I dug up some old digital photos one Sunday morning this summer. We actually had all our kids together gathered around the TV for a worship service and afterwards I played these old photos as a post-service montage.

We reminisced and relived the moments of when the kids were very young. We noticed that many of our pictures of the early days were centered around school. The precious and obligatory first day of school photos, preschool play time, Christmas concerts in the classroom and on stage, and of course, many pictures of the kids with their teachers…somehow, retired kindergarten teacher Mrs. Nancy Humphries found her way into many of our photos—so fun!

This experience made me think about what this upcoming school year represents in terms of our own family at ACS.

From Songs To Hoops

This September marks our youngest’s last year at ACS. When we moved here, she started 3-year-old preschool with Mrs. Julie Braun (retired preschool teacher) and Mrs. Denise K.. Mrs. Nancy Humphries was Sofia’s kindergarten teacher, and she remembers the kindergarten transportation field trip like it was yesterday. Sofia enjoyed singing the song of the month in the late Mrs. Sandra Elgersma’s music class, Mr. Roy van Eerden as her principal singing the blessing after every chapel and high fiving her on the first and last days of school, and cheering Oliver on as he raced his wheelchair down the pathway built especially for him.

In middle school she loved Mr. Paul Still’s ability to make the Bible come to life, playing Louisa in The Sound of Music with Mrs. Sandra Barthel as director, selling chocolate in a booth for grade 6 Market Day, dressing up as Cleopatra on POL night in grade 7, and presenting her “clothing for the third-world” “Here I Stand” grade 8 project.

In grade 9 Sofia fell in love with foods class with Mrs. Hieke Morton, she secretly became fond of social studies, and she learned to play the post on the basketball team. Sofia has never gone to school anywhere else like many students over the years. And like others entering their final year at ACS, Sofia looks forward to an amazing year. One of growth, of transition, and of preparing herself for what God has in store for the rest of her life.

Worth Every Penny

We have been incredibly blessed by the education our kids received at ACS and consider every penny spent as an investment into their lives both now and into the future. We know it’s not perfect, and there have been bumps and bruises along the way, but to experience the blessing of a Christian school that intentionally partners with us as a family has been a true gift.

Our experience is not unlike many others in our community…and it’s our turn to experience that first day rush, one last time. We look forward to it like we do every year, and we look forward to doing it with many others—both those who went before us and who come alongside of us.

Our family is ready for the year—are you experiencing a “first” or “last” this school year?