Rick Rizoli - The Rivers School

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Message from the Head of School The Rivers DNA By THOMAS P. OLVERSON Each fall and winter, we host a number of admissions events for prospective families. I really enjoy these gatherings because they provide opportunities for me to think deeply about what makes Rivers Rivers and to use the right words to describe who we are. This search for a precise definition of Rivers has been on my mind quite a bit lately as various groups in the Rivers community—administrators, faculty, trustees—have spent time this year discussing the critical elements that make up the school’s identity. So, what is the essence of Rivers We’ve identified five attributes —excellence, character, relationships, quality of experience, and innovation—that shape the school’s identity and define the contours of our work here at Rivers. So, a little about each element. Excellence—Rivers believes fervently that if students are to discover their talents, grow, and realize their potential, teachers must have high standards of excellence and communicate to the students that they expect them to meet those high standards. Character—I told our students at the beginning of the year that if Rivers graduates great academicians, great artists, and great athletes but not good human beings who embody the Core Values of the school, then we will have failed in our mission. There are plenty of very smart adults in the world today who lack moral judgment; Rivers does not need to add to that number. Rather, we expect each student to be a leader, which we define as being one’s best self and positively influencing others. Relationships—When students know that teachers care about them as multi-dimensional human beings with an array of interests and talents, and when they know that teachers want them to succeed even when the bar is set high, then these students will be much more likely to stretch for excellence, pick themselves up after failing, and try something new. At Rivers we often say, “The best learning takes place in the context of relationships.” Quality of Experience—It matters to us that our students enjoy being here. It matters to us that they feel as if they are successfully confronting the challenges we put before them, gaining self-confidence and a sense of self-efficacy, and coming to the clear realization that they can do this thing called adulthood. Innovation—Innovation at Rivers is not chasing the latest educational fad just because it’s the “hot” thing. Innovation means continually looking for more and better ways to live our mission. It means being “hungry” and never satisfied. It means having the courage to move beyond the status quo to ask hard questions because at the end of the day, it’s about the students, and what we can do to best prepare them for what lies beyond Rivers. The fact that these elements define Rivers doesn’t mean that we are perfect in living each one of these elements; our spirit of innovation would never let us come to that conclusion. It does mean, though, that our sights are set squarely on these five elements, using our experience, our imagination, and our knowledge to strengthen each of them. This is what makes a school— or any organization for that matter—great: not just having a clear mission and living that mission but constantly searching for better ways to live that mission. It’s the Rivers Way! I’m interested in your reactions. Have we captured the essence of Rivers Email me at t.olverson@rivers.org, comment on Twitter (@tomolverson), or respond on my blog http://insidetheheadshead. blogspot.com. Term Trustees Michael A. Bell Benjamin R. Bloomstone Robert E. Buonato ’81 Louise Cummings ’98 Karen L. Daniels Howard G. Davis ’70 Robert J. Davis Mark R. Florence Clinton P. Harris 2 • Andrew Riparian N. • Jaffe Spring ’93 2012 Board of Trustees 2011–2012 PRESIDENT: Roy S. MacDowell, Jr. Daniel A. Kraft Frank H. Laukien Hongmei Li Barbara V. Ligon Deborah H. McAneny Michael E. McGuinness James C. Mullen Geoffrey S. Rehnert Alan D. Rose, Jr. ’87 Solomon B. Roth Laurie Schoen Mark S. Schuster ’72 Richard L. Smith Steven J. Snider Michael P. Stansky Eric M. Wolf Life Trustees David M. Berwind Charles C. Carswell Joan T. Cave Stephen R. Delinsky Peter A. Gaines G. Arnold Haynes Harriet R. Lewis Thomas L. Lyons Kenneth P. MacPherson ’42 Joel B. Sherman Frances B. Shifman William B. Tyler ’43 Joan A. Vaccarino Cai von Rumohr Joan C. Walter Frank S. Waterman III ’41 Dudley H. Willis Honorary Trustees of the Corporation Joan T. Allison Thomas P. Beal, Jr. Richard A. Bradley Marie Fitzpatrick Louis J. Grossman ’67 Joshua M. Kraft ’85 Warren M. Little ’51 Virginia S. MacDowell Deborah S. Petri Frederick G. Pfannenstiehl ’59 Eleanor Pyne Prince A. Tozzer Spalding ’62
Educators as Experts FACULTY MEMBERS PURSUE PATHS OF EXCELLENCE By MELISSE HINKLE For History Department Chair Ben Leeming, many Thursday mornings in the fall involved a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call in Albany, New York and a three-hour drive back to Rivers to begin the school day. The trek was just one stretch of a longer academic road Leeming is traveling as he makes his way to his final destination: a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University at Albany. “This is an exciting and challenging journey that I’m on,” he said. “I find myself just thoroughly stimulated by it.” With a master’s degree already under his belt, Leeming took a sabbatical year starting in 2010 and officially set out to pursue his Ph.D. coursework, which focuses on the history of Mexico’s indigenous people during the early colonial period and one of the languages spoken at the time called Nahuatl. He was drawn to the program—despite its distance from home—by the prospect of working with a professor (and his now-advisor) at University at Albany, whom he calls the “world’s leading expert in this slice of history.” Leeming is certainly not alone in his ongoing push to develop his expertise. When it comes to further education, nearly twothirds of current Rivers teachers and administrators hold graduate degrees. That group includes seven Ph.D.s, one D.M.D., three J.D.s, and more than 50 individuals with master’s degrees. The numbers are impressive, but Leeming and his colleagues are quick to point out that graduate studies are just one part of the picture when it comes to illustrating faculty expertise. “All of us at Rivers are very passionate about being the best teachers we can be,” said Leeming. “We’re constantly not only open, but eager to challenge ourselves to do what we do better.” For Rivers teachers and administrators, pursuing excellence and further developing expertise include participating in conferences and seminars, cultivating passions through faculty enrichment grants, a daily exchange of ideas and knowledge, and numerous professional development opportunities. For example, many teachers have taken part in the Teachers as Scholars program, which brings K-12 teachers from both public and private schools together in the Boston area to attend seminars led by experienced university professors. Yet, the foundation for being an excellent teacher at Rivers is being an excellent doer. From performances by faculty musicians to presentations at national conferences and publications featuring articles and quotes from administrators, the expertise that exists at Rivers is constantly on display and sought after. “We’d never imagine an art teacher who isn’t also an artist,” said Leeming. “I want to both practice history and teach history.” “All of us at Rivers are very passionate about being the best teachers we can be. We’re constantly not only open, but eager to challenge ourselves to do what we do better.” Ben Leeming, History Department Chair Cultivating expertise and being actively engaged in one’s field is part of day-to-day life at Rivers. The common philosophy among teachers is clear: Practice what you teach, be innovative, and never stop building your skills. “What is impressive about Rivers’ faculty is that not only are they experts in their disciplines, they are practitioners,” said Head of Middle School Susie McGee. “Students are in the company of artists, philosophers, scholars, scientists, historians, musicians, economists, linguists, mathematicians, and athletes who also teach and teach well. Students are blessed with daily role models Spring 2012 • Riparian • 3
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Page 9 and 10: Robotics Team Wired for Success By
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Page 17 and 18: Salvatore Sprofera ’14, “Self-P
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Page 25 and 26: Alumni Profile Ashley Stanley ’97
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Page 29 and 30: Student News Alumni News Becca Lehr
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Rick Rizoli - The Rivers School

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