From Icelandic Culture to Inclusive Schools, and Plein Air Oil Painting to Metalsmithing, Wheeler’s Flexible Grants Are Funding Fantastic Faculty Exploration and Experiences
April 1, 2026
We’re pleased to announce this year’s faculty and staff recipients of flexible grants! While Wheeler prioritizes professional development for everyone who works here, employees with at least 10 years of tenure can design and propose an educational opportunity that takes the experience to a new level. In developing their proposals for up to $10,000 in funding, applicants are encouraged to think expansively about learning opportunities, whether in the U.S. or abroad, that will help them dive deeper than ever before into the topics they’re passionate about and want to bring back into their work at Wheeler.
For example, Upper School Science Teacher Bob Schmidt P’14, P’16 will use his grant to take an Icelandic Language and Culture course through the University Centre of the Westfjords. “Having led various school trips to Iceland over the years, I have developed a deep fondness for the Icelandic people, their way of life and the geography of the island,” Mr. Schmidt wrote in his application. “Of course there is the natural draw of the landscape being an environmental science teacher’s dream, but it is more than that for me now. The school trips did not allow me to fully immerse myself in the Icelandic culture that this opportunity would present.
“The Westfjords (the location of the University course I’m proposing) is a region that I’ve only read about, but one that has captured my imagination the more I’ve researched it. I’m hoping to spend an extra week after the course to ‘test’ my new found language skills in a variety of settings as I revisit some places from previous trips but also explore new sites that I can bring to life for my students back in the environmental science classroom. This opportunity will allow me to continue to be passionate about what I do and impart that sense of curiosity as a lifelong learner to the Wheeler community.”
Lower School Art Teacher Bobbie Berking-Dalzell ’73 is connecting with her own lifelong learning through her grant, which will fund her continued growth as a painter and educator. “My goal is to attend plein air oil painting workshops over the summer that would allow me to deepen my technical skills, refine my artistic voice, and engage in focused studio practice that is difficult to sustain during the academic year,” she said in her proposal, which “would offer dedicated time to work alongside professional artists, receive intensive feedback, and immerse myself in observational painting. The experience would be both a renewal of my personal artistic practice and a meaningful investment in my teaching. I intend to return to the classroom with renewed energy, sharper skills, and fresh approaches for guiding students through creative risk-taking and sustained effort.”
The experience, she argued, will also closely align with Wheeler’s mission. “For me, Art education at Wheeler has always been about more than skill acquisition; it is about developing confidence, resilience, persistence, and a sense of belonging and continuing to grow as a practicing artist. I am better equipped to model lifelong learning – especially for students who may not yet see themselves as ‘artists’ or who feel uncertain about their abilities.”
Upper School Academic Support Teacher Pam Levanos P’21 is exploring similar educational themes, but from a different scholarly angle – and from another part of the world. She’s planning to visit inclusive schools in Jerusalem and Bethlehem that serve students with special needs. In her grant proposal, she talked about the profound experience she had visiting another school as part of the coursework for her master’s program in special education. “In this course, we were required to visit a behavioral school. In the school I visited, I observed a room that isolated students when they couldn’t self-regulate. The school assured me of the safety and necessity of this. This experience changed me, and opened my eyes to unique educational settings that serve populations of students not in the mainstream of schooling. I began to think deeply about schooling and bias, as well as how these particular schools educate marginalized communities.”
Now thanks to her grant, she’ll be able to visit a school in Jerusalem that provides comprehensive educational and therapeutic services for individuals with disabilities from infancy through adulthood, and in Bethlehem, she’ll visit another school whose mission is “to empower students to think independently and creatively while developing compassion for the diverse human experience.”
This year’s final flexible grant recipient, Upper School Art Teacher Liz Kilduff ’86, P’22, P’23, P’25, will apply her funding towards pursuing a bachelor’s degree in metalsmithing and jewelry. “As an artist with a strong foundation in two-dimensional practices, I am interested in exploring 3D processes to better understand form, structure, and material relationships,” she wrote in her proposal. “The knowledge I gain from this program will help me create lessons that enhance student learning and problem-solving.
“At the same time, this program supports my passion for jewelry making by providing the structured, studio-based education necessary to advance my artistic practice. Maintaining an active and evolving studio practice will allow me to bring greater authenticity, enthusiasm, and expertise into the classroom, ultimately benefiting both my students and my professional growth.”
Congratulations to Ms. Kilduff, Ms. Levanos, Ms. Berking-Dalzell, and Mr. Schmidt. We are excited for all of their experiences that will be made possible through Wheeler’s Flexible Grants Program, and we can’t wait, like Ms. Kilduff says, to see them bring this expanded expertise and enthusiasm back into their classrooms!
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