Innovation and a commitment to student well-being have defined The Rivers School since 1915. The idea of open-air classrooms that set Rivers apart at our founding has evolved into the philosophy of Excellence with Humanity that distinguishes us today. This philosophy is at the core of a Rivers education—an education built on deep, meaningful relationships that empower students to engage with learning that is both challenging and relevant to their lives.
After two years of dedicated community collaboration, the Board of Trustees has approved a new strategic plan that will guide Rivers through our exciting next chapter.
This plan is shaped by the voices of our students, professional community, parents and caregivers, and alumni. It is a vision that embraces our philosophy as key to preparing students for a life of impact and purpose in today’s interconnected world.
As part of this process, we crafted a new mission statement that reflects who we are as a school and who we aspire to be: “Rivers inspires every student to pursue excellence, thrive in a community of connection and belonging, and create their own path to a life of impact and purpose.” This powerful statement provides focus for our daily work and sets our long-term sights on preparing students for meaningful lives long after they leave campus.
The mission is supported by our expanded set of core values: Integrity, Perseverance, Empathy, Curiosity, and Joy. These principles guide our every action, reminding us that the pursuit of excellence is a journey of personal and collective growth—as well as one of wonder and delight.
The strategic plan, which provides a road map for living out our mission and core values, elevates three priorities: Pursue Excellence Through Innovation; Cultivate an Ecosystem of Connection, Well-Being, and Belonging; and Focus on Lives of Impact and Purpose. The throughline is connection, which has always been the foundation of our success.
We are excited to share this moment with everyone in the Rivers community, and we look forward to your support and partnership in bringing this plan to life.
With gratitude,
Ryan S. Dahlem Head of School
Strategic Planning Co-Chair
Alison Hall P’19 Clerk, Board of Trustees
Strategic Planning Co-Chair
WE ARE INTERCONNECTED.
Every individual is a vital part of a community whose shared commitment to Excellence with Humanity makes us who we are.
INTERCONNECTED.
The relationships that define the Rivers experience, educational philosophy, and culture will always be the source of our strength and momentum.
Today, we invite our students, families, professional community, alumni, and friends to come together as One Rivers and share in a bold new vision for our future.
Our Mission
Rivers inspires every student to pursue excellence, thrive in a community of connection and belonging, and create their own path to a life of impact and purpose.
Our Core Values
Guided by our philosophy of Excellence with Humanity, we value:
INTEGRITY
We are committed to aligning our actions with our values in the continuing pursuit of courage, honesty, and truth.
PERSEVERANCE
We embrace challenges and make space for discomfort as we build resilience and support individual and collective growth.
EMPATHY
We seek to understand and connect with one another to foster a community of mutual respect and care.
CURIOSITY
We prioritize learning that is grounded in our natural sense of wonder and shaped by exploring complex questions in an ongoing process of discovery.
JOY
We delight in engaging with our work and with each other, celebrating our passions and the fullest expression of ourselves.
Pursue
excellence
through innovation
Rivers has always been an institution on the move, willing to implement new approaches to best serve the needs of students. To continue this perpetual forward momentum, the school will:
• Expand on our foundational academic excellence, nurturing intellectual curiosity and students’ application of knowledge to complex problems relevant to their lives.
• Develop a cohesive grade 6–12 program with a holistic view of the academic, social-emotional, and co-curricular journey of a Rivers student.
• Promote diversity of identity, thought, and experience on campus as a source of innovation and excellence.
• Incorporate emerging technologies to enhance the learning process while guiding students to navigate these new tech frontiers.
• Empower an entrepreneurial spirit within the professional community to design innovative practices that leverage current, research-based understandings of cognition and adolescent development.
Cultivate an ecosystem of connection, well-being, and belonging
Deep relationships and a sense of interconnectedness provide the foundation for Rivers students to thrive. To nourish these connections and supports across the entire community, the school will:
• Amplify resources for community well-being to support students and adults on campus and foster lifelong skills for social and emotional health.
• Advance institutional equity work, including data-informed systems of support, to strengthen belonging as a vital component to individual and organizational success.
• Design and build a center that will become the hub for campus gatherings, serve Rivers’ performing arts program, and provide new spaces for the entire community to connect and collaborate.
• Integrate the athletics program into the overall scope of wellness practice, reinforcing our competitive excellence while ensuring inclusion and belonging.
• Bolster the endowment to support financial aid for tuition and expenses that ensure access to the full Rivers experience, and increase investment in other priorities including professional community compensation.
• Increase programming that enhances relationships across all community constituencies, including peer-to-peer connections, cross-divisional collaboration, the school-home partnership, and synergy with The Rivers School Conservatory.
Focus on lives of impact and
purpose
Rivers takes the long view on education, with true success defined as graduates finding their path to a life of meaning, connection, and purpose.
With a focus on who our students are becoming, the school will:
• Expand pathways for students to explore individual excellence as they find their place in the school community and, eventually, the world.
• Deepen the commitment to interdisciplinary and experiential learning opportunities that produce high engagement and foster transcendent thinking, where students connect learning to themselves and to broader contexts.
• Increase opportunities for community engagement that develop students’ empathy, agency, and sense of meaning derived from positive connections with others, locally and globally.
• Invest in a vibrant workplace culture and career development opportunities, making Rivers the employer of choice for a talented and diverse group of adults who serve as role models living lives of purpose.
• Increase engagement with alumni as a window into the future and opportunity for inspiration, feedback, and connection to the enduring Rivers experience.
Crafting the Future: A Collaborative Process
Over the past two years, we embarked on a strategic planning process to shape the future of our school. This collaborative effort was guided by the insights of our entire community— students, professional community, parents, and alumni. Our work was fueled by a number of key inputs:
• AISNE accreditation process: This rigorous self-evaluation helped us reflect on our strengths and opportunities.
• Comprehensive market research study: We gathered market data to understand our position within the broader educational landscape.
• Strategic design summit: This focused event brought stakeholders together to brainstorm and develop innovative ideas.
The valuable insights and learnings from these efforts were instrumental in creating our strategic plan and our revised mission and core values.
