Meet Mr. Wenclewicz, a dedicated and passionate math teacher at Cathedral Catholic. Since joining the Dons in the 2016-17 school year, Mr. Wenclewicz has become an integral part of our school community. Originally from San Bernardino, he chose to teach at Cathedral because of his love for San Diego and the strong sense of community he felt within the school.
Mr. Wenclewicz explains, “Since I’ve started teaching here, I have always felt a part of the community. One of our mottos is ‘Once a Don, Always a Don,’ and while I’m not an alum of the school, I have been so grateful for the effort that colleagues, parents, and administrators have shown to help make me feel like I have a unique role to play here.”
As a child, Mr. Wenclewicz’s fascination with math sparked from his father. His father ingeniously incorporated sports into their math lessons. This early connection between numbers and sports ignited a lifelong passion for both topics, shaping his educational journey and ultimately leading him to become a math teacher.
Mr. Wenclewicz’s faith is a fundamental part of his life. He cultivates an environment in his classroom where conversations about faith are not merely encouraged but celebrated. This commitment to faith is rooted in his own high school experience at a Catholic school, where he found spiritual guidance and mentorship that profoundly impacted his life. Now he works to offer the same guidance he received to his students.
Mr. Wenclewicz states, “I always thought it would be cool if I could be a small part of someone else’s journey the way I had teachers and priests from my high school be a part of my journey that led me to Christ.”
Mr. Wenclewicz does not have a specific strategy for incorporating faith into his classroom; instead, he creates a welcoming space for students. His daily routine includes starting class with special intentions, reading the daily Gospel, and sharing a prayer connected to the Gospel from Laudate.
A unique aspect of Mr. Wenclewicz’s class structure is the incorporation of song reflections. By recognizing the power of connecting music with spirituality, he developed a new classroom tradition.
Every Monday, he adds a song by a Christian or Catholic artist to his Spotify playlist, and by Friday students have the option to write a few sentences reflecting on what they liked about the song—this could be the lyrics, rhythm, message, etc. This practice allows students to have the opportunity to deepen their faith. Mr. Wenclewicz shares, “While I was in high school, and still to this day, music is a great way for me to pray and feel connected to God.”
Mr. Wenclewicz draws personal inspiration from Christian artists, some standouts being Casting Crowns, Jeremy Camp, and MercyMe. These artists, along with the stories of resilience and faith from his students, serve as daily reminders of the beautiful truths found in scripture. The verses from John 16:33 and Romans 8:28 guide him through his journey. Both of these verses speak about how hardship and the devil will be obstacles in our journeys, but that God is more powerful. These stand as reminders to persevere and remain faithful to God.
Mr. Wenclewicz’s dedication to math education, his commitment to fostering faith-based discussions, and his creative incorporation of music make him a beloved and influential figure in our school community. His impact goes beyond equations and theorems, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of his students. We are blessed to have Mr. Wenclewicz as part of our Dons community.
