Holland Christian Schools

Holland Christian Schools
Information
Type Private
Superintendent Dan Meester
Grades K-12
Color(s) Maroon and White
Website http://www.hollandchristian.org/

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.

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 2014 for their production of Wit.

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 13,500 students have graduated from Holland Christian High School.

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][2]

1 to 1 Laptop Program

Over the past two years Holland Christian Schools has implemented a 1 to 1 laptop program[3] 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 2014 is Dan Meester.

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 Conference. The Maroons have won 20 state championships and have been state runner-up 16 times.

State Championships

All MHSAA unless noted

State Runners-up

All MHSAA unless noted

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ http://citydescribed.com/2015/11/the-20-best-christian-high-schools-in-america/13/
  2. ↑ http://hollandchristian.org/document.doc?id=448
  3. ↑ Official HCS 1 to 1 website

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