe arts build pride and community at Kenowa Hills. From our Marching Knights to musical performances at our Performing Arts Center, we believe the student experience really is a work of art.
FINE ART PROGRAMS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER