Legacy Lens Fall 2023

Lens Fall 2023

LEGACY

Preparing Christ Followers and Kingdom Builders Preparando Seguidores de Cristo y Constructores de Su Reino

Page 2 Message from our Interim Head of School Curt DeYoung

Page 4 Building a Legacy renovation update.

Page 7 Learn about our new reading curriculum, Wonders/Maravillas.

Message from the Head of School

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he school year got off to a great start! The theme for the year is “Dive In/Sumergete” based on our theme verse of John 21:7.

This verse shares the wonderful story of Peter seeing Jesus on the beach and diving into the water to swim to him. I am looking forward to seeing how the staff and students will “dive into” the school year!

As I reflect on the start of the school year and Legacy, I keep coming back to the idea of community. Through the many years I have worked at Legacy and had my own kids here, I always felt that one of the best parts of Legacy was its sense of community.

So what is community? I found this wonderful definition: “a group of people that care about each other and feel they belong together.”

What a wonderful description of who we are at Legacy.

I have seen so many great examples of community at work this school year. It began with our Back to School Picnic and Open House to start the school year. It was great to see so many families at this event to kickoff the school year. Next came the LCS Annual Golf Outing and it was amazing to see so many supporters of LCS come together on that day in support of our mission at Legacy to create “Christ Followers and Kingdom Builders.”

Not only have I seen this strong sense of community among our families, but also with our staff and students. We have had several All School Worship gatherings this year. It’s so powerful to see and hear all of our students worshipping our Lord together. On October 5, we had our first All School Small Group meeting of the school year. Each small group includes students from all grade levels, Kindergarten through 8th grade. The small groups gather together once a month to work on building relationships with other students and strengthening our sense of community and togetherness!

I am so excited for the remainder of the school year and how we will continue to see God’s faithfulness in the Legacy community.

Curt DeYoung Interim Head of School

LCS Welcomes New Faculty

VANESSA RICHARD Tues/Thurs Mornings Preschool

BROOK VELDKAMP Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings Preschool

JENNIFER YEATES Young 5’s-2nd Grade Art

STACY ZBIKOWSKI Middle School Teacher

Please join us in welcoming these new faculty members to the Legacy community!

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Updates Refreshed Logo

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t one of the Fall Legacy School Board meetings, a refreshed Legacy logo was approved. We are excited to use this modernized logo on our marketing materials.

Sparklers Kid Care

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eginning in the 2024-2025 school year, Legacy will offer Sparklers Kids Care for our students.

This childcare expansion will be open for early drop off and for late pick-up as well as during the day for our preschool students. Our current Extended Care for our Early Childhood programs has been such a success that we are excited to offer expanded childcare services to our school-age students.

Sparklers KIDS CARE

you are the light of the world MATTHEW 5:14-16

3rd Annual Golf Outing Raises $20,000!

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his past September, Legacy hosted its 3rd Annual Golf Outing at Stonewater Country Club. The weather was beautiful for our almost 30 teams of golfers.

This year we also added an Art Class option lead by Legacy’s Art Teacher Mrs. Sinnema. We are so thankful for all our supporters who came together to raise $20,000.

Thank you for supporting and praying for this event.

Thank you to our title sponsors: Immaculate Flight, Insignia Homes, Tru Kitchens, & Allied Mechanical Services www.legacycs.org

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Building a Legacy Campaign Update

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This summer marked the completion of Phase 2. This phase included increased security at the East Campus and further classroom renovations.

t was a very busy and productive summer at Legacy Christian.

Although we did finish replacing the remaining portions of flat roof at the West Campus, the bulk of the work was at the East Campus.

Safety was a major focus with secure entrances that included new glass doors and safety film along with a vestibule at the main entry.

The front office was remodeled for a more welcoming and secure entrance. The hallways have a completely new look with polished concrete floors, new metal lockers, and paint throughout. The Teacher’s Lounge was refreshed with a

remodeled kitchen area, new furniture, carpet and storage centers.

Lastly, it was the second year of classroom remodels with the 1st, 2nd grades and Art classrooms renovated with new lighting, cabinetry, flooring, and classroom furniture. We look forward to the third and final phase of the campaign during the summer of 2024 which will see the 3rd through 6th grade classrooms completely remodeled.

Following the completion of this phase, all classrooms throughout both campuses will have the latest technology, new furniture, and an updated look.

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You can help us finish strong with a gift toward our third and final campaign phase! Your donation will help us remodel the 3rd through 6th grade classrooms during the summer of 2024.

DONATE: Mail a check or scan the QR code to donate online.

PLEDGE: Commit to a giving plan for Phase 3 of the Capital Campaign by calling 616-455-3860.

PRAY: Give thanks for God’s faithful provision and pray for God’s leading as we seek to honor Him through our building projects!

www.legacycs.org

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Spotlight: West Campus Band & Orchestra

Led by our Orchestra teacher, Mr. Haagsma, and our Band teacher, Mr. Rozema, our 5th8th students bring their musical gifts to our West Campus.

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Wonders/Maravillas Curriculum A new language arts curriculum guides our English and Spanish teachers allowing for increased collaboration and sequenced learning.

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alk down the hallways and you will hear first grade students reading about movement. Watch the third graders write about a Michigan monument connecting language arts and social studies. Notice the Young 5’s word wall highlighting new vocabulary. Stop off in the teacher’s lounge and you will be encouraged by Spanish and English teachers collaborating on how to differentiate learning.

This fall in grades pre-K through 6th, Legacy Christian rolled out the Wonders (Maravillas in Spanish) Language Arts curriculum published by McGraw Hill. Last year, teachers requested a well-structured curriculum that would meet a number of needs.

Wonders/Maravillas was chosen for how it scaffolds learning so skills are taught in a sequential order, provides common language and processes so students

can build on their learning from grade to grade, helps our students recover from learning gaps caused by the pandemic, and very importantly, aligns our English and Spanish Immersion tracks.

Now our teachers, regardless of the language they teach in, can collaborate on language arts instruction and best-practices. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Teachers appreciate the variety of instructional strategies, emphasis on vocabulary, strong grammar instruction, and engaging activities for students to do as a whole group, small group, and individually. Kristen Lautenbach, teacher of 5th and 6th grade English students, says, “I’m impressed with the reading strategies and focus on writing structure that is foundational to what we are learning as well as how my students are able to apply that to their other classes.”

www.legacycs.org

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Legacy Christian School 67 68th Street SW Grand Rapids, Michigan 49548