Today we’d like to introduce you to The Wesley School.
Hi The Wesley School, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Wesley was founded in 1999 by a group of parents after the closing of St. Michael’s in Studio City. This unit of concerned families decided to move the school, and began by finding a home on the property of the First United Methodist Church in North Hollywood. The families weren’t quite sure what they had gotten themselves into, but after a lot of time, dedication, hard work, and pure belief that they could do it, The Wesley School was born. Its existence in our community is nothing short of a miracle.
Today, Wesley stands as a non-denominational, co-educational, K-8, independent, day school. We pride ourselves on our caring, welcoming, and diverse community, and our mission statement “Within a community of belonging, we nurture joyful, confident learners to think critically, creatively, and compassionately,” identifies who we are in just 16 words.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been smooth sailing as a good school is always becoming, however, we are in a wonderful place. Entering our 27th year as an institution, we recently developed our latest Strategic Plan. This plan represents the culmination of a two-year effort that was led by the Wesley Board of Trustees in collaboration with our Head of School and included substantial input from our faculty and staff, administration, parents, students, donors, and the community-at-large. The comprehensive process incorporated surveys, retreat discussions, market analysis, focus groups, and writing sessions that helped develop a shared understanding of our school today and design a roadmap for our collective future. The result is a fresh, focused new mission statement and the creation of five essential ‘Pawprints’ that will be implemented across the school in service to our students: Belonging; Academics & Curriculum; Faculty & Staff; Identity & Reputation; and Financial Stewardship. These areas haven’t necessarily been struggles, but definitely areas we need to cultivate, nurture, and watch grow and thrive.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At Wesley, we truly believe that the K-8 model is the best choice for children. It provides a safe space for children to come of age at an appropriate pace, and a place where they can avoid some of the social pressures found in a secondary school environment. As middle schoolers, our students have the opportunity to be mentors to their younger peers and to be the leaders on and around campus. The well rounded and exemplary academic program provides that come the end of 8th grade, our children are ready to take on the best independent high schools in the Los Angeles area. They are more mature and better-equipped to handle the rigors of their next educational chapters, thanks to the extra two years we give them to blossom and prepare. More and more research is being done proving the importance of this K-8 school environment for a child, and Wesley gives them a safe place to grow and develop while providing them the academic foundation to be very successful in the next step of their academic journey.
How do you define success?
We believe our community is successful and our program is more dynamic when we make diversity, equity, and inclusivity central commitments of our school. They enrich the lives of all our school constituents and deepen student learning — helping children to become more creative and collaborative problem-solvers, empathetic friends, engaged citizens, and productive contributors to a global society. At Wesley, one of the ways that we celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and multicultural awareness is through our morning Community gatherings. Twice a week, we come together as a whole school to build community, learn lessons, tackle difficult questions, and share experiences. Twice a week, we are connected. During this time in the mornings we celebrate all of our differences by sharing experiences and learning from one another.
Pricing:
- Lower School Tuition: $38,020
- Middle School Tuition: $42,470
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wesleyschool.org
- Instagram: @thewesleyschool
- Facebook: @thewesleyschool
Image Credits
David Haskell
