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For nearly 75 years Preston Hollow has resided at the intersection of Preston and Walnut Hill and the intersection of life and faith, offering those longing for a connection with God a pathway to deeper faith and belonging. It has been the Spirit's work through the people of God and the body of Christ the church. It's a holy privilege and incredible gift to continue in ministry from this corner. As we survey the horizon for our next seventy-five years in ministry our Strategic Projects team, in conjunction with the Session, have been looking to the future and examining the readiness of our physical campus for the ministry God continues to call us from this corner.
Please check here often for information on how we are facing the challenges of our aging infrastructure, updates on planning for an upcoming capital campaign, communications from the Strategic Projects Team and the Session and more!
Preston Hollow Presbyterian School (PHPS)
PHPS is a private, alternative school with current enrollment of 134 students in grades K-6 with a student-teacher ratio of 4 to 1. Tuition is $24,600 for the highest grade offered.
PHPS began in September 1963. Lillian Powell, a founding member of PHPC and a childhood psychologist, had the vision to start a school for children who learn differently in small classes in a nurturing environment. It was the first such school in Dallas. The inaugural class consisted of first graders and over the years PHPS was expanded to offer classes from kindergarten through 6th grade. PHPS has consistently worked with students who learn differently to enable their students to transition to traditional public or private school after their time at PHPS. PHPS and PHPPS are currently located on the campus of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church (PHPC) at the corner of Preston Road and Walnut Hill Lane (9800 Preston Road). PHPS and PHPPS currently occupy and utilize over 50,000 square feet of space on the north end of the PHPC campus. PHPS and PHPPS also utilize a gymnasium, playgrounds and a miniature soccer field on the north end of the PHPC campus.
PHPS was started by PHPC but became an independent nonprofit organization in 1995 and the current agreement between PHPC and PHPS began in 2018.
Preston Hollow Presbyterian Preschool (PHPPS)
PHPPS consists of a preschool for Young Toddler, Older Toddler and Young 2’s classes for children ages 12-29 months and a PreK with 2,3- and 5-day classes for children ages 2.5 – 4 years old. Tuition and fees for Young Toddler, Older Toddler and Young 2’s classes for children ages 12-29 months are $2,740 for 1-day and $5,080 for 2-day. Tuition and fees for children ages 2.5 – 4 years old are $4,865 for 2-day, $6,125 for 3-day and $8,015 for 5-day. A Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) extended day lunch program is available to all PreK children ages 2.5 -4 years as a separate registration. PHPPS classes typically run from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon.
PHPPS began in September 1953 by Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church (PHPC). The purpose and goal of PHPPS was to offer the community the best possible early childhood education with a Christian emphasis. PHPPS was started by PHPC but is now run by PHPS.
As many of you have experienced first-hand, “Operation South Campus” has been in full swing since early July, when our Pastors and staff began the herculean task of relocating all church activities to the south end of campus. From the new nursery in what was formerly the Pastor’s study, to a reimagined Contemporary service in the Sanctuary, to new spaces and places for children, youth and adults to meet and learn, the plan was conceived and executed with an unmatched spirit of creativity and grace. Thank you to all who worked so hard to make a difficult transition look easy!
On two Sundays this month, the 18th and 25th, tour guides will be providing a first look at the new campus layout and new locations for Sunday School classes and other gatherings. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to find where you belong!
July was notable as well for some not-so-positive building news…We continue to be impacted by failures in our infrastructure. The cast iron sewer lines in the south building collapsed requiring an extensive clean-up and replacement with more durable PVC piping. Concurrent with this, we discovered that the grease trap and lines serving the south kitchen also needed replacement and updating. The sewer lines were remediated in July and the grease trap work looks to be completed this week.
Behind the scenes, our fundraising consultants, CCS, have been hard at work reviewing our financial data and gathering input to prepare a proposed capital campaign. A Congregation-wide survey will go out the week of August 12th, accompanied by a five-page overview of our most pressing funding needs and opportunities for reimagining our north campus in ways that will engage and inspire generations to come. Please take the time to thoughtfully complete the survey and make your voice count! A final report from CCS which includes a campaign roadmap identifying proposed next steps and a timetable uniquely tailored to PHPC will be delivered in September. More than a summary of findings, the report is built to serve as an actionable blueprint for moving into active planning and implementation.
And of course, August always brings the beginning of school for both Preston Hollow Presbyterian School and Pre-School. Teachers are already at work readying their classrooms in the north campus, which will be their home for the 2024-25 school year. As we have previously reported, the Session and Special Projects Team made the decision to separate the two ends of campus, which will lessen the load on the north end’s aging infrastructure. The School will maintain the spaces, and provide any necessary repairs that may arise. When the school year concludes next July 1, the north campus will be dormant pending the work needed to fulfill our vision for its future.
As always, please reach out to any of us individually or collectively via feedback@phpc.org. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
The Special Projects Team
