OUR SCHOOLS • WHEELER MIDDLE SCHOOL
Teachers always there for kids
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
The classroom doors are seemingly never closed to students at Wheeler Middle School.
A student cracks an egg on the head of Wheeler Middle School English teacher Sam Bennett as a stunt for a charity fundraiser.
"Teachers are there before school, during lunch and after school, always willing to help them with homework or if there are problems," said Michelle Skells, president of Wheeler Middle's Parent Teacher Student organization and the mother of two sons who are students at the school. "If they know in advance, they'll show up to help a child.
"It's really nice to have people in a school who will take the time to ask students how they're doing," Skells added.
Wheeler Middle's enrollment of 600 is 90 percent military. During the 2003-2004 school year, 251 students transferred in and 376 transferred out, said Principal Brenda Vierra-Chun.
From July 2003 through mid-November 2004, 91 students transferred in and 119 went out, Vierra-Chun noted.
"Everybody pitches in," she said. "Many students come in without school records. It really poses a great challenge.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
"Our teachers' doors are always open," Vierra-Chun added. "They tutor before and after school. They just do it because they care about the kids."
Ninety percent of Wheeler Middle School's students are military dependents. Ribbons tied to trees at school are in honor of the many parents of students who are deployed overseas.
Through a 21st Century grant, the school also offers after-school math and reading programs.
• Best-kept secret: Annual musical productions. Teachers Helen Nguyen and Cheryl Messina directed 40 students in the Halloween weekend presentation of "Thriller." The plan is to perform "Grease" in the spring.
• Everybody at our school knows: "Shorty," our custodian. Warlino "Shorty" Nugal can be seen around campus carrying boxes for teachers, opening doors, greeting students and parents, answering phones and making coffee. "Shorty" recently agreed to have his ponytail cut off and his hair buzzed by students, who won a bet with him by meeting their Aloha United Way fund-raising goal.
• Our biggest challenge: The school's high transient rate. Ninety percent of Wheeler's students are military dependents.
• What we need: A transition center to help our many incoming and outgoing students and families during a school year, said Vierra-Chun.
Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com
• • •
• Where: Wheeler Army Airfield • Phone: 622-6525 • Principal: Brenda Vierra-Chun, first year • School nickname: Spartans • School colors: Blue and white • Enrollment: 600 • Testing: Here's how Wheeler Middle School students fared on the most recent standardized tests. • Stanford Achievement Test: Listed is the combined percentage of students scoring average and above average, compared with the national combined average of 77 percent. Eighth-grade reading, 85 percent; math, 78 percent. • Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards tests: Listed is the combined percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards, compared with the state average. Eighth-grade reading, 38 percent, state average, 38.7 percent; math, 13 percent, state average, 20 percent. • History: School built in 1968 and is named after Maj. Sheldon H. Wheeler, former commander of Luke Field on Ford Island • Special programs or classes: School fields sixth- seventh- and eighth-grade teams for boys and girls in volleyball, basketball and tennis. • Computers: Three computer labs, two portable laptop labs. About 30 computers in each lab.
AT A GLANCE
