Fall 22 Wesley Newsletter

FALL 2022 NEWSLETTER

THE DEANS' DEN

Wesley's Mock Trial team has earned a spot as one of the six top teams in Los Angeles, in a competition that started with more than 50 schools. With the guidance and support of their incredible coach, Barbara Anderson, they have advanced straight to the quarterfinals as they continue to pursue their goal of the city championship. We are extremely proud of our senior students who are impressively managing their substantial school responsibilities along with the pressure of the high school application process

A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

We have celebrated the strength of our community, evident in record breaking philanthropy, the exuberance of last spring’s Palooza, and another outstanding year of high school acceptances for our 8th graders We welcomed this fall with the return of in person Back to School Nights and, thanks to the generosity of many donors, new fences and gates that provide a second perimeter in the front of the school and church

IN THIS ISSUE

A Message from the Head of School

Julie Galles, Head of School

The Deans' Den

Michelle Allegra, Elizabeth Heneveld, LeLoni Bass, George Eleftheriades

Board of Trustees News

Paolo Velasco, Board of Trustees Vice Chair

CODI Corner

Traci Allen, Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusivity

Parents' Association Update

Marie Natividad & Luz Herrera Olaya, PA Co Chairs

Coach's Corner

Louie Rodriguez, Athletic Director

Development Office Update

Tammy Rodriguez, Director of Development

Communications Update

Lindsey Drasin & Sarah Francis

(Director of Communications & Communications Associate)

Admissions News

Verena Denove & Lindsey Drasin

(Director of Admissions & Associate Director of Admissions)

Campus Kudos

Page 2 Page 3-8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11-14 Page 15-16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 18 Page 19-20

A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

DearWesleyCommunity, Asthefirsttrimesteroftheschoolyearcomestoaclose,IamgratefulforthemanyJoyfulMomentsthathave beensprinkledthroughourweeks.Personalinteractionswithchildren,meaningfulconversationswithparents, inspiredteachingintheclassroom,andexcitingmomentsonthesportscourtallcometomind.

AsIpreparedfortherecent3rdannualStateoftheSchoolpresentation,Ienjoyedreflectingonthepastyear and thinking about the work ahead We have celebrated the strength of our community, evident in record breaking philanthropy, the exuberance of last spring’s Palooza, and another outstanding year of high school acceptances for our 8th graders. We welcomed this fall with the return of in person Back to School Nights and, thanks to the generosity of many donors, new fences and gates that provide a second perimeter in the frontoftheschoolandchurch.You’llhavetolookclosely,sincetheylooklikethey’vealwaysbeenthere!

Leaning into the second trimester, students are looking forward to the return of more field trips, as well as some special guest performances on campus With the pandemic fading, we have refocused on continuing our safety and security training, from fire and earthquake drills to cybersecurity. In addition, students are involved in exciting initiatives, including our new composting program, our revamped Student Leadership opportunities,andanewPassionProjectclassforour8thgraders,ledbythreeadministrators.Itcertainlyhas beenabusyfall!

In this newsletter, you will read exciting updates from various offices, the Board, the Deans, and the Parents’ Association Ihopeyouwillsavor,alongwithus,thejoyfulmomentsoftheunfoldingyear TheentireWesley School team, whether employees or volunteers, is pulling strongly in the same direction with enthusiasm and dedication.Iamhumbledandgratefultobeatthehelm.

Wishingyouallawonderfulseasonofholidays,

JulieGalles

HeadofSchool

THE DEANS' DEN

Allegra, Elizabeth Heneveld, LeLoni Bass & George Eleftheriades

Join us in a joyful review of the classroom accomplishments and activities of our students and faculty throughout our first trimester! Welcome to the Deans' Den:

Band 1 (K - 2nd Grade)

In Kindergarten, Mrs Mottaz and Miss Anderson's class performed amazingly at the first Wesley Open House Following the theme of the month, Passion, the kiddos shared their passion for reading as we learned about their favorite stories Additionally, students completed the first domain in their Social Justice curriculum, which was Identity They studied radical self love, the importance of building confidence, and rounded out the unit by creating their own affirmation cards.

2, 4, 6, 8, first grade is REALLY GREAT!!! 1st grade had tons of fun in the fall. They had a blast presenting Halloween Poetry in Community, writing spooky stories to share by candle light and learning about fall traditions around the world. It's that special time of year where they put their chef hats on and cooked up some delicious Friendship Soup and shared their 1st grade traditions with their families

The 2nd graders have been busy learning all about the writing process and are gearing up to begin their Personal Narrative Unit It's small group reading time, and the kiddos gained perspective through the picture book, The Name Jar They learned how some friends in their class got their names and what their names mean while focusing on story elements. The kiddos dove deep into Hispanic, LatinX, Italian, Native American, and Filipino American heritages. They learned about Italian American inventors, land acknowledgment and how it is used to honor and express gratitude to the Indigenous people who have lived and worked on the land we are on, as well as Ellen Ochoa and Roberto Clemente.

Band 2 (3rd & 4th Grades)

Students in Band 2 have been very busy making connections both academically and socially, deepening their understanding, and learning new concepts. In 3rd grade students recently finished their first writing unit! They wrote personal narratives which are true stories about themselves. Their stories included descriptive language, dialogue, and strong leads. In November, 3rd graders started the Social Studies Wampanoag Unit where they learned about the traditions and culture of the Wampanoag Native American People During their last three weeks before Winter Break, third graders will explore different holidays that are celebrated around the world Through various projects, students will teach about their own culture and holiday traditions, and they will also learn from their peers

In 4th grade students read Kate DiCamillo’s realistic fiction chapter book Tiger Rising. Students engaged in various activities to analyze and discuss major story elements, including characters, setting, and plot. They identified patterns in the book to help them make predictions using text evidence. In math, 4th graders completed their “Measuring the School” project, where they collaborated with tape measures to calculate the area and perimeter of the large public areas of the school (sports court, both courtyards, etc)

Michelle

THE DEANS' DEN

Band 3 (5th & 6th Grades)

In 5th grade humanities, students participated in a cross curricular study of Indigenous tribes in North and Central America. As a result of their study, the students focused their paragraph writing and discussion of European colonization through the lens of native people. In groups, 5th graders decided which tribe they felt the most inspired by and researched it further. Students studied Aztec, Inuit, Ohlone, Navajo, Anasazi, and Hopi peoples. They found the Aztec innovations most inspirational Some of the Aztec accomplishments include: the development of mathematics, inventing the canoe, the highly specialized Aztec calendar, and remarkably helpful forms of medicine Once research was completed, students displayed their knowledge by recreating a day in the life of their specific tribe in a diorama

5th grade math has been exploring area and volume and how to convert units They have also gotten a sneak peak into order of operations when solving equations 5th graders learned tiling strategies and layering strategies, along with cubing strategies when solving for area and volume Students are becoming more confident with the formulas and using the correct ones when solving They are strengthening their math fluency skills with practice each day.

In 5th grade science, students focused on the relationship between the Sun, Earth, Moon, shadows, constellations and other patterns. They made solar system scrolls, observed the night sky and had some Halloween thematic fun with a dry ice lab. Did you know that in November we experienced a total lunar eclipse!? Talk about science in action!

In 6th grade humanities students applied literary elements in a variety of ways, including reading a mystery play in collaborative groups and creating a Breaking News report about the play This News Report needed to include vocabulary related to literary elements as well as mystery genre vocabulary

During the Mystery Genre Study, students read and analyzed a self selected mystery/horror story through use of a plot pyramid. Guest mystery writer, Phillip Mottaz, came to speak with the class and to host questions and answers. To practice the writing process, students brainstormed and planned their own mystery story and explored figurative language to bring their writing to life. Students are currently working on draft #1 of their stories. In history, students practiced their map skills and explored a latitude and longitude study They discovered world famous landmarks using latitude and longitude and Google Earth They tracked the migration patterns and spread of the Zombie Apocalypse through the study of various types of maps, and using the idea of how places relate to each other by analyzing spatial relationships on student made maps, as the zombie virus spreads This included a Map Gallery Walk and geologist interviews Collaborative groups are currently creating mini posters on various map elements to present to the class Coming up next, “how do we learn about history?” Through a unit called Mystery Cemetery, students will use observation and inference skills to analyze a mystery cemetery to determine the gender, age, and social class of each gravesite

6th graders have been working on order of operations/PEMDAS, exponents, and solving area and perimeter problems in math. They are exploring different ways to interpret word problems and how to efficiently solve these problems. At the beginning of each class, students work on their math fluency and mental math to strengthen their recall, speed, and accuracy.

In 6th grade science students began the year reviewing lab expectations and safety, something great scientists need to review each year This trimester they have focused on “what is matter?” They explored the states of matter, how to measure matter using volume and the types of changes in matter Quiz your student at home about different types of physical and chemical changes! Here’s one: is a candle burning a physical or chemical change, or both?

THE DEANS' DEN

Band4(7th&8thGrades)

Seventh and eighth grades are off to a great start! We spent three days together in Ojai on a beautiful retreat.Studentswereactivelyengagedinactivitieswheretheyhadtolead,problemsolve,makedecisions, and take risks, individually and collectively. They returned to campus transformed! They have new friendships, more confidence, and are filled with enthusiasm for the year ahead. They are also excited for theirclasses,wheretheirincredibleteachersareprovidingaspaceforthemtolearn,grow,andthrive.

In the seventh grade Printing & Publishing elective class students dedicated part of their first trimester to curating Wesley’s very first student run publication: The Paw Print! Their goal was to create a space to showcaseWesleystudentpassions Withinitspagesyouwillfindpoems,sculptures,paintings,photography, sketches, comics, research projects, and more! So be sure to keep an eye on your inboxes the first week afterThanksgivingbreakforIssue#1.

In science, seventh graders have been learning about conduction and how particles move when thermal energy is added or taken away They conducted their own research around campus to explore why the air closertothegroundiswarmerthantheairaboveit Oureighthgradeclasseshavebeenlearningaboutthe structure and function of muscle, bone, skin, blood and nerves They learned how to use microscopes and usedthemtoviewbloodanditscomponents

In math, our seventh graders have been working on order of operations, rules of exponents, scientific and standard notation, operations with fractions, percents, one step two step, and multi step equations and inequalities, and word problems related Our eighth graders are focused on multi step equations and inequalities, absolute value equations and inequalities, motion and mixture problems, rules of exponents, percentofchange,andsolvingsystemsofequationsbyavarietyofmethods Ascomplexasitsounds,andit is,ourstudentsarethrivingundertheguidanceofourgreatmathematician,Mr Baharvand

In English, our seventh and eighth graders are exploring the nature of human identity: how much of it is innate, how much of it we owe to our family and friends, and how much of it is shaped by the inevitable ups and downs of our daily lives and society’s expectations We have done this by analyzing a variety of texts includingpoetry,drama,fictionbothlongandshort,andessaysbothformalandinformal Inconjunctionwith their journey into their personal identities, we honed in our literacy skills through regular and rigorous close reading, vocabulary assignments, and grammar exercises They are on the path to read, understand, and writeaboutdifferenttextsandtheanalyticalabilitytointerrogatetheirworld,theirlivesandtheirfuture

Throughout the month of October, 8th grade studied el día de los muertos, or the Day of the Dead It is a timetorememberthelivesoflovedoneswhohavepassedaway Familiesbuildofrendas,oraltars,thatthey adorn with items that are special to the person they are honoring In lieu of creating their own ofrendas, students wrote “Yo soy” poems, or “I am” poems, in Spanish as if they were the person (or, in some cases, animal)theywouldhavehonored Theirhonoreesincludelovedones,pets,celebrities,historicalfigures,and fictional characters It was a creative writing assignment that allowed them the opportunity to become the personoranimaltheywerehonoring Inessence,theyweregiventheopportunitytobetheirvoicesonelast time

Lastly, our Mock Trial team has earned a spot as one of the six top teams in Los Angeles, in a competition that started with more than 50 schools With the guidance and support of their incredible coach, Barbara Anderson, they have advanced straight to the quarterfinals as they continue to pursue their goal of the city championship We are extremely proud of our senior students who are impressively managing their substantialschoolresponsibilitiesalongwiththepressureofthehighschoolapplicationprocess

THE DEANS' DEN

BOARD OF TRUSTEES NEWS

To the Wesley community,

Our beloved past Board Chair David Hookom used to say to trustees that we need to "Run to the Roar." This year, like many of the amazing and dedicated working groups across the school, the Board of Trustees has been enthusiastically running into the start of the school year, in hopes of always making our school the best place for our children, our faculty and staff, and our families.

Our newest trustees started the year in August by attending the California Association of Independent Schools' (CAIS) Virtual New Trustee Orientation, and in September we scheduled a Mock Board meeting so that new trustees could better understand the ways in which Board meetings are run The full Board of Trustees kicked off the year with a Retreat in September during which we learned more about our individual joys and interests, reviewed leadership case studies, and discussed the Board goals for the upcoming year The Board's primary areas of focus each and every year are to establish broad ranging policies for the administration to implement, oversee the growth and management of the School's financial resources, and ensure that the School's mission is upheld and fulfilled For 2022 2023, the Board has also committed to the following goals: 1. 2. 3. 4

Recognizing the number of newer Trustees who have joined the Board, intentionally foster and build positive board culture through effective onboarding and continued education for all board members. In collaboration with the Head of School (HOS) and Senior Administration, support a study of the school's mission statement and motto to further clarify and articulate the uniqueness and value of a Wesley education and seed the development of a new Long Range Plan. Support Wesley's ongoing work in the areas of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Access. Support Julie Galles in achieving her goals as HOS

As we mentioned during the recent State of the School event, the Board will soon be forming a Mission Study Committee We encourage anyone who would like to be considered for this committee to contact us at boardoftrustees@wesleyschool org Like you, we have a deep love and appreciation for the Wesley community, and as we look to the future of the school, we are excited to continue to "Run to the Roar "

The Wesley School's Board of Trustees would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing everyone in 2023!

Paolo Velasco & the Wesley Board of Trustees

CODI CORNER

The beginning of fall signifies a new beginning and a time to connect with family and friends for the holidays. It is a time of celebration, bonding, and revitalization. In addition to celebrating life, we must also remember all the things we are thankful for In the current climate, there is a persistent wave of oppression sweeping around the world At Wesley, we are grateful that the DEIJ work we are able to do is about compassion, empathy, and resilience, despite daunting chaos The work requires us to work together as WE WE should be caring, kind, considerate, risk takers, and advocates

The year began with a productive start and many new offerings for all in the Wesley community CODI (Community of Diversity and Inclusivity) meetings are always a wonderful time of fellowship, learning, and growth Last month's topic for the CODI meeting was 'Cultural Proficiency ' CODI members engaged in thought provoking conversations and discussed in breakout rooms how cultural proficiency manifests itself at Wesley and in their personal and professional lives The topic for our next CODI meeting will be 'Upstander Training and Allyship ' I am very excited for this next meeting Each time we meet our number of participants grows The CODI co chairs, Melanie Elliott and Thordis Howard, led a fantastic discussion for our CPC (CODI Planning Committee) This group was created in order to curate action items and plans for furthering DEIJ initiatives at Wesley CODI leadership determined that this group is absolutely essential to being a culturally proficient and inclusive community. The AR AV Club (Anti Racist Audio Visual Club) got off to a great start with our first meeting to discuss Dr. Ibram X Kendi's book How to Raise an Anti Racist. Several of the Wesley connections groups have had their first social gatherings as well.

My takeaway from the first few months of the school year is that we are on the right track to having a phenomenal year. One of our strengths as a school is that we are actively working to create the opportunities for growth and education amongst our community members. I look forward to continuing this growth with you.

Traci Allen Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusivity

PARENTS' ASSOCIATION UPDATE

The Wesley parent community never ceases to amaze us Your passion and dedication to the school are inspiring and continue to drive us as we work tirelessly on events that bring our community together

We really hit the ground running this fall! We kicked off the new school year with coffee and signups out on the Commons in the morning, and then a Wesley Rewards Menchie’s date after school. Thanks to Linda Malamut, volunteers helped the school set up a book swap for Ms. O and the kids. Tina Dickinson, Kimberly Clarke, and a crew of volunteers had our uniform recycle sale up and running on the first day. Parent volunteers also quickly signed up for a coveted spot on the hot lunch volunteer list thanks to the organizational skills of Louise Norman. We had our first in person PA meeting in over two years and it was amazing. It was so great to be mingling among parents again as we got to get up and move around the Social Hall, talking to committee chairs about the various fall and winter events we have We then went to work on planning the Family Picnic on behalf of the school We are so appreciative of our planning team Urvashi Block Larson, Heather Boyd, Brooke Burns, Vanessa Fiola, Jeanne Marie Lindsay, Yoli Poropat, Greg Rikaart, and Larry Sullivan for stepping in and helping us bring our vision to life The carnival/picnic games, inflatables, water and alpine slides kept the kids busy all day Remarkably, we had a strong middle school attendance and had a record breaking turnout! It’s a true testament to how much our community missed being together (Whew! And that was just the first four weeks of school!)

In response to the community’s interest in service outreach opportunities, we partnered with Heal the Bay and a group of Wesley families met at Will Rogers State Beach. Parents and kids got to learn about the environmental effects of litter on the ocean while they cleaned up the beach. We even had a couple administrators show up and join the fun. Stay tuned for the next outreach opportunity.

Halloween seems to be a favorite holiday at Wesley. Despite many of the volunteers canceling last minute due to sick kids, we managed to transform the school into something truly FaBOOlous! We took all the info and inspiration our chair, Alexis Morton, provided and we went to work! The excitement from the kids seeing parents decorating their school was palpable I definitely got a few enthusiastic thank you’s from the kids that day

Halloween weekend was a busy one! Lauren Blincoe, Christine Kushner, Angie Niemeyer and Sam Thompson chaired the dance committee and brought their glowing vision to the school’s 7th & 8th Grade dance The kids showed up in their costumes and partied under the blacklight in the Social Hall That same night the PA hosted a movie night for the 6th graders at the Handlon’s home, who graciously offered to hold the event in their backyard The very next night was the highly anticipated return of the Boos & Booze event, chaired by Mariah Leavitt and Heather Weingold. This year we were able to provide each child with a cauldron to hold all the candy and goodies they collected along the trick or treating route, and adults were amazed by the Jell o shots served in syringe tubes! The walking route changed, but the event kept all the fun from last year.

PARENTS' ASSOCIATION UPDATE

PARENTS' ASSOCIATION UPDATE

PARENTS' ASSOCIATION UPDATE

Leading up to fall break, Adam Gershon and Steve Nolte spearheaded our well loved annual Gobblers’ Feast While traditionally a dad/grandpa/male role model volunteer event, with great respect to our community’s commitment to inclusivity we welcomed anyone to come represent their family at this year’s event The week before break we wrapped up the Thanksgiving Food Drive where Christine O’Flaherty, Jessica Stewart and their team of volunteers supported the Student Leadership Team by dropping off all the collected canned goods to the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry.

In our attempt to bring you unique experiences this year, Luz and I kicked off the party book season with a Learn to Salsa party book! Luz and her husband guided the attendees through basic salsa moves and everyone got to practice with a live DJ spinning music to keep the energy going. Coming off of LatinX & Hispanic Heritage month, and since October was also Filipino American History month, we provided guests with Colombian and Filipino appetizers to fill their bellies as we drank and danced the night away. A special thank you to Mimi Narducci for lending us her professional dance knowledge and helping everyone fine tune all of their newly learned moves Also in October, the Brandenstein, Cavanaugh, Ryan, and Lawton Trask families, along with Mr Greene, hosted a Spooktacular Movie Night party book for 3rd 5th graders Kids got to eat pizza & popcorn while watching Mr Greene’s favorite childhood Halloween movie

November brought us another two party books The Thompson, Niemeyer and Thomas families hosted a Poker Fiesta party book Players participated in a Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament, complete with a tournament director and professional dealers! Players and spectators alike got to scarf down sizzling tacos and endless beverages. Coming soon with a new date and time, the Narducci and Brandenstein families will host a Natural Medicine Making Workshop, just in time for the winter season. Attendees will be guided through creating a sacred space, then learn how to make Fire Cider, a remedy with deep roots in folk medicine as a defense against cold and flu pathogens.

Speaking of party books, we’d like to take a minute to thank our party book hosts and the supporters who bought tickets to attend these events. We’d also like to thank everyone who came out to our various Dine Outs and supported the PA through other avenues of Wesley Rewards. It’s through these types of FUNraisers that we are able to do things like decorating our campus for Halloween and Winter It also helps fund community events like the 6th grade movie night, Boos & Booze and Gobbler’s Feast Thank you to Larry Sullivan, Adam Gershon, and Sara Rue for all of your hard work behind the scenes

We’ve had so many fun events and have met so many wonderful people We’d like to thank our amazing parent community for all of your volunteer hours and support Our events truly could not have had the success they’ve had without you We hope you’ve had an exciting year thus far and we plan to bring the same energy throughout the rest of the year!

Natividad & Luz Herrera Olaya PA Co Chairs

Marie

COACH'S CORNER

Hello sports fans! What a fall season we have had! All teams performed valiantly and two teams went undefeated for the entire season. We fielded 10 teams this season. We fielded four basketball teams (two 4th grade, one 5th grade and one Middle School) and five football teams (one per grades 4-8). The 4th grade blue basketball team led by Coach Eleftheriades fought through the season with no losses. Congratulations to them! They started the season slow without a coach, but once Coach E stepped in there was no stopping them. The 4th grade green basketball team also started the season without a coach, but Coach Bloom stepped in and the girls had an absolute ball! (Excuse the pun!) Even though they didn't win a game, their hearts and enthusiasm kept them in so many close matches.

The 4th, 5th, and 6th grade football teams also might not have won a game, but players did grow as a team and improved their skills to come back stronger next year! They too had many close games and played better and better each time. They will definitely be ready to go next year.

The 5th grade basketball team went above 500 with a record of 3-2. They had some very exciting games, close wins and super close losses. Their one home game was well attended and the Wesley spirit was palpable!

COACH'S CORNER

The 7th grade football team ended with a 3 2 record, wining their last three games. They got into a groove that would have given any team a run for their money! Coach Stuart and Coach Adam had their team playing top notch football in the end. Look out for them next year.

The 8th grade football team led by Coach Azzie also had an incredible season and capped it off with a close win at THE SoFi Stadium! It was a wonderful season and the players improved during each game.

Wesley's Middle School basketball team (with players from 6th, 7th, and 8th grades) went undefeated and played exceptionally well the entire season. Led by Coach Matt, the team hummed like a finely oiled machine! They capped the season with two playoff wins to finish as league champions!

Winter session sports is upon us, and this season we are excited to offer girls' soccer and boys' basketball There will also be a Middle School boys' soccer team (grades 7 & 8) The season will start the week of November 28th. Sign ups have ended, but if you missed the deadline and are still interested in joining a team, reach out to me here!

Let's have another fun, exciting and successful season! As always, GO LIONS!

Louie Rodriguez Athletic Director

A new school year already? How can that be?! It feels like just yesterday I was starting at Wesley in April 2021 and watchingourthen8thgradersgraduate Nowthey’resophomoresinhighschool!Timereallydoesseemtobeflyingby soquicklyinandoutsideofWesley

The first few months of the school year zipped on by as I attended all of the grade level potlucks with our amazing Wesleyparentsandotherfaculty&staffmembers Whileit’snicetohavethoseThursdayandFridaynightsback,Isure do miss the potluck food, taco carts, and even a few dance parties! Luckily, there is always a Wesley event or party bookwaitinginthewingswhereIcancontinuetohavethosemomentsofconnectionbothonandoffcampus Thisfall,theleavesareabitlatebuthavebeguntochangeandweevengotsomemuchneededrain,andthosearen’t the only wonderful changes happening on campus this year.. The first one being that I have joined the ranks as a Wesley Parent! My daughter Penny started 5th grade at Wesley this year and was welcomed right in by all of the kind and lovely students and faculty/staff members She often tells me that she doesn’t feel new at all and it’s like she’s always been a part of this community As a parent with a child attending a new school in those formative years, it is everythingIcouldhaveeverwanted ThankyouforcontinuingtobethewarmandwelcomingcommunitythatIinstantly fellinlovewithwhenIstartedlastyear

Our next big change comes after a record breaking year of fundraising. This year, we are bringing even more purpose and meaning to our traditional Annual Fund. The newly named Wesley Fund shows families just how much of an impact their philanthropic participation makes in our community When making your annual contribution through ournewgivingformatwesleyschoolorg/give,youalsonow have the opportunity to select an area of interest that matters most to you and your family! We are halfway into our 100 Days of Giving campaign and have already reached70%participationfromcurrentparents Weinvite everyone to continue to show your Lion Spirit and ROAR! Your philanthropic support allows both current and future generations of Lions to continue to ROAR with confidence andexperiencethemagicofWesleyforyearstocome.

This past spring we hosted an epic 80s Gala and raised over $60,000 toward enhanced safety and security on our campus

I am so happy to share that two sets of the security gates have been installed! The final guard hut and driveway gate are in the planning and permit phase. We can’t wait to add those into our campus safety and security plan and continuetoprotecttheonesthatmeanthemosttoallofus, ourstudents!

Lastly,asweheadintoourfallbreakandtheThanksgiving holiday, I can’t wait to rest, relax, and truly reflect on my time here and how grateful I am for this very special Wesley community. These next few months will be filled with even more moments of togetherness and connections throughthereturnofGeneration’sDayinAprilandanewly createdparenteventcalledtheWesleyBlockPartyinMay

Stay healthy, stay safe, and remember to always choose happinessandjoy.

TammyRodriguez DirectorofDevelopment

ParenttoPenny(5thgrade)

DearParents,

As we are now firmly planted in the next admissions cycle, we are delighted to report that we have had record attendance at our open house events! We know that this is only possible through your continued sharing about your experiences here at Wesley, and we encourage you to keep up the messaging. Word of mouth is truly our most positive and successful marketing tool, and we are grateful to all of you for your continued support Wishing you allablessedholidayseason.

WithlovefromVerenaandLindsey (YourAdmissionsPeeps)

Kindergarten

Kindergarten

Science teacher Jessica Duncan and her family are so excited to welcome their baby girl in December, just in time for the holidays!

Wesley

teacher Traci Allen became a dog foster mom to a pug puppy Her foster dog Lupin was rescued from a shelter in South Korea Lupin arrived in the US on October 24th, and Traci is in love!

alum Alyssa Thompson (Class of 2019) made her U.S. Women's National Soccer Team debut in October at London's famous Wembley Stadium!

teacher Rachel Mottaz's husband Phillip Mottaz self published his second mystery novel!! In the 2nd Psychic Barber Mystery novel, Danica Luman professional hairstylist/amateur detective/secret psychic has to solve the disappearance of a YouTube celebrity. She navigates the dangers of fake friends and fanatic fans, all while working with her worst nightmare: the tarot card reading, crystal ball gazing 'psychic' Madame Lorena.

The game was back and forth the whole way until the Lions made a great defensive stand and kept the cougars out of the end zone for the win! A touch 1 point victory. Well played Lions and a special thank you to Coach Azzie!

Finance Director Geo Huff took her daughter Gina ('Ms Gina' to those kiddos that got to know her over the summer) to Madrid, Spain to help her settle in as an English teacher for the school year She spent several weeks there as both a local, shopping for furniture and stocking Gina's kitchen, and sightseeing like a typical tourist. Geo got to dust off her Spanish skills while trying to navigate around the city. It was a ton of fun!

Wesley's 8th grade football team played a game against Valley School at SoFi Stadium on November 4th!