In this unique model of education, the role of the Family Ministry component of the school community is essential. The purpose of this Ministry is:

• To keep parents and teachers confident, competent, encouraged, and informed for optimum success in their co-teaching roles;
• To build adult relationships and practice authentic Christian community at each grade level;
• To promote a life-giving, positive, joyful, school-wide spiritual climate of freedom in Christ where character development, the pursuit of virtue, spiritual formation, and compassionate service are the distinguishing marks.

Here at Wylie Preparatory Academy, we are building PATRIOTS for Christ. Our Family Ministry programming seeks to recognize the chief end of man – “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever” (1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 11:36). By raising up Men of Valor and Women of Virtue, we are impressing upon our students a desire to become servant leaders and disciples of Christ that are missional by nature.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

Wylie Prep endeavors to train and encourage both the young and mature to worship their Lord and Savior by living in greater and more effective obedience to Him. We worship God in spirit and in truth. Because of what is true, we urge one another then to “walk in a manner worthy of your calling” (Ephesians 4:1-3). By the encouragement of the Scriptures we then train to live out God’s word in God’s world. This includes imitating God in service, creativity, and morality (Ephesians 5:1-2)

We are working to build a school culture that emphasizes worship, encouragement, and training so our students will be ready to answer the call God has placed on their life. We call this being “Wylie Prepped”.

Because of the unique challenges of the UMS model, an active, relevant family education program is not only necessary but essential for all of us to succeed in the difficult task of co-partnering for our students’ moral, spiritual and academic education.

Moreover, to keep parents “confident, competent, encouraged and informed” in their roles as co-partners, the school provides a number of opportunities for training, encouragement, problem-solving, and education. All University Model® schools are expected to create and run relevant and timely family education programs.

To that end, we require all co-teachers to attend “Partners’ Week” (the week before the start of school) as well as a Town Hall Meeting each spring. These help us begin our school year on the same trajectory overall and keep us focused on our goals throughout the year. Coming together on a regular basis is crucial to the success of our mission as a school.

We also offer other times of resource and connection through our Patriot Dads and Moms Coffee programming that are topic/grade level specific.

Our parents need to be able to sharpen one another, and to encourage one another. Our sons and daughters are desperately in need of other dads and moms with various degrees of expertise and wisdom to speak into their lives.  That is why an active dads’ community is also a necessity on campus as well as a mentoring moms group.  Without it, a vital piece of the heart of our school is missing.

Our community of dads is called Patriot Dads. This group exists for three specific purposes: to present opportunities for dads and their children to have fun together; to bring dads into fellowship with one another for encouragement and occasional training; and to involve dads in all aspects of our school community life through special projects and fundraisers.

Moms Coffees have a “Titus 2” structure where seasoned moms pour into moms in a different season of life. This Biblical approach fosters mentoring relationships and encourages moms throughout the transitions in their own lives and the lives of their children to “love their husband, love their children, and build their home”.

Our Student Ministry programs are designed to perpetuate the celebration of the goodness of God, the growth of virtue, the increase of wisdom in God’s Word, and the passion that God has given us through his Spirit. Family Ministry’s “Wylie Prepped” programming invites students to begin to make their faith their own initially through chapel experiences in Lower School but then progresses into in-depth Bible Study and the pursuit of spiritual disciplines as they continue to grow in their faith as an Upper School student.

Upper School students are also given the opportunity to participate in annual weekend retreats, grade/gender-specific Bible Studies as well as leadership and mentoring opportunities. By working alongside other departments at Wylie Prep, Student Ministry is able to provide options of leading corporate chapel time, worship nights, and “spiritual ambassador” training for our House Leadership Team.