Wesleyan hosts division Parent Nights
Wesleyan recently welcomed lower school, middle school, and high school parents to campus for Parent Nights. Parent Nights serve as a time for parents to learn about how to get involved in the community, familiarize themselves with Wesleyan’s campus, meet their child’s teachers for the year, and hear directly from administrators.
At the lower school Parent Night, Lower School Principal Jason Erb welcomed lower school parents to Wesleyan and helped them get oriented with the campus and community. Erb also encouraged parents to get involved in organizations like the Wesleyan Arts Alliance and the Wesleyan Wolf Trackers.
At middle school Parent Night, Middle School Principal Joseph Antonio reminded parents that the single most important thing they can do for their child this year is to pray for them. He shared that his hope for each child is that when they finish eighth grade at Wesleyan, they will have encountered Jesus, learned to love one another and themselves, and embraced learning, thinking, and growing.
“We care more about who your child is than what they do,” shared Antonio.
At high school Parent Night, High School Principal Joseph Koch explained three goals he has in mind for all high school students going into the new school year: to build relationships, to challenge themselves, and to fully commit to the Wesleyan student experience.
“Kingdom work is relational and personal,” explained Koch. “We will be able to better empathize with those God places in our path if we take the time to get to know them, and that empathy allows us to see each other, our teachers, and parents as image bearers of God.”
Head of School Chris Cleveland implored parents to consider the questions, “what can we do to further the Christian mission of our school?” and “how can we make the Wesleyan experience better for our students and families?”
He explained that answering those questions led to Wesleyan’s current capital campaign, the Campaign for Students. In Phase I of the campaign, the school was able to complete multiple projects at the Hoyt Family Athletic Complex on the north end of campus. These projects included:
- A 13,000 square foot field house with four locker rooms for girls and boys, a concession stand, an athletic training room, a covered pavilion, and public restrooms
- Relocation of Agape Field and the creation of Wren Stadium for softball
- A dedicated stadium for boys and girls lacrosse
- A multi-use synthetic turf field for football, lacrosse, and soccer
- And 50 additional parking spaces
Cleveland thanked God for miraculously providing the financial resources for Wesleyan to complete these projects and introduced Phase II of the campaign, the Legacy Phase. The projects that will be completed in the Legacy Phase include a new, two-story, 42,000 square foot academic building that will house:
- Middle and high school STEM classrooms
- New, larger high school science labs and classrooms
- College advising
- Offices, student meeting spaces, and a prayer chapel
The new building will be located at the Warren Hall end of the quad, on the site of the former Agape Field.
The campaign also includes plans to expand DuBose Dining Hall, which serves middle and high school students. Originally designed to seat 400, the dining hall is the greatest need for increased space on campus. While expanding DuBose, much-needed renovations to both Wesley Hall and Cleghorn Hall will also be completed.
The timeline for the campaign depends largely on fundraising efforts. Ideally, Wesleyan hopes to break ground on the new academic building in May of 2023 and open the building in the fall of 2024. The estimated cost of the new building is $34 million. The summer of 2024 would see the expansion of DuBose Dining Hall and the start of the renovations to Wesley and Cleghorn Halls.
Mr. Cleveland explained to parents that there has been remarkable growth in Wesleyan’s STEM program over the last three to four years and that failure to build a new building soon could result in limiting the curricular growth and student enrollment in the STEM program. He also described that the hope to establish, develop, and grow a STEM program is rooted in the desire to further the Christian mission of Wesleyan.
“We want to raise up a generation of problem solvers who view the world through the lens of their Christian faith,” shared Cleveland. “When I consider the morally challenging issues related to technology and engineering, including artificial intelligence, privacy rights, robotic surgery, and end of life questions, I want the designers and decision makers who wrestle with those issues to be thinking through the ramifications of their choices from a biblical, Christ-centered perspective.”
Finally, Cleveland explained the two reasons why this phase in the campaign will be called the Legacy Phase.
First, he hopes to look back on Wesleyan’s history and acknowledge people who have made a significant difference in the life of our school.
The new academic building will be called Young Hall, in honor of Zach and Studie Young. Zach was Wesleyan’s headmaster from 1996-2014, and his leadership and vision led the way to creating the school we now enjoy.
The Fine Arts Building has never been named since it was completed in 2007. As a part of this campaign, the Fine Arts Building will now be known as Cole Hall in honor of Matt and Sharon Cole. Matt served in a variety of roles at Wesleyan, including as the director of development and later assistant head of school.
In front of the new Young Hall, there will be a large brick plaza like the plaza that sits in front of Wesley Hall. This will be named Binion Plaza in honor of Rob and Cathy Binion. Rob served as Wesleyan’s Board Chair for 20 years. His unyielding belief in Wesleyan’s Christian mission and his steady hand of leadership cannot be underestimated in the success story of Wesleyan.
Second, Cleveland explained that this phase of the campaign is an opportunity for the current generation of Wesleyan parents to create their own legacy.
As Zach Young was fond of saying, “We all enjoy the shade of trees we did not plant.” Cleveland recounted that earlier families paved the way for current families to enjoy the mission and vision of Wesleyan as they played a part in creating something truly remarkable.
Now, you have the chance to create a legacy for future generations of Wesleyan students and families. Please join us in praying for the Lord’s provision and guidance as we enter Phase II of the current capital campaign as a community.
If you are interested in making a gift, please contact Director of Development Chad McDaniel at cmcdaniel@wesleyanschool.org or by phone at 678-223-2134.
