Betsy Koop, New ZCS Board President

Betsy Koop, Incoming ZCS Board of Trustees President

My journey with Zeeland Christian School (ZCS) began almost 95 years ago. My (currently) 99-year-old grandmother, Genevieve Huizenga, attended ZCS as a child, eventually sending her children to ZCS as well, including my father who eventually served on the school board for many years. I attended ZCS as a student from preschool through 8th grade. Some of my most memorable experiences include participating in the Special Olympics alongside a kindergarten buddy in the inclusion program, attending middle school camps, and serving on a middle school leadership team.

After graduating from Hope College, I moved overseas and taught in Honduras for a few years. While living there, I was contacted by Nancy Pyle, Preschool Director, who invited me to consider teaching at ZCS in the Spanish immersion program. During this time, ZCS hosted Adan, a Honduran student staying in West Michigan to receive and recover from multiple surgeries through the organization Healing the Children. Stacey VandenBosch, a pioneer in Spanish immersion program at ZCS, became close with Adan and accompanied him back to Honduras upon the completion of his stay. They stayed with me in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and I was thrilled to learn about so many amazing things happening in the ZCS community. Shortly after, I accepted a position to return home and teach at the school the following year.

For five years, I taught in the second-grade Spanish immersion program. I also had the privilege of serving as a leader on the language arts curriculum committee and helping in other leadership roles. Over the years, I loved having the opportunity to work alongside the passionate teachers and leaders at ZCS as well as many others across the country.

In 2016, I was invited to join the search committee for our new Head of School. That proved to be an incredible experience in which we spent much time meeting with students, parents, faculty members, staff members, and other society members as well as interviewing top notch candidates, including our incredible Mr. Tim McAboy.

Most importantly, I get to experience ZCS as a parent. What a gift it is to see such amazing teachers and leaders pour into our son and to watch him learn and grow at ZCS. Almost two years ago, I joined the ZCS School Board of Directors (BOD), where I’ve had the honor of serving as the vice-chair of the board and as the chair of the Education Committee. I’m grateful to bring years of experience to the BOD in the education space, and for the opportunity to collaborate with students, parents, teachers, school leaders, and stakeholders in schools locally and across the country. I am eager to do the same at ZCS in order to further its mission to Love God, Love Kids, and Love Learning.

In my opinion, the greatest strength of ZCS is how actively its people live into the mission to Love God, Love Kids and Love Learning (in that order). There is a strong unity between the “who” and the “what”. Teachers, staff members, leadership team members, and the BOD are constantly reminded that the first priority is to love and pursue God, and from there comes the ability to love kids well and offer the best possible learning experience for each of them. It is very exciting to become the first female to serve as Board President as it serves as one more small example of women in key leadership positions moving from novelty to norm, which I believe is an important message for all students.

My hope is for ZCS to offer academically rigorous, Christ-centered education at an affordable rate. I pray that through faith and empathy development, data-informed instruction, and relational connectedness, ZCS students will graduate equipped to step into their post-ZCS journey with purpose, compassion, and skills.