Hamilton School At Wheeler

It’s been a very happy day at the Hamilton School at Wheeler, because Henry Winkler, best known for playing the iconic character, Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on television’s “Happy Days,” was here!

“Many of us know and love Henry for his remarkable career as an actor, producer, director, and author, but his story is about so much more than fame or success,” said Head of the Hamilton School Bill McCarthy as he introduced Mr. Winkler to the Hamilton community, alongside student Paul G. ’35. “It is a story about resilience, courage, and the power of believing in yourself – even when the world doesn’t always see your potential.”

It’s hard to believe that Mr. Winkler, who proceeded to enthusiastically share his story with the Hamilton community members gathered in Isenberg Auditorium, would have ever been doubted. But he was, by teachers and his own parents alike, because of his dyslexia.

“You have greatness inside of you,” he said, looking directly at the crowd of Hamilton students. “I know because I am you.”

It was an inspiring story, and while sharing it this morning, Mr. Winkler talked about how his experiences with dyslexia also inspired him to co-author children’s books that feature Hank Zipzer, a protagonist who has learning differences. Remarkably, Mr. Winkler published the 41st book in the series earlier this week.

After this morning’s assembly, he read an excerpt from one of those books to Hamilton 4th-graders back in their classroom.

Whether it’s writing, acting, or something else entirely, “Show up, and you can do it,” Mr. Winkler said during his visit. “Whatever you decide to do, do it from the heart. Do everything you want with your own power.”

“Your job,” he told the students, “is to figure out what that greatness is, and give it to the world. Because we need it.”

Thank you, @hwinkler4real

Upper School students in Spanish 1, Spanish 2 Honors, and Spanish 4 recently brought the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) celebration into the FAB Commons and Morgan Hall foyer, where they created ofrendas (altars). Traditionally celebrated in México, Central America, and parts of the United States, this holiday, which took place earlier in the week, is a time to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away.

To create their ofrendas, students were asked to bring a framed photo of a loved one or pet who had passed away, a personal object representing something their loved one or pet enjoyed, and battery-operated candles.

“Día de los Muertos was a new concept to many students. It was good to dive into its history and discuss its significance,” shared Upper School Spanish Teacher Nataly Castro-Dubon P’27. “This was an opportunity for them to honor ancestors they never met in person, learning details about them through relatives, and learn a piece of their history. These personal touches helped make each of the ofrendas a meaningful tribute.” 💝

This is a very special self-portrait story.

Earlier today, Ms. T.’s 1st-grade class welcomed artist Barbara Curtis GP’36, GP’38 into their classroom for a lesson on how to draw a great subject – themselves!

Not only is Ms. Curtis a talented visual artist (she is the designer behind Wheeler’s school year wall calendar), but she’s also the grandparent of one of Ms. T.’s 1st-graders, Josie ’38!

After showing the students a beautiful portrait she had painted of Josie, Ms. Curtis invited everyone to sit at their desks, and, step-by-step, she guided them through creating their own personal portraits.

“I have a little method that I’m going to teach them, and it’s very simple,” Ms. Curtis told us before the lesson began. “There are little tricks that will help them make their self portrait, like instead of having the eyes go across the forehead, the eyes go in the middle of the head. That will help them make portraits that look authentic, rather than cartoonish.”

Beyond her enthusiam for the creative process, Ms. Curtis said she was also very excited to be in the classroom because Josie had recently told her that she wants to be an artist when she grows up. “I don’t know if that’ll happen or not, but the fact she’s interested in it, and that I can, in any way, influence any budding artists in her class is a real privilege and an honor for me.

“I’ve watched a lot of the art that goes on in Wheeler, and it’s outstanding – even better than I can do,” she added. “To be part of that makes me very pleased.”

In 6th-Grade Global Studies, Teacher Dana Tatlock P’20, P’24 often brings timely issues into the classroom, giving students an opportunity to explore topics that are happening, right now, in the world around them. 💬

“The topic of data centers has been big in the news recently, and it was a good opportunity to engage the 6th-graders around a complicated issue that relates directly to their state and their own lives,” said Ms. Tatlock.

Yesterday, students read an article about data centers together. For homework 📝, they were asked to write a paragraph, addressed to Rhode Island Governor-Elect Helena Foulkes, on whether data centers should be banned in the state. Today, they brought their arguments back to the classroom and shared their perspectives during a class discussion. “They were so thoughtful and engaged!” Ms. Tatlock noted afterward.