October 1, 2026
------------------------- TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENTS ----------------------------
--The boys Tennis match for today is cancelled due to weather.
--Cityside, it’s time to show your CHIX pride!
Tomorrow, remember to wear your Zeeland East CHIX gear to school and then come out to Zeeland Stadium for the annual EMPOWER event, then stick around for the big East vs. West football game! Come cheer on our EMPOWER athletes and your Zeeland East CHIX!
--Yesterday, the 7th grade Gold Volleyball team beat Harbor Lights Middle School 2-1. Teagan Wilkosz lead the team with 4 aces. Elena Ulberg, Claire Johnson, and Lydia Hunderman led the team in defense with 3 digs each. Kaydence West led the team in offense putting up a block and earning a kill.
--Also yesterday, the 7th grade Brown Volleyball team lost the first two sets and won the third against West Ottawa. Capri Beukema led us in the third set with a 6 point serving run. Presleigh Elzinga had 7 digs. Olivia Huizenga put up 1 block.
--Last night the 7th grade football team took on the Holland Christian Maroons. The Chix dominated the Maroons from start to finish. In the first half, the defense was highlighted by an interception from Hudson Osburn, a fumble recovery by Max Ras, and an interception by Shae Sattler. The offense capitalized on these turnovers, with two touchdown runs from Shae Sattler and Owen Trulock, as well as a touchdown pass from Sattler to Kye Thompson followed by an extra point where Thompson returned the favor and passed it to Sattler as the Chix took a 32-0 lead into halftime. The second half was much more of the same, as the Chix had touchdown runs from Lucas Monzo and Austin Chov and eventually won the game 44-6. The Chix improve to 5-0 on the season, and end their season against Creekside next week.
--The 8th grade football team also played the Holland Christian Maroons. The Chix started fast, with a touchdown pass from Bryce Meyer to Collin Byker as well as a long touchdown run from Meyer followed by an extra point run by Gavin Evans. After a Chix defensive stop, the Chix responded with a touchdown pass from Meyer to Drake Arendsen. Then, Avery Lebron recovered an onside kick from Carter Bailey which led to a touchdown pass from Bryce Meyer to Hudson Exo. The Chix then got the ball back and Jacob Hallifax ran in the touchdown followed by an extra point from Cohen Decker to give the Chix a 32-0 lead heading into halftime. The second half was more Chix domination, with a touchdown pass from Brennan Mansfield to Val Alvarez as well as a one handed interception returned for a touchdown by Hudson Exo. Brennan Mansfield and Avery LeBron led the Chix in tackles on the night, and Owen Fry had a sack. Next up the 4-0 Chix take on Creekside.
--On Tuesday, the 8th grade boys soccer team travelled to Holland Christian to take on the Maroons. The first half was a solid back and forth battle with no scoring. The 2nd half, the Chix definitely dominated possession and created MANY good scoring chances but just couldn't get any past the keeper. Davis Laarman and Sam Wall both made some saves in goal to keep a clean sheet and the game ended in a 0-0 tie. The team heads to Hamilton today along with the 7th graders to take on the Hawkeyes. Good luck Chix!!
--The 8th grade Gold volleyball won their match last night 2-1, moving to 5-1 on the season and stretching their winning streak to 5 matches. Last night Sapphire Ram led the team with a season high 4 kills, Lily Raven and Adonai Juarez led all servers with 5 aces apiece, and Palmer White recorded 3 kills, a block, and 7 assists.
--The 8th grade brown volleyball team beat West Ottawa Harbor Lights last night 3-0 in a quick match winning 21-6, 21-9, and 21-6. It was a big serving game with aces coming from Miranda Sullivan, Liv McCammon, Brinley Wise, and Addi Crane. Up at the net with some big kills was Brynnley Kuiper’s and Miranda Sullivan in the middle. And our liberos Tenlee Trobridge and Madi Klaasen were tough on defense and serve receive. The girls are home on Monday against Zeeland Christian.
--Alright, Chix, we have some BIG fundraiser news!
Together, you raised over $15,000! That is amazing, and we want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated and helped make this happen!
Because of your hard work, 175 students earned a full-size candy bar, and 153 students earned an invitation to our Chix VIP Event next Friday morning!
At the Chix VIP Event, our VIPs will get to play games, win prizes, participate in additional raffles, and enjoy a special treat! It’s going to be a fun morning, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Also next Friday, we’ll be handing out all of the fundraiser prizes, drawing our $50 and $100 raffle winners, and presenting our $100 grand prize to our grand prize winner.
Thank you, Chix, for working together and raising money so we can keep doing fun things that celebrate our students and build our Chix community!
Way to go, Chix!
------------------------- REMINDERS FOR STUDENTS ----------------------------
--Cityside, it’s time to show your CHIX pride!
Tomorrow, remember to wear your Zeeland East CHIX gear to school and then come out to Zeeland Stadium for the annual EMPOWER event, followed by the big East vs. West football game!
The EMPOWER game brings ZPS students with disabilities together with East and West football players and cheerleaders for an afternoon of football, cheering, teamwork, and fun.
Spectators must pay the $5 gate fee using the GoFan app., which also includes watching the East/West varsity football game that kicks off at 7:00 p.m. Gates for the EMPOWER event open at 4:15 p.m., with a start time of 4:45 p.m. Come cheer on our EMPOWER athletes and your Zeeland East CHIX!
Go CHIX!
--🎉 Homecoming Spirit Week is Almost Here! (October 5–9) 🎉
Get ready to show off your school pride during Homecoming Spirit Week from October 5th to October 9th! Here is the schedule of daily themes so you can plan your outfits:
Monday, Oct 5 – Comfy Day: Kick off the week in your favorite cozy clothes or sweatpants.
Tuesday, Oct 6 – Fall Colors Day: Celebrate autumn by wearing red, orange, yellow, brown, cream, or white!
Wednesday, Oct 7 – Class Color Day: Show your grade-level pride by wearing your assigned color:
6th Grade: Green
7th Grade: Blue
8th Grade: Pink
Thursday, Oct 8 – Jersey Day: Wear your favorite sports team's jersey or jersey shirt.
Friday, Oct 9 – Wear Chix Gear Day: Deck out in full Chix gear or school colors to end Spirit Week strong!
Let’s make this a fun week full of school spirit!
--Friendly reminder: Please try to turn off your Chromebook completely at least once a week! Shutting it down allows important system updates to install properly and keeps everything running smoothly.
--You must use a crosswalk when crossing the road at any time because we care about your safety. State law requires you to ONLY cross at a crosswalk. It is illegal and unsafe to cross anywhere else. Please make sure to find the closest crosswalks and use those to get where you need to go before or after school. Thank you!
--If your Chromebook needs to be repaired, please bring it to Mr. Navetta in the CBC by 9:00 in the morning so it can be sent off to the technology office. Just a reminder: Mr. Navetta does not have any loaner Chromebooks or charging cords for kids who forget them at home. Please make sure you are charging your Chromebook fully at night and make sure you take it to school every day. If you forget it, you will need to call home to have someone bring it to you. If you forgot to charge it, bring your cord from home. Please completely shut down your Chromebook at least once a week to install any updates that are out there and please remember to fully charge it at home each night.
--Chromebook Charging Reminder
Charge Nightly: Bring your Chromebook fully charged every day! No loaner chargers are available from Mr. Navetta this year.
Check with your teacher first: There should be a couple chargers in each classroom to use for a quick charge.
CBC Station: Leave your device with Mr. Navetta briefly to charge during the day.
Media Center Station: Check in with Ms. Gillespie before plugging in your device.
--Hey everyone! We’ve noticed more Chromebooks coming in for repairs lately, so here’s a quick "Pro-Tip" guide on how to avoid accidental damage and those pesky repair fees:
Clear the Ports: Only chargers and USB cables belong in the ports. Anything else—pencils, clips, or snacks—will break the device. If the port breaks, you’ll be responsible for the total cost of a new Chromebook.
Hands Off the Keys: We know they’re clicky, but please don't pull them off! Replacing just one key will cost $40.
Pack with Care: Screens are sensitive to pressure. Avoid stuffing your bag too full or dropping it roughly. A cracked screen is a $150 fix.
Replacement Chargers are available for $15.
Bottom Line: These devices are valuable tools for your education. Please handle them with care to avoid repair bills and lost study time!
--Heading to the Library After a Half-Day of School? We’re glad students enjoy spending time at the Howard Miller Library after school. To ensure the library remains a safe, respectful space for everyone, please remind your student of the following expectations:
Respect the space – Seating belongs in chairs, not in aisles or hallways. Backpacks and instruments must be kept out of walkways. Keep it quiet – Low voices help maintain a calm environment for all visitors. One person per computer – Public computers are for individual use only. This is a food-free library. Drinks are allowed only in covered, spill-proof containers.
The library is a shared community space, not a supervised gathering area. We appreciate your support in helping students use it responsibly. Thank you for helping us maintain a positive environment for all visitors.
--Just a reminder that backpacks aren't allowed in classrooms during the school day. They must be left in your locker; that includes during 6th hour. They must stay in your locker until after school.
--Having good ATTENDANCE and being at school as much as possible is so important to a successful education. Please make every effort to arrive to school on time, to get to class on time, and to come every day. We love having you with us here at Cityside!
--If you leave school early for any reason, you MUST go through the office and let them know you are leaving. Thank you.
--A quick reminder about Success Time: If you have been assigned success time or lunch detention, first drop off your assignments and Chromebook (if needed to complete your assignment) to the LGI room and then grab your lunch so you're ready to get to work right away. If you've turned your assignments in and have a signed slip, you have 3 options:
1. Hand your signed slip to Mrs. DenBoer in the LGI on your way to lunch.
2. Put your signed slip in the folder on Mrs. DenBoer's office door in the Media Center.
3. Put your signed slip in the Success Time Folder on the front desk in the Main Office.
-------------------------------- FOR PARENTS ----------------------------------
--Parents: Follow THIS LINK for information about ZPS Tech Insurance for the 2026/2027 school year.
--Click this link for the ZPS 2026 - 2027 Calendar
--If your child will not be in school, for any reason, you MUST call the attendance line at 748-3205. Thank you!
--If you need your child out of school early for an appointment, etc. please call the office ahead of time and we will try to have your student waiting for you. We will then send them outside when they see you pull up. Teachers normally will not let a student leave class early unless they are called down by the office. Thank you!
--If you are picking your child up from school for any reason you must call the office (616-748-3250) before we will let them go. You may also call their cell phone in addition to the office, but the office must hear from you. Thank you!
--Please make sure you have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account set up. You will be able to check your student's bus schedule, grades, attendance, etc. with the Parent Portal. If you have any questions, please contact Heidi Wolters at hwolters@zps.org.
--Sign Up to Receive the 'Z for Me,' our ZPS district email newsletter- Stay informed about the latest ZPS news, events, and updates, including important district announcements (school closings, etc.), upcoming events, and more. Visit Z for Me to sign up.
--ZPS utilizes the School Messenger system to deliver text messages straight to your mobile phone with important information, including school
closings, safety alerts, and more. You can participate in this free service just by sending a text message of "Y" to our school's short code, 67587. For more info: ZPS School Messenger
--Any message needing to get to a student must be received by 1:20 pm. We call students down at the beginning of their last hour during announcements so we are not disturbing classroom instruction time.
--We need your help to ensure our schools receive important state and federal funding by completing the Education Benefits Form, which collects information for educational program grants. Even though all students get free breakfast and lunch this year, filling out this form can also provide your child with additional services like summer food support, help with school fees, and potential household support for internet and cable. Questions? Please see your building principal.
--We would like to offer your student the opportunity to participate in a program at Cityside Middle School called “Hand2Hand”. This program helps provide a student with food for the weekends and is intended for families who currently may be experiencing a financial burden. Please contact the front office if you would like to participate.
--The Miles of Smiles (MOS) mobile dental unit is scheduled to be in Ottawa County Schools during the 2025-2026 school year. Our mobile dental unit provides no cost, preventive and restorative dental services for financially-qualifying children. Unfortunately, MOS will not be visiting your school this year. However, we want parents to know that they can schedule their child to be seen on our mobile unit when we locate at another Ottawa County School. Miles of Smiles can be accessed by using the following informational application link: MILES OF SMILES
--Please do not have lunch food delivered from area restaurants to our students for lunch. We aren't allowed to sign your credit card receipts, and often the order only comes with a student's first name on it making it very difficult for us to know who it is for. Students often don't know a lunch is being delivered for them, so they don't come to pick it up and the food goes uneaten. Thanks for understanding!
------------------------- ATHLETICS ANNOUNCEMENTS ----------------------------
--All Student Athletes that go to the High School after school: You must ride your own bus to the High School if you normally ride a bus.
You should only be riding bus 47 or 49 if you do not normally ride a bus.
--2026/2027 SPORTS SIGN-UPS: Final Forms will open for the 2026/2027 school year on May 1, 2026. Please see the CITYSIDE ATHLETICS WEB PAGE for information and requirements about signing up student athletes. All registration and sports sign ups must be done online in the Final Forms website. If your student is planning to participate in any sports during the upcoming school year, please remember that they must have a new sports physical that is dated AFTER April 15, 2026. Please bring sports physicals to the office to the attention of Mrs. Nelson or upload a PDF copy into your student's Final Forms record. If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact Tammy Nelson at: tnelson@zps.org.