By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
An assistant principal at Zeeland’s Cityside Middle School and former soccer coach has been named the new principal at Lincoln Elementary School.
Zack Williams, who has been a Cityside assistant principal for the past four years, was recently chosen to fill the position. He succeeds Jeff Roon, who was named the new principal at Cityside in March.
Williams has been with Zeeland Public Schools since 2015. He began as a social studies teacher at Cityside, teaching world history, U.S. history, sixth grade physical education and Chix in Action. He taught at Cityside through 2022, when he was appointed assistant principal at the school. He was also an online instructor through Michigan Virtual.
Williams was the varsity boys soccer coach at Zeeland East High School from 2018 to 2022, leading the Chix to their first district championship in school history in his final season in 2022, as they won the game in a penalty kick shootout.
Williams also served on ZPS’ Multi-Tiered System of Supports District Improvement team for three years, working with district and building leaders to develop systems supporting academic, behavioral and social-emotional student success.
Outside of school, Williams enjoys spending time with his wife, Morgan, and their three children, Brooklyn, Beckett, and Grayson. He also enjoys time near the water, concerts, golf, traveling, and sitting by the fire with family and friends.
Williams holds a bachelor of arts degree from Hope College and a master’s in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University.
Zeeland Record
An assistant principal at Zeeland’s Cityside Middle School and former soccer coach has been named the new principal at Lincoln Elementary School.
Zack Williams, who has been a Cityside assistant principal for the past four years, was recently chosen to fill the position. He succeeds Jeff Roon, who was named the new principal at Cityside in March.
Williams has been with Zeeland Public Schools since 2015. He began as a social studies teacher at Cityside, teaching world history, U.S. history, sixth grade physical education and Chix in Action. He taught at Cityside through 2022, when he was appointed assistant principal at the school. He was also an online instructor through Michigan Virtual.
Williams was the varsity boys soccer coach at Zeeland East High School from 2018 to 2022, leading the Chix to their first district championship in school history in his final season in 2022, as they won the game in a penalty kick shootout.
Williams also served on ZPS’ Multi-Tiered System of Supports District Improvement team for three years, working with district and building leaders to develop systems supporting academic, behavioral and social-emotional student success.
Outside of school, Williams enjoys spending time with his wife, Morgan, and their three children, Brooklyn, Beckett, and Grayson. He also enjoys time near the water, concerts, golf, traveling, and sitting by the fire with family and friends.
Williams holds a bachelor of arts degree from Hope College and a master’s in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University.
‘Phase-to-Phase Fault’ Cited in Recent Power Outage
Power outages for the Zeeland Board of Public Works are rare. But more than 450 of the utility’s customers found themselves without power the afternoon of June 7.
The outage occurred shortly after 4:30 p.m., and was caused by a phase-to-phase fault on a distribution circuit located off 88th Avenue, just north of the I-196 highway bridge, said Brian Coots, electric transmission and distribution manager for the BPW.
“Due to the location and condition of the damaged conductors, Zeeland BPW crews were initially unable to safely access the affected section of line,” Coots said. “To ensure public and worker safety, forced outages were implemented to de-energize the area and allow crews to clear the broken conductors.”
Repair work required the assistance of a Bombardier specialty bucket truck to access the damaged line and complete repairs. Power was restored to the affected customers shortly after 6:30 p.m. that day, Coots said.
The outage occurred shortly after 4:30 p.m., and was caused by a phase-to-phase fault on a distribution circuit located off 88th Avenue, just north of the I-196 highway bridge, said Brian Coots, electric transmission and distribution manager for the BPW.
“Due to the location and condition of the damaged conductors, Zeeland BPW crews were initially unable to safely access the affected section of line,” Coots said. “To ensure public and worker safety, forced outages were implemented to de-energize the area and allow crews to clear the broken conductors.”
Repair work required the assistance of a Bombardier specialty bucket truck to access the damaged line and complete repairs. Power was restored to the affected customers shortly after 6:30 p.m. that day, Coots said.
Theatre Group to Present Broadway Revue Saturday
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
A newly-formed community theatre group will hold a Broadway Revue concert Saturday at Cityside Middle School’s Lokers Auditorium.
The West Michigan Theatre Company will hold two performances of its debut show – at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. – at the auditorium. Tickets are $10 per person, with all proceeds going to the company’s efforts to produce future full-length theatre and musical productions, said Nancy Clyde, one of the company’s founders.
“We want to build some enthusiasm for theatre. We want to see what adults are willing to do in our community, because there really isn’t a place in Zeeland specifically where adults can come out and do super-high quality shows,” Clyde said.
“We found that a lot of Zeelanders were going to Holland or they’re going to Grand Rapids or they’re going to Grand Haven for these opportunities. We want to create an opportunity here, because we have so many talented people here.”
Clyde, Robert Torgerson and David Miller – all former Zeeland Public Schools teachers – founded the West Michigan Theatre Company earlier this year. Clyde started the district’s dance program and led it for 29 years until her retirement last year. Torgerson founded the Zeeland High Players and directed the high school theatre group for 28 years before retiring in 2016. Miller started the Cityside and Creekside Players in 1996 and later became auditorium director at Coopersville High School.
The revue will feature songs from a wide variety of Broadway shows, including “Pippin,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Man of La Mancha,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Wicked,” and “Dear Evan Hansen,” Clyde said.
The production will involve 23 adults as well as 60 middle and high school students. The students have been involved in an intensive program covering every aspect of theatre for the last two weeks. The adult performers went through auditions last month, Clyde said.
“A lot of these folks came from past work with us, with Zeeland High Players,” Clyde said. “These are people we’ve known since they were in high school, and now they might be in their 30s or 40s, and they’re here and they’re working with us. We have a parent of a former student who came out, and we have some people that came from surrounding communities that heard that we were (forming this company and said) ‘I’d love to be in a community show.’”
While the company is based in Zeeland, Clyde said it adopted the name “West Michigan Theatre Company” because it wanted to attract performers from throughout the region. It is operating under the auspices of Zeeland Recreation.
Tickets for the revenue may be purchased online at zpsarts.ludus.com/index.php.
Zeeland Record
A newly-formed community theatre group will hold a Broadway Revue concert Saturday at Cityside Middle School’s Lokers Auditorium.
The West Michigan Theatre Company will hold two performances of its debut show – at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. – at the auditorium. Tickets are $10 per person, with all proceeds going to the company’s efforts to produce future full-length theatre and musical productions, said Nancy Clyde, one of the company’s founders.
“We want to build some enthusiasm for theatre. We want to see what adults are willing to do in our community, because there really isn’t a place in Zeeland specifically where adults can come out and do super-high quality shows,” Clyde said.
“We found that a lot of Zeelanders were going to Holland or they’re going to Grand Rapids or they’re going to Grand Haven for these opportunities. We want to create an opportunity here, because we have so many talented people here.”
Clyde, Robert Torgerson and David Miller – all former Zeeland Public Schools teachers – founded the West Michigan Theatre Company earlier this year. Clyde started the district’s dance program and led it for 29 years until her retirement last year. Torgerson founded the Zeeland High Players and directed the high school theatre group for 28 years before retiring in 2016. Miller started the Cityside and Creekside Players in 1996 and later became auditorium director at Coopersville High School.
The revue will feature songs from a wide variety of Broadway shows, including “Pippin,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Man of La Mancha,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Wicked,” and “Dear Evan Hansen,” Clyde said.
The production will involve 23 adults as well as 60 middle and high school students. The students have been involved in an intensive program covering every aspect of theatre for the last two weeks. The adult performers went through auditions last month, Clyde said.
“A lot of these folks came from past work with us, with Zeeland High Players,” Clyde said. “These are people we’ve known since they were in high school, and now they might be in their 30s or 40s, and they’re here and they’re working with us. We have a parent of a former student who came out, and we have some people that came from surrounding communities that heard that we were (forming this company and said) ‘I’d love to be in a community show.’”
While the company is based in Zeeland, Clyde said it adopted the name “West Michigan Theatre Company” because it wanted to attract performers from throughout the region. It is operating under the auspices of Zeeland Recreation.
Tickets for the revenue may be purchased online at zpsarts.ludus.com/index.php.
How Hospice Provides Support to Families Facing Dementia
Hospice care can provide people living with dementia and their caregivers with an extra layer of support that prioritizes comfort, dignity, quality of life and meaningful time together throughout the disease’s final stages.
Photo courtesy Emmanuel Hospice
Photo courtesy Emmanuel Hospice
By Emmanuel Hospice
One diagnosis often surprises families when it qualifies a loved one for hospice care: dementia.
Many people associate hospice with illnesses that follow a rapid or more predictable decline, such as cancer, but dementia is also a terminal condition that can significantly affect quality of life and life expectancy.
“Alzheimer’s is often what people think of but there are several types of dementia,” said Susan Mott, director of patient care at Emmanuel Hospice. “It is a progressive disease that can look very different from person to person and often declines slowly over time. While memory loss is the most recognized symptom, dementia eventually affects the entire body.”
Mott said the disease can affect mobility, communication, swallowing, appetite and resistance to infections. Over time, patients may experience repeated falls, weight loss, increased confusion, agitation or more frequent hospital visits.
Because dementia often progresses gradually, Mott said families may not always recognize how much a loved one’s condition has changed until caregiving becomes overwhelming. A hospitalization, fall or infection can also trigger a sudden decline. Hospice teams trained in dementia care can help families recognize and respond to those changes quickly.
“Our team understands dementia and can make care easier,” Mott said. “We talk with families about what to expect, what is normal and how we can work together to handle these things. Beyond symptom management, we are always looking for warning signs of infections. We evaluate the home environment for safety. We help caregivers understand changes in nutrition, comfort and behavior, and serve as an extra layer of support.”
Mott emphasized that hospice care provides a team of professionals with providers, nurses, aides, social workers, spiritual caregivers, complementary therapy specialists, bereavement counselors and volunteers working together to support both the patient and the people caring for them.
Hospice nurses assess symptoms, provide education, coordinate the plan of care and help patients and families navigate changes throughout the illness. Hospice aides assist with bathing and personal care, while equipment such as hospital beds and wheelchairs may be provided to reduce physical and financial strain on loved ones. Services can also include emotional support, advance care planning and guidance through questions about the end of life.
One goal of hospice is to create more opportunities for families to focus less on caregiving and more on having meaningful moments together. At Emmanuel Hospice, patient wish experiences and complementary services such as music therapy help families reconnect in powerful ways.
“When our music therapists come in, we see patients with dementia who were struggling to form words suddenly sing at full voice and remember all the lyrics to a song,” she said. “Moments like that help families develop a positive core memory and think about what that person has meant to them their whole lives.”
Mott added that the ways hospice can provide relief for caregivers, many of whom become isolated as caregiving demands increase, cannot be understated.
“There can be a misconception that hospice is only meant for the final days of life and is sometimes perceived as ‘giving up’ on a person,” she said. “But one of the most common things we hear from families is that they wish they had reached out sooner because of the comfort, quality of life, dignity and support hospice care provided for everyone involved.”
Mott encourages families to ask questions early, even if they are unsure whether a loved one qualifies.
“It is never too early to call and ask about hospice care,” she said. “Even if it is not time for hospice care now, getting an assessment gives a baseline and helps us better understand what trajectory someone may be on. That also helps us get a relationship going, which makes the transition to comfort care happen more seamlessly when it is time.”
For more information, call (616) 719-0919 or visit Emmanuel Hospice.org.
One diagnosis often surprises families when it qualifies a loved one for hospice care: dementia.
Many people associate hospice with illnesses that follow a rapid or more predictable decline, such as cancer, but dementia is also a terminal condition that can significantly affect quality of life and life expectancy.
“Alzheimer’s is often what people think of but there are several types of dementia,” said Susan Mott, director of patient care at Emmanuel Hospice. “It is a progressive disease that can look very different from person to person and often declines slowly over time. While memory loss is the most recognized symptom, dementia eventually affects the entire body.”
Mott said the disease can affect mobility, communication, swallowing, appetite and resistance to infections. Over time, patients may experience repeated falls, weight loss, increased confusion, agitation or more frequent hospital visits.
Because dementia often progresses gradually, Mott said families may not always recognize how much a loved one’s condition has changed until caregiving becomes overwhelming. A hospitalization, fall or infection can also trigger a sudden decline. Hospice teams trained in dementia care can help families recognize and respond to those changes quickly.
“Our team understands dementia and can make care easier,” Mott said. “We talk with families about what to expect, what is normal and how we can work together to handle these things. Beyond symptom management, we are always looking for warning signs of infections. We evaluate the home environment for safety. We help caregivers understand changes in nutrition, comfort and behavior, and serve as an extra layer of support.”
Mott emphasized that hospice care provides a team of professionals with providers, nurses, aides, social workers, spiritual caregivers, complementary therapy specialists, bereavement counselors and volunteers working together to support both the patient and the people caring for them.
Hospice nurses assess symptoms, provide education, coordinate the plan of care and help patients and families navigate changes throughout the illness. Hospice aides assist with bathing and personal care, while equipment such as hospital beds and wheelchairs may be provided to reduce physical and financial strain on loved ones. Services can also include emotional support, advance care planning and guidance through questions about the end of life.
One goal of hospice is to create more opportunities for families to focus less on caregiving and more on having meaningful moments together. At Emmanuel Hospice, patient wish experiences and complementary services such as music therapy help families reconnect in powerful ways.
“When our music therapists come in, we see patients with dementia who were struggling to form words suddenly sing at full voice and remember all the lyrics to a song,” she said. “Moments like that help families develop a positive core memory and think about what that person has meant to them their whole lives.”
Mott added that the ways hospice can provide relief for caregivers, many of whom become isolated as caregiving demands increase, cannot be understated.
“There can be a misconception that hospice is only meant for the final days of life and is sometimes perceived as ‘giving up’ on a person,” she said. “But one of the most common things we hear from families is that they wish they had reached out sooner because of the comfort, quality of life, dignity and support hospice care provided for everyone involved.”
Mott encourages families to ask questions early, even if they are unsure whether a loved one qualifies.
“It is never too early to call and ask about hospice care,” she said. “Even if it is not time for hospice care now, getting an assessment gives a baseline and helps us better understand what trajectory someone may be on. That also helps us get a relationship going, which makes the transition to comfort care happen more seamlessly when it is time.”
For more information, call (616) 719-0919 or visit Emmanuel Hospice.org.
Holland Farmers Market Launches Market School Classes
The Holland Farmers Market has announced the launch of Market School, a series of fun and informative classes for adults, beginning this month.
Market School features a monthly lineup of educational classes for adults at the Holland Farmers Market from June through September. Topics include beekeeping, sourdough baking, healthy cooking, and more, with all sessions hosted by local experts and friends of the Market.
Attendees are invited to shop the Holland Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., either before or after each class.
“We’re so excited to be launching Market School this month,” Farmers Market Marketing Coordinator Kara de Alvare said. “Our entire team is passionate about providing learning opportunities for the community and the monthly Market School classes allow us to do that for adults, in much the same way as our weekly kids activities for children in the summer. We’ve put together a really great line-up of fun classes for the summer, and we encourage everyone to check it out.”
The first Market School class, “Welcome to Beekeeping!” will be held on Saturday, June 27 at 10 a.m. Beekeeper and Holland Area Beekeepers Association Member Donald Lam will be teaching audience members all about the hobby of beekeeping at home.
Class attendees will learn about the equipment needed, the support systems available, and the benefits and the costs of beekeeping. Attendees will also explore the different types of bees within a hive, the different varieties of honey, the many roles of worker bees, and important information about bee stings and hive safety. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a beekeeper, this is the perfect place to start.
Lam and his wife Jean have been keeping honeybees for 35 years in the Holland area. In addition to leading classes, they provide pollination services for growers, produce honey that is available in local stores, and provide bees and equipment to area beekeepers. Don and Jean operate a beekeeping store in Holland and represent the Holland Area Beekeeping Association at community events.
All Market School classes are held at 10 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of the month. Classes are held in the upstairs Market View room inside the Holland Civic Center at 150 W. 8th St. Classes are approximately an hour long and are just $20 each to attend. All attendees also receive an insulated Holland Farmers Market tote bag, a $10 value.
Advanced registration for Market School classes is recommended as space is limited; however, walk-ins are welcome if space allows for $20 cash or check at the door. The registration links can be found under the “Events” tab on the Holland Farmers Market Facebook page and on the events calendar on the Holland Farmers Market website.
Admission fees are nonrefundable. However, cancelled registrations can be transferred to another individual or applied to a future class. Please contact the Market staff at (616) 796-1210 for assistance transferring your registration.
Market School features a monthly lineup of educational classes for adults at the Holland Farmers Market from June through September. Topics include beekeeping, sourdough baking, healthy cooking, and more, with all sessions hosted by local experts and friends of the Market.
Attendees are invited to shop the Holland Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., either before or after each class.
“We’re so excited to be launching Market School this month,” Farmers Market Marketing Coordinator Kara de Alvare said. “Our entire team is passionate about providing learning opportunities for the community and the monthly Market School classes allow us to do that for adults, in much the same way as our weekly kids activities for children in the summer. We’ve put together a really great line-up of fun classes for the summer, and we encourage everyone to check it out.”
The first Market School class, “Welcome to Beekeeping!” will be held on Saturday, June 27 at 10 a.m. Beekeeper and Holland Area Beekeepers Association Member Donald Lam will be teaching audience members all about the hobby of beekeeping at home.
Class attendees will learn about the equipment needed, the support systems available, and the benefits and the costs of beekeeping. Attendees will also explore the different types of bees within a hive, the different varieties of honey, the many roles of worker bees, and important information about bee stings and hive safety. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a beekeeper, this is the perfect place to start.
Lam and his wife Jean have been keeping honeybees for 35 years in the Holland area. In addition to leading classes, they provide pollination services for growers, produce honey that is available in local stores, and provide bees and equipment to area beekeepers. Don and Jean operate a beekeeping store in Holland and represent the Holland Area Beekeeping Association at community events.
All Market School classes are held at 10 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of the month. Classes are held in the upstairs Market View room inside the Holland Civic Center at 150 W. 8th St. Classes are approximately an hour long and are just $20 each to attend. All attendees also receive an insulated Holland Farmers Market tote bag, a $10 value.
Advanced registration for Market School classes is recommended as space is limited; however, walk-ins are welcome if space allows for $20 cash or check at the door. The registration links can be found under the “Events” tab on the Holland Farmers Market Facebook page and on the events calendar on the Holland Farmers Market website.
Admission fees are nonrefundable. However, cancelled registrations can be transferred to another individual or applied to a future class. Please contact the Market staff at (616) 796-1210 for assistance transferring your registration.
