Wheeler High School (Indiana)

:"For the Magnet high school in Marietta, GA, see Joseph Wheeler High School."

Wheeler High School is a four-star secondary school located at 587 West 300 North, Valparaiso, Indiana, 46385. Recently hired was a new principal, Don Gandy, after Tom Taylor left to accept the principal position at Portage High School. The school is attached to Union Township Middle School. The school day starts at 7:45 A.M. and commences at 2:45 P.M.

Infobox Secondary school
established = Date Unknown
name = Wheeler High School
type = Public secondary
principal = Don Gandy
students = 530
grades = 9–12
city = Valparaiso
state = Indiana
country = USA
colors = Orange, Green, and White
mascot = Bearcat
free_label_1 = Schedule
free_1 = Trimester
free_label_2 = Student-Teacher Ratio
free_2 = 16
website = [http://www.union.k12.in.us/whs/index.html www.union.k12.in.us/whs/]

chool Statements

Vision Statement

Using the talents and resources of the Union Township Community, its parents, students, faculty and staff, our vision is to achieve elite distinction as an outstanding teaching, learning and public service institution.

Mission statement

The mission of Wheeler High School is to build a culture of excellence in teaching and learning resulting in all students realizing their potential for lifelong learning and for contributing to community.

Belief Statement

We believe that...
*All individuals can learn.
*Individuals learn differently.
*Each individual has value.
*The family is the primary influence on the individual’s development.
*Involved and informed parents make better students and better teachers.
*Attitude of the individual always affects performance.
*Each student has a responsibility to contribute to society.
*A nurturing and caring environment enhances a student’s confidence in oneself and contributes to his/her success.
*Learning is a lifelong process.

Academics

Test Scores

[http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/achievement/in/1758 Test scores for Wheeler High School] have been above average for many years. When comparing the 2005 ISTEP+ scores for grade 10 math, Wheeler ranks in the top five among twenty-two local schools. When comparing the 2005 ISTEP+ scores for grade 10 English/language arts, Wheeler is ranked fifth among twenty-two local schools.

Foreign Languages

Wheeler High School offers education in three different foreign languages. These languages are Spanish, German, and French. More languages were offered in previous years, but because of the small size of the school, the lack of interest among the students caused the discontinuation of the subjects.

Vocational Education Department

Wheeler High School features a [http://www.union.k12.in.us/leca/index.html Law Enforcement Career Academy] and a [http://www.union.k12.in.us/CISCO/index.html Cisco Regional Networking] Academy.
*Law Enforcement Career Academy This program is held at Wheeler High School and is available to all juniors and seniors. The program is intended for students wishing to pursue careers in Police, Courts, or Corrections. Students at all area schools are allowed to enroll. The students can also receive three college credits from Vincennes University.
*Cisco Regional Networking Academy This program is also offered at Wheeler High School and is available to junior and senior students from all area schools. The students learn how to design, build, and maintain computer networks. After completion of the two-hundred and eighty hour program, the students are prepared to take a standardized test to become a Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA). This certification increases their employment opportunities.
* [http://www.portercounty.net/cte.html Porter County Vocational Education] Junior and senior students may also take vocational classes at other area schools.
*Internships Junior and senior students may also do internships. The opportunities for the internships are virtually endless, and the students do receive credit.

Fine Arts

Wheeler High School has a choir, band, art department, and drama department.
*Choir The choir performs at many local and statewide competitions every year. There is also a Show Choir. They also travel to Orlando, Florida every four years to perform at Disney World. The choir also puts on an annual performance called the "Madrigal Dinner." This dinner includes the high school and middle school choirs and features a round table of medieval characters.
*Band The school band performs at half time of all school football games and during timeouts and between quarters at basketball games. The band also competes at competitions. They earned a "superior" ranking at the 2008 Music in the Parks competition. The band performs at several concerts throughout the year as well.
*Art Department The Wheeler High School art department features classes such as drawing, ceramics, art, sculpture, and jewelry making.
*Drama Department The drama department puts on two musicals per year, as well as a straight show in the fall. Notable productions include the first high school performance of "Cats", as well as surprisingly adept productions of many Moss Hart/George Kaufman plays, including "The Man Who Came to Dinner" and "You Can't Take it With You". The drama department also recently put on a rendition of Disney's "High School Musical".

tudent Activities

Students at Wheeler High School can participate in a variety of activities. These activities include, but are not limited to, Student Council, National Honor Society, Key Club, choir, drama, academic teams, and foreign language clubs.

Athletics

Wheeler High School has a large array of athletics. The school also features an indoor swimming pool, a very large fieldhouse, and a standard gym.

Boys Sports

*Baseball
*Basketball
*Bowling
*Cross Country
*Football
*Golf
*Soccer
*Swimming and Diving
*Tennis
*Track and Field
*Volleyball

Girls Sports

*Basketball
*Bowling
*Cheerleading
*Cross Country
*Golf
*Swimming and Diving
*Soccer
*Softball
*Tennis
*Track and Field
*Volleyball

Miscellaneous Facts and Statistics

Ethnicity

WHS is a predominantly white school. For the 2005-2006 school year, the percent of ethnicity groups is as follows:
*White: 91%
**State Average: 82%
*Hispanic: 6%
**State Average: 5%
*Asian/Pacific Islander: 1%
**State Average: 1%
*American Indian/Alaskan Native: 1%
**State Average: <1%
*Black/Not Hispanic: <1%
**State Average: 12%

Free Lunch Program

Some students come from families that aren't economically well-off. For these students, WHS offers free or reduced lunches. For the 2005-2006 school year, the percentages break down as follows:
*Students paying for their own lunches: 92%
*Students receiving free lunches: 6%
*Students receiving reduced lunches: 2%

ources

*http://www.union.k12.in.us/whs/index.html
*http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/in/1758/
*http://www.portercounty.net/cte.html