Heritage Christian High School

This special issue of the Board newsletter highlights the Faculty and some of the support staff of the new Heritage Christian High School. We are thankful that God has provided such faithful laborers in the field of covenant education. Our prayer is that God will continue to bless their efforts.

Ralph, who is the son of Ernie and Grace Medema, grew up in the Chicagoland area, attending our own Protestant Reformed grade school and Illiana Christian High. He left the area to attend Dordt College, from which he graduated in 1988 with a biology major and a secondary education concentration.

A year later, he moved to Lynden, Washington to teach in Covenant Christian School. For two years he taught English, science, math, Spanish, art and physical education to high school students.

Though he stayed in Lynden, he left teaching for a time to pursue other interests in the construction industry. He returned to his home town and to his alma mater as a junior high teacher in January of 1996.

Along with the busyness of his new administrative position, he hopes in the near future to pursue a Master's degree.

From the eastern side of Lake Michigan comes our newest teacher, Mr. Dan VanUffelen. John and Linda brought up their son Dan and his three siblings in Holland, Michigan where they attended First Protestant Reformed Church of Holland.

Dan's schooling began in Heritage Christian School, brought him to Covenant Christian High School and ended with Dan enrolled in a five year education program at Grand Valley State University.

He graduated from there with a major in English and a minor in geography.

Since then he married Kate Engelsma from Hope Protestant Reformed Church. Together they enjoy sailing and traveling, giving Dan opportunity to put his geography minor to good use.

Gordon and Eileen Terpstra of Grand Rapids, Michigan saw to it that their daughter, Sue, had a well-rounded Christian education. Her formal education included attendance at Hope School and Covenant Christian High School where she had the privelege of being a member of the third graduating class.

Since her high school graduation, Sue has taken courses at Grand Valley State University, Calvin College and South Suburban College. She obtained her degree from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. Her Bachelor of Arts degree includes an English major, history and science minors, a secondary education certification and a learning disabilities endorsement.

Mother of six and grandmother of two, and previously a teacher in our South Holland primary school, Mrs. Looyenga will be able to bring first-hand knowledge of covenant instruction to her teaching experience.

God has blessed Heritage Christian High School with highly qualified teachers. No doubt their teaching will be inspired by love for our own Protestant Reformed distinctives as well as love and compassion for our covenant youth. May God prosper their work!

Here are some of the support staff who have graciously volunteered their time and efforts to ensure the smooth opening and running of our new high school.

Substitute Teachers: Audra Andringa, Karen VanBaren.

Special Education Tutor: Linda Verburg.

Secretarial Staff: Janet Huisenga, Debbie Poortinga, Mary Warner.

Library Assistants: Rachael DeJong, Nellie DeVries, Trudy Lenting.

Basketball Coach: Kate VanUffelen.

Volleyball Coach: Stephanie Zylstra, Monica Lindsey, Assistant Coach.

Career Opportunities Counselor: Mary Terpstra.

School Nurse: Valerie Terpstra

Interim Teachers: Rev. Allen Brummel, Rev. Nathan Brummel, Rev. Carl Haak, Prof. Herman Hanko, Rev. Steven Houck and Mr. Don Terpstra.

Special thanks go to Kevin Poortinga and Homer De Jong for their efforts to procure like-new office and classroom furniture at no charge from the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago. We will be setting aside an evening for volunteers to help assemble, arrange and clean this furniture. Please keep an eye out for an announcement in your bulletin.