About The Wheeler School
An uncommon education in a joyful environment: Providence, Rhode Island’s distinguished coed Nursery through 12th Grade independent school.
Take a Virtual 360 Tour of our two campuses
The Wheeler School was founded in 1889 by Mary Colman Wheeler, an artist and educator who wanted to create an educational environment grounded in students’ curiosity, academic excellence, and hands-on experience, where students would learn their powers and become answerable for their use.
Miss Wheeler’s vibrant vision of what education should look and feel like remains at the core of our approach today. We give each student the opportunity to learn by doing and collaborating, to explore new interests and grow in their passions, to build their self-awareness and confidence through leadership and service, and to develop the critical thinking and skills they need to be thoughtful, engaged, and contributing citizens of the world.
With that commitment in mind, and with great respect, we acknowledge that the land on which Wheeler stands was originally inhabited and stewarded by the Narragansett (Providence campus) and Wampanoag (Seekonk campus) peoples. We honor the Indigenous communities of this land–past, present, and future–and in doing so, we are reminded of the ongoing work to achieve awareness, justice, and unity.
An Overview of The Wheeler School from Wheeler School Broadcasting on Vimeo.
Our Head of School
Wheeler’s eighth Head of School, Allison Gaines Pell, joined the Wheeler community in 2017.
Gaines Pell attended Brown University where she graduated cum laude with a BA in English and American Literature in 1996. She also has a Masters from Harvard University in School Leadership and Development. Most notably among her professional accomplishments, Gaines Pell was the 2005 founder and founding Principal of “Arts & Letters,” a diverse and student-centered public school in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Prior to coming to Wheeler, Gaines Pell led the Blue School in Manhattan, a Pre-K through Eighth Grade school founded in 2006. She and her husband, Ben, and children, Miles and Hannah, live on the campus in Baker House.
Follow her on Instagram @agpatwheeler and on Twitter @againespell
Our Motto: The Spirit Giveth Life
