A Message from Head of the Hamilton School at Wheeler Bill McCarthy

Dear Hamilton School Families,

I hope this welcome back message finds you and your family well and that your summer has been restful, rejuvenating, and restorative. I intentionally chose these adjectives for two primary purposes : 1) each descriptor speaks to the main reason why breaks and vacations are much needed and 2) each word begins with the Latin prefix and word root “re-” which means “again.” I promise not to launch into a complex grammar or Orton-Gillingham lesson but please bear with me as I elaborate a bit more on the significant relationship between this common word root and our incredible Hamilton School at Wheeler.

The prefix “re-” is on full display in many important aspects of the Hamilton School at Wheeler. On any given school day at Hamilton, our students engage in reviewing, rethinking, reassessing, and revising during classroom conversation and lessons, small group practice, and while completing their independent work. In doing so, our students learn important strategies to help with retrieval and retention and engage in ongoing reflection to help them understand themselves as learners and to recognize and appreciate their accomplishments. It is by engaging in these many different actions and activities that our Hamilton School students experience success and develop greater confidence and self-awareness. I am so thrilled for all that lies ahead for your children in the coming school year, and I look forward to reconnecting with your family in the coming weeks.

After a busy and exciting first year as the head of the Hamilton School at Wheeler, my summer has been one of reflection and refinement. We accomplished a great deal at our school last year, and I took the opportunity this summer to identify how we can ensure that all the wonderful aspects of our school remain in place and stay vibrant, while also continuing to make sure we are doing our very best in allowing your children to experience success academically, socially, and personally. After a year of many “firsts,” I am excited about my second year in this role and for the many adventures that lie ahead.

This summer, we enjoyed a successful launch of the Hamilton Summer Program which took place over the course of four weeks from July 10-August 4. This half-day program offered Orton-Gillingham instruction along with daily instruction and practice in the areas of reading fluency and comprehension and written expression. We hosted 25 children in four small groups led by our talented teaching faculty. In addition to the language arts focus, the children took part in hands-on, experiential and exploratory science classes throughout the week as part of the Hamilton Summer Program. We are proud of this new addition to our Hamilton School and Hamilton Institute offerings, and we are looking forward to having this program take place again next summer.

This coming school year, we are welcoming 17 new students to the Hamilton School at Wheeler in 1st through 8th grades. All of our Hamilton School faculty and staff are returning this year, and we are thrilled to welcome two individuals to our school community in new roles: Aili Boyd as our Hamilton School/Wheeler Lower School speech-language pathologist and Meg Adler as our Hamilton Middle School/Polaris learning specialist. These two new important roles will allow us to offer even greater support and guidance to our Hamilton School students.

Here are some key details to add to your calendars regarding the start to the school year:

• Wednesday, August 23 from 6-7:30pm: New-to-Hamilton Family Orientation. This event is for parents of children that are new to the Hamilton School this year. It will be held in the Whitaker Building’s (Hamilton Lower School) Hale Family Hall.
• Tuesday, September 5: Hamilton School Classroom Visits and Middle School Orientation Events. Hamilton Lower School students are invited to meet their classroom teachers in the morning; Your child’s teacher will be in contact with you later this month to say hello and to share an invitation with more details. Hamilton Middle School students will take part in a variety of orientation events during the morning. The Middle School teachers will reach out in the coming weeks with more detailed information about these events and the start times and locations. The classroom visits and orientation events will be followed by the welcome back luncheon that is detailed below.
• Tuesday, September 5 from 11:15am-12:30 pm: Hamilton School Community Welcome Back Luncheon. This event will be held in Hale Family Hall and in the area outside of the Whitaker Building. All Hamilton School community members are invited to join us for this luncheon. This social event is a great way for new and returning families to connect with one another. Please bring members of your immediate family to this event if possible!
• Wednesday, September 6 at 8am: All Hamilton School Classes begin. Morning arrival will take place between 7:30-8am. I’ll share additional information about the structure of this first day of school in my next communication.

For now, I hope these remaining weeks of summer bring lots of joy and inspiration to you and your family. I look forward to seeing you and catching up soon.

All my best,
Bill

Bill McCarthy
Head of the Hamilton School at Wheeler