Sowing Seeds for Missions: Across the Ocean and Alongside a Fellow Classmate

By Beaux Williams, Spiritual Life Director

We had a great time in March during Missions Emphasis Week. Each morning, teachers and students heard testimonies of the amazing work that God is doing, locally and globally, through the work of missionaries.

In chapel, students were introduced to Forgotten Man Ministries, where Chaplain Matthew Hansen challenged students to consider sharing the gospel with those in prison.

The highlight of the week was when five students stood up among their classmates to receive prayer, sensing that God was moving in their hearts for missions. Please continue to pray that all of the students would make disciples “as they go”.

Our Power Plus crews served at a number of different sites. We are so pleased with the progress that these crews have made this year, representing Christ well in every place they go. My crew was able spend time with the 3rd grade class at the Plasman campus. We went on a nature observation walk through the Degraaf Nature Center, and the older students assisted the younger ones in locating various hidden natural objects. Then, the younger students read Black Beauty aloud to their older reading partners.

Richard Laninga's crew (Athletic Director, P.E.) spent a similar day with the 2nd graders. Kimberly Bos (2nd grade), had this to say about the day: "My class had such a delightful time… The boys engaged with their little buddies, talking and playing, chasing and making each one feel so special. These are the comments I heard from my kids:

I wish he was my brother!
I would trade both my brothers for him. He was so nice to me.
He knew all the words.
Did you see me riding on his back?
We found everything on our list!
Will they come to our class again? When?"

Students Preparing for What's Next after CSH

By Joy Hemmes, Student Guidance Advisor

On March 28, 10th-12th grade students attended the Western Michigan National College Fair at the DeVos Center in Grand Rapids. Over 150 colleges and universities were represented -- many from Michigan but also from other states and nations, including Canada, Japan, Italy and the U.K. Students were given a written activity to complete beforehand which helped them ask good questions. They were also required to attend a seminar during the fair on Essay Writing, Scholarship Opportunities or The College Process.

For sophomores, the vision for this trip was to expose them to the myriad of choices available to them. Juniors were able to connect with schools in which they already had interest and perhaps discover a few new ones. The seniors benefitted from a reminder that scholarship money is out there if they will continue to invest time in the search and application process.

On our return, we stopped into Calvary Baptist Church where Bryan and Ami Walker generously treated the students to a scrumptious pizza lunch. It was fun to see some of the kids poring over all of the brochures they had amassed as they made their rounds to the various college reps. We are grateful for the potential in each of our students and hopeful that this experience was one of the helpful stepping stones to prepare them for life after CSH.

Internationally-Renowned Math Methods for Calvary Students

By Cheryl Ward, Plasman Principal

Singapore Math is more than just a curriculum; it’s also a method which happens to beautifully align with our Ambleside Charlotte Mason approach in our elementary and middle schools. Our staff receives ongoing math training from our Ambleside partners and trainers, and we recently had a wonderful opportunity to attend an all-day training in Wheaton, Illinois. We are working hard to provide the best possible math instruction we can give our students.

Singapore Math is based on methods and curriculum developed for schools in Singapore -- a nation that consistently ranks at the top of international student assessments in math. How did the Singaporeans become so good at math?

Their math curriculum and method is based on the following key concepts:

There are 4 components to the math lesson: 1) Mental Math, 2) C-P-A (Concrete-Pictures-Abstract), 3) Model Drawing, and 4) Independent Work.

Singapore Math combines the formulas that we all know and love from our own school experiences with some conceptual building that many may not have received. So far, we are very impressed with the quality of Singapore Math. It is certainly living up to its reputation as one of the most cohesive and effective math programs around.

Put this on the calendar!

April 28
Laketown Spring Banquet

May 4
National Day of Prayer Event at Laketown Campus, 8:15-8:45am

May 5-6
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Theater Production at Calvary Baptist Church

May 11
Tulip Time Kinderparade

May 19
CSH Spring Auction at Laketown Golf & Conference Center, 5:30-9:30pm

May 22
Laketown Spring Concert

May 31
High School Graduation

Click here for a detailed school calendar.