Spring Newsletter 2022 Excerpts from... The Deans' Den Wesley Graduates The cross-curricular project ties everything that 1st grade learns, academically and socially. The MARP motto is “Become aware, show you care! Allies, Advocates, Activists!” Students researched specific animals independently, focusing on habitat, diet, location in the world, and many fun facts and incorporating technology, art, Spanish, music, science, and social justice.
The Wesley Class of 2022, comprised of 35 students, was accepted to 21 schools. Of those 21, they chose to matriculate to 15 Buckley, Burroughs, Campbell Hall, Chaminade, Crespi, Greenwood College, Loyola, Marlborough, Marymount, Mayfield, Notre Dame, Oakwood, Providence, Toronto Independent, and Viewpoint.
A Message from the Head of School As I conclude my second year at the helm of The Wesley School, I remain humbled and inspired by the faculty, staff, trustees, and parent volunteers without whom the place just wouldn’t run. And the students! Their smiles, greetings, and waves make my days brighter at every turn. I look forward to seeing them arrive taller and wiser next fall!
IN THIS ISSUE
3 A Message from the Head of School Julie Galles
4 The Deans' Den (Band Level News) Joey Campanella
16 Development Office Update Tammy Rodriguez
18 Wesley Graduates: Where Are They Headed? Lindsey Drasin & Verena Denove
8 CODI Corner Traci Allen
19 Communications Update Sarah Francis & Lindsey Drasin
9 Board of Trustees News Paolo Velasco
20 2022 All School Art Expo Trisha Singletary
10 Parents' Association Update Marissa Seeman
14 Coach's Corner JoAnn Neil
21 The Wesley Warriors Support Relay for Life
Carol Martson
22 Campus Kudos
A Message from the Head of School Dear Wesley Community, We’ve made it! I am thrilled that we can truly celebrate a year fully back on campus for all nine months. It has been so heartwarming to move through the spring and experience the renewed energy and excitement at our Wesley community events. Palooza and the Gala were both amazing events full of happy home adults and friends. Seeing all the children on stage at Palooza - and the parents at the Gala! - reinforced our values of safe spaces and appropriate risk-taking. It all starts with the Kindergarten leading Community in the sanctuary, grows through events such as the 1st grade MARP project, 2nd grade AAPI presentation, and is even on display at our Mythology Bee. Wesley students practice being in front of others, sharing their learning journeys, speaking their minds, and sharing their passions. This year, the 6th grade will throw a Greek Festival next week, an enormous effort that caps off months of interdisciplinary study and creativity. These are a few of the experiences that craft our 5th graders to be ready for their Celebration and our 8th graders to be ready for their Graduation. We are once again so proud of our graduates as they move from the Wesley nest to many LA area schools, ready to make their mark on the wider world. Our 80’s Prom Gala was a raving success, with over 350 attendees and so much gratitude and excitement for being together again after four years. The Development Office, the Gala Chairs and Committee members, the parent band, the amazing emcees, and all who worked behind the scenes to help secure the venue, build the silent and live auction packages, and create such a lovely and fun space really worked magic for our community. We do not have a final count on the dollars raised yet, but the figures are pushing past $160,000, a significant portion of which will go towards enhancing the physical security of our wonderful campus. As I conclude my second year at the helm of The Wesley School, I remain humbled and inspired by the faculty, staff, trustees, and parent volunteers without whom the place just wouldn’t run. And the students! Their smiles, greetings, and waves make my days brighter at every turn. I look forward to seeing them arrive taller and wiser next fall! Have a wonderful summer of discovery! Julie Galles Interim Head of School
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The Deans' Den Band Level News Are we really less than one week away from the end of the 2021-2022 school year? It seems unfathomable, but here we are with the campus buzzing with wonderful activity as our teachers and students finish up final projects and prepare for the transition into some summer rest and relaxation. As always, there is an amazing range of terrific activity and learning in classrooms across the Wesley campus. The Kindergarten students became poetry experts after meeting with well established poets from the 1st grade. The Kinders and 1st graders really had fun reading and writing poems together, and the students are very excited to keep writing. The Kinder students also had some constructive fun gardening with Ella’s mom, gaining some insight into where some of our food comes from. Our youngest students are definitely ready to rise up into 1st grade! In 1st grade, the students worked very hard to put the finishing touches on their MARPs (My Animal Research Project) that have spanned the last few months of the school year, culminating in live presentations to family members in classrooms and sharing poetry and song from the stage in the social hall. This cross-curricular project ties everything that 1st grade learns, academically and socially. The MARP motto is “Become aware, show you care! Allies, Advocates, Activists!” Students researched specific animals independently, focusing on habitat, diet, location in the world, and many fun facts and incorporating technology, art, Spanish, music, science, and social justice. The 1st grade is wild about animals and inspired others to become more aware and show they care! As part of their nonfiction writing unit, the students in 2nd grade chose any place in the world they had a special connection to or interest in to research. They brainstormed places they might want to visit based on a number of factors: cultural connection, delicious foods, iconic monuments, special sports and games, or even curiosity about life there. From Pokémon in Japan, to the sweet peaches of Georgia, to diving deeper into India to learn about one's family's history, students compiled information and gathered it in the form of a nonfiction book, culminating in a celebration of students’ finished work!
The Deans' Den Band Level News In 3rd grade, students have been learning about the Chumash tribe, indigenous people native to Southern California, and have learned that the Chumash used the land around them to create tools, musical instruments, and games. The students explored different aspects of the tribe’s culture, community, and land to gain a deeper understanding of the everyday life of the tribe of long ago and compare it with who the Chumash are today. The students created a variety of artifacts from Chumash history and culture, such as rattles, baskets, games, and cave paintings. It was a fascinating project, and the teachers are extremely proud of the students’ diligent work and genuine interest and enthusiasm. The 4th Grade has been learning about "hidden figures" throughout different events in California history, such as colonization, the Gold Rush, the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, and the Great Depression. They learned the importance of perspective and how a story can change based on different points of view and cultural and social perspectives. This project culminated in a wonderful presentation in Community that shared students’ impressive work, complemented by songs and videos. In 5th grade English, students finished their big poetry unit, which culminated with students writing their own poems exploring issues facing society and incorporating a call to action within their poetry. The class worked collaboratively through a digital platform to create and publish a poetry book, Our Voice Our World, with each poem accompanied by a drawing completed in art class. Currently, students are exploring the mystery genre through From the MixedUp Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. In Social Studies, the 5th grade completed their unit on the events leading up to the American Revolution. They examined the Constitution, including diving deep into the first three Articles as the basis of the foundation for the American government. Currently, the class is examining the relationship between each branch of government, including the system of checks and balances.
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The Deans' Den Band Level News The 6th grade is earnestly preparing in their Humanities classes for their culminating project, the Greek Festival, the last week of school. The event is sure to be a wonderful celebration of the students’ extensive research into and learning about various aspects of Greek history, culture, and mythology! In math, 6th grade students are learning how to solve quadratic equations in preparation for more extensive exploration of this concept in 7th grade. Mr. Baharvand comments that “These 6th grade students are so bright and motivated that I decided to teach them this very advanced and challenging concept now.” In 7th grade math, students have been working on permutations and combinations, a new topic related to statistics and probabilities. In Mrs. Denove’s High School Prep class, the 7th graders have begun to think seriously about the high school application process, which will be a major part of their 8th grade experience, researching different high schools and considering what they are specifically looking for in the next phase of their educational journey. And they are preparing for their end-of-year trip to El Capitan for some “roughing it” fun and team building. Another enrichment highlight comes from the 7th grade Legal Systems class with Mrs. Anderson, in which students began the trimester learning about the U.S Constitution and the amendments with emphasis on the Bill of Rights and how individual rights factor into a court of law. Students have learned about the variety of courtroom personnel and the roles that attorneys and witnesses play in the courtroom. The class read and listened to Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” and are using the text as the foundation for learning about the elements of a crime of murder in the first degree. Students learned about the various types of evidence presented in a courtroom and the difference between “burden of proof” for the prosecution side and “reasonable doubt” for the defense side. This preparation will serve the students well next year in the Mock Trial elective.
The Deans' Den Band Level News
For the 8th grade, the obvious highlight was the class trip to London before spring break. After having to cancel the trip the past two years, the students and chaperones were thrilled to embark on this amazing international adventure, and the trip could not have been more stimulating and fun! We explored so many wonderful London attractions, such as the British Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Victoria and Albert Museum and so much more, enjoyed amazing shows in the West End, and took day trips to the mysterious landmark Stonehenge and the golden city of Bath and also the beautiful cities of Oxford and Stratford upon Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace. A wonderful highlight was students reciting their Shakespearean soliloquies at the Bard’s childhood home! And of course, the 8th grade students are preparing for their graduation from Wesley on June 9, and the teachers and I are supremely confident that they are more than ready to take on the challenges of high school. The wonder and joy of Wesley are as evident as ever as we come to the close of this school year. Despite the challenges of the past couple of years, this has been an excellent school year, full of active learning, student engagement, and a multitude of highlights. We look forward to summer break!
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CODI Corner
What a remarkable year it has been! I think we are all grateful to be together as a community. We are overjoyed to again see each other’s smiling faces, share a meal together, share infectious laughter, and create new memories. We must always be grateful and mindful of how fortunate we are to be a part of the Wesley family. The Multicultural Potluck was an enchanting experience for all families-new and returning. Guests reveled in seeing each other in person and being able to enjoy a valuable and uniting event under the stars. The community was entertained by Bollywood and Irish dancers and a mariachi band who provided melodic and harmonious sounds for arriving guests. We had magnificent cultural dishes from all over the world. It was exciting to witness the buzzing conversations and infectious energy shared by all. Kids flocked to the arts and crafts tables and bursted with joy as they created dragons, maracas, rain sticks, and Carnival masks. In regards to academics, grade-level Social Justice nights have been a success. Teachers shared their Social Justice lessons and activities with parents and engaged in critical conversations. We are committed to being a school that is dedicated to affirming student identities, creating equitable and inclusive spaces for all, and teaching social justice education. The passion that the teachers have is fueled and inspired by the adaptability, grit, energy, and enthusiasm of the students. CODI (Community of Diversity and Inclusivity) meetings this year have been wonderful spaces of honesty, support, inspiration, and revitalization. The topics this year have included examining power dynamics, systemic racism, white privilege, the wheel of power and privilege, and allyship. Because of the enthusiasm and passion in the community, we are looking forward to continuing group discussions and the creation of workshops and committees centered around diverse, equitable, and inclusive education in the fall. Middle school students are exploring the concept of belonging in their social justice classes. Wesley’s goal is for all students, faculty, staff, and parents to feel like they belong in this community. Feeling a sense of belonging builds trust and sound relationships. Creating belonging is an ongoing effort that we are committed to achieving. Traci Allen Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusivity
Board of Trustees News
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To our wonderful Wesley community, It is a bit surreal that we are nearing the end of the school year, and as in past years we recognize that changes will soon be coming to our school. In a few weeks, we will say our goodbyes to each other. Many goodbyes will only be temporary as we know that we will see each other once again in the Fall. But some goodbyes will be more permanent. Some of our beloved teachers, administrators, families and students will be leaving Wesley to embrace new opportunities. The Board of Trustees wants to extend our deep appreciation and love to everyone who has shaped and contributed to our community. The Board will also be saying goodbyes to six incredible trustees who will be concluding their terms this year. These trustees have gone above and beyond in service to our school. They provided leadership during some of the most difficult years our school has ever had to face. We thank them for their commitment, countless hours of service, and love for Wesley. · Scott Ault (5 years as a trustee and former Board Secretary) · Elena Blue Blum (3 years as a trustee and current Audit Committee Chair) · John D’Aquino (7 years as a trustee) · David Hookom (6 years as a trustee and former Board Chair) · Bertha Munoz (9 years as a trustee and current CODI Co-Chair) · Alex Young (6 years as a trustee and current Board Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair) While endings can often be challenging, they do provide opportunities for new beginnings. The Board is very excited to welcome our newest trustees who will be starting their terms in the 2022-2023 school year! Each of these new trustees has demonstrated strong levels of service and commitment to our school and each will be bringing invaluable skills, experiences and perspectives to our Board. · Melanie Elliott (current 6th grade parent) · Jason Friedman (current Kindergarten parent) · Janett Hermosillo Meyer (current 4th grade and 5th grade parent) · Lisa Lange (current 1st grade parent) · Dale Pinnock (current 2nd grade parent) · Marissa Seeman (current 4th grade parent) · Cheryl Ting (Head of School at St. Paul’s Episcopal School of Oakland) Along with these new trustees, the Board is also excited to announce our Executive Committee for 2022-2023: · Chair - Dave Monahan (current 3rd grade parent) · Vice Chair - Paolo Velasco (current 2nd grade, 4th grade & 7th grade parent) · Secretary - Brendon Blincoe (current 7th grade parent) · Treasurer - Mike Natividad (current 2nd grade parent) The Board is also preparing to provide an update on the decision regarding the Head of School position. We plan to make a formal announcement by early this month. Thank you to everyone who makes our school such a positive and loving community for our students and our families! Warmly, Paolo Velasco Wesley Board Vice Chair
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Parents' Association Update
The last quarter of the year flew by, but was action packed with over ten events. As the year comes to a close we know fatigue sets in for kids and parents alike, but that didn’t stop you from volunteering and attending events. Right before Spring Break the kids took to the field to run for a cause for this year’s Jog-a-thon supporting the American Cancer Society. It was truly special to see the kids run past the faces of their family members and friends who have been touched by cancer hanging on the fence. The support for this event was record breaking and $20k was raised in their honor. Thank you to the lap counters, misters, and Committee Chairs - Jonathan Mitchell, Juli Cavanaugh and Urvashi Block-Larson. In April, Mimi Nardcuci, who is both eco-conscious and fabulous, inspired the kids to think about ways to help the environment all year long. Earth Week started with Meatless Monday and a dine out at Veggie Grill. Tuesday was all about supporting eco-friendly businesses, and Wednesday we talked about gardening. Throughout the week Mimi had recycling ambassadors on-site during lunch to educate kids about which items can be recycled versus which are trash. Many families also participated in the E-waste and paper shredding bins provided on-site. As we headed into May, we finally all got together for the most popular event of the year - the Wesley Palooza! For the first time in years the entire event was back…food, entertainment, arts and crafts and of course the unbelievable performances. Over 50 kids showcased their talents on campus in front of our whole community. It’s truly amazing to see these kids bravely get up and perform in front of their friends. If you attended, then you know why this is a school favorite event. Thank you to the entire Stewart Family (Sylvester, 5th) and Lindsey Drasin (Milly, Kinder) for planning this rocking event.
Parents' Association Update
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This year we held our first ever Longridge Pickleball Invitational at The Seeman Residence. 14 teams played for the chance to win the title while being cheered on by their fans. The competition was fierce, but Josh Zaretsky and Rob Dickinson took home the medal. This event has inspired several pickleball games and leagues. We hope this will continue to be a tradition. To steal a line from our 1st Graders ....“2-4-6-8 Wesley Employees are Really Great!” The first week of May, we were able to celebrate everyone who works at Wesley! The week kicked off with lunch provided by The Wesley Board of Trustees. Then, every day following, there were different surprises -- some consisting of treats, heartfelt videos, and gifts of appreciation. The week ended with lunch at The Seeman Residence for all faculty and staff members. Everyone was also treated to a massage, so they left feeling relaxed and pampered. A big shout out to Sam Thompson (Avery, 6th and Amelia & Grace, 3rd) and Lauren Brandenstein (August in 3rd, Jack in 2nd and Cole, Kinder) and Ali Chaflin (Xander, 1st) who chaired the event. On May 13th, 6th graders finally attended their first dance. All middle schoolers danced the hula under the stars and enjoyed being together. The kids' big smiles and countless Instagram photos were a sign of the great time they had. Huge thank you to PA leader Daphne McVay who organized all the middle school dances this year.
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Parents' Association Update Wow! I’m still Livin On A Prayer and scrubbing Aqua Net out of my hair! What a fun night seeing everyone dressed up and reliving our Prom together. What a great way to end the year. The decor was totally awesome (shout out to Sam Thompson - Avery, 6th & Amelia & Grace, 3rd and Christine Kushner - Waylon, 8th & Frankie, 6th), the silent auction was absolutely amazing (special thank you to Lisa Lange for helping me organize it every step of the way), the emcees were hilarious and inspired our parents to generously give back (cheers to Stephanie Courtney - PJ, 4th, Rachel Crane - Harlow, 1st, & Jocelyn Baker - Juni, 7th & Keir, 4th) and the entire event was top notch thank you to Jenny Hollier (Jack, 8th & Finn, 4th) and Tammy Rodriguez. Oh, and who could forget about the incredible parent band featuring Adam Gershon (Luke, 6th & Owen, 4th), Matt Leavitt (Kinsley, 2nd), Ryan Raddatz (Elliott, 4th), Dave Kushner (Waylon, 8th & Frankie, 6th), Michael Nielsen (Henry, 7th), Matt Osborn (Andrew, 6th & Bennett, 3rd), Jules Larson (Sienna, 2nd & Ivy, Kinder), Heather Boyd (Desmond, 4th), Lisa Loeb (Emet, 3rd), and our very own Mary McGregor!! Can we get another encore please!? Also up and running this spring was the Scholastic Book Fair after a two year online hiatus from campus. It’s so fun to watch the kids shop and be excited about not only budgeting their money, but purchasing books to add to their summer agendas. Special thank you to Marie Natividad (Makena, 2nd) and Linda Malamut (Sadie, 2nd & Ella, Kinder) for organizing all of the countless volunteers that made this event possible.
Parents' Association Update And finally, this brings us to the last day of school where each grade will partake in their own end of year party off campus. Thank you so much to our phenomenal room parents for not only spearheading these events, but also for their tireless effort all year long. A special shout out to our end of year party hosts as well - we appreciate you stepping up! This article wouldn’t be complete without also mentioning some of our round the clock committees and volunteers. All year long, Lisa Loeb (Emet, 3rd) and Jules Larson (Sienna, 2nd & Ivy, Kinder) have come once or even twice a month to dig and sort through the mountain of lost and found. They have worked tirelessly to reunite uniforms, water bottles, and random treasures with their rightful owners. I’m so thankful that what makes my palms sweat to look at gives you ladies a thrill of organizing. These ladies are serious about labeling and keeping your uniforms, so look out next year for some new ways to minimize the lost items. Then there’s the Uniform Recycle Sale’s Deb Vaughan (Harrison, 8th) & Kristen Pratt (Jameson, 8th). This dynamic duo of uniform sales are hanging up their hats and passing the torch to a new group of moms. It’s hard work keeping those tables organized during the sale and they’ve done it all year long and when we needed it most. Thank you both for your time and support. Larry Sullivan (Cooper, 3rd) rocked it this year with five dine out events at Pitfire, Osteria, Veggie Grill, Chipotle, and Lemonade in addition to our year long partnerships with Menchies, Amazon, Ralph’s, and Farm Fresh. Thank you Larry for keeping us eating well while giving back to the school, and be on the lookout for our next Wesley Rewards Dine Out option this summer at Harvest Moon. The Parents’ Association can not thank you enough for supporting us all year long. We want to acknowledge all the chairs of our committees and all of our volunteers - those who gave an hour or several days' time. We could not have pulled any of this off without them and the tireless support of admin’s, Lindsey Drasin. Behind every successfully organized event there is an extraordinary volunteer team. Thank you for a collective job well done. It has been a pleasure serving as The Parents’ Association Chair and Co-chair over the past two years. Getting to know more parents and bringing back joy to our community have been my biggest highlights. I leave you all in the best of hands with Marie Natividad (Makena, 2nd) and Luz Herrera (Mark, 2nd & Liam, Kinder) and can’t wait to see what they have in store for us! Signing off, Marissa Seeman (Raegan, 4th) Wesley PA Chair
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Coach's Corner
Spring sprang this season in Wesley sports. (Alliteration anyone?) Once we set up the volleyball nets on the court in March, there was no stopping the students from trying to achieve the longest rally or an overhand serve. First, of course, they had to find a volleyball, either in the bushes or humbly begging me. “Bring it back when you’re done,” I’d tell them and sometimes they would and sometimes they wouldn’t. Volleyballs at Wesley are a little like the proverbial missing sock. You know it existed at one time but then *poof* it’s gone, never to be seen again. We did manage to keep most of the soccer balls intact, which was important seeing that almost every 4th, 5th, and 6th grade boy went out for the teams. Stepping in to coach were The Three Dads David, Nathan, and Mason - kind of like The Three Amigos because they ended up friends. Additional dads helped assist and set up goals and I could not have pulled off the season without them. THANK YOU! Soccer was a mix of wins and losses - more of the former than the latter - but the results didn’t seem to matter much when all was said and done. Sportsmanship prevailed, fun was had, skills were developed, and this year’s 6th grade is looking forward to joining 7th next winter for the middle school boys’ season. Despite a lousy field at NoHo Park, it remains “the beautiful game,” regardless if it’s 4th grade versus Oakwood or Man City against Chelsea. In volleyball, Coach Matt figured out the key to a winning 4th grade season. The girls pretty much worked on serves, and strictly serves, for the duration of practice, which is why the team finished with an impressive winning record. So, too, did his 6th grade, taking home the championship trophy in their division. Sarah Tomlin returned to coach 5th grade after last stepping in pre-Covid and pulled together a strong group for a solid showing. Well done girls!
Coach's Corner
In 7th and 8th grade, we had four teams with Coach George taking the helm with the varsity girls and boys, and Coach Campy taking the JV girls and our first ever coed squad. The 7th grade girls won their division with a two-game post season, confidently and with impressive skill. The coed team finished the season with a win against Country to celebrate not just the victory but camaraderie, determination, and a lot of laughs. The varsity boys duked it out to head into the playoffs with an accomplished record so who cares if they ultimately fell at Viewpoint? We don’t! It was so much fun to watch them play and I hope some of them will take their talent into high school. If you were lucky enough to catch the varsity girls in their last two games, after winning their previous five, you were lucky enough. They came from behind at Milken in the third set and repeated the drama for the championship against AGBU, fighting off not one, not two, but three match points. It really doesn’t matter what level you’re watching when you’re biting your fingernails and holding your breath. It will go down as one of the most dramatic outcomes in Wesley’s volleyball history. As I pack my bags to head east later this month, one of the hardest things to tackle will be the emotions I feel leaving Wesley. The community helped raise my children, became my second home, and ultimately my work. What a special place it is. I’ll leave you with this: my middle school PE students hear me say that there are three things guaranteed to always make a person feel better after. They are 1) exercise, 2) laughter, and 3) doing for others. Please remind them and know that it’s true for grown-ups as well. Wishing you joy and good health, sending gratitude, and bidding farewell. It has been my pleasure to be your Director of Athletics. - JoAnn Egan Neil Director of Athletics
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Development Office Update Tammy Rodriguez, Director of Development
What a party! On Saturday, May 21, Wesley had its first real in-person gala in four years, and boy did we party All Night Long. The theme was “Wesley Prom - A Totally Rad 80s Gala" and wow did people take that to heart. There was more crimped hair, mullet wigs, blue eyeshadow, and shoulderpads on display than there probably has been anywhere in the last thirty-five years. I don’t know about you, but I’m still trying to wash out the lingering Aqua Net in my hair! This was my first full Gala at Wesley and I heard many of the epic stories about how big of a deal it is for the Wesley community. Now, having experienced it, I can officially say that Wesley - I’m Never Gonna Give You Up, never gonna let you down! Because a Wesley Gala completely lives up to the hype. You came out in full support with over 350 Wesley parents, teachers, staff, and friends partying their hardest all in the name of raising money for our school. Specifically, we were raising money to enhance safety and security on our campus, and I think that resonated with many of our families. After a touching video where our students talked about how Wesley makes them feel safe, our guests raised their paddles to donate a collective $50,650 toward state of the art new gates at the school. If you missed participating in this impactful fundraising initiative, you can still do so by visiting the donation page.
Development Office Update Tammy Rodriguez, Director of Development There are so many people I want to thank, who helped make this event as fantastic as possible. To my ride or die, Jenny Hollier, for co-chairing with me, and always being available every step of the way during the planning process, even if that meant 3am emails and texts to each other. Marissa Seeman(co-chair) and Lisa Lange for the many hours, days, WEEKS of tirelessly coordinating the auction and bringing in hundreds of auction item donations that were valued at over $75,000, along with those who went above and beyond in getting items donated (Mariah Leavitt, Jeanne-Marie Lindsay, Alana Polcsa, Josie Ventura, and Soyon Halpin). Additionally, thank you to all of the parents who donated items to Class Themes and the overall auction! Whether it was a trip or a bottle of wine, either way, you made a huge impact and we couldn’t have done it without you. Samantha Thompson and Christine Kushner for making the venue look so fantastic and helping us transport back into the 80s with all of the special details. Adam Gershon for writing all the auction item descriptions and for organizing entertainment from DJ Baker, Harbor Party, and probably the best Wesley Parent and Staff band ever assembled, consisting of Adam Gershon, Ryan Raddatz, Michael Nielsen, Matt Osborn, Jonathan Mangum, Matt Leavitt, Dave Kushner, Jules Larson, Heather Boyd, Lisa Loeb, and our very own Mary McGregor! Stephanie Courtney, Rachel Crane, and Jocelyn Baker for working the crowd as our MCs and auctioneers. Mark Daniels for taking stunning photos of the evening. My associate Dyllan Fernandez for his tech support, graphic design, video production, and more. Lindsey Drasin for helping to shepherd me through my first Gala and being there for all our late night and weekend planning sessions. Verena Denove and Sarah Francis for being ready to drop what they were doing to take on a new piece of Gala prep. Jessica and Sylvester Stewart and Jeff Engel for the super cool Lion’s Head lighting. Kirsten Nielsen, Jeanne-Marie Lindsay, and Dick Buckley for helping setup and tear down the party. Janine Castagnetti and Lindsey and Shane Drasin for totally crushing the Raffle table and sales. Amy Lanstra and Nathan Bland for helping to collect, protect, and distribute the auction items. Soyon and Baz Halpin for being our Lakeside Country Club hosts. All the Wesley faculty and staff who came out to party with us. And all of the people who sponsored the event to help underwrite the cost of putting it on. Livin’ on a Prayer - $2,500 Have a Drink On Me (Bar Sponsors) - $1,000 The Kolonach Family The Blakeley Family The Spitzer Family The Denove Family The Zizza Family The Woirhaye Family Don’t Stop Believin’ - $1,500 Anonymous
Don’t You Forget About Me - $500 The Baker Family The Gershon Family The Koskoff Family The Turner Family
As well as the above, 41 people sponsored a total of 64 tickets for our Faculty and Staff. Sincerely, thank you Wesley for always being willing to support our school in so many ways. Whether it was through our Fund The Need fundraiser at the Gala, to your Annual Fund donation, being the cheering squad at the Run for a Cause Jog-a-thon, or purchasing an Auction item or Teacher Outing, you’ve truly made my first year at Wesley a complete success! Now I know what it truly means to be a part of the Wesley family.
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Wesley Graduates: Where Are They Headed? Lindsey Drasin, Associate Director of Admissions & Verena Denove, Director of Admissions
The Wesley Class of 2022, comprised of 35 students, was accepted to 21 schools. Of those 21, they chose to matriculate to 15 - Buckley, Burroughs, Campbell Hall, Chaminade, Crespi, Greenwood College, Loyola, Marlborough, Marymount, Mayfield, Notre Dame, Oakwood, Providence, Toronto Independent, and Viewpoint. Equally impressive is the list of colleges that some members of the Wesley Class of 2018, comprised of 37 students, chose to attend. That list includes Berklee School of Music, Cal Arts, Chapman, CSU Channel Islands, CU Boulder, DePaul University, Lewis & Clark, LMU, Loyola University Chicago, Northeastern, Northwestern, NYU, Penn State, Reed, SDSU, SMC, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, University of Redlands, University of San Francisco, University of Utah, Westmont, & Whitman. Wesley Graduates and Wesley Alums WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!
Communications Update
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Sarah Francis, Communications & Social Media Associate & Lindsey Drasin, Director of Communications
Download Our App HERE!
What a whirlwind this Spring has been! We’ve loved capturing and sharing with you all the incredible events this term, from the Multicultural Potluck and Run for a Cause, to Palooza and the 80s Gala, along with special educational moments our students have experienced on campus. Remember to check out our photo and video galleries on the parent portal if you missed anything. All media is downloadable! We will also continue to use our Wesley App next year, where you can quickly access school calendars, event details, notifications, sign-up forms, student supply lists, and directories. Our social media platforms are always up to date with the latest at Wesley, so follow us on Instagram and Facebook today! We hope you enjoy our Spring newsletter! Be sure to check out the Art Expo gallery walk on page 20. While we might be a bit quieter over the summer, keep an eye on your inbox for important school updates and our social media platforms for highlights from our summer programs. We can’t wait to see you back in the fall! Thank you everyone for an incredible year.
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2022 All School Spring Art Expo Trisha Singletary, K-8 Art Teacher
This year we hosted Wesley's All-School Spring Art Expo back in person on campus! All year the students have worked to create incredible pieces including (but certainly not limited to!) self-portraits, mixed media, stained glass, masks, eco-conscious projects, clay creations, still lifes, artist studies, street art, and work with special messages about social justice. We are so proud of everyone! If you didn't have a chance to visit our expo, or simply want to re-visit it, please click on the video below for our virtual gallery walk created by Sarah Francis!
The Wesley Warriors Support Relay for Life Carol Martson, Student Council Coordinator You may know that our recent Run for a Cause event raised $25,000 for the American Cancer Society. But we raised far more than money…..we raised 25,000 opportunities for hope. 25,000 opportunities to help others. Our donations will help people get rides to treatment if they need them. It will pay for hotel rooms for people who have to travel for treatment. It will help people to learn how to use wigs and scarves when chemo has taken their hair. It will help researchers to find more ways to detect cancers earlier or develop better treatments. It may even lead to a cure. Each year the American Cancer Society hosts a Relay for Life event. Our school has participated for over 20 years. The event is an opportunity for teams from across the valley to come together and show our support for those who are dealing with cancer. The daytime is very much like a carnival…each booth has games or items for sale. There is live music, food trucks, and things like dance parties or Zumba classes. The evening is a bit more serious with the luminaria event where we honor and remember those we’ve lost and caregivers. People from each team take turns walking the track for the entire event. Unlike our Run for a Cause event, the walkers are not walking to raise money. Instead, the walk is symbolic. It reminds those participating that cancer doesn’t stop, so for the time of the event, neither will we! Each year the Wesley Warrior team is led by a student team leader. The student leader is invited by Ms. Anderson and Mrs. Martson after demonstrating a passion for helping others. Our student leader for the 2022 Relay is Henry Mottaz. Henry has been participating on the Wesley Warrior team since kindergarten. Henry has raised money for ACS by hosting lemonade stands, reaching out to family and friends, offering group games via Zoom, and creating and selling items. There are several opportunities for students and their families to be part of this experience. Students in all grades can join our team and come walk during the event, raise money for ACS, or both! 6th – 8th grade students who join the team and walk or raise money earn community service hours. Our event this year will be held on September 24. Families can come for a portion of the event or stay all day! There is no set schedule….it is up to you! Click here to join our team, donate, or find out more about Relay for Life. We hope to see you there!
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Campus Kudos On May 13th, 2022 Kristen and Julian Inovejas welcomed their daughter Rue Violetta Inovejas!! They are so in love with her and are enjoying every minute.
Tammy Rodriguez, Director of Development, is happy to share that her daughter, Penny Rodriguez, will be joining the Wesley family for her 5th grade year in Fall 2022!
Campus Kudos
Samantha Schuermann graduated from her second M.A. program, earning her masters degree in Secondary Teaching! Woohoo!
Michelle Allegra traveled to Paris and Madrid over Spring Break to visit her niece who is doing a semester abroad. She even had a chance to meet up with Andrew Dinh in Paris! She can’t wait to go back!
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Spring Newsletter 2022
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