Educational Support Services
It is an amazing privilege to partner with families and churches to bring children before the throne of God and help them understand their role in God’s Big Story. One amazing characteristic of the children at ACS is that they represent the great diversity that exists in God’s Kingdom. The staff at Allendale Christian is passionate about doing our very best to educate all of God's children.
A very important verse that has been shared to our ACS families before is from Matthew 19:14, which quotes Jesus when it says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” What strikes us about this passage is not what is says, but what it does not say. Jesus never said, let the ‘typical or average children’ come. Instead He said, “Let the little children come to me.” This was a clear statement from God that the children in the body of Christ belong, regardless of ability or disability. At ACS, we celebrate the many abilities that God has blessed each child with!
This important belief has led ACS to make a larger investment in to the Educational Support Service program so that we can be inclusive of more and more kids. It is the desire of the ACS community that our school represents the diversity in the body of Christ as much as we can. To help us on this journey, ACS partners with the All Belong, a Center for Inclusive Education. It is the commitment and mission of All Belong to "faithfully building belonging for persons of all abilities." All Belong consultants work closely with the ACS Educational Support Services team, as well as other staff members, to proactively plan for successful inclusion at ACS. Additionally, ACS staff partners with the Special Education department at Allendale Public Schools to provide necessary accommodations and ancillary services to meet the needs of our students that qualify for support.
We are certainly not perfect in this journey, but we have a passion to do our very best to partner with our families and support all students. We understand that not every resource is attainable by ACS, and if the needs of a student with special abilities cannot be met, we help them find other Christian organizations that can fully meet their needs.
If you have interest in learing more about the Support Services program at ACS, and how we can support your family, please contact us by calling (616) 895-5108, or email Educational Support Services lead teacher, Rachel Seinen, at rseinen@allendalechristian.com.
High Ability Learners (PEAK)
Our PEAK (Pursuing...Enrichment, Aspiration, Knowledge) Program seeks to provide creative, engaging, and thought-provoking activities for selected, high-ability 3rd – 7th graders. Our Deep Hope for PEAK students is that they will recognize the Source of their abilities, pursue additional challenges with eagerness, and seek ways to use their gifts to benefit God’s kingdom. For questions about PEAK, please reach out to the PEAK teacher, Rebecca Koning, at rkoning@allendalechristian.com.