Meet the Roth Family

Our family’s journey at Wheaton Christian Grammar School began long before we first enrolled our oldest son, Noah, in Kindergarten in 2020. In 1973, Dr. David Roth, Jon’s father, became the Principal at Wheaton Christian Grammar School. Jon attended WCGS from 1989 to 1998 for kindergarten through 8th grade.

After Dr. Roth’s 20-year tenure at WCGS, he continued on as Headmaster at Wheaton Academy for another 20 years. Amongst the hundreds of families he interviewed throughout the years, there was only one Chicago Police Officer that he interviewed. Don and Maria Marquez, Alana’s parents, met with Dr. Roth and explained that they were willing to drive their children 60 minutes each way because of the value they placed on Christian education. As they talked, they had no idea that their children would strike up a friendship in high school that would culminate in a wedding ceremony 13 years later in that same building.

While we have a rich history at WCGS, we did not foresee the role it would play in our daily lives. In 2016, we had been living in Los Angeles for over a decade. Once we began having children, we started to wonder where they would attend school. We longed for the life-changing education we had experienced and ultimately decided to move back home to Illinois.

Since deciding to enroll our kids at WCGS, we have been impressed time and time again by the care our children receive from teachers and administrators alike. From administrators high-fiving our boys as they walk into the building, to teachers waving and smiling when they leave, we know that our children are lovingly cared for. On several occasions, our boys’ teachers have even attended park district games to show support and encouragement. After every parent-teacher meeting, we are reminded that our kids are truly seen and known by their teachers. We receive emails home highlighting moments when teachers noticed our kids making an insightful comment, a thoughtful gesture, or even a funny joke! We are consistently reminded that the teachers delight in our children and are pulling the best out of them.

At WCGS, our boys are accepted as they are. It’s in this environment that they can become the best and most authentic version of themselves. Teachers and administrators meet our kids’ needs with compassion, curiosity, grace, and guidance. The Grammar School really is a sacred place where our children are empowered to thrive, but also safe to struggle. Without exception, each teacher that our boys have had demonstrates Jesus’ hands and feet by integrating their faith into the education they provide. Of all the close friends our eldest son had throughout this past school year, the one he said he would miss the most was his homeroom teacher.

Over the years, we have had many opportunities to participate in various classroom activities. At those times, we have observed how our sons’ teachers expertly scaffold complex topics within a holistic framework nurturing them academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Our kids are learning to love learning and to bring all of themselves to that process. It’s so precious when our boys come home singing a worship song they heard in class or in chapel or ask us questions they have about their faith. Sometimes they are just excited to tell us about something they learned in science class. All throughout the day, their teachers are helping them navigate social interactions, preparing them to take on the next level.

When we first watched Noah walk through those WCGS doors in 2020, we could not have fully understood the depth and breadth of its impact on him and later our son Eli. However, we did know that Jon’s experience at WCGS was transformative and that our Christian values bound us together. So, we made the commitment to choose that for our children. From the incredible teachers, to the rich learning environment, to the vibrant friendships our boys have created, to the meaningful relationships that we have formed with other families, our experience has exceeded our expectations!