Steve Clum Delivers 2019-2020 State of the School Address

During faculty and staff inservice for the 2019-2020 school year, WCGS’s Head of School, Mr. Steve Clum, delivered his annual State of the School address. This year’s address covered a variety of different topics including admissions and marketing efforts, survey results from graduates, financial updates, and a charge to our faculty and staff.

To begin his address, Mr. Clum thanked our summer office staff and maintenance team for their hard work to prepare our community, classrooms, building, and grounds for the new school year. He also thanked our teachers for their sacrificial work given in advance of the start of school. 

Jeff Brooke started his new role as Associate Head of School on July 8, 2019 and was officially introduced to our faculty and staff during this time as well. His role is to work with and be mentored by Mr. Clum as he prepares to take on the Head of School role in the future. As he learns, responsibilities will be handed off throughout the school year.

Mr. Clum continued with a time of reflection with some interactions he had with past parents throughout the summer. The parents discussed how transformative Wheaton Christian Grammar School had been in the life of not only their children but to them as parents. They remembered those who had come alongside their family and how grateful they were for them.

“He spoke about how intentional this person had been with him and how we as Christians need to be intentional in executing a plan to reach into the lives of those the Lord places in our circle of influence. I immediately thought of each of you. You do this so well. And as we begin a new school year, may I encourage you to be intentional about reaching into the lives of your students. It’s when we reach in and invest in others that the Lord can use us to impact kids for the Kingdom. Proverbs 3:27 says, ‘Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to act.'”

The faculty and staff were then urged to build “relational capital” with our students and parents, being intentional and taking the time to show them they matter. With the ever-changing culture, it is important for our students to know who they are in Christ. We are here to encourage them in this.

After this charge, Mr. Clum began to give updates on the work being done at WCGS, along with some survey results from our 2015 and 2019 graduating classes. Here’s a glimpse:

• We are launching a new marketing campaign this year with a goal to increase enrollment and fill classes.
• Survey results from the Class of 2015 (who graduated high school this year) were shared with our faculty and staff. You can read about the results here.
• Financially, we are encouraged by how the 2018-2019 fiscal year ended. We surpassed our $425,000 goal by $75,000! Praise be to God! Thank you to all who graciously gave.
• Enrollment is encouraging for the 2019-2020 school year. We have 53 new families and over 100 new students. We also added a third section of kindergarten this year. We are praising God for his provision.
• We are up for accreditation with ACSI/AdcancedED this year. The team will be on campus on April 19-22, 2020. We will also be receiving a visit from the Dupage County Regional Office of Education for our Nonpublic School Recognition with the Illinois State Board of Education. A team will be coming to campus this school year.

As we head into a new school year, please be in prayer for our faculty and staff as we work to provide a great, Christ-centered education while also nurturing the hearts of our students. Please pray for our enrollment efforts for next year and that the Lord will already start bringing in families who desire a Christian education for their children, as well as our financial needs for the 2019-2020 school year. We thank each and every one of you for your support and prayers. Let’s have a great school year!