Wheeler Elementary named National ESEA Distinguished School; receives $10,000 award

Frank H. Wheeler Elementary in Speedway was recognized by the Indiana Department of Education as a National ESEA Distinguished School and will receive a $10,000 award to support Title I programming, Principal Dana Dietz told the Speedway School Board at its Dec. 9 meeting.

Dietz said the school earned the designation in category 3, which honors schools that excel in serving special populations. "We are incredibly proud to be one of them," she said, noting Wheeler’s diversity — 11 languages are spoken among students — and academic results: "Last year 96 percent of our third graders passed IREAD-3," Dietz said. She also reported that 173 of the school’s 317 students are multilingual learners and that iLearn performance improved in nearly every category across grades 3 through 6.

The Indiana Department of Education visited Wheeler and highlighted strengths including focused, distraction‑free learning environments, intervention and enrichment systems, and strong family engagement, Dietz said. The recognition follows a selection process in which Wheeler was named one of five finalists, received a school visit, and was chosen as one of two schools statewide for the 2024–25 school year.

Dietz thanked district officials — including "Dr. Treble, Mr. Disney, Mr. Schnauz, and the board" — and said the $10,000 award will be used to continue strengthening Title I programming. She noted that last year another Speedway school, Allison Elementary, received the distinction, calling the back‑to‑back honors "a proud moment for Wheeler and a great time to be a spark plug."