Holland Family Newsletter
August, 2026
Mission: Provide the academic, social, and emotional development of each child in a safe environment
Vision: Our Holland learning community collaborates as productive, global citizens engaged in continuous learning, is accepting of individual differences, and fosters meaningful, intentional relationships with learners, their families, and the community as a whole.
Dear Holland Families,
I am thrilled to begin my 6th year as principal of Holland and my 23rd year as an educator! From teaching 2nd grade and special education to spending a year teaching English in Argentina, my passion for public education has remained a constant throughout my career.
One of my favorite things about the back-to-school season is the chance to reset, try new things, and see all of our wonderful returning families!
Academic Focus Areas
Our staff has been hard at work planning and gearing up for an incredible year. To ensure your students get the absolute most out of every day, our teachers are collaborating closely to focus on two key areas:
ELA: Building strong foundations in phonics, reading, and writing.
Math: Strengthening problem-solving, math fluency skills, and core mathematical skills.
Exciting New Program: The Leader in Me
I am also thrilled to announce that Holland is launching The Leader in Me program this year!
This initiative celebrates the idea that everyone has areas of expertise—from our youngest students to the grandparents who visit our halls. Keep an eye out for more information soon as we jump feet first into this exciting adventure together.
Thank you for your partnership, and I look forward to a fabulous school year!
Warmly,
Rachal E. Tarrasch, EdD
Holland Principal
Our School Community Liaison (SCL) plays a vital role here at Holland! Working closely with our principal, staff, and families, the SCL helps build strong community partnerships, assists with attendance, and reinforces positive behavior through targeted student interventions.
Meet our new SCL, Taylor King.
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Hi, Holland families! My name is Taylor King, and I am so excited to join the Holland Elementary community as your School Community Liaison! I have worked in education for the past eight years, and this will be my first year with Springfield Public Schools.
I earned my master’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University and my Educational Specialist degree from the University of Missouri. This fall, I will also begin my doctoral program in Educational Leadership.
I am passionate about building meaningful relationships with students and families and look forward to getting to know the Holland community and supporting our students throughout the year. Outside of school, I enjoy running, traveling, and spending time with my cats, who definitely keep me entertained! I love exploring new places and meeting new people, so I am especially excited to become part of the Holland community. I can’t wait for a great year together!
It's not too late to sign up here for the Back2School Bash at South Haven Church on 8/19 from 6-8:00 pm. While they won't have your child's whole supply list, they will be supplying some backpacks, colored pencils, washable markers, pencils, erasers, glue sticks, folders, scissors, crayons, dry erase markers, school boxes, Kleenex, and composition notebooks. They will also have a bouncy houses, games, food, and fun!
Location
South Haven Baptist Church
2353 S Campbell Ave Family Life Center Springfield, MO 65807
We want our families to know what their students will be learning! Please check out this link to find out what's happening in our classrooms.
PRIDE Stickers & Buttons
Throughout the year, you might hear your child proudly talk about earning a PRIDE sticker or button! These are fun ways our staff recognize students who demonstrate the core traits we value as a school family.
To set our students up for success, we use a PRIDE Matrix (shown below). Each classroom, specialty class, and special education classroom will also create their own tailored matrix with direct input from students. This creates a shared commitment between teachers and students on how to respect and use their learning space.
Big News: PBIS Tier 1 Award of Excellence!
We are thrilled to announce that Holland has been awarded the 2026 MO SW-PBS Tier 1 Award of Excellence from Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support!
This award recognizes our school’s high-quality implementation of positive behavior programs across the entire campus. What does this mean for your child?
Targeted Support: Our staff is continuously trained to guide and encourage positive habits.
Consistent Culture: Every student knows what is expected and feels supported every day.
Stronger Partnership: We work together with families to help every child succeed academically and socially.
We will continue building on this success and refining our supports throughout the year, and we'll keep you updated along the way.
Thank you for your continued partnership and for celebrating your child’s growth with us!
State law now prohibits students from using or displaying any personal electronic communication devices during the school day. This includes, but is not limited to, cell phones, smartwatches, headphones, wireless earbuds or any similar device capable of initiating, receiving, storing or viewing communication, information, images or data electronically. Devices must be turned off and stored out of sight.
Please contact the office if you have additional questions or concerns at (417) 523-4100.
Cornerstone Referral
Burrell has had a name change and is now called Cornerstone. Parent are able to easily make a referral to support your child. You can do this in three different ways:
- Call and speak with our counselor, Mrs. Breshears
- Use the QR code which will take you directly to the referral form
- Use this direct link
Holland Info
Website: holland.spsk12.org/pages/Home
Location: 2403 S Holland Ave, Springfield, MO 65807, USA
Phone: 417-523-4100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollandElementarySPS
X: @Holland_SPS