Middle School at Wheeler
A lot changes for students while they are “in the middle” of childhood and adolescence.
During that time, Wheeler helps each student build academic skill sets and curiosity to create a foundation for high school.
Parallel to academics, we understand adolescents want answers to their questions about themselves, the world and their place in it. And in ways that are safe for risk-taking and growth.
Our Goal
Success in the twin pursuits of academic and individual growth during the Middle School years (Grades 6-8) comes down to students expressing their curiosity, asking great questions, and then figuring out the ways to find the answers. These keys to success for adolescents are also the keys to preparation for high school and for lifelong learning; they may not realize it yet! Wheeler also recognizes that—in our rapidly changing times—the definition of a “classroom” is evolving. Today’s classrooms are now centers of collaboration, design, imagination, and production.
Our Faculty
The organization and temperament of our Middle School faculty ensure that we get to know our students. Advisors meet with their student groups daily and often more than once a day. Because much of each school day is spent with students in class, advisor periods, field trips, lunch, recess and at times on athletic teams, Wheeler teachers learn much about your student’s individual, social, and academic life. Advisors are organized into grade-level faculty teams and meet weekly to discuss, among other things, the academic as well as the social-emotional progress of your child.
Our Curriculum
Besides getting to know their students well, teachers also design rich, innovative curricula and programs in the humanities, STEM, and arts to tap into a student’s natural curiosity, need to learn something relevant and the desire to direct her/his/their own learning. A Wheeler Middle School classroom is often productively noisy as students wrestle with a problem or design a solution. Sometimes we employ technology; other times we don’t. Sometimes we read contemporary authors; other times the classics. And, sometimes the classroom is a theater like Trinity Rep or a multi-dimensional Providence neighborhood through Cityside for 8th Grade, the Wheeler Farm, a gallery on our own campus or at the Rhode Island School of Design, or science labs either at Brown University or our own Hirsch/Alperin Design-Innovate-Build Lab. Combined with the vigorous foundation of habits of mind and heart that we foster in our daily classroom instruction, each student moves on to Upper School with an intellectual foundation for upper-level scholarship, adventures, and achievements.
To You, The Student
At Wheeler’s Middle School, we understand that you make many decisions as you progress from leaving elementary school to preparing for high school in a few short years. Our teachers help you take risks, fail (i.e., try again), and succeed in building a strong academic foundation while fostering your social and emotional growth. You are asking questions of yourself, friends, family, and the world at this time in your life. We are here to help you learn how to find the answers by finding your own strengths and styles of learning. It is somewhat cliche to talk about “finding your voice” at this stage in one’s life, but at Wheeler, we believe that it is by building confidence, empathy, resilience, and friendship that your voice can be heard.
Contact Head of Middle School Vanessa O’Driscoll
Middle School Administration
See Our Stories
We’re joining longtime PE teacher, Coach Eric Stein, for this post to remember a furry and fast-moving face that was familiar to many of us who frequented the farm: Coach Stein’s beloved dog, Knox. Sadly, Knox recently passed away.
“He had a tremendous life, and Wheeler was a daily part of it from his time as a puppy and through the majority of his 14 ½-year-life,” Coach Stein shares. “The first nine years together, he was a staple at the farm with me in the afternoons and early evenings, running and fetching the ball in between practices and games, as he put on a show of incredible agility, speed, and athleticism.
“He was always a resilient little man, and even though he lost his sight to retinal atrophy and cataracts, he still had his personality shining through and he was able to maintain a quality of life until recently. We didn’t get to spend much time together out at the farm after 2021.
“I just wanted to share this story with all of you because he not only touched my life, but there are Wheeler faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, and bus drivers that remember him fondly and have stories of the little dog that would run for hours and smile all the time!”
Thank you, Coach Stein, for making us all smile with these warm memories of Knox.
Jun 24
Summer at Wheeler is in full swing ☀️. While @wheelersummercamp and Summer at @thehamiltonschool are returning favorites, the brand new Aerie Summer – an extension of our longstanding and legendary Aerie Enrichment Program – is entering the second week of its first summer session.
To get a glimpse of Aerie in action, we stopped by a few of the classes taking place on our Providence campus. Students designed original video games in 3D Animation & Game Design with Extended Reality Coordinator and Immersive Tech Teacher Travis Dumais, explored Coordinate Geometry with Middle School Math Teacher Linda Leonard P’18, and strengthened their storytelling through Creative Writing and Photography with Middle School English Teacher Britt Page P’25, P’27.
While every classroom had its own energy, one moment perfectly captured what makes Aerie so special. Program Coordinator Trevor O`Driscoll P’27, P’29 walked into the final 20 minutes of the 3D Animation & Game Design class and found several Upper School students gathered around a 7th-grader`s original computer game, enthusiastically testing it.
"It was a marvel to watch them all interact and speak the same language as they praised and critiqued the Middle Schooler`s work," remarked Mr. O`Driscoll. "Tiny class sizes led by expert teachers where going deeper is limited only by a student`s imagination. It`s got all the hallmarks of a Wheeler Aerie program."
A limited number of seats are still available for Aerie`s August 17 session. Follow the link in our bio to learn more! 🚀https://wheelersummercamp.com/camps/an-aerie-summer/
We’ll be back in the coming weeks with more stories from our various summer programs, as participants explore their curiosity, make new friends, and have fun on both of our campuses, inside and out!
Jun 23
Wheeler’s offices and campuses are closed today in recognition of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
As the National Museum of African American History and Culture explains, “Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as ‘Juneteenth,’ by the newly freed people in Texas.”
We join in this celebration of freedom.
Jun 19
For four days, 8th-graders explored Québec City, discovering the stories behind one of North America`s oldest cities while creating plenty of memories of their own. From cobblestone streets and historic landmarks to time spent along the St. Lawrence River and views from atop Montmorency Falls, students experienced the region through a blend of guided exploration, cultural learning, and shared moments. 🇨🇦
A guided walking tour brought students through Old Québec, where they connected the places around them to the events and people that shaped the city`s history. Stops at landmarks such as the Parliament Building and the artillery tower invited them to imagine life in an earlier era, including a hands-on moment practicing what it might have felt like to be a British soldier preparing a musket.
A visit to Wendake offered students the opportunity to learn directly about the history, culture, and traditions of the Huron-Wendat Nation. As the 8th-graders explored exhibits and demonstrations about canoe building, snowshoes, and daily life, they asked thoughtful questions and engaged deeply with the experience.
Beyond Old Québec, students climbed more than 400 steps to the top of Montmorency Falls, crossed the St. Lawrence River by ferry, and visited Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica. A visit to a traditional Québec sugar shack brought another dimension of local culture, where students shared a meal, listened to live music, and joined in the dancing.🎶
Some of the most memorable moments unfolded in between scheduled activities: exploring the Old City with friends, taking on a scavenger hunt through the Lower Town, sharing meals together, and making the best of a little rain along the way. Whether navigating historic streets, sampling local favorites like poutine and beavertails, or simply spending time together, students embraced every part of the visit.
As the trip came to a close with breakfast at the iconic Château Frontenac and one final opportunity to explore the city, our Middle Schoolers returned home with a deeper understanding of Québec`s history and culture, stronger connections with their classmates, and plenty of stories to share.🗺️💫
Jun 18
