Bethany Baker’s eyes light up when she talks about the new space for the Robert M. Walton ’41 Center for Learning, which opened in
late November on the first floor of the newly renovated south wing of the Main Classroom Building. “You can tell the boys already have their favorite spots. When I arrive in the morning, I know that certain students will be there ready to start their day,” says Baker. She is the Walton Center’s School Psychologist and Coordinator of Special Education.
The mission of the
Walton Center is to support students with a wide range of intellectual, emotional, psychological, social, and socioeconomic needs that impact their learning. The goal is for all students to achieve academic success.
Baker speaks passionately about the center’s new space and how it was thoughtfully designed to support students who struggle with school. Young men can find a spot to study that fits their needs. Some kids work at high-top tables because they prefer to stand, and others at cozy spots with fewer distractions. The booth seating, flexible furniture, and spaces were designed to support students with their focus. The boys now have options and finding an area to study is no longer something they need to worry about. Baker adds the students have that agency and are discovering more about themselves as learners and what works best for them.
The Walton Center also has quiet space for tutoring sessions. Students are fortunate to have a few beloved retired Saint Ignatius teachers as their tutors, including Brian Becker ’77, John Cooney ’67, and Ed Nolan Hon. ’19, in addition to longtime tutor Dolores Bielecki. The students enjoy the familiar faces and the retirees like coming back to campus.
One of the goals of
Vision ’30 was to move the Walton Center, School, and College Counseling to more prominent places within the Main Building to reinforce a culture of
cura personalis for all students. “
Cura personalis - that’s what we do here in the Walton Center,” says Baker. “The whole school does it, but that’s what the Walton Center leads with; every student that walks in-–what is your story and what do you need? We will get you there,” she says emphatically.
“Our school’s commitment to cura personalis—the care for the whole person—is what truly sets us apart. This new space not only honors the incredible work our counseling and intervention teams have done for decades but also elevates it. Its beauty and light serve as outward signs of our deep respect and love for each student. I’m proud of this transformation and inspired by the meaningful work that will continue to flourish here, supporting and embodying the values at the heart of our Jesuit tradition,” says Emily Samek, Assistant Principal for Student Support Services.
The central location of the renovated area has also given Walton Center staff proximity, and familiarity, with the students and access to their counterparts in the Counseling Departments.
Director of School Counseling Mike Strauss ’87 wholeheartedly agrees. He says the new location's proximity to students signifies the school administration's commitment to prioritizing mental health and student support, which are essential to the school's mission. Before the move, his department was in the basement of the Main Building and, at one point, in a trailer. The new location on the second floor is right above the Walton Center.
Strauss says there has been an increase in student traffic and the boys can now sit outside the counselors’ offices to study, which allows the counselors to build informal relationships with the students. He continues that the kids love the new space, the office space feels warm and welcoming - they also have the study space outside the office and the small group rooms, and the kids like to go into those rooms to work on projects and do group studying.
Just around the corner from School Counseling are the new College Counseling offices. The closeness enables the teams to work hand in hand, combining some of their efforts. Typically college counselors don’t work with students until junior year, but now they are getting familiar with students earlier in their high school career because they are seeing them informally.
Jennifer Holz, Director of College Counseling, echoes the positive comments “The students love the space,” she says emphatically. Holz, who recently took over when Linda Gabor Hon. ’19 retired in December, says that students now drop in because they see the counselors as they walk by. With accessible common areas, students hang out during their free period/activities period. She adds that now when a College Now or college rep comes to campus, there is dedicated space for them to work with students. Similar to School Counseling, the college counselors were also located in the basement. Holz loves how accessible the counselors are to students, and that they are steps away from the classrooms.
Holz shares Strauss’ observation that the new location sends the message that counseling is an important part of the student’s high school environment—they aren’t tucked away; they are right in the heart of the school, underscoring their significance in the overall student experience.
The Center for Ignatian Pedagogy, under the leadership of Dr. Terra Caputo, is also relishing in the new space on the second floor. According to Caputo “Living in this new space has made the program feel like more of a concrete reality. It has been difficult to explain the Center for Ignatian Pedagogy and what that means. But now that you can visit the space and see the researchers actively working and generating, it becomes more tangible. It has also helped me appreciate how much we have accomplished in the two short years we have been working without a space. We have created such a strong program and team that we have naturally and immediately filled the new space with activity and energy.”
Caputo describes the new space with pride stating there is a robust classroom, with collaborative workspaces, technology, and significant whiteboard space for vertical classroom activities; a lively common space that is bursting at the seams daily with students; a workroom set up as a high-quality conference room; and her office, which is tucked away and quiet enough for focused research work.
“We see you. We care about you. We want you to flourish,” says Dr. Anthony Fior ’02. That is the message to students and the commitment from the school. By integrating our counseling teams and providing a vibrant and beautiful space for student support services and our library, excellence in teaching and learning and care for all students are literally in the heart of our campus.
The newly renovated spaces are a testament to the school’s commitment to fostering a supportive and enriching educational environment for all students. With thoughtfully designed spaces that cater to individual learning preferences, as well as enhanced collaboration among counseling departments, the space promotes a culture of cura personalis. This approach ensures that each student’s unique story and needs are acknowledged and addressed, empowering them to reach their fullest potential. As echoed by the staff, the positive impact of this central location is already evident through increased student engagement and accessibility, marking a significant step forward in prioritizing mental health and academic success within the community. The revitalized south wing of the Main Building is not just a physical space but a vibrant hub of support that nurtures the holistic development of every young man who walks through its doors.
This story was originally published in the Winter issue of the Saint Ignatius magazine; to read the full issue click
here.