Dear Friends,
In a letter sent March 15, we promised to continue updating you on the efforts of the Session and Strategic Projects Team to tackle challenges created by our aging campus facilities and equipment.
Thank you to those of you who sent thoughts and questions to our feedback@phpc.org email address. Please keep them coming, as your input is helpful with these continuing efforts! Many of your questions concerned the costs quoted for remediating the failing equipment on both ends of campus. We are working on a Q&A sheet that will be available on the church’s website, and will address this topic and others. Please watch for that in the weeks to come.
A joint meeting between the Session and leaders of Preston Hollow Presbyterian School and Preschool was held in late February to ensure a common understanding of the challenges ahead. Following that meeting, letters were sent by the leadership of both the school and preschool to their respective communities. In addition to announcing the formation of a search committee to explore potential new sites, school leaders stated their intent to return to our campus for the 2024-25 school year. This letter from the Session and Strategic Projects Team (SPT) was sent to school leaders thereafter to update them on our plans.
The church has committed to covering costs arising between now and the end of June 2024 when the schools’ classes and camps end. We have advised the schools that they may bear responsibility for emergency repairs and/or workaround costs during the next school year.
The Session and SPT also made clear that we are inviting both schools to return to our campus once repairs, remediation and/or rebuilding efforts conclude. Many of us, especially long-time members of our
Congregation, have strong ties to and affection for these schools, which have been with us for the last 70 years! We have asked for a response to that invitation by June 1st. If affirmative, we will invite school leaders and parents to be part of our visioning process and help with an impending capital campaign. We therefore made the decision to pause efforts to create permanent fixes on the north side (school side) of campus while all options are explored.
To that end, we have exciting news to share regarding the future of our facilities. We will soon be announcing the retention of fundraising counsel to help us chart the path forward. Watch for an announcement soon!
Thank you for your patience as we seek solutions to challenges that are many years in the making. This corner of Preston Road and Walnut Hill Lane is sacred ground to all of us and it will require our commitment to “risk something big for something good.” We ask for God’s guidance and blessings as we plot the path to our next 75 years!
The PHPC Session and Strategic Projects Team
