Corpus Christi Chronicle

Corpus Christi Catholic School welcomes all children, enriches their knowledge, nurtures their faith, and builds their character in a Catholic Christian environment.

Corpus Christi Catholic School Mission Statement

Corpus Christi Catholic School is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year! Wow! It seems as if Corpus has only recently begun its ministry educating children in the Faith, but we are proud to say we have even started receiving second generations at our school! Places and people evolve over time, but Corpus? Our school is small, but we have indeed grown and evolved since we first started in the lower level of St Francis de Sales church, a local parish. Due to a devastating fire in late 1995, part of the church was destroyed and needed to be rebuilt, though the part that was used as our school building was unharmed.

After this, both local parishes, St Francis de Sales and Our Lady of the Lake came together and had many frequent meetings. As a result of these meetings, plans were made for a new St. Francis building, an expansion of the Our Lady building, and a new school building. For the first time in thirty years, a school was built in the Grand Rapids diocese, equal distance from both parishes and the only Catholic school in the area. The foundational parts of Corpus were set quickly, and surprisingly, a lot have stayed the same. While there might be new additions to our school building such as furniture, one thing is still the same, and probably most unique: as soon as you go through the doors of our building you see a chapel.

Our Chapel is the heart of our building, both physically and spiritually. Every morning the students gather in the Chapel for morning prayer, led by the principal, as well as Mass every Wednesday and Adoration on the first Friday of every month, for the whole school. These traditions are part of what makes up Corpus Christi. Another essential part is our Mission statement: Corpus Christi has still maintained its mission statement over the course of 25 years: to nourish each child with love and knowledge while building their character.

Each student learns a love and respect for the Eucharist and our Faith. Corpus Christi starts good habits early, so when the students move forward, they have a good foundational base. It all starts with our teachers and staff members who make this happen.

After interviewing a previous student, now a teacher at Corpus Christi, we found that Corpus Corpus’s diversity has also grown significantly. Our in-house photographer, Mrs. Bush talked with us about this and said she had noticed it was more difficult to capture the school’s diversity in her photography of our school in the early days. Now our school is so diverse everywhere you look, there are people of different cultures. With our school’s largely Hispanic population, we annually celebrate traditional holidays in Mexican culture, such as creating special ofrendas for Dia De Los Muertos and the feast day of La Virgen de Guadalupe. Corpus Christi is proud to say we are very inclusive of students from various backgrounds to give them a Catholic education but also a place to belong. Over the course of each year, each child from each grade forms a bond with one another, due to the small sizing of the classrooms. Together they help each other grow in faith.

When asked how she felt about the community of Corpus Christi, a member of our staff who has taught here for 11 years said, “Corpus Christi has been an important part of much of my life. I feel so blessed to be teaching at the school that I attended from preschool through eighth grade. I love that I can share my faith with my students and watch them grow closer to Christ each day.” Our Mission statement listed above reads all that Corpus Christi does and stands for, but Corpus Christi is more than that. Corpus is a place that feels like home to our students. We ask you to keep Corpus Christi in your prayers as we continue our wonderful work, educating each child that comes to our school in the Faith of Jesus. Happy 25th Anniversary, Corpus Christi!

Kindergarten read Johnny Appleseed stories and made Johnny Appleseed hats. We learned how an apple seed grows into a tree, blossom and apple. We saw how the apple tree changes during the seasons.

First graders are thoroughly enjoying their new flexible seating options. In early 2023, The Corpus Christi Foundation awarded Mrs. Morales a grant to fund 24 lap desks and 20 scoop rockers. The children use their lap desks for a variety of independent work and while taking tests. The scoop rockers make excellent places for first graders to relax while listening to a story or while reading from their own selection of books.

On Tuesday, November 7th, 2023 the third-grade class went to Lansing, Michigan to see the capitol building. It took about an hour and a half to get there. We also got to go to the Michigan History Museum. There are cool historical things like animal fur. In the capitol building, some of the floors have shell fossils. Sadly, the Governor was there so we did not get to see her office. We did get to see the Senate and House. In the House, we got to talk to a representative and see his desk. This was special because not many people get to walk on the house floor. My favorite part of the trip was going to the museum. My favorite part of the museum was the soft animal fur. I think we got to go on a very special field trip.

So far, fourth grade’s year has been fun for my classmates and me. We have learned a lot. We’ve learned a lot in math, and our favorites are learning double-digit multiplication and long division.

In religion, we’ve learned all about saints, which we did reports on, and the Beatitudes, which we did leaf projects about. We picked our favorite Beatitude and got leaves, flower petals, and wax paper to stick together with an iron. We also learned about the steps of making a good moral choice.

When we finish our work in class, we can color Harry Potter coloring pages, read a book, get only one day ahead in morning work. We can practice cursive writing if Ms.Crimmins is doing a read-aloud. Morning work is folders that we work on in the morning. There are only three folders, the green is for geography, the red is for math, and the blue is for language. We always work one day ahead and check the day.

For fun in fourth grade, we do a Brain Buster every week. A Brain Buster is a riddle where we get one clue each day. On Tuesday is the first clue, which tells us which letter it starts with. On Wednesday, we got the second clue: which letter does it end with? On Thursday, we get the last clue: how many letters there are in the word.

On Monday after chapel, we stay because we do adoration. We start with kneeling and praying, then after a while, we go back in our seats and stay still and silent and try to listen for God’s voice, then we do a guided meditation where our teacher reads from a book that describes and helps us imagine that we are talking with Jesus. After that, we read the Bible silently for a little while; then at the end, we pray a decade of the Rosary.

Every day of the week we have a T.A. (Teacher Assistant) and on the following Monday the T.A.s from the last week get a prize from the prize drawer. The same day, the T.A. gets a prize, the Brain Buster gets pulled, and whoever spelled it right and wrote their name gets a prize. Another way we can get a prize is getting 50 stickers in our planner. If we want to get a sticker we need a signature from our guardian.

We play a game called Bonus Basketball. Bonus Basketball is where we have 20 velcro basketballs, each for being good all together as a class. When we get all 20 basketballs, Ms.Crimmins gets a basketball hoop and two basketballs that we get to choose from. We get three chances to get it in the hoop. If we get 0 in, we get one piece of candy. If we get 1 in, we get two candies. If we get all 3 in, we get a prize and two candies.

Sometimes, if we’re good and working hard in class, we can get candy. We get a choice of a Dum-Dum or a Smartie. Everyone usually chooses a Dum-Dum, so that means those run out quickly. We are a fortunate class!

For our door, we have a doorstop. He is named Bob the Doorstop. He has googly eyes which is really funny! One time he had eye surgery, but luckily it wasn’t this year or at least not yet. When we first got introduced to Bob the Doorstop we loved him and thought he was hilarious!

We also have Glow & Glow Jr. . They are little toy jellyfish in our classroom, and they are really cool! We got to vote for their names and we picked Glow & Glow Jr. because it made the most sense. It made sense because they glow and float up and down in a glass cylinder on Ms.Crimmins’ desk.

We are learning recorders in music class, which is my favorite subject outside of the classroom. We’re doing recorder karate where there is a song for every belt. We need two signatures on white and black belts, but on silver and gold belts, we need four signatures. We get a pizza party if everyone in our class gets a black belt! I’m so excited because we only need one more person to get their black belt!

When birthdays come around, we celebrate differently than other classes. First, we make cards for the birthday person, then, the birthday person picks two people to push them around in the teacher’s chair, and the class gives the birthday person a high five; then, they stay on the teacher’s chair and get spun however years old they are, and then Ms.Crimmins asks us, “ Are you dizzy?” and usually we respond, “Kind of.” Then we sing “Happy Birthday” and “May the Dear Lord Bless You”. We pass out the birthday treat, and finally, while we eat it, they pick one person to help them pass out the rest to other teachers if they want.

So far fourth grade has been fun! We all love the memories we have made so far! Ms.Crimmins is a great teacher! Not that all the other teachers aren’t great; they are all really great too! We are all so excited for the rest of the school year! We all love fourth grade!

In a commendable display of teamwork and creativity, sixth-grade students have taken on the initiative to paint a captivating sensory path around our school playground. The ambitious project aims to provide an engaging and inclusive space for all students to enjoy.

This fall, these artists have dedicated their time to collaborative efforts, problem-solving, and hard work as they bring the sensory path vision to life. The sensory path, designed to stimulate various senses, promises to be a colorful and imaginative addition to the school’s outdoor space.

The students have embraced the opportunity to contribute to their school environment. The project not only encourages creative expression but also fosters essential skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. Teachers have noted the enthusiasm and commitment displayed by the students throughout the process.

As winter approached, the students had to put a pause on their efforts, and are determined to complete the project this spring. The path is expected to feature an array of vibrant colors and interactive elements that cater to different sensory experiences, and promote movement by students of all ages and abilities.

We commend the sixth-grade students for their efforts and look forward to the positive impact the sensory path will have on the entire student body for years to come. The project not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the playground but also serves as a testament to the power of collaboration and creativity among young minds.

As an eighth grader, we go through a few big things: Graduation and Confirmation. We have to decide where to go to high school and what classes to take for high school. After Confirmation, we have to decide what to do with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We have to decide how to use them. Before Confirmation, we have to learn and make some decisions for ourselves. Some of those decisions include selecting a saint's name and choosing a confirmation sponsor. These gifts and saints will follow us for the remainder of our lives. They remind us of who we indeed are, what we are called to do, and what kind of person we want to be.

Depending on the program you go to for Confirmation, we have different experiences. For example, if you go to Saint Francis De Sales and go through the program “Alpha,” you have a different experience than if you go to the Our Lady of the Lake program. They are called “Discipleship classes.” Every eighth grader has to go through one of these Confirmation classes unless they have already been confirmed.

At Saint Francis de Sales, we go through a program called Alpha. These in-person classes consist of small groups organized by grade and gender. The purpose of these groups is to feel comfortable and create lasting friendships. In these small families, we talk about various religious topics. These subjects revolve around videos we watch. The first few videos asked us who Jesus is in our own words. The next few talked about forgiveness and why it is essential. After December, we will enter a new phase of Alpha, which will be called “Inheritance.” Inheritance will involve more of our focus and commitment to our Faith.

At Our Lady of the Lake, students have to go through Discipleship Classes. Throughout these programs, the students have some projects to complete. The students have to complete a service project. During the project, the students take pictures of themselves giving or doing the service. Then, the students use those pictures and glue them to a tri-fold poster. These posters also have written information about the service project. The posters are then displayed in the Fr. Nash Hall at Our Lady of the Lake.

The next milestone in our lives is Confirmation, and we need to receive this sacrament in order to connect closer to God, so we have these Confirmation classes to prepare us. Once confirmed, we use our gifts of the Holy Spirit to do good throughout our lives.

On Wednesday, December 6, 2023, 5th through 8th grade classes went on an annual Advent retreat. The retreat was held at St. Francis de Sales. The 8th graders prepared the retreat. We did a lot of activities, and the students had lots of fun. The first thing we did when we stepped foot in Saint Francis de Sales was Reconciliation. It took around an hour and a half, which took longer than expected, but it still worked since we ate lunch when we were done with Reconciliation.

The groups did a great job. They did cross-cards for Holland Hospital, ornaments for our new neighbor Quincy Place, cards for Quincy Place, gingerbread houses, paracord keychains for Quincy Place, Christmas picture frames for Vets, and Christmas paper chains for Benjamin's Hope. We discussed the seven themes of Catholic social teachings and religion in class. We learned a lot about the Seven Themes of Catholic Social teachings. We could also pick an organization that goes with our 17th-century Catholic social teachings. It was a perfect thing to learn about. We all decided on an organization that we thought tied into our Catholic Social teachings. When we did the Advent retreat, we picked an activity that went with our theme.

We interviewed two students and asked them five questions related to how we did, how we performed, and the quality of the work. We asked them what they learned or thought about the activities. The students liked the activities and thought it was a lot of fun. They learned a lot in these groups, and they can apply this in their lives and use it in the future. In this event, they worked as a team, and we were meant to work as a team and work. It was indeed like their own words. The one specific question we asked was, "Did we do a good job explaining our little station?" One of the students said, “Yes, you guys explained it well, and I was able to understand it well.

Here at Corpus Christi Catholic School, we have several extracurricular activities. One of the activities is the Liturgical Choir. Liturgical Choir is an excellent opportunity for many kids to use the gift of singing that God gave them.

The choir is a beautiful addition to Mass every Wednesday. They lead the songs, and two cantors lead the choir. Every Wednesday, they arrive at seven-thirty a.m. for practice to provide the music for Mass. Mrs. Audrey Gorman provides the piano music and directs the choir. She helps some of the newer and younger members of the choir.

Almost all of the choir members love the choir, and they enjoy it. Here are some perspectives of various choir members about why they joined the choir and what they like about it. An eighth grader, Rodney Florey, says, “I joined the choir because I wanted to be involved with the community. Mass has been more enjoyable ever since I joined the Liturgical Choir.” In addition, sixth grader Theodore Spilman says, “I like choir because we get to sing and cantor with our classmates, and it is fun to learn more songs. I think that choir is a fun opportunity to have.”

Our school provides choir because it allows students (grades 4-8) to use their gift from God. Everyone enjoys listening to the choir during the Mass. We get many compliments from priests, students, and teachers.

Psalm 95: 1-2

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord and shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”

The choir sings a prelude two to three minutes before Mass starts, as the assembly meditates before Mass begins. Singing is a great way to use your talent. But singing is not only a talent but a form of prayer. Since it is a Catholic school, prayer is essential. The choir members get to use what they love doing to praise God.

It was Corpus Christi Catholic Schools Day of Sharing on November 15th! There were many students with all of their moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, or any other guardians. All crowded around in the gym for our special Mass we do every year. Everyone shows their guardian all the unique and inspiring words they drew in all different types of languages. They take a seat, and the Mass begins. Mass everyone goes for a special treat. Donuts, muffins, cookies, raspberry lemon bars, coffee, fruit punch, and more. Then, they had a few minutes to hang out with their friends and family and eat treats. Afterward, we returned to the classroom and started a whole-school bingo game. Those who got a bingo and didn't get a bingo get treat bags for participating. Then, it was time to say goodbye to all the guardians and split into groups.

There are seven groups of every different grade and seven stations total. Then, they start to go to their first station. All of the stations have other ways to help people in need. Some examples of the stations are the kids' food baskets (coloring bags on one side and packing bags of food), Veteran’s Craft, pregnancy center (packing diapers), making Christmas cards, and Christmas tree/placemats. These all go to the people in need, such as Veterans, mothers, and the less fortunate in need. Once the two stations are done in the morning, they prepare to eat lunch outside. They eat lunch with their groups, and the whole class goes out for a class recess! Then, they go back to their stations. Their goal is to use their benefits and talents to help support others. Once Day of Sharing is done, people feel educated and helpful.

I interviewed a volunteer from the day of sharing and asked her a few questions about it. There were many answers to the questions of joy and happiness! This is what all the children get out of the students after a day of sharing. I asked why we do a Day of Sharing, and she answered immediately that we do it to help others with our specialties. As a volunteer, she said she does it more as a mom than as a helper. She says she wants to help her children and the students by doing this like it’s standard, not different. She wants the students to do this daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly, no problem! Day of Sharing is a magical day that helps others, making students and people in need happy.

Oh, how we love to bring a specific/special person to school and spend quality time with them. At school, we have our annual Special Persons Day, the day of the Day of Sharing. This day is a way to show our loved ones how much we love and care for them by sharing activities and games. This day is a day to commemorate our extraordinary people in our hearts. Everybody we love is in the same place. But where did this tradition begin?

Special Persons Day is a particular CCCS tradition, so we interviewed a special person in our lives.

“Special Persons Day has been around for a long, long time. I have been here a long time, and Special Persons day is such a lovely day to have all the students friends and family come to our school. The day used to be a whole afternoon, and some people could go home early with their special people. There also used to be an excellent art display in the forum. The kids would see their art in a little art gallery. It was entertaining, and it would make me happy to see the kids make unique arts and crafts with or for their special people, and then they would display them and present their work. Remarkable Persons Day is a particular time in our school.” ~ Mrs. Bush.

Notable Persons Day is a great way to take a little break from school and spend time with our loved ones. We need to have loved ones around us who support us and love us if we want to grow in our community. Remarkable Persons Day is a holiday to love and grow, and we love it. Particular Persons Day is unique to us. How about you?

The Corpus Christi Catholic school recently started to engage in a company called SmartLab. SmartLab Learning is a comprehensive, project-based learning system that opens up many possibilities for all learners in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. SmartLab Learning is rooted in research and is designed to prepare all students for life beyond the classroom.

The SmartLab company realized the way science was being supported would not work in the future. They thought about how to make science better, faster, and more effective. They explored how to use data and new technologies to develop, operate, and deploy resources for the next generation of science.

Two teachers at the school have some skills in this area: Mr.Schuon and Miss Centilli. Mr. Schuon received his Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics and Master’s in Educational Technology from Eastern Michigan University. He had four years of teaching experience before joining Corpus Christi Catholic School staff in 2021. Mr. Schuon has a DE/EX Teaching Certification. When asked what he loves most about teaching, he replied, “Being able to share the things that I enjoy and find interesting with my students.” In his free time, Mr. Schuon likes participating in two of his favorite hobbies: dirt biking and water skiing.

Ms. Centilli is originally from Grand Rapids and was inspired to become a teacher by her father and great-grandmother, who were both teachers. She began teaching more than 20 years ago but has been working at Corpus Christi for over ten years, where she has taught pretty much every grade. She felt attracted to our school because of its ability to combine the elements of Catholicism with a solid academic curriculum. She loves math, and one of her favorite things is introducing new technologies to her students. She and her family are huge sports fans and often gather to watch different sporting events. Her favorite teams are the University of Michigan and the Dallas Cowboys!

The Smart Lab came from Mrs. Liniewski, and after our interview, this is what we learned: “Our school received grant funds from the federal government to improve our learning experiences for students. We have long wanted the ability for our students to interact with more STEM materials and software. Because we were eligible for this grant, we took the opportunity to invest in SmartLab. Through the SmartLab, students can use inquiry and exploration to solve real-world problems with real-world technologies. The SmartLab allows you to engage in your learning in many new ways. I am excited to see the creativity and ingenuity of our students in the SmartLab!”

Corpus Christi, especially the middle school band, would love to welcome back Mrs. Jacobs, the band teacher. Mrs. Jacobs was here for a few years and left to care for her five children better. She has a seven-year-old, two five-year-olds, a three-year-old, and a baby. She returned this year after leaving in 2019 in January.

The Sixth Grade band performed Old St. Nicholas and Old King Wenceslas for this year’s Christmas concert. The Seventh Grade band performed: Old St Nicholas, Merry Kisimusi, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. The Eighth Grade band performed Old St. Nicholas, Merry Kisimusi, and the First Holiday Fanfare.

We are very proud of how far we, as students, have come. Because they missed last year, the 7th and 8th-grade bands are 6th and 7th-grade bands by definition. We have interviewed several students from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.

Mrs. Jacobs, The CS Band Teacher:

So hello, how are you today? Good! So, how many band students do you have at Corpus? About 45 students, is the band going well for all classes? Very happy. Their ability to retain so we can learn something on Tuesday and Friday still and that's awesome because we don't have to backtrack and fix things again. That's good. We do get picky, but if it's an overall thing, you guys are doing well with it. It went fantastic. All the kids were on time, looked beautiful, sounded magnificent, and did great! I'm incredibly proud of the 7th graders for keeping up with the 8th graders in Merry Kisimusi. Well, thank you for the interview. Yeah! Of course! Thank you again. Have a nice day. You too!

6th Grade:

Clara Kasprzak

Clara plays trumpet, and she thinks the band is fun. She thinks Mrs Jacobs is a lovely teacher to have. She has purchased an instrument from Facebook, which works quite well. How many of each instrument do you have? We have two trombones, four trumpets, five clarinets, one flute, two saxophones, and a French horn. And what about percussion? One percussionist. How's your class doing with the music being given for the Christmas concert? They're all doing good except for the old parts that are old. St. Nicholas, the only part her class is struggling with is the first ending. Oh, well, thank you for this interview; we hope to see you soon. Bye!

Jacob Kraus: So, how do you feel about the band? I love the band, it's incredible. What do you think are some accomplishments that you have gotten or things you are good at? I like playing rhythms because they are easy, and Mrs. Jacobs can help me with them. So, do you use a school instrument or a home instrument? I use a rented instrument for my music. what do you play? I play the trombone, but I'm planning to switch to percussion. What is your class like? Good at all together, good at chemistry like team building. Do you like that one part of your band is more prominent than the other, like a section? Yeah, we have a lot of clarinets and not as many trombones. Okay, well thank you for the interview. We hope to see you soon!

7th Grade:

Gianna Goeddekke:

Gianna is one of the three flute players in seventh grade. She thinks band class is a /10. She started playing the flute this year. How do you think the band is going for you because I'm starting to get better at the flute. What are some things that you feel like you're good at in a band? I feel that I'm good at following music and practicing a lot helps to keep us all together. How do you feel the Christmas concert went this year? She thought it was good because it was fun and they played in the band for the first time at the Christmas concert. Well, it went well, too. Thank you for the lovely interview, and we’ll see you soon!

Emme Niziolek:

Emme plays trombone and rates band a 10/10. She started playing this year and finds playing the trombone hard. Emme is very good at keeping pace and is learning quickly for being the only one using bass clef. How do you feel about the Christmas concert? We did good, but keeping up with each other could use a little help. Thank you for the interview, we hope to see you soon!

8th Grade:

Gabriel Gomez:

Hi Gabriel, how are you today? I am good. So I have some questions about the band class for you. So, how do you feel about the band? You know, it's good. What do you think you're good at in a band? I believe the things I've done are practice playing the trombone. What's your class good at like altogether? Following along with the books. Were you happy with the Christmas concert? It was so awesome. We were so good everybody clapped for everybody. I really had the motivation to do this, and I played my heart out, and you know, thank goodness I played well. Yeah, Okay well, thank you; we hope to see you soon!

Neo Park: Hi Neo, how are you? Good How do you feel the band is going? It's really good. Well good. What are some things that you're good at in a band? I am good at playing sheet music. Is there something that your class is really good at altogether? We are good at playing and following each other. Do you like playing Christmas music? Yeah Merry Kisimusi. Do you feel like Mrs. Jacobs is a good teacher? Yeah, I like having her for a teacher. So what did you think about the Christmas concert? It was good. It went well. Good, well, thank you for this lovely interview on Band, and we hope to see you soon!

Mythology is a fun way to express creativity, but also in a fun learning way. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are the ones who participated this year. They learned about gods or goddesses in mythology. There is Greek, Norse, and Egyptian mythology. This year, the 6th graders did Greek, the 7th did Norse, and the 8th did Egyptian. They read many books to learn about their god or goddess. They also got to make a costume of their god or goddess. Mythology started this year on November 1, 2023, (on a Tuesday.)

Why? Because it teaches us about a god or goddesses and what a different world they had from us. There is a difference between our God and the other gods. The other gods are jealous and always fight for everything. Naturally, God that people believe in now is good. Most of the 7th grade said it was a perfect and fun project. Some felt rushed, but overall, it was an ideal project to do with others. They liked working together because they could get things done much quicker and felt like they got a lot off their shoulders by working together.

Some other things that the grades can do in mythology is working with partners and making board games like 3D or 2D. Also, students can take inspiration from others. This is an excellent way to interact with others and make new friends. This can also grow your creativity and imagination with the board game. You can invite anyone to the mythology presentations: they are enjoyable because you get to play your own board game with other people, and it gives you much more energy to present for the rest of the time.

Mythology is such a great start to start something new like making new friends. And interacting with other people.

What the people said:

6th Grade ~

Jake: He felt like it was great, and he liked working with partners and liked other people's gods. He loved it because he had much time for mythology and planning everything.

Theo: He felt excellent about and very good about mythology. It was fun, and he could talk to everybody. He always felt patient because he had a lot of time to work. His favorite part was his poster.

Clara: Her favorite part about mythology was the projects and learning about her goddess. She felt fine, excited, and happy about mythology. Her favorite part about the project was the mask, and she liked working with partners.

Olivia G: She felt good about mythology; it was stressful but fun. Her favorite part was the mask. She felt good about her partners.

David R: His favorite part about mythology was dressing up. He felt tired but happy in the same way. His favorite project was posters. He felt nice because he could present with a partner.

Serafina: her favorite part about mythology was working in groups and dressing up. She felt excited. Her favorite project was making games. She liked working with partners but sometimes needed help.

Rafael: His favorite part was dressing up. He felt nervous but also excited. His favorite part was the board game. He liked working with partners because they had ideas.

Jack: His favorite part about mythology was the game. It was fun, but made him feel nervous. His favorite project was the game and the poster. He liked working with partners because he made it messier.

7th Grade ~

Lucas: His favorite part about mythology was the costumes. He felt a bit rushed about mythology. His favorite project was the Viking boats or the masks. He felt like his work got done quicker. He would rate it a 9/10. The first time we did this, it was hard, but the following year, it was more fun!

Ella: Her favorite part about mythology was doing the Viking ships and the outfits. She felt that it was fun and that the amount of work was good the entire time, and she had some improvements about working with partners.

Valerie: Her favorite part about mythology was the costumes. She felt it was fun, but Mrs. Koster could give us more time to do mythology. Her favorite project was the poster. She thought that it was good to work with partners.

8th Grade ~

Jennifer: Her favorite part was her creativity. She felt happy, and her favorite part was working on her projects, like the poster. She. She felt nice about working with partners.

Neo: He felt good about Mythology. His favorite parts were the costume and the board game. He felt bored because the presentation took over an hour.

Rodney: His favorite part about mythology was designing his costume and learning about the god or goddess. His favorite project was making masks. He liked working with patterns because you can learn from others and be inspired by the other person.

Kevin: His favorite part was the costume or the game. He felt it was a lot of work and got some time off from other subjects. He loved learning about different gods and liked working with partners.

Matthew: His favorite part about mythology was the game. He felt that it was excellent and pleasing. His favorite project was finding the costume and making the masks. He thought it was a lot easier to work with partners.

Mythology has been around for about sixteen years at Corpus Christi Catholic School. Mrs. Koster started this unit. Every year, the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades participate in the Mythology unit. Mythology is an exciting unit for the students. They get to use their presentation, imagination, reading, writing, and creativity skills and grow their knowledge about Mythology. Mythology is a colossal project, usually taking about three weeks. This project includes a poster, essay, slide presentation, and several crafts. While this is worked on at school, most students also take work home, making it an at-home project.

Last year, every grade did Greek Mythology. This year, each class had its own Mythology to do. Sixth grade did Greek again since they did not do Mythology last year, Seventh grade did Norse Mythology, and Eighth grade did Egyptian Mythology. The unit starts with everyone choosing their god or goddess. From then on, it is everybody's job to manage their time and work on the different sections of the project. Some crafts included a casket, poster, frieze, game, and mask. We created a Mythology-themed match with our partner. Our poster had to include a title, at least ten facts, and an image of our god/goddess. We had our official Mythology Day on November 21, 2023, at 10:00. Students had to dress up as their Mythology god/goddess and give a brief presentation about our god/goddess.

We were able to interview two eighth-grade students, Gabriel and Rachel. We asked them why they think that we do Mythology. Gabriel’s reason for doing Mythology is “to learn about time management and working together.” During Mythology, we created a game with our partner. Both group members put equal effort into ensuring their Mythology game is perfect. Rachel states, "It's a fun, creative project that allows students to learn about something fun while being educated.”

In conclusion, Mythology was a fun project that took time and ultimately turned out to be a success. Our students enjoyed working with their gods and goddesses while learning about each other's gods and goddesses. We thank all the parents and friends who came to see our hard work and hope that the lower grades have the same successful Mythology Day next year.

Recess is over; Big Bad Wolf Case is closed. We are so incredibly grateful to have been able to put on these two performances. Our school is so excited to announce that the Corpus Christi Drama Club has officially started back up. This year, it is on Thursdays from 3:45-4:30.

Drama Club is an after-school, extracurricular activity. It is available for grades four through eight and offers both backstage and front stage opportunities. Drama Club has been going on for seven years. Corpus Christi has put on various performances over the years; we have done musicals, plays, and monologues. If you have a passion for performing or love stage production, Drama Club is the club for you! Mrs. Koster is the director and organizer of our Drama Club performances. She chooses plays and assigns roles. She chooses these roles based on our ability; this is our planning process! Once we have everything set, the front stage crew will do run-throughs of the play, this includes running lines and practicing using hand gestures. After this, we have group rehearsals. This is how we practice. Backstage crew plans by making props, preparing lighting, and queuing people, and they can also help actors run lines.

If you do choose to join the Drama Club, take into account the fact that you have to maintain a specific eligibility. This includes all extracurricular activities: sports; Liturgical choir, and Drama Club. If you love to perform, can memorize lines, and like public speaking, the front stage is for you. If you love designing a stage or making props and costumes, backstage is for you. We hope to have a great year and a fantastic performance.

Cheerleading is back in business. Go blue! Go white! The Crusaders ' cheerleaders are back after a few years of no cheer. Maestra Valdez and Mrs. Larson are the two coaches for the cheerleading team! Cheerleading practice is enjoyable, especially the last practice of the season. There was a big party for the cheer team, but the cheerleaders also practiced, which is suitable for the games too! The cheerleading season came to an end on November 29, 2023. One cheerleader said, “I can't wait to cheer next year.” Corpus Christi can't wait for the cheerleaders to return next year. The cheerleaders say that when they cheer at a game, it is always full of fun and excitement. The cheerleaders enjoy what they do, and I think the Corpus Christi community wants it, too. The cheerleaders say that the season goes by so fast! They are unfortunate that the season ends so soon. Some of the cheer girls do girls' basketball for Corpus Christi. Girls basketball is right around the corner when cheerleading ends!

Olivia M (Among the many cheerleaders) said she felt accomplished when the season ended. She also said she would do it again if it fits her schedule next year! We asked the cheerleaders, Olivia M and Clara K, what some room for improvement was in cheerleading. Also, we asked them what their favorite parts of cheerleading were.

Olivia M said, “I think there is room for improvement. We need better places to cheer since we always move around during the games.”

Clara, one of the cheerleaders, said, “I think that cheerleading could improve by having different moves, less clapping, and a few stunts.” We also asked the cheerleaders what their favorite part of cheerleading was, and Clara said, “The pizza and the cheers were my favorite part; don't forget the games!”

Olivia M said, “The end of the season was fun because we all got to cheer together, and we had a fun party! I also liked it because I got to hang out with my friends more, and I got closer with some other people that were in cheerleading.”

You heard the cheerleaders; now let's hear the basketball players…

We asked some basketball players, Theo S, Jacob K, David R, Rafael C, and Abraham H, what they liked about the cheerleaders. Did they give you confidence? Do you think it made you play better? Theo said, “They were good at cheerleading, and it was cool to watch. Also, they made me feel more confident. I felt like I played better, too.”

Jacob K said, “I felt good and had extra support. Having them cheer for us was cool and made me feel more confident. I loved to go through the cheer tunnel before and after the game.”

David R. said, “ I thought it was entertaining when the cheerleaders did the tunnel over us. It motivated me to see people from the school and the class. I think I played better because I was more confident.”

Rafael said, “It was cool, and it was my first time seeing cheerleaders. It gave me more confidence, and I played better.”

Abraham said, “It was very entertaining. I feel like we had more support at the game.”

Team Players:

• Abraham Herrera Moreno

• Nico Jimenez

• Lucas Ysasi

• Joseph Neidlinger

• David Schuon

• Rafael Cervantes

• Theo Spilman

• Jacob Kraus

• Adrien Olmeldo Cortez

Thoughts from players:

For a team as a whole, we are not wrong! There are areas we should improve in. We should also have more practice time and less running in practice. -Abraham Herrera Moreno

It's going great; Mr. Neyer is an outstanding coach. It's also great because it's a no-pay to play sports here at Corpus; I wish we could collaborate with schools because it would give us tips from other students, such as Jacob Kraus.

Something I would change is more practice days because we only have a few practice days due to time. It's going well. Last year didn't go as well, but this year is! I like the players on our team too because they have good sportsmanship. -Rafael Cervantes

I like to play basketball because everybody on the team is friendly! Basketball is also fun to play with friends, so it was nice, but it is something I would change about. It's going well because we are having lots of fun. -Theodore Spilman

I´d say it's going okay, but our record is horrible. But plain wise, people are getting better in a way. I like some team members because they came to play and not just to chat with their friends. Something I would change is more practice time. -David Schoun

I think we´ve had our ups and downs overall. It wasn't bad. We had some listen and some not; we had new people join in, but some have never played a sport! Something I would change is the teams we go against; they look like giants. I like the people on our team, but some are rude. Our coach, Mr. Neyer, is the best, though! He is a perfect coach for our team, and I hope he's our coach for next year. -David Rodriguez

The boy’s basketball season is over. The seventh and eighth grade boys' team also got a win for Corpus Christi this year. Maybe next year we will be able to win more wins for our school.

The players are Alex Chavez, Aaron Gaiser, Fabian Alonzo, Gabriel Gomez, Kevin Coronel, Mason Schuon, Matthew Ysasi, Neo Park and Rodney Florey. The boys' basketball team's coaches are Raul Alonzo and Austin Boyce.

Where were the games? The games were at Saint John Vianney (SJV), Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM), Corpus Christi Catholic School (CCCS), and St. Anthony (SA).Most games were all in Grand Rapids, and a few here at (CCCS).

In their last game, the 7th and 8th won. Corpus last won a single game a few years ago, so this year is the newest game they have won. This was the last year for eighth grade before they graduated middle school, so we needed a win for middle school to have it in their memories.

Corpus Christi Catholic School offers numerous different sports for students to choose from. They offer Basketball, Cheerleading, Volleyball, Track, and Cross Country to those who have managed to keep their grades above a C. Basketball is a sport where students work as a team and build self-confidence and self-esteem. It also helps build muscle and is healthy for our body. Basketball also burns calories and can help you stay in shape.

Kevin Coronel said he joined the basketball team because he enjoys the game. He loves being able to play With friends. When asked, Kevin Coronel said his role model in the game of basketball is his coach, Alonzo ( Raul Alonzo). Kevin advises us to enjoy the game, not overthink it, and have fun!

“I love going to basketball games! I love supporting my students and watching them do something that they enjoy. One of my favorite sports quotes is,, "Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game"-Babe Ruth.” says Tracy Peterson, the 6th-grade homeroom teacher at Corpus Christi who has gone to all of the basketball home games.

Cheerleading is a sport that requires a person to be athletic, flexible, strong, dedicated, and enthusiastic. It builds social skills and gives participants physical and mental rewards: self-confidence, and the ability to feel leadership. Cheerleading is a cardio workout that burns calories and builds sportsmanship, discipline, teamwork, physical fitness, and mental strength. The nice thing about being in cheer is you must have a positive attitude at practice and games, which leads to a habit and ability to listen. In cheer, you build your listening skills when you are learning cheers. Two of our cheerleaders, Gianna Bays and Jennifer Tran, shared their perspectives on cheer:

“I think cheerleaders are important because they encourage the people who play sports and keep them going. They need to be cheerful, happy, and in a good mood. I decided to join cheer because it seemed like a fun experience, and the uniforms looked cool. No, I don’t think it's a sport. My favorite part is spending time with friends and getting to know others. To encourage the players and hope of the fans even though we don’t win. It has improved me to make me happier. In cheer, we must be louder, work together, and listen more.” Says Gianna Bays, 5th grade.

“ I feel like Cheerleaders are essential to the athletics program because they bring joy to the boys playing basketball. I would say enthusiasm, joyfulness, leadership, and determination are required to be a good cheerleader. I joined cheer because I enjoyed engaging the crowd and cheering for the Crusaders. To me, I think that cheer is a sport most definitely. If they count dance as a sport, they should count cheer as a sport because cheer is dancing. My favorite part about cheer is the uniforms and the funny memories you get to make at practice. Cheerleading has improved my public speaking skills and teamwork skills. I would say the primary purpose of cheer is to enhance the basketball game and encourage and support the team. My favorite quote is; “Practice makes you confident, confidence empowers you.” Says Jennifer Tran.

In the 2023-24 school year, due to the need for more players, there was no 7th-8th grade volleyball team, although there was a 6th-5th grade team. Volleyball improves muscle strength, builds hand-eye coordination, and burns calories. Playing volleyball for 45 minutes can burn up to 585 calories. Volleyball teaches teamwork in a way that most sports can’t. In Volleyball, there isn’t a “star” on the team. Instead, players work together, improve, and improve each other at the sport as a team. Abeni Fickel, 5th, and Clara Kasprzak, 6th, participated in the 5th-6th Volleyball.

My favorite thing about Volleyball is spending time with friends and the teamwork that goes into it. It is very satisfying when you hit the ball, and it goes over the net. When it gives you a chance to be with friends and do something, it clears your mind and gives you peace. Physically, it feels good. Usually, we run laps. We typically practice serving and bumping with partners. Setting against a wall. At the end, we do a scrimmage. A quote that I like to refer to cheer is “Your talents are God’s gift to you. What you do with them is your gift back to God. [Leo Buscaglia.] -says Abeni Fickel.

“I enjoy playing Volleyball and building teamwork. I think Volleyball has improved me mentally and physically. We would practice twice a week for an hour. Our team would work on serving and bumping the ball. Even though we didn't win, it was still fun. My favorite thing about Volleyball is going to the games and playing in them.” says Clara Kasprzak.

As you know, another sport that is offered is Cross Country. Cross Country is an excellent way for students to stay active. The Cross Country meets take place at West Catholic. Aaron Gaiser, 8th, said he joined Cross Country because he enjoys running. He also said that his favorite part of Cross Country is the Meets.

In conclusion, Corpus Christi sports play an essential role at our school. They bring students, faculty, and fans together and offer students the opportunity to learn valuable skills. The success of the school’s sports teams is a source of pleasure for the school and its community, and it serves as a reminder that hard work and dedication can lead to success.

Sports is a great thing. It is a great way to meet people and have fun. Sports have also kept students active and made them work hard to succeed in a game. We always go by a slogan for sports. If you have seen the back of the basketball practice shirts, it would say, “We play for Jesus.” This is true we play for God, and we play for fun. Even if we lose, we get back up, and thank God for the game.

Fall sports are Boys Soccer, Volleyball, and Cross Country. Boys Soccer We merged with SJV, St Thomas, IHM, St Paul, and Corpus Christi. The Season was good. In the first game, it rained. We scored two goals in the first half. At halftime, it was 2-1. After it was 5-2, they lost. In the next game, they won 8-4. The scores were 1-8,3-6,3-6,4-14 (We lost all of them). Then the playoffs came. We faced The West side feeder. It was off to a great start and both teams had very good defense. Then at half-time it was 6-2. We were losing, but we got two more scores in; 6-4, the game was closing in. A foul was committed in the box, and we got a penalty kick. Sadly, the penalty kick was missed. At the end of the game, a good pass by a teammate was passed in the box, and the ball was shot by someone from Corpus. Sadly, it hit the Crossbar. The game ended shortly after that. We lost the Semi-final in the Constellation tournament 6-4. It was a good season for us. Hopefully, we do well in the future. Volleyball was an average season. The girls put their best effort in. They improved over each game. They never won a game, but they constantly improved with the next game. They have next year to try again. For Cross Country, Corpus merged with other schools to have a Catholic United Team. They had a great season and enjoyed playing.

Now, onto the Winter sports, which includes Cheerleading and Basketball. Cheerleading Is where students get to cheer for the Boys Basketball team. They cheer at every home game that Corpus Christi has. Basketball is one of the most popular sports in Corpus Christi. There have been two boy's teams this year. There was a 5th/6th team and a 7th/8th team. They have improved over the weeks. From only scoring four baskets a game to scoring more than 10! Corpus Christi has IMPROVED for sure. A way to prove it is on December 7, 2023. After four years, Corpus Christi 7th/ 8th won their first game! They beat Grand Rapids Christian 17-19. It was a very, very close game, but we fought endlessly. There were a few fouls, and we could have done better, but everyone tried their best, and it paid off. Neither Corpus or Grand Rapids have won a single game this season. After four or more years, we lost our losing streak. It was Amazing, it was Delicious, it was an emotional roller coaster, a nail-biting game, fear and worry, a game of joyful tears. It was MAGNIFICENT!. It was quite the experience, and the 8th graders can finally finish their season with a WIN! They lost their tournament game but they tried their best. They had a great time playing for Corpus Christi. Girls Basketball starts in 2024 which means the season has not started yet but their earlier seasons were great. They played many games and put in a lot of great effort in every game. They have not won a single game, yet, but hopefully this year they might.

Now for the Spring, which includes Baseball, Track, and Girls' Soccer. Baseball starts around March or April, and we merge with other Grand Rapids Schools. From our experience, we combine with Saint Thomas, SJV, and St Paul. The last Baseball season was not bad. It may have been cold but it is fun. We encourage people to sign up because only one kid for Corpus signed up so far. So sign up please. Track is a team that Corpus Christi usually does by themselves. They have enough people to make a team. It is at the same time as the Baseball season, and Track requires a lot of running. If you like running then this is the sport for you. They have practices at Corpus and games at West Catholic. Girl Soccer starts during April or March. There are normally not enough girls that play but this year we are going to make sure there will be enough this year. We want all people to have an opportunity to play sports.

There are some snippets of what Corpus Christ i like. So, we encourage people to sign up. You can still sign up for Spring Sports. We hope you enjoyed this article as much as we enjoyed writing it. Thank you to the parents and children who signed up and drove other kids to the games. They have helped take some weight off the parents shoulders when they take them. Do not forget to cheer for the Crusaders, We play for Jesus.

Mr. Neyer is very nice. He is our new academic dean and the 5th- 6th basketball coach. His position includes, providing Academic support to all students at Corpus Christi Catholic School, over-seeing Standardized Testing in the building, providing support with Report Cards, meeting with teachers and parents regarding the academic support of Corpus Christi students, and is a Eucharistic Minister at Mass. Wow! Mr. Neyer has way too many things to do!

He grew up on a dairy farm in Mt. Pleasant and attended Sacred Heart Academy from Kindergarten through 12th grade. He graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Social Studies from Alma College in 2018. He recently completed his Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Western Governors University. During his free time, he enjoys traveling, golfing, attending concerts and sporting events, lending a hand on his dad's dairy farm, and cherishing being the "cool" uncle to his 2-year-old niece, Harper.

Over the past five years, he has taught 3rd/4th grade and 6th-8th grade in multi-grade classrooms, implementing project-based learning to engage students in meaningful ways. Supporting students from diverse backgrounds and fostering a growth mindset is the core of his educational philosophy. Outside of the classroom, he has a passion for athletics! Mr. Neyer played college football at Alma and is the 5th/6th grade boys basketball coach this season at Corpus Christi. One of his most memorable memories from high school was being #1 on Sportscenter Top Ten Plays for a buzzer-beater shot he made in a basketball game.

And a special welcome back to Mrs. Jacobs in her second stint with Corpus Christi as the music and band teacher! Mrs. Jacobs was born in Muskegon, Michigan. She did not move, which is why she grew up there. She attended Grand Valley for her Bachelor's degree and the U of M (University of Michigan) for her master's. She played basketball in high school. Corpus Christi was Mrs. Jacob's first job until she left. She started teaching private lessons in a small Christian school in Muskegon Heights. Mrs. Jacob's hobbies are Making music and cross-stitching. Mrs. Jacobs came because she wanted a part-time job to be with her kids and to teach. She says this was a great fit! Mrs. Jacobs wants us to develop an understanding and appreciation of music!

Mrs. Jawahir was born in Pakistan, and she was one year old when she and her family moved to Toronto, Canada. In high school, she played basketball. She attended the University of Toronto. She has thirty-three years of teaching experience, including eighteen years of 1st grade, ten years of 4th grade, and five years of kindergarten. Mrs. Jawahir came because Mrs. Altamira was here and they were friends. Her goal for all students is to help us with our math skills. Her favorite hobby is baking.

Mrs. Drummond is in her 17th year of teaching art. Fourteen years were spent in Ohio; she was at a Catholic school for six years and a public school for eight years. Mrs. Drummond moved to Michigan 3 years ago. She has two children; her daughter Hannah is in 6th grade, and her son Owen is in 3rd. They have two dogs, a cat, a lizard, and a fish tank. They love outdoor activities, especially boating, tubing, and walking the trails! When Mrs. Sanders had her first baby, Mrs. Drummomd subbed for her.

We are thrilled to welcome all new faculty, administration, and staff to the Corpus Christi Family.

December 25-January 7 Christmas Vacation – No School

January 24 Corpus Christi Scripps Spelling Bee 2:00 pm ~ all welcome

January 8 Classes Resume

January 15 No School – MLK Holiday

January 19-22 Second Quarter Ends / Third Quarter Begins

January 27-28 CSW Mass and Pancake Breakfast at OLL

January 28- February 3 Catholic Schools Week

February 3-4 CSW Mass at SFDS

February 14 Ash Wednesday

February 19-20 No School –Midwinter break

TBD 4 th Grade Songfest

February 29 No School -Teacher In-Service

March 1 No School -Teacher In-Service

March 22-25 Third Quarter Ends / Fourth Quarter Begins

March 29 Good Friday – No School

April 1-5 Spring Break – No School

April 15-May 10 MAP testing window

April 20 Easter Service Retreat

May 9 Tulip Time Kinderparade – ½ Day (K, 6-8 th Grade)

May 13-24 Swimming Classes

May 8 May Crowning 8:45am

May 23-24 Preschool Ending Dates

May 27 No School – Memorial Day

June 5 ~ 8 th Grade Graduation, 6:30 pm

TBD Kinder Graduation- Last day for kinders

June 6 Last Day of School – ½ Day

June 7-14 Possible make up days for snow days

Email: megankoster@dogrschools.org
Website: https://www.corpuschristischool.us/
Location: 12100 Quincy Street, Holland, MI, USA
Phone: 616.796.2312