Programs & Activities

The Wheeler Visual Art Program is designed to foster creativity in each individual. It offers all K-5 students the opportunity to learn about and experience visual art through different and new media. Students are introduced to artists from different cultures and time periods and learn about the importance of art history and tradition. Students learn about art fundamentals like the elements of art and principles of design. Students are encouraged to participate in local, state and nationwide art contests and shows. This promotes sharing artwork with the community and gives students an authentic audience. They learn about the purposes of art and are shown that art is cross curricular. They are introduced to a variety of art styles and movements while creating artworks inspired by their learning.

Jefferson County Public Schools offers gifted education services for identified students across all grade levels. Primary students (grades K–3) are screened and selected as high-potential learners. Students in grades four through twelve are formally identified for services in one or more of the following areas: 

• General Intellectual Ability 

• Specific Academic Aptitude 

• Creative or Divergent Thinking 

• Psychosocial or Leadership Skills 

• Visual or Performing Arts 

Here at Wheeler, students receive services in the classroom though differentiation and personalized learning. Students may also receive additional services through a pull-out/push-in model provided by a qualified educator with a Gifted and Talented Endorsement.

Wheeler Elementary has a wonderful instrumental music program. The Wheeler Strings is made up of beginning fifth-grade students interested in playing a string instrument. The class is geared toward preparing students to play in middle school. These students meet twice weekly from September through April. Usually there is at least one scheduled performance. All instruction is during the school day. Prior musical experience is not required, but students must have some time to practice at home. Students will receive information on obtaining their own instrument as a rent to own program is best recommended. Students who study music learn the value of teamwork, respect for diverse cultures, and responsibility. We not only learn to play but have fun doing it!

Quick Recall is an organized academic competition in which students learn in a fun and challenging way. It is a timed game, where students compete in teams of four by responding to short answer questions in mathematics, social studies, science, language arts and fine arts/ humanities. Quick Recall promotes the learning of facts, requires quick thinking and the ability to articulate knowledge. Students are challenged to explore new material and to investigate learning beyond the classroom. Students compete in the Mayor’s Cup on the second or third Saturday in March

Band class is an exciting and rewarding way to introduce music to our students at a performance level through learning how to play an instrument. Learning to play a musical instrument requires a unique set of skills that will greatly enhance the development of your child’s creativity and confidence. The class is free and is offered during school to fifth graders. As an introductory performance course, it is designed to prepare our students to continue their studies into middle school. Every year our students are given the opportunity and invited to perform with the Ramsey Middle School Band at the Winter and Spring Concerts.

At Wheeler Elementary, our Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) lab is an exciting, hands-on learning environment for all K-5 students! Students use the design process (plan, create, test, modify, present) to explore science and engineering concepts. Our STEM education activities provide the opportunity for students to learn in a safe environment. Allowing them to sometimes fall but try again, which enables students to embrace mistakes as part of the learning process. Often, our students work as a team to enhance collaboration skills, communication skills, and problem solving skills. We use a variety of materials to investigate and solve real world problems. Our curriculum is designed to Through our STEM program we are preparing students to become the 21st century innovators by fostering ingenuity and creativity!

This program at Wheeler combines the disciplines of music, theatre, creative movement, storytelling, and dance. Integrated Music cultivates the whole student by developing intuition, reasoning, imagination, and dexterity into unique forms of expression and communication. Students gain powerful tools for understanding the human experience. The class is based on discovery learning— experimenting, selecting, evaluating, and combining material. Students are introduced to a wide variety of songs, instruments, stories, rhymes, dances, cultures, ideas, and more.

Robotics is designed to get students involved with real-world engineering, computer science, design, math and applied physics. We learn NXT Programming to compete in a county wide STLP RCX or Robo Challenge Xtreme. The team and project-management skills learned here last a lifetime.  

It is a program that is research-based, aligns with standards, and focuses on the development of Robotics– although a fun and engaging activity– can be used as the organizer to teach many subjects, including math, programming, scientific process, project management, systems, problem solving, teamwork, communication skills, etc. Robotics excites students about math and science.

Running Club is sponsored by Family Resource Center and open to 3rd-5th grade students in the fall. We train for and run a 5K in September. Practices are held once to twice a week after school on our running track at school and our race is on a Saturday morning in late September. It is free to all Running Club members.

The mission of the Wheeler Library Program is to empower students to become resilient, productive, compassionate lifelong learners. Through diverse literature, collaboration, information pursuits driven by the process of inquiry, reading challenges, maker-stations, and ethical research-based sources, students strengthen multiple literacies. All students have the opportunity to check out books from the Wheeler Library once a week. Parents/guardians who DO NOT want their students to check out books may complete the OPT-OUT form. Personal interests drive student checkout choices and research projects. The Wheeler Libguide allows students to digitally access books and resources from home. We hope you’ll join us for our book fairs in the weeks leading up to parent/teacher conference days! 

The Physical Education and Health program at Wheeler seeks to educate students through a standards based curriculum that helps to develop motor skills, physical fitness, knowledge/behaviors for active living, and sportsmanship. As students participate in the different physical activities, they will work on life skills such as being good decision makers, treating each other with respect, and safety. Students also learn about healthy eating habits based on nutrition facts from the 5 food groups on the food pyramid.

Cross Country is open to all 1st-5th grade students. Practice starts late February and the season ends at the end of April. There is a monetary uniform fee as well as an essay required for participation. We practice 1-2 times per week at school and attendance is required for all runners. We run in the HPSE Elementary Cross Country League at Vettiner Park the first three weeks after Spring Break with a total of three meets (one per week). The race is a mile long each week and broken down into the following race categories: 1st-2nd grade boys and girls, 3rd-5th grade girls, and 3rd-5th grade boys. Medals are awarded to the first 50 finishers, as well as team trophies for each category.

Student Council is an organization conducted by students and supervised by adults. The purpose of the student council is to give students an opportunity to develop leadership by organizing and carrying out school activities and service projects. In addition to planning events that contribute to school spirit and community welfare, the student council is the voice of the student body. They help share student ideas, interests, and concerns with the school wide community.

The function of the student council is based upon parliamentary procedures. Ideas are presented, voted upon, and confirmed by the student body president. Any student that is interested in leadership, organizational behavior, event planning, or becoming more involved in the school is welcome to become involved. Students are selected by the principal and teachers.

Problem Solving is a team of four to ten students that teach students to think both critically and creatively. As members of the problem solving team, students gather and share information, brainstorm ideas then select and define a solution to a specific problem. Students learn to work together to compete in one event; the Mayor’s Cup. Students have one hour and 15 minutes to write and rehearse a creative presentation of the problem and solution. Students have 3-7 minutes to perform. All competition prompts deal with current or futuristic topics.