Dear Wesley Community,
Even as I move on from Wesley, Greg Armbrister and I are thrilled to present this Annual Report summarizing exciting events from the 2023-24 school year. It highlights the generosity of the Wesley community and I hope you will enjoy the informative and inspiring articles.
Last year’s theme of Celebration infused so many of our favorite annual events last year, from the Fall Picnic, to Gobblers’ Feast, to our fabulous Palooza in the Spring and our heartfelt graduation send off for the Class of 2024. However, most notable was the 25th Anniversary Gala, which was truly a night to remember! I enjoyed sharing the stage with founding Head, Chuck Potts, and future Head, Greg Armbrister, as we honored the amazing institution Wesley has become.
In this report, we thank and honor each person who has supported the school through philanthropic giving in the 2023-24 fiscal year. We also celebrate and remember the contribution of time from our Trustees and Parents’ Association leadership, without whom the school could not function. Wesley thrives on community involvement in all forms, from our steadfast room parents to our intrepid event chairpeople to those who contribute to our food pantry collections, Bake for Better, or Relay for Life. In addition, those who brought CODI to life and those who served on important search committees helped further Wesley’s new mission of creating a Community of Belonging. To all who helped or gave over the past year — Thank you!
Thank you to the creative and dedicated Development Team, Tammy Rodriguez and Kevin Elbo; our Communications Team, Lindsey Drasin and Sarah Francis; and Development Chair, Jenny Hollier, for their tireless efforts in creating meaningful and fun videos, inspirational written pieces, and extraordinary events, all of which contributed to meeting and surpassing our fundraising goals. Thanks to every family, faculty/staff member, and friend of the school for helping us celebrate Wesley.
With gratitude,
Julie Galles
former head of school, the wesley school founding head of school, chrysalis academy
Dear Wesley Families & Colleagues,
What a thrill it is to have the opportunity to share with you both my own personal gratitude and also that of our school for the sustained and generous support that so many of you have provided to our unique community. Whether your support is represented by effort or hours of service, guidance or dollars, Wesley thrives because of your contributions. It is inspiring and humbling to join in this effort, and it is a privilege to see first-hand how our community’s support manifests itself in the student and faculty experience.
Julie has eloquently expressed why support is so important, and I enthusiastically join her in lauding what was achieved last year. As one might imagine, I’m also very eager to join the effort in moving the needle even further in the coming year so that we provide even greater support for our students and faculty, while also meeting the very real need to expand our programs. We’ll be aiming high at Wesley, and I’m confident that we’re ready to take the challenge on. Cheers to all those who were instrumental in our success this year, and please consider yourselves invited to team with us to continue — or exceed — that in the years to come!
With gratitude,
Greg former assistant head of school current head of school
CLASS OF 2024
Students who enjoyed the K-8 experience at Wesley for all 9 years.
WesleyLifers
Within a community of belonging, we nurture joyful, confident learners to think critically, creatively, and compassionately. Our Mission Our Motto Academic Excellence and Character Development Within the Circle of Family
“Wesley’s new mission statement concisely defines the purpose of our beloved school, telegraphs what we want to be remembered for, articulates the promise we make to our students, and shines a light on the unique value of a Wesley education.
2023-2024 Board of Trustees
David Monahan, chair
Jenny Hollier, vice chair
Marissa Seeman, secretary
Mike Natividad, treasurer
Thordis Howard, codi co-chair
Michelle Albert
Heemanshu Bhagat
Amy DiBianca
Melanie Elliott
Jason Friedman
Samantha Hampar
Norman Kelsey
Gary Kirkpatrick
Lisa Lange
Janett Hermosillo Meyer
Eddie O’Flaherty
Dale Pinnock
Cheryl Ting
Hillary Turner
Conrad Sison
Alan Waldman
The Wesley Board of Trustees: Foundational Work
Within a community of belonging, we nurture joyful, confident learners to think critically, creatively, and compassionately.
During the 23-24 school year, the Board of Trustees helped Wesley navigate a significant transitional phase in our history. To do that successfully, Trustees focused on foundational board work — not only to ensure stability during a unique year, but also to lay the framework for future success. Those critical initiatives included shoring up Board culture and norms, rolling out a new mission statement to the community, conducting a Head of School search, and generating a new strategic plan for the next phase of Wesley’s growth.
One of the Board’s primary responsibilities is to steward the mission of the school. The Wesley Mission is a statement of the school’s purpose and every school should revisit its mission on a regular basis to ensure it reflects the ever-changing needs of its students. The Board of Trustees began a mission study during the 22-23 academic year, and kicked off the 23-24 academic year with the presentation of an uplifting new statement. Wesley’s new mission statement concisely defines the purpose of our beloved school, telegraphs what we want to be remembered for, articulates the promise we make to our students, and shines a light on the unique value of a Wesley education.
While the Board stewards the school’s mission, it is put into action by the Head of School and their team. The Board maintains a unique partnership with the Head that is part of the shared governance structure of our institution, and it’s the job of the Board to hire, support, and evaluate the Head. Since this past year was Julie Galles’ final year as the Wesley Head of School, the Board of Trustees empowered a Search Committee made up of Trustees, faculty and administrators, and parents to find a new leader with whom to partner on this important work.
The Search Committee’s excellent and dedicated efforts led to the Board’s unanimous decision to appoint Greg Armbrister as our next Head of School. This was the result of a comprehensive, months-long search that vetted a pool of extraordinarily qualified applicants. The data-driven process highlighted Greg’s personal attributes and skill set as the best match for qualities identified by our community as most important in the next Head. The Board looks forward to partnering with Greg as we chart Wesley’s future.
Strategic planning is a crucial responsibility of the Board, and one of the ways we clarify our shared aspirations as a community. The bulk of the Board’s strategic planning process took place this year. Defining Wesley’s goals involved engagement with parents, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and donors to identify what makes the school so valuable to stakeholders, and what the community sees as our future. The Board ensured all voices were heard as we developed a shared understanding of our school community today and designed a roadmap for our collective future. We look forward to presenting our new plan during the 24-25 school year.
Throughout all these initiatives, the Board worked to improve our own norms and culture. We partnered with outside governance consultants to examine our practices and procedures, and carved out time in our meetings to reflect on how trustees responsibly approach difficult situations, hold confidence, and support the Head of School for the benefit of the institution. Overall, it was an extremely busy year for the Board, but our efforts have positioned Wesley for future success. It’s a great time to be a Wesley lion!
Warmly,
The
Wesley Board of Trustees
A Note from the Development Chair
The Wesley School celebrated a major milestone this year, its 25th Anniversary! All year long, we held events acknowledging this major milestone amongst students, families, and alumni, reminiscing about our school’s beginnings but also making plans for our next 25 years! The Development Office has been in full swing over the summer reimagining the annual fund, brainstorming new and engaging events, and much more.
The first order of business was to look at the Annual Fund, where money raised in this campaign is used to offset deficits that tuition alone will not cover. This is our most impactful fundraiser of the year, but this time around we made an effort to switch up our approach. In the past we have always followed the motto “100% participation in 100 days”. As a homage to our 25th year, the Development Office decided to ask our entire community to reach this same goal in just 25 days – and boy, did you all step up! Our goal was to achieve $400,000 with 100% participation. Amazingly, we blew right past that benchmark and raised over $515,000. We also had 98% participation and doubled our donors at various giving levels for the first time. Because of our community’s generosity, we even needed to create a whole new giving level, one for $25,000+ donors - The Legacy Circle.
The success of the Annual Fund is in large part to our stellar
grade level Development Reps. They work as a liaison between the Development Office and their classes, answering any and all questions about the fund, reminding families to donate, all while being constant cheerleaders for the school. We could not have done it without them and wanted to extend a huge thank you to:
Rachael Campanella Kindergarten Representative (Gia Kindergarten, Cora 3rd)
Greg Rikaart
1st Grade Representative (Montgomery 1st)
Collette Nolte
2nd Grade Representative (Thatcher 2nd, Gatsby 7th)
Lisa Lange
3rd Grade Representative (Oliver Kindergarten, Maisie 3rd)
Luz Herrera-Olaya 4th Grade Representative (Mark 4th)
Larry Sullivan 5th Grade Representative (Cooper 5th)
Janett Meyer
6th Grade Representative (Emma 6th, Nathan 7th)
Lisa Katz
7th Grade Representative (Eli 7th)
Grant Thompson
8th Grade Representative (Amelia & Grace 5th, Avery 8th)
Our next event was our beloved Teacher Outings. Activities this year ranged from students bowling
with their favorite teachers to grabbing Starbucks with the Head of School or being Art teacher for the day. Not only do the students walk away with great memories, but so do our educators that go out of their way to make these moments happen. Our goal was to generate $30,000 and we got immensely close to hitting that target this year. But, no matter how much money ends up being raised for this fundraiser, we know from feedback from all involved, that this offering is a must do every year.
In the Spring, it was time to come together and have a 25th Anniversary Celebration!! We’re excited to share that over 320 current families, alumni, and friends attended our Wesley in Wonderland themed Gala. This was the first year we had a live auctioneer on hand to bring another level of energy to the night. It not only brought excitement to the event, but helped us collect our largest number raised for a gala ever! Our Raise the Paddle brought in just over $75,000, while our auction generated $80,000, and sponsorship boosted our overall in-take another $13,000. Beyond all of the financial generosity shown for the school, the evening was filled with dancing, eating, reminiscing, and a smile inducing champagne wall. We wanted to thank everyone again who went down the rabbit hole with us on a very memorable celebration for Wesley’s first 25 years.
Another way we celebrated Wesley’s monumental founding was our 25 year brick campaign. Each family had an opportunity to purchase a brick and engrave it with their family’s name on it. Not only did many members of our community get to literally become part of the legacy of the school, these bricks also helped lay a path forward raising over $37,314.
Later in the Spring we held our annual Run-For-A Cause jog-a-thon. This year, we partnered with Make A Wish Foundation. Leading up to the run, we had guest speakers come to the community to discuss with the kids the importance of their organization and how our gift will impact children to have a wish come true. Through all of the generous donations, we were able to grant two wishes by donating $10,000 to Make a Wish. Thank you to all who participated.
Our final event of the year ended up being one of the most fun for both adults and kids alike. We’re talking about Wesley’s first annual Golf Tournament. The day started off with golfers gathering for breakfast sandwiches and Bloody Marys. Throughout the day much food and drink was consumed, while a few mulligans were played to get another shot at that putt that almost went in. And once the course was complete, families were able to join in a reception filled with more food, drinks, a live auction – and even a nail-biting “putt-off” to determine the day’s winner. Since this was the first time holding this event, we had no monetary goal, but to our happy surprise, we ended up raising over $6,000 – which was just enough for Wesley to purchase their first ever digital scoreboard. The next time
you are on the sports court, stop by and check it out.
I’d be remiss, if I didn’t take a moment to acknowledge the person that helped bring to life all the events that I’ve shared with you today, Tammy Rodriguez, Director of Development. She, yet again, has surpassed all her goals this year and continues to plan inventive ways for the community to support Wesley’s future. This year, Kevin Elbo has joined the Development Office as the Development Associate. He has seamlessly fit into the team and has brought so much to the table. The Wesley community is grateful, and thanks to both of them for creating so many memorable events for parents and students alike to aid in our school’s growth!
Our community is small, but fierce. When asked to show up, everyone does. It all comes back to the betterment of our children, who we do this all for. With humble gratitude, we want to thank you all one more time for showing up and donating not only money, but your time and endless support. This allows our school to continue to grow and evolve, while still making it the unique place we all love and cherish.
Jenny Hollier Parent to Finn (7th Grade) & Jack (Class of ’22) board of trustees, development committee chair
2023-2024
Development Committee
Jenny Hollier, chair members
Rachael Campanella
Lindsey Drasin
Kevin Elbo
Samantha Hampar
Luz Herrera-Olaya
Lisa Katz
Lisa Lange
Janett Meyer
David Monahan
Marie Natividad
Angie Niemeyer
Collette Nolte
Greg Rikaart
Tammy Rodriguez
Larry Sullivan
Grant Thompson
2023-2024 Financial Report
REVENUE 2023-24
EXPENSES 2023-24
SPECIAL THANKS
Thank you to the following Wesley supporters who have donated $100,000 and above cumulatively across all campaigns from 1999 to present.
Anonymous
California Community Foundation
The Kirkpatrick Family
Karla and Toby MacCary
Patsy and Will Mackenzie
Jennifer and Kevin Plunkett
Natacha Rafalski
Elvina and Michael Risley
James Rosser
The Walt Disney Company
Annual Giving 2023-2024
Legacy Circle
$25,000+
Brooke and Gavin O’Connor
Founders Circle
$15,000-$24,999
Laurel Coppock and Bobby Mort
Netflix
The Roddenberry Foundation
Heidi and Rod Roddenberry
Jenna Bans and Justin Spitzer
Hillary and Jermaine Turner
Visionary Circle
$10,000-$14,999
Anonymous
Sue and Ryan Baylor
California Community Foundation
Julianne and Nick Davey
Tania Tang and Paul Dluzniewski
Katie Mercer and Jorge Fernandez
Jenny and Adam Gershon
Julie and Lewis Henderson
Lisa and Daniel Katz
Stephanie Courtney-Kolanach and Scott Kolanach
Brenna Latham and Paul Koval
Andrea and Alan Waldman
Head of School Circle
Amgen
Catherine and John Aquino
Sanam Nouriesfahani and Amir Bahadori
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Verena and Russell Denove
Melanie and Tom Elliott
Alicyn Packard and Jason Friedman
Lisa McCurdy-Grattan and Chris Grattan
Armen and Gloria Hampar
Family Foundation
Rebeccah Bush and Gary Kirkpatrick
The Littman Family
Patsy and Will Mackenzie
Amy and Ned Mencia
Anna Fudacz and Steve Montgomery
Gennifer Hutchison and Andrew Ortner
Ginifer King Ruge and Jason Ruge
Leadership Circle •
Susan Brenner-Ackerman and Josh Ackerman
Kari Hobson and Scott Altpeter
Anonymous
Apple Inc.
Michelle Albert and Bryan Barrett
Mariellen and Peter Bergman
The Capital Group Companies
Charitable Foundation
Juli and Morgan Cavanaugh
Louise and Andrew Cripps
Amy and Josh DiBianca
Tina and Rob Dickinson
Kathleen Gallagher
Jenny and Chris Hollier
Lions Circle
Melissa and Dave Abbott
Sharon Widjaja and Edward Allen
Anonymous (3)
Anonymous (4)
Artcharapa and Greg Armbrister
Scott Ault and Ramsey Avery
Doug Cohn and Richard Ayasta
The Back Family
The Baker Family
Tammy Billik
Heather and Joshua Boyd
Brittany Britton
Aileen Cuesta-Brown and Doug Brown
The Byers Family
Dele Carroo
Deborah and Phillip Cha
Iris Chae
Gia Trasatti and Eric Christensen
Emma Cooper and Henry Cripps
Rebecca and Chris Dingilian
Sabrina Speer and Rob Doherty
$3,000-$4,999
Tina and David Hookom
Laura Murphy and Andy Hopkins
Pip and Dean Hunt
Taylor and Erin Kennelly
Clare and Wayne Knight
Karla and Ron Makarem
Brooke and Mike Mcmahan
Janett Hermosillo and Karl Meyer
Daniela and Matt Osborn
Abraham Higginbotham and Steven Petrarca
Jeanine Detz and David Porter
Ronnie and Pat Puccinelli
Mairin and David Reed
Corie and Stuart Rogers
• $1,000-$2,999
Lisa Loeb and Roey Hershkovitz
Rania Shammas and Michael Hetzner
Lauren Virdone and Nikolas Hronopoulos
Bridget and Michael Johnsen
JP Morgan
Susie and Curtis Kheel
Lisa and Eric Lange
Carol and Richard Lee
Jennifer and Jeffrey Lehman
Melissa and Brian Levin
Heidi and Hal Lieberman
Chris and Jung Lim
The Malik Corporation
Rebecca Mchugh
Alexis and Sebastian Morton
Mimi and Michael Narducci
Marie and Mike Natividad
NBC Universal
Luz Herrera-Olaya and Marco Olaya
Paramount Global
Michelle and Danny Sacchetto
Pippa Bond and Stan Savage
Marissa and Danny Seeman
Reba and Brent Sherman
Lauren and Dave Stempel
The Walt Disney Company
United Health Group
Jessica and Jason Vanderyacht
Kari Negri - Donatelli and Mike Donatelli
Lindsey and Shane Drasin
Lisa and Nathan Handlon
Valeria and James Harris
Melissa Bennett-Pinnock and Dale Pinnock
Alana and Greg Polcsa
Betsy and Chuck Potts
Jesse Rafalski
Lauren Katunich and David Rojas
Anjanette Padilla Ryan and Thomas Ryan
Thomas and Anjanette Ryan
Family Foundation
Abby and Conrad Sison
Southern California Edison
David Monahan and Larry Sullivan
Jennifer Mercer and Andy Van Meter
Nicole Kuklok-Waldman and Stuart Waldman
Ann Borusiewich-Woirhaye and David Woirhaye
Lauren and Justin Young
Danielle and Josh Zaretsky
Natacha Rafalski
Luiza Ricupero Negret and Antonio Negret
Kristin Porter and Mark Robinson
Tammy Rodriguez and Family
Michael Lacoe and Kenji Saito
Jessica Lacy and Chris Sanata
Aimee and Steve Schwimmer
Nicole and Eric Dean Seaton
Marla and Lou Simon
Evan Stein
Stacey and Daniel Strauss
Greg Rikaart and Robert Sudduth
Tetsu Tanimoto
Jo Taylor
Samantha and Grant Thompson
Lindsey and Richard Thune
Naomi and Mason Thune
UBS Financial Services
Carrie and Paolo Velasco
Becky and Bryan Vitner
Warner Bros. Discovery
Martha Wells Family Foundation
Wells Fargo Bank
Kesha Williams
Community Circle
Amir Abdullah
Activision Blizzard
Rebecca Albert
Jean Albert
Josefina Arque and Luciano Alcorta
Michelle Allegra
Traci Allen
Liz Anderson
Daiani and Bruno Andrade Anonymous (17) Anonymous (7) Anonymous (2)
Yvette Argueta
Susan Asch
Rahab Trejo and Roger Avila
Mohsen Baharvand
Jennifer and Stewart Bailey
Jamie and Matthew Bakal
Jocelyn Baker
Kate Barham
LeLoni and Jonathan Bass
Lauren and Darren Baum
Dena and John Beck
Barbara Becton-Cox
Sarah Bederman
Yvonne Belletini
Jay Benesh
Joseph Dickson Benesh
Roxanne and Raf Berardinelli
Alice Berman
Stacy and Ryan Bernstein
Lauren and Scott Blakeley
Lauren and Brendon Blincoe
Natasha and Jeffrey Bloom
Virginia Blywise
Nichole and Jeremy Bonner
Liesl Copland and David Boodell
Lisa Zambri and Bradley Booker
Lauren and A.J. Brandenstein
Anne Braunger
Jennifer Brian
Olivia and Harlan Brown
Dianna and Scott Buck
Ronnie Buonadonna
Brad Burns
Eric Buss
Nasim and Juaquin Cambron
Rachael and Andy Campanella
Gabriela Cano
Diana and Ryan Carrillo
Sarah Carter
Mary Carter
Margaret Casey
Janine Castagnetti
Dave Castagnetti
Nicole and Joe Castañeda
Ali and David Chalfin
Alexandria Simmons-Chapman and Eric Chapman
Melanie Clayman
Lara Coffin
Megan and Drew Conrad
Matthew Cook
Neva and Giovanni Corvino
Wanda and Harry Coutee
Kevin Curley
Caroline Curran
Patrick DeChellis
Matthew Delamater
Chamie Delkeskamp
Bernie DiCarlo
Megan DiTolla
Louise Dluzniewski
Jessica and Simon Duncan
Monica Eastin
EIX Employee Giving Community
Clelia El Adl
Patty and Kevin Elbo
Belinda and George Eleftheriades
Jessica and Josh Elliot
Natalia and Scott Ewalt
Dyllan Fernandez
Renee Fields
Ariana Finesmith
Annie Spoliansky and Patrick Fox
Sarah Francis
Fred Freedman
Dena French
Shani French
Howard Friedman
Perla Eston and Frederic Fudacz
Jessica and Daniel Fuselier
Renee Galbavy
Julie and Megan Galles
Diana Valverde and Jessie Garcia
Keisha Gorecho and Kyler Gentry
Jack Goldsmith
Samantha Goldstein
Lauren Gunderson
Noah Gusdorff
John Haake
Lori Haake
Christina Lewis and Daniel Halpern
Samantha Hampar
Johnna and Stephen Hampton-Walker
Barb Hancock Anderson
Meredith and Denison Hatch
Denison and Meredith Hatch
Charitable Fund
Natalie Hawthorne
Nicole Heathwood
Colette and Steve Heneveld
Elizabeth and Steve Heneveld
Eric Hernandez
Joel Hernandez
Sheila Hiebert
Stacy Hobson
Ryan Holland
Nicole DeLeon and Jason Hoover
Myrna Hopkins
Rachel Crane and Ted Howard
Thordis Howard
George Hronopoulos
Monica Hudson
Geo Huff
Susan and Norman Hull
Brian Hutchison
Kristen Inovejas
Sonja Ivey-Rojas
Daisha Johnson
Jennifer and Charles Kaitz
Alice and Greg Kappy
Peggy and George Katunich
Patty and Norman Kelsey
Toby Kirsch
Lilah and Simon Klitzner-Isaac
Cynthia Koury-Papa
Jennica and Sean Krankel
Schuyler Grant and Jeff Krasno
Shannan Rouss and Adam Krassenbaum
Ilana and Daniel Krechmer
Christine and Dave Kushner
Susan Lacy
Julie Lanctot
Rachel and Matthew Lange
Jennifer Lanski
Mariah and Matthew Leavitt
Nicole Lesley
Debbra Levi
Belinda Levin
Molly Liebman
Jeanne-Marie and Chris Lindsay
Kristen and Glenn Lorenz
Melissa and Robby Lowell
Heather Loxton
James Loxton
Gina Girolamo Lyne and Kerry Lyne
Karla and Toby MacCary
Michelle and Azzie Mackenzie
Emily Martino
Carol and Dan Martson
Stefanie Maruri
Michael Matzdorff
Nancy McGill
Mary and Kim McGregor
Community Circle (continued)
Teresita McPherson
Edith Mercer
The Merchant Family
Renee Meyer
Yvette Milazzo
Sarah Miller
Christa Miller
Jonathan Mitchell
Helen Montgomery
Barbara Montgomery
Grace and Roberto Moolchan
Matt Morton
Rachel and Phillip Mottaz
Cleo and R. Mcshane Murnane
Kristi Musser
Matthew Nagatani
Jo Ann Namm
Linda Namm
Rachel Namm
Michael Namm
Jill Namm
Debra Napolitan
Laura and Dave Nash
Doug Neil
Lusine Yeginyan and James Nersessian
Angie and Eric Niemeyer
Susan and Mark Nissenbaum
Louise and Jonathan Norman
Christine and Eddie O’Flaherty
Lisa and Michael Ondracek
Lita Ordona
Lupe Orozco
Amy and David Ostiguy
Ariana Nakata and Petros Papahadjopoulos
Rebecca Ramsey and Spencer Peeples
Lani Pelino
Lydia and Manny Perez
Michael Gardner and Peter Phillips
Marchelle Plummer
Shayla and Greg Plummer
Tracey and Bobby Pontelle
Yoli Poropat
Judy Raddatz
Elisabeth Abbott and Ryan Raddatz
Sunny Ramos
Bee Rarewala
Elliot Reed
Tiffany and Joey Reina
Jessica and Justin Rhoades
Tamara and Donnie Richardson
Steve DeWinter and Tari Richardson
Tyrone Rodriguez
Danielle George and David Rodriguez
Louie Rodriguez
Devin and Alfredo Rodriguez
Carol Rothman
Jeffrey Rouss
Laurie Rowihab
Meredith Glynn and Jake Rush
Daniel Sackler
Susan Salazar
Ronald Saltman
Gary Sanata
Emily Churg and Jesse Sandler
Cathleen Sands
Marguery Lyvers and Mike Schroffel
Dalhia Schuette
Martin Schwartz
Janis Schwartz
Zach Schwartz
Cari Schwartz and David Winner
Julie and Rich Scurry
Kellie Shamenski
Diana Tutundzhyan and Tigran Shamiryan
Nadjara Payne and Anthony Shelton
Amber and Matthew Sheppo
Glenn Sherman
Wayne Sherman
Laurie and Craig Silverstein
Robert Singer
Lynn Singer
Tera and Arjuna Singh
Trisha Singletary
Lee and Danny Siwek
Wendy and Bruce Smiley
Ryan Smiley
Stacie Smiley
Margo Steinmetz
JoAnn Stewart
Dani Stewart
Jessica and Sylvester Stewart
Charles Stone
Stephanie Stowe
Alisa Strathearn
Vicky and Guy Strickland
Anne and Erin Studer
Sailaja Yenepalli and Hemanand Subbiyan
Twinkle Sukhija
Tammy Talbot
Laurel and Chad Tew
Daphne Thabet
Rhonda Rundle and Michael Thacher
Jill and Jack Thomas
Cyndi Thompson
Danna Thompson
Karen and Mario Thompson
Linde Thurman
Cheryl Ting
Felicia and James Titus
Patricia Todd
Michelle Carter and Cliff Todd
Adabella Topalli
Kathleen Lawton-Trask and Andy Trask
Myriel and Jim Tyree
Susan Udelsman
The Van Meter Family
Melinda and Mauricio Vazquez
Rito Viramontes
Joseph Virdone
Kate Virdone
Lisa Carmiris Waks and Todd Waks
Morgan and Matt Walsh
Laurie Weiss
Dianne Williams
Katie Yoon
Kathryn Young
Michael Zambri
Tina Zambri
Terry Zipperman
AnaSofia Nallar and Ivan Zuleta
Candice and Joel Zwick
gifts made in memory of...
Ella Lacoe
Robert Leigh
Ernie Levroney
Grace Mesenbring, Class of 2015
Emily Robinson
Tom Vance gifts made in honor of...
Jan and Stu Dickinson
Wesley Development Team
Wesley Faculty & Staff
Wesley Moms & Dads Fantasy Football League
Rochelle Zaino
Wesley’s 25th Anniversary Brick Campaign
As we reflect on a remarkable journey spanning 25 years, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in Wesley’s 25th Anniversary Brick Campaign. Twenty-five years ago, we opened our doors, and through the kindness and support of our community, we have grown into the vibrant institution we are today.
This milestone year is not just a celebration of our past but also a look toward the future, and our Brick Campaign exemplifies this vision. Those who contributed to this campaign were able to leave a piece of their legacy at Wesley. Every personalized brick represents not just a name, but a family’s commitment to our school and the values we uphold.
We are truly honored that so many families have chosen to participate in this meaningful initiative. Each donation is more than just a contribution, it becomes part of the physical landscape of our school. These engraved bricks are showcased at the heart of the campus in the main courtyard, serving as a lasting testament to the robust support that our families provide.
To the families that took part in this opportunity, your involvement in the Brick Campaign symbolizes the strong foundation of unity and pride within our community. It is through efforts like this that we continue to foster a nurturing environment for our students today and for generations to come. As we celebrate Wesley’s 25 years, we honor the past while eagerly anticipating the future, strengthened by the incredible support of families like yours.
Thank you for being an essential part of our story. Your legacy at Wesley will be cherished for years to come.
2023-2024 Brick Campaign Donors
Artcharapa and Greg Armbrister
Verena and Russell Denove
Lindsey and Shane Drasin
Patty and Kevin Elbo
Katie Mercer and Jorge Fernandez
Jenny and Adam Gershon
Jenny and Chris Hollier
Alice and Greg Kappy
Karla and Ron Makarem
Brooke and Mike Mcmahan
Laurel Coppock and Bobby Mort
Brooke and Gavin O’Connor
Tammy Rodriguez & Family
Lauren Katunich and David Rojas
Ginifer King Ruge and Jason Ruge
Marla and Lou Simon
Anne and Erin Studer
Hillary and Jermaine Turner
On Saturday, March 2, 2024, over 300 people came together to take a trip down the rabbit hole and had a fabulous, topsy-turvy time as our Wesley families showed tremendous support for our school! Most importantly, we were instantly reminded of what being part of the Wesley community is all about! We laughed, danced, and maybe even grabbed a cocktail from a mysterious hand coming through a hedge wall. It was the perfect celebration to honor our 25th Anniversary Year, and clearly just the thing that our community needed. Our Wesley in Wonderland Gala was truly a magical night to remember!
We are so thankful for this amazing Wesley community and the generous donations to our Raise the Paddle fundraiser, which went towards enhancing the STEAM program initiatives for all our students this year. Thanks to your support, we raised over $70,000! This was one of our most successful Raise the Paddle initiatives yet.
Over the summer we were able to purchase 64 microscopes which will be used in all of our K–8 Science classes. Additionally, we replaced and upgraded 7 classroom Smart Boards. Lastly, we have begun the transition to move toward being a fully Apple product school when it comes to our 1:1 student device program in grades 4–8. To start this transition, our 4th and 5th grade Chromebooks have been replaced with MacBooks! These were our oldest machines and students will move up with “their” devices. We look forward to sharing more details regarding our updated technology plan. Stay tuned! If you’re interested in providing additional support in this area as a speciality gift to help speed up our transition timeline, please reach out directly to Tammy Rodriguez.
Queen of Hearts ($2,500)
Stephanie Courtney-Kolanach and Scott Kolanach
Drink Me Potion —
Bar Sponsorship ($1,500)
Verena and Russell Denove
Mad Hatter Party Table ($1,000)
Verena and Russell Denove
Abraham Higginbotham and Steven Petrarca
Curiouser & Curiouser! ($500)
Brittany Britton
Morgan and Juli Cavanaugh
Sponsor a Teacher’s Ticket
Jamie Fudacz and Jason Benesh
Mariellen and Peter Bergman
Brooke and Gavin O’Connor
Jules Larson and Jeff Cardoni
Julianne and Nick Davey
Amy and Josh DiBianca
Tania Tang and Paul Dluzniewski
Jenny and Adam Gershon
Laura Murphy and Andy Hopkins
Lisa and Daniel Katz
Becky Bush and Gary Kirkpatrick
Shannan Rouss and Adam Krassenbaum
Brooke and Mike Mcmahan
Gennifer Hutchison and Andrew Ortner
Heidi and Rod Roddenberry
Jenna Bans and Justin Spitzer
Cari Schwartz and David Winner
Ann Borusiewich-Woirhaye and David Woirhaye
Sponsor a Wesley Family in Need Ticket
Mariellen and Peter Bergman
Brooke and Mike Mcmahan
Heidi and Rod Roddenberry
Jenna Bans and Justin Spitzer
Fund A Need / Gala Gift
Sharon Widjaja and Edward Allen
Kari Hobson and Scott Altpeter
Katie Kotchka and Ethan Applen
Catherine and John Aquino
Yvette Argueta
Doug Cohn and Richard Ayasta
Michelle Albert and Bryan Barrett
Lauren and Darren Baum
Dena and John Beck
Stacy and Ryan Bernstein
Lauren and Scott Blakeley
Lauren and Brendon Blincoe
Aileen Cuesta-Brown and Doug Brown
Diana and Ryan Carrillo
Sarah Carter
Iris Chae
Megan and Drew Conrad
Neva and Giovanni Corvino
Julianne and Nick Davey
Verena and Russell Denove
Amy and Josh DiBianca
Rebecca and Chris Dingilian
Jessica and Josh Elliot
Melanie and Tom Elliott
Katie Mercer and Jorge Fernandez
Alicyn Packard and Jason Friedman
Jenny and Adam Gershon
Lisa McCurdy-Grattan and Chris Grattan
Christina Lewis and Daniel Halpern
Meredith and Denison Hatch
Julie and Lewis Henderson
Jenny and Chris Hollier
Laura Murphy and Andy Hopkins
Thordis Howard
Lauren Virdone and Nikolas Hronopoulos
Monica Hudson
Pip and Dean Hunt
Sonja Ivey-Rojas
Taylor and Erin Kennelly
Shannan Rouss and Adam Krassenbaum
Lisa and Eric Lange
Urvashi Block-Larson and Scott Larson
Jeanne-Marie and Chris Lindsay
The Littman Family
Karla and Ron Makarem
Amy and Ned Mencia
Janett Hermosillo and Karl Meyer
Renee Meyer
Anna Fudacz and Steve Montgomery
Mimi and Michael Narducci
Luiza Ricupero Negret and Antonio Negret
Brooke and Gavin O’Connor
Christine and Eddie O’Flaherty
Betsy and Chuck Potts
Ronnie and Pat Puccinelli
Mairin and David Reed
Tiffany and Joey Reina
Heidi and Rod Roddenberry
Devin and Alfredo Rodriguez
Tyrone Rodriguez
Corie and Stuart Rogers
Ginifer King Ruge and Jason Ruge
Marissa and Danny Seeman
Reba and Brent Sherman
Neysa and Kyle Siefert
Marla and Lou Simon
Abby and Conrad Sison
Jenna Bans and Justin Spitzer
Lauren and Dave Stempel
Charles Stone
Stacey and Daniel Strauss
Anne and Erin Studer
David Monahan and Larry Sullivan
Laurel and Chad Tew
Jill and Jack Thomas
Hillary and Jermaine Turner
Myriel and Jim Tyree
Jennifer Mercer and Andy Van Meter
Jessica and Jason Vanderyacht
Carrie and Paolo Velasco
2023-2024 parents’ association
pa co-chair: Marie Natividad
pa co-chair: Angie Niemeyer
2023-2024 committee chairs
art show volunteer coordinator: Anna Fudacz
beach cleanups: Luz Herrerra-Olaya
blood drive: Rebeccah Bush
book fair: Toi Bridges, Marie Natividad & Angie Niemeyer
book swap: Jeanine Detz
earth week: Mimi Narducci
faculty appreciation luncheon: Lauren Brandenstein & Sam Thompson
family movie night: Marie Natividad & Angie Niemeyer
family picnic: Chris Lindsay & Jeanne-Marie Lindsay
food/toy drive committee: Christine O’Flaherty & Jessica Stewart
gala: Brooke O’Connor, Jenny Hollier, Angie Niemeyer, & Lauren Stempel
gala auction: Ethan Applen, Lauren Brandenstein, & Ginifer King Ruge
gobbler’s feast: Gio Corvino & Mike Natividad
halloween dance: Jennifer James & Ilana Krechmer
halloween decorating: Jess Elliot & Alexis Morton
holiday boutique: Ali Chalfin, Linda Kolin, Amy Ostiguy & Jamie Tourouk
hot lunch: Louise Norman
literacy month: Toi Bridges, Marie Natividad & Angie Niemeyer
lost & found: Jules Larson & Lisa Loeb
multicultural festival: Lauren Brandenstein & Michelle Carter
party books: Lauren Brandenstein & Mariah Leavitt
rewards: Mimi Narducci & Larry Sullivan
run for a cause: Jenny Hollier
singing santas: Jeff Cardoni & Jermaine Turner
spring dance: Jackie Lay, Yoli Poropat & Maryn Russell
uniform recycle sale: Tina Dickinson & Natalia Ewalt
wesley palooza: Lindsey Drasin & Jessica Stewart
winter decorating: Brooke Burns & Lauren Stempel
winter formal: Tina Hookom, Yoli Poropat & Maryn Russell
wow moments: Toi Bridges, Marie Natividad & Angie Niemeyer
2023-2024 room parents
room parent liaison: Jocelyn Baker
kindergarten: Julianne Davey, Meredith Hatch, Ginifer King Ruge, Tania Tang
1st: Ann Borusiewich-Woirhaye, Mariah Leavitt, Marissa McMillon
2nd: Michelle Carter, Jenine Leigh-Pollard
3rd: Diana Carrillo, Lani Pelino
4th: Mariah Leavitt, Becca McHugh
5th: Lauren Brandenstein, Jessica Elliot
6th: Jocelyn Baker, Becca Dingilian
7th: Andrea Waldman, Deborah Cha, Tammy Talbot
8th: Tina Hookom, Rebeccah Bush, Emily Rees
A Note from the Parents’ Association Co-Chairs
The Parents’ Association had a busy and successful year and we couldn’t have done it without our incredible Wesley Community! Whether you showed up to decorate, volunteered on campus, ran the lunch line, hosted a Party book, or participated in many on and off campus events, we appreciate each and every one of you!
Wesley’s March Into Literacy Month campaign was a well received collection of learning events aimed to reignite a love of reading and writing across our community! We met and collaborated with the Deans to develop custom curated book lists by grade level. We secured four authors to visit our various grade levels, held the book fair, and created the thing we are most proud of ... our outdoor Literacy Lounge! (aka the Lit Lounge). We transformed the quad into a bright and welcoming place where kids were encouraged to browse books and find a comfy spot to read. Our book fair was a success! We managed to raise over $1,500 (in conjunction with the leftover funds the PA had raised from the past two years, over $5k in total), allowing us to donate $125 to each classroom and $180 to the Library, to purchase books for next year!
Thanks to all the funds raised during the 2023 - 2024 school year, we were able to host a free family movie night on the Commons for all our Wesley families. We were also happy to host the end of the year grade level celebrations to help our kids celebrate all they’ve accomplished this year!
We were so honored to have been your PA chairs this past year. Thank you for all of your support. We hope you had a wonderful summer and an even greater start to the new school year!
Marie Natividad • Parent to Makena (5th Grade)
Angie Niemeyer • Parent to Luci (6th Grade) parents’ association co-chairs
For over a decade, Wesley has been organizing an annual jog-athon, known as “Run for a Cause,” involving students in a unique fundraising initiative. Initially focused on supporting service learning projects, the event took a significant turn in 2022 to also raise funds for causes close to the community’s heart.
In a landmark decision, Wesley decided to allocate proceeds from the event towards organizations making a difference in critical areas. This shift led to substantial donations of $25,000 to the American Cancer Society and $15,000 to the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), showcasing the community’s commitment to giving back.
On Friday, April 26th, our students as well as our faculty and staff participated in our annual Run-for-a-Cause event. This year we’ve chosen a cause that is particularly aimed at kids helping kids. We partnered with Make-A-Wish in their Kids for Wish Kids program. Half of all funds raised directly supported Make-A-Wish’s amazing effort in granting wishes for children that have been diagnosed with critical illnesses, with the remaining half supporting important service learning initiatives at Wesley. That means, for every $10,000 raised during this event, we were able to grant a wish for a child. We are happy to report that we were able to grant two wishes! Thank you to all who sponsored our students as they crossed the finish line of this event.
Active student involvement is at the core of this fundraising event, aiming to instill the values of philanthropy and community support early on. “Run for a Cause” at Wesley stands as a testament to the power of unity and compassion, empowering students to make a tangible difference in the lives of others while nurturing a sense of social responsibility within the community.
RUN FOR A CAUSE 2024 DONORS
Melissa and Dave Abbott
Jean Albert
Rebecca Albert
Sharon Widjaja and Edward Allen
Kari Hobson and Scott Altpeter
Katie Kotchka and Ethan Applen
Yvette Argueta
Susan Asch
Jennifer and Stewart Bailey
Jamie and Matthew Bakal
The Baker Family
Jocelyn Baker
Kate Barham
Michelle Albert and Bryan Barrett
Lauren and Darren Baum
Barbara Becton-Cox
Sarah Bederman
Yvonne Belletini
Jamie Fudacz and Jason Benesh
Jay Benesh
Joseph Dickson Benesh
Alice Berman
Lauren and Scott Blakeley
Natasha and Jeffrey Bloom
Virginia Blywise
Lisa Zambri and Bradley Booker
Lauren and A.J. Brandenstein
Jennifer Brian
Brittany Britton
Ronnie Buonadonna
Brad Burns
Eric Buss
Rachael and Andy Campanella
Jules Larson and Jeff Cardoni
Mary Carter
Margaret Casey
Melanie Clayman
Lara Coffin
Kevin Curley
Caroline Curran
Julianne and Nick Davey
Patrick DeChellis
Verena and Russell Denove
Bernie DiCarlo
Tina and Rob Dickinson
Rebecca and Chris Dingilian
Megan DiTolla
Louise Dluzniewski
Tania Tang and Paul Dluzniewski
Sabrina Speer and Rob Doherty
Lindsey and Shane Drasin
Monica Eastin
Clelia El Adl
Melanie and Tom Elliott
Perla Eston and Frederic Fudacz
Katie Mercer and Jorge Fernandez
Renee Fields
Ariana Finesmith
Lorraine Flores
Fred Freedman
Shani French
Howard Friedman
Alicyn Packard and Jason Friedman
Renee Galbavy
Kathleen Gallagher
Jenny and Adam Gershon
Jack Goldsmith
Samantha Goldstein
Darren Goldwater
Lisa McCurdy-Grattan and Chris Grattan
Noah Gusdorff
Barbara and Thomas Haake
John Haake
Lori Haake
Lisa and Nathan Handlon
Emily Hansen
Nicole Heathwood
Colette and Steve Heneveld
Lisa Loeb and Roey Hershkovitz
Sheila Hiebert
Stacy Hobson
Ryan Holland
Jenny and Chris Hollier
Laura Murphy and Andy Hopkins
Thordis Howard
George Hronopoulos
Monica Hudson
Brian Hutchison
Sonja Ivey-Rojas
Bridget and Michael Johnsen
Peggy and George Katunich
Lisa and Daniel Katz
Becky Bush and Gary Kirkpatrick
Toby Kirsch
Lilah and Simon Klitzner-Isaac
Clare and Wayne Knight
Linda Berenyi-Kolin and Marc Kolin
Brenna Latham and Paul Koval
Shannan Rouss and Adam Krassenbaum
Susan Lacy
Urvashi Block-Larson and Scott Larson
Mariah and Matthew Leavitt
Nicole Lesley
Debbra Levi
Belinda Levin
Molly Liebman
Jeanne-Marie and Chris Lindsay
Heather Loxton
James Loxton
Sam Malik
Nancy McGill
Brooke and Mike Mcmahan
Teresita McPherson
Amy and Ned Mencia
Edith Mercer
Janett Hermosillo and Karl Meyer
Yvette Milazzo
Sarah Miller
Jonathan Mitchell
Barbara Montgomery
Helen Montgomery
Anna Fudacz and Steve Montgomery
Grace and Roberto Moolchan
Alexis and Sebastian Morton
Matt Morton
Kristi Musser
Jill Namm
Jo Ann Namm
Linda Namm
Michael Namm
Rachel Namm
Steven Namm
Debra Napolitan
Mimi and Michael Narducci
Marie and Mike Natividad
Luiza Ricupero Negret and Antonio Negret
Susan and Mark Nissenbaum
Christine and Eddie O’Flaherty
Brooke and Gavin O’Connor
Lisa and Michael Ondracek
Lita Ordona
Gennifer Hutchison and Andrew Ortner
Amy and David Ostiguy
Rebecca Ramsey and Spencer Peeples
Lydia and Manny Perez
Abraham Higginbotham and Steven Petrarca
Michael Gardner and Peter Phillips
Marchelle Plummer
Judy Raddatz
Elisabeth Abbott and Ryan Raddatz
Bee Rarewala
Elliot Reed
Emily and Kent Rees
Phil Reina
Tamara and Donnie Richardson
Steve DeWinter and Tari Richardson
Kristin Porter and Mark Robinson
Heidi and Rod Roddenberry
Danielle George and David Rodriguez
Tammy Rodriguez and Family
Corie and Stuart Rogers
Lauren Katunich and David Rojas
Jeffrey Rouss
Ginifer King Ruge and Jason Ruge
Anjanette Padilla Ryan and Thomas Ryan
Ronald Saltman
Jessica Lacy and Chris Sanata
Gary Sanata
Cathleen Sands
Janis Schwartz
Martin Schwartz
Zach Schwartz
Julie and Rich Scurry
Marissa and Danny Seeman
Marissa Mcmillon and Dan Seligmann
Kellie Shamenski
Amber and Matthew Sheppo
Reba and Brent Sherman
Glenn Sherman
Wayne Sherman
Laurie and Craig Silverstein
Lynn Singer
Robert Singer
Bruce and Wendy Smiley
Ryan Smiley
Stacie Smiley
Jenna Bans and Justin Spitzer
Margo Steinmetz
Lauren and Dave Stempel
Dani Stewart
Jessica and Sylvester Stewart
Jilana Stewart
JoAnn Stewart
Charles Stone
Stephanie Stowe
Alisa Strathearn
Stacey and Daniel Strauss
Anne and Erin Studer
Sailaja Yenepalli and Hemanand Subbiyan
Greg Rikaart and Robert Sudduth
David Monahan and Larry Sullivan
Tammy Talbot
Daphne Thabet
Cyndi Thompson
Danna Thompson
Karen and Mario Thompson
Felicia and James Titus
Michelle Carter and Cliff Todd
Patricia Todd
Adabella Topalli
Kathleen Lawton-Trask and Andy Trask
Hillary and Jermaine Turner
Susan Udelsman
The Van Meter Family
Carrie and Paolo Velasco
Joseph Virdone
Kate Virdone
Andrea and Alan Waldman
Nicole Kuklok-Waldman and Stuart Waldman
Laurie Weiss
Dianne Williams
Cari Schwartz and David Winner
Ann Borusiewich-Woirhaye and David Woirhaye
Lauren and Justin Young
Michael Zambri
Tina Zambri
Danielle and Josh Zaretsky
Terry Zipperman
Tré Wright and Naomi Zipperman
Candice and Joel Zwick
Wesley School: Striving Forward
Wow! Our first 25 years are in the bag and what a journey it has been. The Wesley School has emerged as a leading K-8th grade independent school in Los Angeles. So many people have participated in this journey— from the founders’ weekly Monday night meetings in early 1999 hoping they could pull off the start of a new school to those families who took a leap of faith to come aboard when things were still quite uncertain, from the generous community at the First United Methodist Church who quickly provided us a new home to the leadership that led us forward and eventually took us through expansion and building phases, and from all those in the peripheral independent school community who offered advice and support to the dedicated faculty and staff who have given it their all year over year — we wouldn’t be who we are today without all of you! And why? Why have so many been a part of our journey? When I think about the many facets of the school and its evolution, I keep coming back to the idea that it has been and will continue to be because they believed in our mission to provide a school community where every child feels seen and is provided an opportunity for a well rounded education that prioritizes creating a sense of belonging, encourages authenticity, and celebrates everyone. I believe we have absolutely held to that mission and I am excited by all that lies ahead for the next 25 years for The Wesley School.
We recently completed a review of the school’s mission and came out of it with a new mission statement that is so pure in its simplicity and yet says so much about who we are and who we strive to be — Within a community of belonging, we nurture joyful, confident learners to think critically, creatively, and compassionately. We are in the middle of our next strategic plan which will guide the school over the next five to seven years and beyond, and provide greater focus for our leadership. And all the while, as we work towards striving forward, to becoming a better version of ourselves, I know that if any of our founders came on campus today, they would see and feel that the essence of who we set out to be has been preserved and honored over the years. This is because who we are at our core was always clear and has never wavered.
As I begin my journey of slowly stepping back, I do so with the utmost confidence and faith that The Wesley School that I helped found will always be The Wesley School I had hoped for.
Verena Denove founder (and a
few other things...)
The Wesley Cup: A Swinging Success
We are thrilled to announce the successful return of “The Wesley Cup,” our first golf tournament in many years. On June 1st, the picturesque Woodley Lakes Golf Course served as the backdrop for an event that brought together our community for a day of fun, camaraderie, and friendly competition.
With five teams participating in a scramble format, the tournament kicked off with a hearty breakfast and a selection of refreshing Bloody Marys to fuel our golfers before the tee-off. Our generous sponsors ensured that everyone stayed comfortable and well-fed as they navigated the beautiful 18-hole course.
The spirit of friendship was palpable throughout the day. Golfers shared laughs, stories, and strategies, building connections that extended beyond the fairways. As the tournament reached its climax, drama unfolded when two teams remarkably tied for first place. This unexpected twist led to an exhilarating “putt-off” to determine our very first Wesley Cup champions.
Congratulations to the winning team, “The Four Non-Blondes,” comprised of Eric Niemeyer, Grant Thompson, A.J. Brandenstein, and Alvaro Castillo, who proudly took home the Wesley Cup!
The fun didn’t stop on the golf course! Our family and friends reception was a great success, featuring a delicious buffet and refreshing drinks. We had a fantastic time raffling off various items, further enhancing the festive atmosphere.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to Greg Plummer and his team at Best Ball Sports Bar, who not only sponsored and hosted the event but also played a key role in envisioning it. Your support made this gathering a memorable experience for everyone involved.
As we reflect on this successful event, we are already looking forward to next year’s Wesley Cup. Thank you to each participant and supporter for making this day a remarkable celebration of our community spirit. Here’s to many more unforgettable moments on and off the green!
Kevin Elbo • Parent to Gavin (Kindergarten) development associate
Golf Participants
Greg Armbrister
A.J. Brandenstein
Alvaro Castillo
Kevin Elbo
Brian Erice
Chris Grattan
Kellie Hawkins
Chris Hollier
Gary Kirkpatrick
Erik Metzger
Eric Niemeyer
Greg Plummer
Jason Priestley
Steven Schwimmer
Grant Thompson
Eric Veletzos
Matt Walsh
David Woirhaye
Par for the Course — Sponsor a Teacher
Rebeccah Bush and Gary Kirkpatrick
Additional Supporters
Marissa Cerar
Lisa McCurdy-Grattan
Jenny Hollier
Lisa & Eric Lange
Briana Kusher
Rod Roddenberry
Where Are They Headed?
At The Wesley School, we pride ourselves in the fact that we do not ever suggest that we are a feeder school for a small number of high schools. Rather, we are committed, year over year, to helping each individual student find the right best next step for them and that means our students land at a high number of different schools. This year, our 41 8th graders applied to over 30 different schools and will be matriculating to 17 high schools and we are beyond excited for each and every one of them.
As our students make their way through the application process, it might be that they are seeking a much larger school than they have experienced at Wesley or that they would like to continue in a smaller environment. They may be interested in exploring an all boys or all girls school, in visiting those schools which have very competitive athletics programs, or those with traveling robotics teams, a wide range of performing arts electives, or any other number of areas of interest. The opportunities are endless and are as varied as our students. Our job is to help our students and their parents manage and stay on top of the process and feel supported all the way through to the point of making their final decisions.
By the numbers - 36 of this year’s 41 students were offered admissions to their first choice school. Most of our students had multiple offers, many making a “clean sweep” — getting into every school they applied to.
We couldn’t be more proud of the Class of 2024 and wish them an amazing transition to high school. We can’t wait to have them return in future years as alumni of The Wesley School!
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ACCEPTANCES TO THE FOLLOWING HIGH SCHOOLS:
Alemany, Brentwood, Buckley, Campbell Hall, Chaminade, Crespi, DeToledo, Flintridge Prep, FSHA, Grand Arts, Harvard-Westlake, Kent Denver, Loomis Chaffee, Louisville, Loyola, Marlborough, Marymount, Notre Dame, Oakwood, Providence, St. Francis, Sequoyah, Sierra Canyon, Viewpoint, and Westridge
Inaddition,twostudentsappliedto11outofstateschools(locatedinColorado,Connecticut, Massachusetts,andCanada)andwereofferedadmissiontoallofthem.
Lindsey Drasin • Parent to Milly (3rd Grade) & Sadie (Kindergarten) director of communications & associate director of admissions
How Can I Give?
CARD: You can make a gift by credit card in one or more installments by going to wesleyschool.org/give.
CASH/CHECK: If you would like to give by cash or check, you can send it by mail or bring it in to the school office. Checks should be made out to “The Wesley School” with “Annual Fund” in the memo.
PLEDGE: If you would like to make a pledge to be paid before the end of the school year, email development@ wesleyschool.org with the amount you plan to give.
MATCHING GIFT: Check with your employer’s HR department to see if they will match your gift.
The Wesley School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. No goods or services will be provided in exchange for your donation. Your contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Tax ID #95-4741072.
the wesley annual report is published by the development office
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. If we have made an error or omission, please accept our apologies and contact the Development Office at development@ wesleyschool.org so we can correct our records. Thank you to all contributors to this publication, including:
contributing writers:
Greg Armbrister
Verena Denove
Lindsey Drasin
Kevin Elbo
Julie Galles
Jenny Hollier
David Monahan
Marie Natividad
Angie Niemeyer
Tammy Rodriguez
contributing photographers:
Photos for this report provided by the following photographers as well as a collection of talented parent and faculty volunteers.
Kevin Elbo
David Haskell
Sarah Francis
Tammy Rodriguez
Chris Sanata
