Winter Newsletter 2021 A Message from the Head of School My utmost gratitude goes to the amazing faculty and staff who inspire me every day with their devotion to the academic and character development of children and to the Wesley families, who trust us with their most beloved ones.
Alumni Corner The Wesley School was an exceptional experience for me, and I am so honored to have the chance to pay that tradition forward here in the first grade.
WINTER NEWSLETTER 2021 TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................
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Lower School News
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Middle School News
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A Message from the Head of School
CODI Corner
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Student Council Spotlight
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Parents' Association Update
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Board of Trustees News
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Coach's Corner
Development Office Update
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Campus Kudos
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Alumni Corner
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Admissions News
Communications Update
Middle School STEAM Fair Showcase ........................................ Page 25
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A Message from the Head of School:
Dear Wesley Community, Last week, I walked out into my garden and my mouth dropped open. There, in the bright, late-February sunshine, was a stunning (and quite large) pink rose, the first of the season. Although I had walked by that rose bush a number of times in the preceding days, I had missed the bud quietly growing before bursting forth in full glory and fragrance.The more I think about it, the more that beautiful flower symbolizes what is happening at Wesley. Late last fall, the rose bush was pruned back quite severely, such that it resembled a sad collection of thorny sticks. I wondered more than once throughout December and January if it would be okay. Schools all across our county were also “pruned back severely” in the rage of the pandemic from late November through late January. We could not have children on campus. We suspended after school athletic conditioning. Most faculty and staff worked from home. While we were surviving, from the outside we probably resembled a sad collection of thorny sticks. And yet, throughout those tough winter months, both for my rose bush and for the school, life was moving, persistent and determined. Our students and teachers continued to push learning forward. Our twice weekly virtual Community meetings brought moments of joy and reflection. Generous donors responded to the call of our Annual Fund, “Educate for Good.” Our wonderful Parents’ Association, with the support of so many generous parents, planned several community-wide events that helped us all stay connected to each other and to the mission of the Wesley family. Indeed, inside we were still very much alive. Starting on February 3rd, that life became more and more visible. First, the laughter of Kindergarteners filled Kinderland, and the following week, the joyful play of 1st and 2nd graders could be heard as well. These grades were back on campus full time, with those selecting to continue on-line learning “zooming” in. Mid-month, our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students started their return to campus as well, and as of today, our entire Lower School is full time - truly bursting forth in full bloom. My back yard rose bush has at least ten other buds, some already starting to open. So, too, do we have 6th, 7th, and 8th graders enjoying their initial days on campus. I am confident that, very soon, all of our hallways and classrooms will be filled (in a safely distanced way) with Wesley students from age five to fourteen, along with the devoted faculty and staff that shepherd them. Thank you to all of you, near and far, who cheer for and support this special community. My utmost gratitude goes to the amazing faculty and staff who inspire me every day with their devotion to the academic and character development of children and to the Wesley families, who trust us with their most beloved ones. Staying connected, Julie Galles Head of School
Lower School News
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On the Other Hand (Part 2): What They’ve Taught Us and What We’ve Learned Chris Thinnes, Head of Lower School In the last Wesley newsletter, I suggested that “we just might come out far stronger on the other side of this experience as a school, as a community, and as a profession,” provided a few examples to wit, and referred to research that demonstrates that “some forms of traumatic adversity can lead to transformative growth under certain conditions.” I wondered at that time whether it was the right time to ask if we could begin to notice and ”to celebrate how much we’ve learned, and how much stronger we’ve actually become.” But what about the kids? Our national obsession with the term “learning loss” is rooted in a myopic idea about the purpose of schools in general, let alone about the purpose of schools for children in a democratic society. Of course children learned differently this last year, and in some limited areas and transactional ways may have learned ‘less’ than they might have in a different year. Naturally, teachers will continue to meet students “where they’re at,” as we say, and walk with them handin-hand where they’re going. That’s what teachers do every day as career professionals, always have, and always will. On the other hand, systemically inequitable access to distance and hybrid learning programs this year has exacerbated long-standing racialized and socioeconomic inequities in American schools; that is an appropriate context in which to acknowledge and remediate the damage of “learning loss.”
But that’s not what many people are talking about when they preoccupy themselves with the term. By “learning loss,” people often mean something more like “my child is not as strong in subject X as s/he would have been if COVID hadn’t happened,” and/or “I’m afraid some parts of this different academic experience will imperil my child’s future.” Of course those are natural and to some degree reasonable fears, and they might be worries that teachers entertain as well from time to time. But these are fears and not facts.
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Lower School News Cont. One of the concerns I have about our current pop culture preoccupation with “learning loss” is what it obscures about children and their many strengths. The truth -- if we pause long enough as adults to think about it -- is that the children have taught all of us, at home and at school, about how much they have learned this past year, and how they have learned differently than we might have anticipated. Think, for example, about the digital skills your child has developed and mastered in the last twelve months. You may or may not be thrilled by how they’re applying these skills on social media or on gaming platforms from time to time, but focus for a moment on the skills they’ve demonstrated every day as distance and hybrid learners by navigating electronic devices, platforms, resources, research, and assignments online in order to learn and to apply new concepts and skills. If someone told you last spring that your child would become this practiced or proficient a digital citizen, what would you have said? Think as well about how profoundly difficult this year has been for all of us as adults in light of a global health catastrophe, national political crises, racialized protest and violence, financial turbulence, and personal loss and grief. All the while, we have navigated incessant and multi-layered traumas while isolated, in many instances, from the people who know and love us most. We are all exhausted, it’s a miracle some of us are still smiling, and many of us are “running on fumes.” But if you had to guess twelve months ago whether your children would hold up so well after a year like this, what would you have said last spring? For those of you whose children have returned to campus over the course of these last last several weeks -- and who came home relieved, or perhaps even beaming, from their time with their classmates, their teachers, and their learning -- what did this teach you about your children’s stamina, persistence, and resilience in the face of unsustainable ambiguities, unpredictable circumstances, and arguably impossible odds?
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Lower School News Cont.
These are just a very few easily available examples of the remarkable things children have demonstrated to all of us about their capacity for learning, growth, and change. It is important for all of us to identify what we’ve learned about children this year -- and about what, how, and why they learn -- if we’re meant as educators and as parents really to bridge the so-called ‘gap’ between this year and the future of your children’s learning. As we turn our eyes to planning for next year, and beyond, let’s remember that purpose of school isn’t simply to fill children’s pails with more sand, but to kindle the spark we see in their eyes. To do that we need to focus as much on the demonstrable strengths, joys, and talents we can leverage -- and the truths children have revealed to us about themselves -- at least as much as to harp on their so-called “learning loss” in a small subset of academic domains that’s actually quite simple to fix. With that, I invite you to share something you have learned this past year about children’s strengths, talents, joys, and/or learning, whether at home or at school. Maybe you’re a parent who’s learned something about parenting from your child; maybe you’re a teacher who’s learned something about teaching from your class. Please click here to access a simple form to share what children have taught you and what you have learned. I look forward to learning from your experiences and perspectives, and to sharing back with you in the next newsletter.
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Middle School News Joey Campanella, Head of Middle School As we continue to move through this most unusual and challenging of school years, there is good reason to be optimistic about positive progress toward our students returning to campus in increasing numbers and more frequently. Based on the allowances and guidelines from the state and county health departments, we have continually adjusted and refined our educational program accordingly, now shifting from distance learning to a blended learning model as students return to limited on-campus visits.
In wrapping up the trimester 2 grading period, the timing could not be better to begin welcoming middle school students back to campus for on-site learning. On Friday, February 26, most of our 8th grade students were on campus for the first time in almost a year! The excitement of the students and teachers to actually be in physical classrooms together was palpable, and despite the required safety measures in place, it felt almost like “real school.” Teachers provided lessons to the students in the classrooms and also connected with students at home through Zoom. For this trial run with the technology, the teachers managed everything quite well with ongoing assistance from our technology department. The students actively engaged in learning and really enjoyed hanging out with each other in class and at break and lunch. I received a lovely email from an 8th grade student who summed up the day, saying, “Today was super great!” We also welcomed both 6th and 7th grade students back to campus for the first time this week.
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Middle School News Cont. Over the course of this school year, since we’ve been on distance learning, we have had to devise creative ways to replicate certain special events that are important to our school community. Some examples of this in the middle school are the trimester 1 Middle School Electives Showcase, the Middle School STEAM Fair, the 7th grade Theatre Arts performance (debuting on Friday, March 12 at 6pm - check your inboxes!), and a fundraiser for Relay for Life in which students get to play Among Us for a suggested donation to the American Cancer Society. These virtual events provide examples of some of the wonderful learning and experiences for our middle school students.
Lastly, this time of year is both exciting and tense for our 8th grade students, who, after months of virtual visits to local high schools and completing applications, will receive their acceptances from high schools later today. We are confident that our senior students will have great choices for their high school experiences, and we congratulate them in advance for their hard work and perseverance, especially under the challenging circumstances of this school year. Amidst these ongoing challenges, the middle school faculty remains committed to most effectively engaging, stimulating, challenging, and supporting each student with ongoing communication, collaboration, and enthusiasm. It is a pleasure and privilege for us to work with our students everyday, whether through distance learning or, now, through our blended learning model. We know how fortunate we are to steward our terrific middle school students’ educational experiences through middle school.
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Community of Diversity & Inclusivity (CODI) Corner Trisha Singletary, Coordinator of Diversity & Inclusivity/K-8 Art Happy 2021! It has been an eventful year. We are all doing our best to navigate as we go through various changes, such as: the implications of COVID as we face our one year anniversary of learning and working from home, as well as looking at systemic racism in our country. Learning to be ok with unpredictability seems to be a common theme. More than ever, communication and connectedness is so important in the ability for things to run smoothly and for each of our internal well-being. I am excited to share ways in which Wesley has continued to provide spaces for this to happen. Wesley Connections has provided an amazing way to connect with people during these challenging times. I am involved with the African American Group and the 50 Plus Group. I am grateful for the opportunity to share with people that understand my experiences. While we do tackle some of the challenges that we face, there are several moments of joy and laughter. The other thing that brings me great joy is seeing families from different grade levels having dialogue and learning from each other. The beauty of these types of groups is that you are reminded that you are not alone. Having that type of connection and support is golden. It is also fun. Current groups include: African American/Black Families, LGBTQ+ Families, Families with Learning Differences, 50 Plus Families, Single Parent Families, Latin X Families, Asian/Pacific Islander Families, and Only Child Families. If interested in learning more or creating a group that does not exist yet, reach out to the CODI chairs at codi@wesleyschool.org. The CODI Cooking Series began in December and has been going strong. Each month, members of our Wesley community have the opportunity to learn how to cook a dish from another culture by a Wesley family. In these times that can be isolating, it is fun to spend time cooking with others. So far, we have explored Mexican food, Jamaican cuisine, and an Indian meal with the following dishes and families: Thursday, December 17 at 6pm: Mexican Tamales (hosted by The Meyer Family) Thursday, January 28 at 6pm: Jamaican Stewed Peas (hosted by The Pinnock Family Thursday, February 25 at 6pm: Indian Tikka Masala (hosted by The Larson Family)
CODI Corner Cont. Please mark your calendars and join us for the next cooking events listed below. It is wonderful to tackle new dishes while hearing personal stories around heritage and culture. Check the website and Weekly for details soon. Thursday, March 25 at 6pm: Italian-Inspired (hosted by The Godi/Buckley Family) Tuesday, April 27 at 6:30pm: Asian/Pacific Islander-Inspired (hosted by The Lim Family) In the summer, the staff started having dialogues in safe spaces to discuss identity as it relates to race. It began with the White Fragility book talks. In February, we broke up into identity groups; BIPOC, white, and mixed groups. Staff members were given certain questions to promote reflection and to share personal stories from. I am so grateful that we are doing this. It is a vulnerable place to share one’s story, but it is necessary for our personal and professional growth.
In order to create a world we want to see, we have to get to the core of our individual and collective history, good or bad. It is part of our mission, as a school, to provide an education that is fueled by social justice work. When we do our own personal work we show up stronger for the people in our personal lives, community, and this world. I am truly grateful for my co-organizers Chris Thinnes and Olivia Brown, as well as the teachers that have provided facilitation for these important dialogues. S.E.E.D. Seminar is made up of a small group of teachers that meet for two hours once a month to discuss individual experiences as it relates to a systematic context. I co-facilitate this group with Olivia Brown. It is my pleasure to provide regular professional development. Through dialogue and conversation, we grow together, with the common desire to expand our knowledge on identity, diversity, and equity work. We read articles, watch short videos, create art projects, and most importantly, share our stories in a safe space.
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CODI Corner Cont.
Lastly, it is one of my goals to collect and share the great work teachers do with kids on subjects of diversity, equity, and inclusivity. As Black Lives Matter Week & Black History Month came around, I reached out to teachers to ask them to share anything they were doing on the subject, whether it was a book they were reading, a poem, a discussion they might have, etc. Here is a link: Black History Month Share 2021 to see some of the great things happening in the classroom. As we begin to enter spring, I think about the seeds we have planted and the buds of knowledge and solidarity that are growing and enhancing our experience as a community. I have nothing but appreciation and gratitude. If you have any questions feel free to reach out at codi@wesleyschool.org.
Join the CODI Committee The CODI Committee is a Board committee comprised of parents, teachers, staff, admin, student reps, and Board members. By being a part of our Wesley Community, you are automatically a member of CODI and are welcome to join the Committee officially by signing up HERE! The CODI Committee conducts surveys, helps market guest speaker events, participates in panel discussions, and hosts the annual Multicultural Potluck Dinner (date TBD, pending our circumstances). All are welcome!
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela
Student Council Spotlight Madisyn G., 8th Grade Student/Student Council President
Hello to all! I hope everyone is doing okay and staying safe, and I can't wait to see you guys soon on campus. As I think about my recent return to campus, I feel so grateful that I was able to see my friends and teachers since it had been so long since I was on campus. Shout out to everyone at Wesley who are helping us get back to some normalcy! Over here at student council, we've been working on a lot of exciting things. Here are some of our Student Council Ambassadors with a few messages:
Nikos B., Student Council Vice President: February's word of the month was "compassion," and we shared our thoughts about compassion on the kindness board. It is important that we share our ideas with each other on the kindness board because it makes a huge impact on our community. Our new theme of the month is "honesty," and it will be amazing to see what our classmates write on the kindness board about being honest. Since some of us are not on campus, we can't see all of the ways our community shows kindness, compassion and honesty. So please let us know how you are emulating these qualities by writing on our kindness board! Henry M., Relay for Life Ambassador: Hi there! I'd like to tell you about what we are doing in relay for life! Relay for Life is a communitybased fundraising event for the American Cancer Society and many other cancer related institutions, societies and associations. Each year, more than 5,000 Relay for Life events take place in over twenty countries. Every year Wesley goes to a park to meet with other teams and run around the track, donate money and play games. Since we can't do that this year, we are trying something different! Every Friday, Mrs. Mottaz and I will be hosting an "Among Us" Zoom room where kids of all grades can join and play Among Us! Be sure to click on the link to sign up!
Click HERE To Visit The Student Kindness Board
Click HERE to sign up for our Friday Relay for Life "Among Us" Events
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Student Council Spotlight Cont.
Henry R. and Olivia L., CODI Ambassadors: As ambassadors, we routinely attend the CODI meetings. At the last CODI meeting, we discussed how students could create more poems about their identities, so they can express themselves more freely and comfortably. CODI members would also like to continue talking about racial issues during community meetings. We talked about the Private School Village, which is an organization where people of color can learn about each other and talk about social issues. CODI, the PA and the Communications Office are currently doing a Zoom Cooking Series, where different Wesley parents host a night of cooking and cultural awareness. We hope you will join us in some of these wonderful CODI activities! Isabella T., Environmental Ambassador: At the April 23rd Student Council community we will share ideas promoting awareness of ways you can, and hopefully already are, helping the environment. While on distance learning we are saving a ton of paper. Paper pollutes the air and ruins forests and covers landfills. Next time you are making a grocery list, or any kind of list, type it on your phone! You can use the notes app or pages on most devices. There are some things people can do right now that absolutely make a difference. For example: turn off water while brushing your teeth; water plants with leftover water from a pet’s dish instead of pouring it down the sink; use the dishwasher instead of hand washing dishes if you have one; and take shorter showers. You get the idea! We will see you in community on April 23rd! We hope everyone had a wonderful winter, and we cannot wait to see you all back on campus very soon!
Parents' Association Update
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Jenny Hollier & Marissa Seeman, PA Co-Chairs
Happy Spring Wesley Families! Hello 2021! Despite our unique circumstances, and sometimes doubt that we could do it, we were able to make it through 2020 together. And now that we've emerged stronger, we are ready to take on this upcoming year! First of all, we want to thank the entire community for helping us come together over the last few months and partaking in the events the Parents’ Association was offering. As soon as January 1st hit, we were busy planning the next few months of fun activities for both parents and students. We are pleased to announce our partnership with CODI, the Community of Diversity and Inclusivity. In December, we kicked off our first ever CODI Cooking Series. This is a great opportunity for families to come together virtually, while learning to cook a meal from a fellow Wesley family. Check out the “CODI Corner” to get more details and see what events are coming up next in the Cooking Series. Couldn't get to the snow this year for your annual Presidents’ Day weekend getaway? Our first party book of the year hosted by 1st grade parent Mariah Leavitt (Kinsley), brought a snow day to the kids.
Grades K-2nd, could signup and join in an afternoon of Zoom fun filled with hot chocolate, snowman bingo, make your own snow globes, and of course...snow! We even had some younger siblings join in on the festivities. And we can’t forget about Valentine’s Day! Due to the ongoing circumstances of the pandemic, Valentine’s Day in the classrooms had to look a little different this year, but that didn’t stop us from celebrating. Grades K-3rd were asked to bring in valentine cards for each of their classmates and teachers. Administration collected and quarantined them. Then, the Friday before the big love day, the kids took home their individual bags and were able to look at all the unique cards their friends had chosen. We didn't forget about 4th-8th graders. Because they were not back on campus yet, we sent them digital Valentine’s Day card options. They each had a chance to select a card for their little buddies as well as their teachers. Then on February 14th, the cards were emailed out to the recipients. Love was definitely in the air as over 200 digital cards were sent!
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Parents' Association Update Cont. It’s showtime! Another successful party book, our first annual Wesley-Drive-In-Dinner-Fest took place on February 20th! Over 100 families in the Wesley community enjoyed a night out while watching some classic flicks under the stars. PA concession boxes as well as pre-ordered catered meals were offered. We want to give a special cinematic shoutout to our hosts that made this possible. Thank you to The Greenberg Family (Alexander - Kindergarten & Max - 5th Grade), The Carrasco-Saltzman Family (Rylen - 2nd), The Block/Larson Family (Crosby - 2nd Grade), The Reiter Family (Spencer - 2nd Grade), The Pollard Family (Jack - 2nd Grade), The Loeb/Hershkovitz Family (Emet - 2nd Grade), The Lindsay Family (Violet - Kindergarten & Gracie - 2nd Grade), , The Gershon Family (Owen - 3rd Grade & Luke - 5th Grade), The Kahn Family (Isaac - 3rd Grade), The Sison Family (Sophia - 3rd Grade), The Kirkpatrick Family (Katie Grace - 5th Grade), The Priestley Family (Dashiell - 5th Grade & Ava - 8th Grade), The Matthias Family (Mason - 6th Grade), and The Ventura Family (Chloe - 6th Grade). And a special host shout out to the The Balla/Casey Family (Lucas - 6th Grade), The Elliott Family (MJ - 5th Grade), The Guider/Saltzman Family (Coen -2nd Grade), The Lawton-Trask Family (Will - Kindergarten & Jane - 2nd Grade), The Mercer/Van Meter Family (Jackson - 2nd Grade), The Monahan-Sullivan Family (Cooper - 2nd Grade), and The Rogers Family (Paxton - 5th Grade), who were not only hosts, but volunteered their time day of, to help with parking cars and delivering concessions!
Getting Stronger!! Being on campus all together, may not be in the cards this year for our Jog-A-Thon, however, we have still found a way to be active and exercise together. On March 12th, we will kick off our Strong-A-Thon! This will be a week filled with different activities geared for everyone even our furry pet friends. Each day we will post on social media, a different challenge to get your body moving. And for all that hard work, we will have a celebration on the final day! At Community, we will do an activity together (think a massive dance party), and watch a slideshow of all the photos submitted over the last week. Proving, quite literally, that together (in person or not) we are Wesley Strong! Keep an eye out for our spring events coming up in a few months. We will be celebrating Earth Day all week long, Paint and Wine Party Book with Ms. Singletary, appreciating our teachers with special treats, and we can't forget about our annual school wide hit, Wesley Palooza! Stay tuned! Again, we couldn't pull off any of these events without the support of our community. So we thank you and look forward to what the memories of the next few months will bring!
Board of Trustees News
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Board Communications Group
With spring on its way, the Board of Trustees continues to be grateful to our faculty, administration, and staff for their continued effort, flexibility, and imagination with our children’s education and Wesley’s treasured traditions. Driving through drop-off in the morning was a ritual we may have once taken for granted. As many grades transition back to campus, morning drop-off has transformed into a homecoming: waving with jubilant hands at the faculty and staff awaiting us, smiling behind our masks, displaying the orange plastic card with our family names on it with gladness. In January, the Board of Trustees approved the budget that set the tuition for the upcoming school year. This is one of the primary responsibilities in our year, and we are grateful to the Finance Committee for their work to bring several budget models to the Board for consideration. Together we chose an option that reflects the complicated, challenging year we have all experienced, one we felt would give our returning families some relief. Thank you to those of you who wrote to us in appreciation and recognition of this gesture. During the last few weeks, Wesley’s Instagram stories have shown children running on campus, playing Simon Says, and having lessons back in their classrooms: all signs that everyday school life is slowly returning and we have reason to be hopeful! All of the Board Committees continue to meet via Zoom, staying connected and making plans for the remainder of this and the coming year. The Wesley School Board of Trustees wishes everyone continued good health, bolstered spirits, and a happy spring!
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Coach's Corner JoAnn Neil, Director of Athletics/Middle School PE
Has it really been nearly a year since we last practiced our spring sports in anticipation of facing rival schools in fierce competition, only to be shut down? Or has it been ten years? Five minutes? What is time? Each day is an enigma or a snowflake, hard to grasp, different from one hour to the next (or are they all exactly the same?). What am I trying to say? We started our “Season 2” of after-school conditioning and training, after several pandemic delays, on February 1, with Coach Freddy taking the basketball kids while I was out on the pitch with those who wanted to kick the soccer ball around. It was brilliant! Not a day rained out, and so students were free to run around with their grade-level classmates, learn some skills, and challenge themselves, while staying mostly apart, fully masked, and occasionally brushing up on conversation starters, rusty after so much time physically separated. No positive Covid cases, all fun, lots of exercise. I was giddy after every afternoon session. Now what? Los Angeles County is allowing for some youth sports competition outside, albeit with many protocols in place. Can we participate? We’re working on it. It depends on too many items to go into here but I am hopeful. Cases are down, people are getting vaccinated, and students are back in school, even if it’s just one day a week. Sports is the next logical step and what many of these kids need desperately. Whatever we figure out, it will continue to be by grade level and all of it will be friendly. No playoffs, no championship, just an opportunity to face a competitor across the court or field. I will keep everyone posted. In the meantime, continue to get your children outside for fresh air and Vitamin D. We are blessed with fine weather in Southern California and it’s our obligation to take advantage of it as best we can, especially now when we all need it most. Stay healthy. Go Lions!
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Development Office Update Dyllan Fernandez, Development Associate I’ve been back on campus full-time for over a week now. Before that, I could count on one hand the number of times I had visited campus in the past 11 months. Working from home was fine (and my cat appreciated it), but there was always something missing. Being back has actually been emotional for me—more so than I anticipated. I knew that seeing my coworkers’ faces again (well… most of their faces) would raise my spirits, but I wasn’t prepared for how good it would feel to see and hear joyful children on campus again. It affirmed for me why I work for a school. Further, it reinforced why I’m proud that my school is Wesley: the resources we raised from the community were put to use to ensure that the transition back was not only safe, but comfortable. Everywhere I turn, I see hand washing stations, easily delineated walking paths, plastic desk shields and plexiglass barriers in classrooms and offices, hand sanitizer dispensers and air purifiers in every room, and many other safety precautions large and small. I’ve also met a lot of new people on campus. Not just the adorable kindergarteners who were still a bit theoretical to me before finally seeing them in person, but also the four new campus aides Wesley hired to assist the teachers on campus and to ensure that those teachers who can’t yet return continue to teach seamlessly from the safety of their own homes. (A couple aides are actually Wesley alums!) And as a really nice thank you to those of us working on campus, Wesley is providing lunch from Harvest Moon twice a week. (It’s delicious.) Together, these and other efforts have made our return—and that of our joyful students—possible and safe. And it is quite directly due to the community’s support of the Wesley Annual Fund. This is precisely what a school’s Annual Fund is meant to do—providing funds for anything that goes above and beyond the program. It’s for faculty professional development, after school activities, art supplies, and, in this moment, adapting to a global pandemic. Seeing the Wesley community come together to support the Annual Fund warms my heart. Despite all that is going on, over half of our parents have given what they can so that we can continue to provide an outstanding Wesley education in these tough times. If you gave and are reading this, from the bottom of my heart—Thank You.
If you would like to contribute to the 2020-21 Annual Fund, please click HERE or mail a check to Annual Fund • The Wesley School • 4832 Tujunga Ave. • North Hollywood, CA 91601
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Admissions News: Enrollment Update Verena Denove, Associate Head of School/Director of Admissions & Financial Aid Thank you to all Wesley faculty, parents, and students for the incredible support you provided our Admissions team this year. Having to shift to an all virtual admissions process was certainly challenging, but with the support from so many of you, we were still able to communicate the sense of warmth and community that are hallmarks of our school. Prospective families have shared with us that at no other school have they been made to feel more welcome and more comfortable during what can be a very stressful time. We know for certain that this is because of all of you. You have volunteered to join us online for events, or to be available to prospective parents for a chat, or helped organize virtual visits, interviews, and assessments. It truly takes a village and we are so grateful that you are all part of our village. We have been blessed this year with a robust applicant pool, especially in those non-entrance grades - 1st through 5th. So many families have reached out to us and applied because their experience this year at their current school has caused them to reevaluate and reflect on what is important to them. Thus, for various reasons, they are each seeking something else for their children and have heard wonderful things about The Wesley School. We anticipate that we will have a wonderful group of new families joining us this fall and we owe it all to you! GO TEAM WESLEY!!
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Communications Office Update Sarah Francis, Communications Associate & Social Media Coordinator Over the last few weeks, the transition back to campus and hybrid learning has been a busy and exciting one! In the Communications Office, we have enjoyed photographing and celebrating each new return. We’ve made a point to share these special moments of togetherness with the entire Wesley community by posting them on our Instagram and Facebook accounts. In addition to highlighting these fun returns, we’ve launched a new “Guess Which Graduate?!” Campaign to honor each of our wonderful 2021 Wesley graduates. 8th graders submitted childhood and current photos of themselves and answered several questions, including where they see themselves in 10 years and what they will miss the most about Wesley. We have also featured student artwork, class accomplishments, guest speakers, and our latest CODI and PA events. In the coming weeks, we will be embarking on the Wesley Strong-A-Thon. Inspired by the annual Jog-A-Thon, this campaign will be a week-long celebration of health, wellness, and fitness in the Wesley Community. Be sure to upload your photos during the campaign so that we can feature you on our social media accounts! If you’re not already following us, type in @TheWesleySchool to find us! Additionally, in an effort to make connectivity even easier, we have an app! The Wesley School app will allow you to access and stay connected with everything going on at the school right from your phone. The app is linked directly to our website and on it you can find everything from the school’s google calendar to the latest news posts which appear on the homepage. In this virtual era of automation and streamlining, we encourage everyone to download the app for an additional layer of ease. You can find the app in both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by typing in The Wesley School. Thank you all for your past, present, and future participation on our social media platforms. Without you, there would be no connection, no laughs, and no smiles. We look forward to remaining socially active and can’t wait for what the new calendar year will bring! Go Lions!
Apple Users Find the App HERE!
Android Users Find the App HERE!
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Campus Kudos! It's definitely been an interesting year for us all. Let's find out what some members of our faculty/staff have been up to during this unusual time!
From Hannah Rodner: Ms. Hannah Rodner and her husband Andrew Swett are expecting their first child in mid-July. Their pig Norman, horse Oreo and dog George can't wait for their newest addition to join their family farm!
From Sarah Francis: Ms. Sarah Francis was thrilled to become an aunt for the very first time on February 10th, 2021! She is wildly in love with her newest family member, lovely Alice Elizabeth Flynn.
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Campus Kudos Cont. From Dyllan Fernandez: Noted nerd and craft-dabbler Mr. Dyllan Fernandez added resin casting to his crafting repertoire. He built a custom wood and resin game master screen for when he can eventually get back to playing Dungeons & Dragons in person again. If you want to see the build process, you can check out this album.
From Barbara Anderson: Ms. Barbara Anderson has completed a 6 week memoir writing class and loved it so much that she is continuing on with the next session. “Most of the writing I've done has been very technical in nature, from report writing to research papers. I have always wanted to try my hand at creative writing, and the memoir genre was something that intrigued me. It appears as though I will be reading some of my writing in a virtual storytelling show as well!”
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Campus Kudos Cont. From Lee Siwek: We all know Mrs. Lee Siwek is expecting her second child, but did you know that it’s just in a matter of weeks?! Please join us in wishing Mrs. Siwek well as she heads out on maternity leave, and excitedly awaits Baby Girl Siwek. We can’t wait to meet the newest addition, and see Mrs. Siwek back on campus in the fall!
From Georgiann Huff: Ms. Georgiann Huff's youngest child, Grant, was recently accepted to Emerson College on a scholarship. He will be playing for their lacrosse team in the fall! Please join us in congratulating Grant as he joins the Emerson Class of ‘25, as well as special kudos to his proud mama, Geo!
Alumni Corner
We are thrilled to welcome back two of our wonderful Wesley graduates as faculty members this year!
Quincy Eaton, Class of '12: Hey there! My name is Quincy Eaton and I’m the new campus aide for the 1st Grade! I’m a Wesley alum myself, all the way from the Class of 2012, and it has been so nice to be back in the Wesley community. Wesley has done so much for my family over the years, and it’s crazy to think my youngest sister, Mellow, will be graduating from 8th grade in June. The Wesley School was an exceptional experience for me, and I am so honored to have the chance to pay that tradition forward here in the 1st grade. 2, 4, 6, 8, 1st Grade is really great!!!
Alyssa Meyer, Class of '08: My name is Alyssa Meyer and I graduated from The Wesley School back in 2008. Since I left Wesley, I attended Immaculate Heart High School and went to college at DePaul University in Chicago. At DePaul, I received my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and my Masters Degree as a Reading Specialist. I am currently helping out the 2nd Grade classroom as one of Wesley's Campus Aides. It is so nice to be back at Wesley seeing new and familiar faces. I am excited to once again be a part of the Wesley community!
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Middle School STEAM Fair Showcase The distance learning set-up in middle school did not hinder our students' motivations from participating in the annual STEAM Fair this school year.This event is part of the long list of Wesley School traditions, where middle school students showcase the results of their weekslong challenge-based projects to their peers. The 6th graders completed their dream vacation projects, where they created a holiday itinerary trip overseas with a friend on a set budget. The students used Google My Maps to mark off important locations (i.e. hotels, restaurants, places to visit, etc), Google Sheets to create their expenditure data table and create charts to show how much money they spent on their trips, and Google Slides to create their trip presentations. The 7th graders created 3 dimensional models of a cell. The students used toothpicks, pieces of paper, pizza toppings, among others to demonstrate their understanding of the various organelles and structures which make up a plant or animal cell, together with their physiology.
The 8th graders completed their personal projects that include development of original works of art (i.e making paper stationery from recyclable paper, making tote bags out of newspapers, etc), investigative studies (i.e. effects of gaming to the brain, how does the average gen-z teen react without a phone, etc), scientific experiments (i.e. chemistry of baking), courses of study or learning engagements (i.e. how to lift a hockey puck off the ground, what affects the spin of the ball, etc), computer programmes, and many other forms of work. The students’ personal projects offered opportunities for differentiation of learning and expression according to students’ individual needs.
Winter Newsletter 2021
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