Thriving in Preschool

Each fall, we welcome a new group of preschool students and parents. The first few weeks are filled with numerous new experiences for both learners and their families. The best part is that we as staff get to experience it with them, and we get a front row seat! 

We wish you could see how Mrs. Vieu talks to a crying student in the hallway. We wish you could see Mrs. Visser dancing with her class. We wish you could see the excitement of Mrs. Cornea. We wish you could see our place-based students explore God’s creation. We wish you could see the joy of students and teachers as they develop classroom communities. Our entire preschool team works to intentionally design learning tailored to fit the needs of our three- and four-year-olds while at the same time helping them know they are safe, at home, and loved. Inside and outside these walls, the little things matter, and you can see it through the hearts and deep hopes of our teachers. We are looking forward to supporting the growth of each preschool child as they learn to love the Lord and love learning! 

Through the eyes of our youngest learners, we are continually reminded of God’s faithfulness.

Registration Dates for Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten

We are excited to share some important dates regarding registration and enrollment for the 2026-2027  school year! 

Preschool priority registration will begin on Wednesday, December 10. Priority registration is for any family (current or new to BCCS) who plans to or already does send their children to elementary school at BCCS. 

Preschool open registration will begin January 14. This is for any family who does not know where their children will go to elementary school, or those who only use our preschool program.

Junior kindergarten and kindergarten registration will also open on January 14. Even current BCCS families must register so we know which kindergarten class you prefer for your son or daughter. 

Please save these dates as spaces are limited in preschool, junior kindergarten, and kindergarten classrooms. All registration links will be located at www.bccs.org/registration. 

Following the registration window, email confirmations will be sent in February, and application instructions will be provided in March or April. If you have any questions regarding this process, email Andy Reidsma at reidsma@bccs.org or call 616.878.3347, or see an outline here. 

If you want to learn more about BCCS, we highly recommend a personal campus tour so you can see classrooms, meet teachers, and ask all your questions. We want you to be able to find the place where God has called your family! 

A Flourishing Community

Short stories a picture of what makes BCCS a great place to learn!

Math Counts

We are grateful to New Lift Thrift Store for many reasons! Early this month, it was because our students were able to visit as an extension of their math learning. Sixth-grade students are using their understanding of percentages and proportions to find the savings realized by shopping at New Life Thrift Store. They compared the prices of used clothes to those of new ones. They talked about the importance of reusing. And they also volunteered at the store as members of the community!

Preschool Walks

Learning can happen in many places! Recently, groups of preschool classes at BCCS have been taking to downtown Byron Center (via hike) to explore things in our community related to what they are learning. Units of study in preschool include buildings and signs, so learners enjoyed discovering those things around town. Highlights included the big cow, talking to business owners, the fire station doors, and the unique church building features. Learning comes alive in all different places at BCCS!

Using Big Words

First-grade teachers are helping students thrive academically and behaviorally by introducing advanced vocabulary like "effective communication." Last week, Mrs. Wilson taught this term by showing students what "effective communication" looks like in action, being kind and listening well. She used this term in math, during devotions, and all throughout the day. She highlighted moments when students demonstrated it, helping them see the words in action. This intentional work builds strong learning habits, deep thinking, and helps hearts flourish!

With Faith Update: The First Steps

We are thrilled to announce that construction is officially underway! Excavators have prepared the space, and concrete for the footings and foundation walls is being poured. What was once a vision for the West Campus is now beginning to take shape. 

Thanks to the generosity and prayers of our community, we’ve now reached $7.3 million toward our $10 million goal. This milestone allows us to move forward with creating beautiful learning spaces for our preschool and kindergarten students. We’re especially grateful for the partnership of our many construction contractors and CarbonSix, whose services have helped make this solid start possible. Their partnership is a beautiful reflection of God’s provision through His people.

Each delivery of sand and concrete reminds us that we are building more than a school foundation, we are building a foundation of Christ in the lives of the students who will pass through these walls.

We are thankful for the faithful support of our community and for how they are helping declare His marvelous deeds to the next generation. We look forward to keeping you updated through the construction process.

“Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.” —Psalm 71:17

The Bobcat Beat: God's Story

The Bobcat Beat! Not only is it beautiful to hear our kindergarten learners explain God's story now, we also look forward to what that looks like over time. In this and future school years, their learning will be intentionally designed to help them discover how God is equipping them to join His restoration work. In this way, students are able to both see AND live God's story throughout their time at BCCS.

The Bobcat Beat

The Bobcat Beat features stories from BCCS classrooms! Hear about how first grade is tackling subtraction in math!

A Flourishing Community

Short stories a picture of what makes BCCS a great place to learn!

Habits and Reflection 

In their homeroom Bible classes, seventh and eighth grade students have been reflecting on their habits of learning. Kids had the opportunity to rank both a strength and a weakness, reflect on how they could grow, and “shout out” classmates. Teachers shared that guiding students through this process of reflection has already been valuable. Not only are students gaining insights about themselves, but they’re also building a stronger sense of community by recognizing the positive contributions of their peers!

Storyline Introduction

Did we really give middle school students a hammer? Yes, we absolutely did! Middle school students used broken pottery to unpack their storyline of With Joy, Serve and Restore.

At BCCS, each class has a storyline that helps students see how their learning connects to God’s story. This fall, students have been invited to live out God’s story through creation walks, eating toast, snapping fun photos, or smashing pottery. (Have you heard about any of these at home?) These small moments set the stage for an intentional Christian education.

Creation Enjoyers

Our students love being outside! Fourth grade has been outdoors studying erosion. Third graders investigated roots as an introduction to their Storyline. First graders wrote stories outdoors. Middle school Bible classes use the pavilion as a workspace. And of course, our place-based preschoolers spend the majority of their time outside. We're thankful for our beautiful campuses and, more importantly, the students who can use them!

The Adventure Park

Every fall, we are blessed with a new group of preschool learners. Our teachers work hard to help each individual child thrive so they know more of God’s love and begin to love learning. 

Time and time again, we adults have learned that when we see things through the eyes of a child, we learn to take a second look and see God’s story of restoration unfolding.  For example, this fall, our outdoor preschool play area has been relocated to a different area of our campus due to the With Faith construction project. The play structures will not be able to be used this year as they have in the past. At first, we feared this would be a loss. Leave it to our youngest students to change our mindset! Within the first few days of using their alternate outdoor play area, some of our young learners began referring excitedly to the area as  “The Adventure Park”, and students are loving it! They have been digging in the expanded sand area, enjoying building with natural materials, running and rolling down the hill, and exploring the wildflowers as well as the creatures that live in this habitat. While there is nothing wrong with swings and a slide, our students have shown us there are endless ways to play, and it is often our own adult vision that can be expanded to help our own attitudes change.  

We look forward to the continued work at the West Campus and are thankful for the reminder that sometimes the Adventure Park God leads us to is exactly where He wants us to be! 

Learning in Great Places!

Our seventh-grade students stepped into God’s creation last week and came alive as Creation Enjoyers, Community Builders, and Order Discoverers! At Outdoor Education Camp, middle schoolers didn’t just learn about nature; they experienced it. They saw God’s fingerprints in the beauty of creation, recognized the brokenness in the world around them, and discovered the hope of restoration through Christ. Together with all the South Suburban Christian Schools, students built community, reflected on their personal deep hopes, and connected learning to God’s bigger story!

Campus Master Plan: A Look at Places to Come

At Byron Center Christian School (BCCS), our vision is continuing to come alive, one rooted in student learning, engagement, and a deep connection to God’s creation. 

Central to this work is the belief that students thrive when they are immersed in their learning. Inspired by the Biblical call to care for creation and learn from it, BCCS is investing in spaces that connect classroom learning to real-world experiences. Trails, woodlands, wetlands, gardens, and open fields are being reimagined not only as places for recreation, but also as living classrooms where students can study ecosystems, steward resources, and reflect on their role in God’s creation.

While science is naturally enriched through these outdoor opportunities, such as studying water cycles and native species, the impact stretches far beyond a single subject. In English Language Arts, students might write poetry inspired by a forest walk, journal observations from a wetland visit, or craft persuasive essays on conservation. In social studies, outdoor spaces support learning about First Nation culture, local geography, and community planning. Math instruction comes alive through real-world data collection, measurement in garden plots, or geometry in trail design and mapping.

As students write, measure, explore, and reflect in these outdoor classrooms, they are learning to see creation as both a gift and a responsibility. The outdoor spaces at BCCS are being designed to form hearts as well as minds—spaces where students grow in knowledge, creativity, and wonder at the world God has made.

Ultimately, this effort reflects BCCS’s mission: to provide excellent, Christ-centered education that prepares students for lifelong service in God’s Kingdom. By stewarding the land with vision and care, BCCS is cultivating places where every subject connects back to God's world, and every student is invited to engage with it fully.