Holland Christian Schools
Encyclopedia
Holland Christian Schools is a private Christian school system located in Holland, Michigan
. The Holland Christian Schools educate students ranging in age from Pre-K through 12th grade. HCS is accredited by Christian Schools International
.
In 1920 a separate board was established to manage the high school, and 11th grade was added to the curriculum. The board began plans for a new High School building to be located at the "Y" formed by the intersection of River and State Streets. A 12th grade was added, and in 1922 the first high school graduation class of 10 men and women completed their Holland Christian education.
An open house was held in the newly construction High School building in April 1924. Shortly thereafter, the boards of the elementary and high schools merged, and a superintendent for the entire school system, James Hietbrink, was hired.
Holland Christian Schools experienced the same hardships as the rest of the country during the years of the Great Depression, and there were years in which teachers were owed back salaries for months in which there weren't enough funds to pay them, and the school was in debt. This debt was finally erased in a massive drive in 1941 with the theme "Liquidate the Debt. It shall be done, God willing, in '41."
In 1953, because of increasing enrollment and crowded classrooms, the high school was expanded with the construction of a second building known as the "B" building, located south of the existing building on 20th Street. The B building held eleven classrooms, a library, and a study hall.
The "Y" site served as the high school until 1967, when a new high school building was constructed on Ottawa Avenue to meet the educational and space needs of a growing school system. At that time, the "Y" buildings became the junior high school (and eventually the middle school) and served in that capacity until the construction of a new middle school on the Ottawa Avenue campus in 1983.
The high school academic program has always included co-curricular and extra-curricular activities to round out the educational experience. In the 1920s the sports offerings were limited to boys' and girls' basketball. Currently there are eleven sports offered for both boys and girls. The music program has always been a rich part of the Holland Christian educational experience. More than half of the high school students participate in the choir, band, or orchestra. Drama has also been a part of the heritage and the high school produces plays and musicals each year. The school's MIFA drama team has won the state title in recent years, most recently in 2010 for their production of Rags.
Currently, the Holland Christian Schools' system includes 5 campuses: the high school on Ottawa Avenue; the middle school also on Ottawa Avenue (grades 7-8); Pine Ridge Elementary (grades 3-6); South Side Elementary (preschool-grade 2); and Rose Park Elementary (preschool-grade 6). There are 1,800 students in preschool-grade 12. Since the first high school class in 1922, more than 13,000 students have graduated from Holland Christian High School.
The Holland Christian Schools were established in response to the teaching of Scripture that all life must be lived in loving obedience to the Lord's will, and that the Christian community in general and parents in particular, have a great responsibility to educate their children in the love, wisdom, knowledge and righteousness of their sovereign God. The mission of the school is "Equipping Minds and Nurturing Hearts to Transform the World for Jesus Christ." Achieving such an impact demands an academically excellent education. The School continually posts area-leading test scores. More than 90% of the graduates of Holland Christian High School go on to college or advanced educational opportunities.
The physics teacher since 1997 is James L. Peterson.
The chemistry teacher since 1992 is Dale Eizenga.
The Director of Technology since 1997 is Timothy Kamps.
. The Maroons have won 20 state championships and have been state runner-up 15 times.
Holland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
. The Holland Christian Schools educate students ranging in age from Pre-K through 12th grade. HCS is accredited by Christian Schools International
Christian Schools International
Christian Schools International was established in 1920 and supports Christian school teachers who want Bible-based textbooks for their classrooms, principals and school administrators investigating employee benefit plans, Christian school board members seeking information about governance, and...
.
History
Holland Christian Schools began operating in 1901 as a K-grade 8 school, meeting first in a church until a school building could be constructed on Central Avenue between 15th and 16th Streets. There were 130 students in the school, and the student population doubled within the next two years. By 1915, with 444 students enrolled, there was a need for additional space, and construction began on a school building on 15th Street. In response to parent interest, high school classes were added to the program beginning in 1918, with 9th and 10th grade classes included in the curriculum.In 1920 a separate board was established to manage the high school, and 11th grade was added to the curriculum. The board began plans for a new High School building to be located at the "Y" formed by the intersection of River and State Streets. A 12th grade was added, and in 1922 the first high school graduation class of 10 men and women completed their Holland Christian education.
An open house was held in the newly construction High School building in April 1924. Shortly thereafter, the boards of the elementary and high schools merged, and a superintendent for the entire school system, James Hietbrink, was hired.
Holland Christian Schools experienced the same hardships as the rest of the country during the years of the Great Depression, and there were years in which teachers were owed back salaries for months in which there weren't enough funds to pay them, and the school was in debt. This debt was finally erased in a massive drive in 1941 with the theme "Liquidate the Debt. It shall be done, God willing, in '41."
In 1953, because of increasing enrollment and crowded classrooms, the high school was expanded with the construction of a second building known as the "B" building, located south of the existing building on 20th Street. The B building held eleven classrooms, a library, and a study hall.
The "Y" site served as the high school until 1967, when a new high school building was constructed on Ottawa Avenue to meet the educational and space needs of a growing school system. At that time, the "Y" buildings became the junior high school (and eventually the middle school) and served in that capacity until the construction of a new middle school on the Ottawa Avenue campus in 1983.
Today
The Ottawa Avenue building continues to serve as the high school, with several additions and renovations since it was first constructed. In 2007 a major capital campaign, under the title Equipped for Tomorrow, was successful in raising $28 million to expand and renovate the high school. Construction began in June 2007 and continued through the summer of 2009. The completed building now contains a new classroom/science lab wing, a new media center, new commons and food servery, new athletic fields, and a renovation and upgrading of all of the classrooms, hallways, and restrooms in the facility. The auditorium also received a fresh new look, equipped with a better sound system, a ceiling that improved acoustics and new curtains for the stage itself.The high school academic program has always included co-curricular and extra-curricular activities to round out the educational experience. In the 1920s the sports offerings were limited to boys' and girls' basketball. Currently there are eleven sports offered for both boys and girls. The music program has always been a rich part of the Holland Christian educational experience. More than half of the high school students participate in the choir, band, or orchestra. Drama has also been a part of the heritage and the high school produces plays and musicals each year. The school's MIFA drama team has won the state title in recent years, most recently in 2010 for their production of Rags.
Currently, the Holland Christian Schools' system includes 5 campuses: the high school on Ottawa Avenue; the middle school also on Ottawa Avenue (grades 7-8); Pine Ridge Elementary (grades 3-6); South Side Elementary (preschool-grade 2); and Rose Park Elementary (preschool-grade 6). There are 1,800 students in preschool-grade 12. Since the first high school class in 1922, more than 13,000 students have graduated from Holland Christian High School.
The Holland Christian Schools were established in response to the teaching of Scripture that all life must be lived in loving obedience to the Lord's will, and that the Christian community in general and parents in particular, have a great responsibility to educate their children in the love, wisdom, knowledge and righteousness of their sovereign God. The mission of the school is "Equipping Minds and Nurturing Hearts to Transform the World for Jesus Christ." Achieving such an impact demands an academically excellent education. The School continually posts area-leading test scores. More than 90% of the graduates of Holland Christian High School go on to college or advanced educational opportunities.
1 to 1 Laptop Program
Over the past two years Holland Christian Schools has implemented a 1 to 1 laptop program for all 6th-12th grade students, providing each with a laptop to be used throughout the school year both at school and at home. The focus of the program is to increase the creativity and expression of the students. It also allows teachers to create lessons that are more relevant and engaging. This program allows each student to have a wider range of learning both online and off.Staff
The Superintendent of Holland Christian Schools since 1997 is Glenn W. Vos.The physics teacher since 1997 is James L. Peterson.
The chemistry teacher since 1992 is Dale Eizenga.
The Director of Technology since 1997 is Timothy Kamps.
Athletics
Holland Christian High School is a member of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), the Michigan Interscholastic Horsemanship Association (MIHA), and the Ottawa-Kent ConferenceOttawa-Kent Conference
The Ottawa-Kent Conference is an athletic league located in West Michigan. It has member schools from Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, and Ottawa Counties. It has 51 member schools that partake in athletics. According to the MHSAA they have the main offices located at Grandville...
. The Maroons have won 20 state championships and have been state runner-up 15 times.
State Championships (all MHSAA unless noted)
- 1934 - Boys’ Basketball - Lower Peninsula Class C
- 1935 - Boys’ Basketball - Lower Peninsula Class C
- 1953 - Boys’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1954 - Boys’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1963 - Boys’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1965 - Boys’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1976 - Girls’ Softball - Class B
- 1986 - Boys’ Soccer - Class B-C
- 1988 - Boys’ Swimming and Diving - Lower Peninsula Class B-C-D
- 1989 - Boys’ Swimming and Diving - Lower Peninsula Class B-C-D
- 1993 - Girls’ Tennis – Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1996 - Girls’ Swimming and Diving - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 2003 - Boys’ Soccer - Division 2
- 2003 - Equestrian - A Division (MIHA)
- 2004 - Equestrian - A Division (MIHA)
- 2005 - Girls’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Division 3
- 2005 - Boys' Third Doubles - Lower Peninsula Division 3
- 2006 - Girls’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Division 3
- 2007 - Girls’ Competitive Cheer - Division 2
- 2008 - Girls' Volleyball - Class B
- 2008 - Boys' Football - Division 4
State Runners-up (all MHSAA unless noted)
- 1939 - Boys’ Basketball - Lower Peninsula Class C
- 1954 - Boys’ Basketball - Class B
- 1961 - Boys’ Basketball - Class B
- 1961 - Boys’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1962 - Boys’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1968 - Boys’ Basketball - Class B
- 1990 - Boys’ Swimming and Diving - Lower Peninsula Class B-C-D
- 1990 - Boys’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1994 - Girls’ Volleyball - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1997 - Girls’ Swimming and Diving - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 1998 - Boys’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Division 3
- 1999 - Boys’ Cross Country - Lower Peninsula Class B
- 2001 - Girls’ Tennis - Lower Peninsula Division 3
- 2005 - Girls’ Competitive Cheer - Class B
- 2007 (Fall) - Girls’ Volleyball - Class B
Notable people
- Paul Ronald LambersPaul Ronald LambersPaul Ronald Lambers was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.-Biography:...
, Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
Recipient - Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of... - Jeff BatesJeff Bates (Slashdot)Jeff Bates, also known as hemos, is the co-founder of Slashdot along with Rob Malda . Bates graduated from Holland Christian High School in 1994 and received a Bachelor's degree in History from Hope College in 1998....
, co-founder of SlashdotSlashdotSlashdot is a technology-related news website owned by Geeknet, Inc. The site, which bills itself as "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters", features user-submitted and ‑evaluated current affairs news stories about science- and technology-related topics. Each story has a comments section... - Betsy DeVosBetsy DeVosElisabeth "Betsy" DeVos is an American politician and school choice activist from the state of Michigan. She is a former chairperson of the Michigan Republican Party.-Family background and education:...
, former chair of the Republican party in Michigan - Anthony DiekemaAnthony DiekemaAnthony J. Diekema is a former President of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.Diekema graduated from Calvin College in 1956 and went on to receive a master's degree and a doctorate in sociology from Michigan State University.When Diekema came to Calvin College in 1976, he completed the...
, former president of Calvin CollegeCalvin CollegeCalvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism... - William GarvelinkWilliam GarvelinkWilliam John Garvelink is an American diplomat and former United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo by George W. Bush on May 30, 2007 and sworn in on October 22, 2007.-Biography:...
, U.S. Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo Ambassadors from the United StatesAmbassadors from the United StatesThis is a list of ambassadors of the United States to individual nations of the world, to international organizations, to past nations, and ambassadors-at-large.Ambassadors are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate... - Pete HoekstraPete HoekstraPeter "Pete" Hoekstra is a former Republican U.S. Representative for who served in the House from 1993 until 2011. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Michigan in 2010 and is expected to run for the United States Senate against Debbie Stabenow in 2012.-Early life and education:Born...
, Former U.S. Congressman from Michigan's 2 District, U.S. House of Representatives - Rob MaldaRob MaldaRob Malda , also known as CmdrTaco, is founder and former editor-in-chief of the website Slashdot. He is a graduate of Hope College and Holland Christian High School....
, computer programmer; co-founder of SlashdotSlashdotSlashdot is a technology-related news website owned by Geeknet, Inc. The site, which bills itself as "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters", features user-submitted and ‑evaluated current affairs news stories about science- and technology-related topics. Each story has a comments section... - Erik PrinceErik PrinceErik Dean Prince is the founder and formerly the sole owner of the private military company Xe Services LLC, formerly Blackwater Worldwide. On March 2, 2009, Prince announced that he was stepping down as CEO of Xe. He is currently living abroad in the United Arab Emirates, where he is creating a...
, business executive; founder and sole owner of Blackwater USABlackwater USAXe Services LLC, better known by its former names, Blackwater USA and Blackwater Worldwide, is a private military company founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark.. Xe is currently the largest of the U.S. State Department's three private security contractors...
and the Prince Group - Rachel ReenstraRachel ReenstraRachel Reenstra is an American comedian and actress. A graduate of Hope College, she has played minor roles in various television shows and movies. She was the hostess of the Animal Planet reality television series Ms...
, host of Ms. AdventureMs. AdventureMs. Adventure was an American documentary reality television series that premiered on Animal Planet on January 19, 2007. The program was hosted by Rachel Reenstra.- Trivia :...
on the Animal PlanetAnimal PlanetAnimal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
network - Kirk CousinsKirk Cousins-College career:In 2007, newly hired Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio recruited Cousins to play for the Spartans. Cousins was redshirted for the 2007 season. In 2008, he spent the season as the back up quarterback to Brian Hoyer. He played in five games passing for a total of 310 yards and...
, Current starting QuarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
at Michigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,... - Mike Phelps, Eight winningest men's basketball coach in Michigan history. (568 wins)