Upper School at Wheeler
Students in Wheeler’s Upper School of Grades 9-12 embrace academic challenges, take risks, work hard and find joy while doing all of the above! Our students are high achievers who know how to collaborate. They are confident public speakers who are also good listeners. They know relationships matter while they are finding their own voice. Each is prepared to take the next steps to college and life.
Our Philosophy
It is our belief that giving students (that’s you!) the opportunities to take risks, embrace challenges, and find great joy in the learning process is as important as what each student learns. We hope that you, with the support of teachers who are experts in their fields, will not only graduate with a strong foundation of skills for college but that you will develop interests that will sustain you throughout your life. You can take a traditional path through a rigorous curriculum that is expansive and inspired. You can also take a road less traveled through our Design Shop seminars and follow a studio approach to learning with project teams and critiques that mirror the world of innovative design thinking.
Our Program
The Wheeler Upper School is academically rigorous, artistically rich and athletically competitive. Curricular disciplines are not so much crossed as melded — 11th graders in a short story elective create a three-part fictional podcast in Wheeler’s Digital Production Studio, for example. An intentional curriculum focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion, health and wellness, metacognition and social-emotional learning. We build the ‘muscles’ of empathy and resilience. We share, listen and laugh together. We disagree with respect and we learn with purpose.
Our Co-Curriculum
Upper School students participate in a variety of co-curricular experiences. Through Wheeler’s signature Aerie Approach, we connect students with passionate interests (from quantum physics to learning Turkish) with academic mentors from the surrounding colleges and the Providence community. Community Service Learning (CSL) is an important part of the Upper School experience at Wheeler and a graduation requirement. The program is designed to broaden horizons, foster individual responsibility, and strengthen leadership skills through a commitment to service. Through structured reflection, students assess the impact of their service on the organization, the community it serves, and themselves. Opportunities exist to assume leadership roles as members of clubs, class officers, and participants on one of our many academic and athletic teams.
Contact Neeltje Henneman (neeltjehenneman@wheelerschool.org), Upper School Head, for more information.
Upper School Administration
See Our Stories
Sixth-grade scientists rolled up their sleeves to explore ecosystems and biodiversity with Middle School Science Teacher Jamarya Jackson. After learning about the critical role native plants play in supporting local wildlife and strengthening ecosystems, the students recently created their own native wildflower seed bursts. 🌿🌼🌸
“These seed bursts can be planted — or tossed! — in spaces that could use a little ecological boost,” shared Ms. Jackson. “They were made with recycled paper pulp, compost donated by Mr. [Zach] Edson, and Black-eyed Susan seeds. This project is a great example of how small actions can have a big impact and a wonderful way to celebrate Earth Day.” 🌱✨ #biodiversity #EarthDay #EarthWeek
Apr 28
![Sixth-grade scientists rolled up their sleeves to explore ecosystems and biodiversity with Middle School Science Teacher Jamarya Jackson. After learning about the critical role native plants play in supporting local wildlife and strengthening ecosystems, the students recently created their own native wildflower seed bursts. 🌿🌼🌸
“These seed bursts can be planted — or tossed! — in spaces that could use a little ecological boost,” shared Ms. Jackson. “They were made with recycled paper pulp, compost donated by Mr. [Zach] Edson, and Black-eyed Susan seeds. This project is a great example of how small actions can have a big impact and a wonderful way to celebrate Earth Day.” 🌱✨ #biodiversity #EarthDay #EarthWeek](https://www.wheelerschool.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
There are many ways colleagues describe Young Un P’12, Wheeler’s head of strategic innovation. He is a “mentor” who “gets to the heart of extremely complex, nuanced issues.” He is “wise, funny, and compassionate,” as well as “thoughtful, caring, innovative, inspirational, and incredibly human.” One colleague calls him “a true servant leader, always looking to support and empower his colleagues and his students,” while another says, “he is my go-to person when I need help solving complicated, far-ranging issues.”
Mr. Un is all of those things – and to far more people than those quoted here. But as readily as he steps up to support others, he is someone who prefers to step away from the spotlight. Thankfully, he gave us the green light to share that he is this year’s recipient of the Trustees Award.
“It was gratifying in many ways,” Mr. Un says of receiving the award at the Board of Trustees’ spring meeting. But in true fashion, he adds, “The nice things people said about me – and I’m not being humble – were really a celebration of a long career of collaboration.”
That career has spanned 36 years at Wheeler, where he has worked closely with colleagues, students, and families in several highly impactful roles. In addition to serving as the inaugural head of strategic innovation, he was Wheeler’s first director focused on diversity and inclusion and previously served as head of middle school.
In truth, his work in any one of these roles could have met the criteria for the Trustees Award, which is bestowed annually on someone who has given an extraordinary amount of themselves to Wheeler. Yet when he first arrived as a 27-year-old teacher from Milton Academy, Mr. Un recalls feeling unsure of himself. “I didn’t really know what I was doing,” he says, “but I was inspired by the possibilities here.” Programs like Aerie Enrichment and The Hamilton School showed him what was possible. “They inspired me to do everything I could to be part of the possibilities.”
You can read more about the possibilities at the link in our bio. Please join us in celebrating Mr. Un both for the Trustees Award and for his upcoming retirement at the end of this school year.
Apr 28
We’re starting the week inspired, as we’re still humming songs from last week’s Upper School Talent Show. 🎶 From handbells and rock bands to a cappella, karaoke, solos, comedy, and even a magic act, the audience was hooked from start to finish. 💘
Thank you to all of our musicians and performers for sharing your creativity and passion with the Upper School community — head to our Stories to catch a bit of that talent show magic. 🪄✨🎙️
Apr 27
After a decade of serving on the Wheeler Board of Trustees – and the last seven of those years as chair – Alisia St. Florian ’86’s tenure is coming to a close at the end of this school year.
“This has been one of the most impactful things I’ve done in my adult life. I’m not exaggerating when I say that,” Alisia shared on the latest episode of “The This Week at Wheeler Podcast.”
“I jumped into the role headfirst, and I was all in. I’m so grateful that I made that decision. [Serving as chair] taught me a tremendous amount in terms of leadership.”
“I can’t imagine taking on this role and putting in this much time, effort, sweat, and love – all the things – for any other institution,” Alisia added. “When you think of your life, how many institutions are there, really, that you feel such an incredible connection with, where you would give of your time, as is required, if you’re going to be a board member? Not many, at least not for me. But Wheeler was front and center, so I wouldn’t take back a second of my time, honestly, in doing this.”
You can listen to the rest of our conversation by following the link in our bio, but before you do, please join us in thanking Alisia for all of the time, effort, and love she gave as board chair to Wheeler.
Apr 27
