Dr. Kirk Wheeler has been the STS Head of School since July 2005 and has been in education for thirty years. Previously, he served as the Preschool – 12 Curriculum Coordinator and Lower School Principal at the American School of Rio de Janeiro, a classroom teacher at Vail Mountain School, and supervisor for the summer mountain program for the Town of Vail. His teaching experience includes physical education, Spanish, first through fourth grades, and middle school language arts. His leadership philosophy is embodied in the phrase, “Educational Leadership through Partnership.“ Dr. Wheeler believes that two elements define 21st century schools: relationships and ”edgework."
Dr. Wheeler is a former member of the Board of Governors for the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS) and founding member of the Rubicon Educational Foundation Board of Directors. He currently serves on the Accreditation Committee for NWAIS and the CustomED Board of Directors. Dr. Wheeler holds a Doctorate in Education, with an emphasis in Policy and Administration, Master of Arts, with an emphasis in international education, and Bachelor of Arts, with an emphasis in Elementary Education.
As a recipient of the Klingenstein Fellowship for School Heads, Dr. Wheeler has continued to pursue his passion for developing schools and brings together emerging schools of thought, collaborative experiences, and a sense of history to create powerful partnerships for 21st century education. He is proud to have the opportunity to collaborate with an exceptional leadership and teaching team at STS, which has resulted in the School being recognized as being one of 33 Microsoft Showcase Schools worldwide, LEED Gold certification, and WA Green School status.
St. Thomas School founded in 1951, preschool through 8th grade How to have spiritual growth even though they are not affiliated to a church anymore. Our role is to affirm families’ values and beliefs. Edge work Comfort Zone Growth Zone Edge is between comfort and growth zone Professional experiences related to edge work. Pandemic has really helped us all experience Need others, need relationships. Celebrate corporations that fail fast and fail forward. We want kids to take risks, but we forget they are watching us. Being vulnerable and transparent about the fear that I’m experiencing How to implement edge work in your school? Structures that reward risk taking. Look for alignment in what you’re. assessments look like and what you want kids to learn. Naming it and calling it out. Give students leadership opportunities. How to be a transformative principal? 5 year journal. 5 lines to reflect on your day - year over year Sponsors InControl SEL for Middle SchoolIn Control created an effortless social and emotional, character development video curriculum for your students that’s ZERO-TEACHER-PREP AND it’s so cool looking- it feels like a Youtube or Netflix Series- and that’s purposeful, they meet students right where they’re at.
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