Rivers’ Admissions Office will host two receptions in January for prospective students and their families: Thursday, January 5 for those interested in the Middle School and Tuesday, January 10 for the Upper School. The receptions will be held in the Campus Center from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

The 47^th Annual Rivers Holiday Basketball Tournament headlined the first weekend of winter break on campus, but both the boys’ and girls’ ice hockey teams were in action as well with all four squads closing 2016 out with solid performances.

Looking ahead to next summer? Rivers will be offering an exciting and expanded array of Academic Programs and Athletic Programs, and registration for those programs, as well as Rivers Day Camp and Camp Nonesuch, is now open. With an innovative mix of online and on campus academic programs for students in grades 6-12, classes cover topics like design, entrepreneurship, and digital identity. The athletic programs, open to middle and upper school students, include football, soccer, and basketball. Enrollment is open to the public.

Rivers student musicians, including classical, jazz, and vocal performers, recently participated in two different competitions and walked away with significant honors.

Madeline Bauer ’13 has been named a Schwarzman Scholar and upon completion of her undergraduate work at Yale University will pursue her graduate work at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.

The Rivers community responded with unprecedented generosity to yesterday’s Giving Tuesday, the national day of giving to non-profits and charities. By the end of the day, alumni, parents, faculty, and friends had made close to 400 gifts totaling more than $400,000 to the 2016-17 Rivers Fund. Click here to view the Thank You video.

The varsity field hockey team’s incredible performance on the field this year led to a new program record for wins, while senior captain Kaitlin Wood ’17 earned both Independent School League Player of the Year and Boston Globe All-Scholastic honors.

The Rivers science faculty is committed to engaging their students in hands-on learning both on campus and in real-world environments like the Novartis Community and Exploration Learning Lab (CELL) in Cambridge where Dr. Chris Dalton brought students from his Honors Bio & Chem I class last Wednesday.

The printed word is alive and well in the Middle School, and even a beautiful Friday afternoon couldn’t keep more than twenty avid readers from gathering to talk about their latest read. Over plates of Chinese food, the members of the Middle School Book Club debated character, plot, gothic elements, and historical references of this month’s choice—The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox—with the kind of animation pre-teens might reserve for the last video game release.

The Rivers School welcomes acclaimed bassist, composer, and Berklee College of Music professor, Bruno Råberg for a day of performances, collaborations, and master classes on Saturday, November 19, 2016.

For many high school student athletes, the ultimate goal is to continue their playing careers at a college that is a great fit both athletically and academically. Three Rivers student-athletes have been fortunate enough to find that balance and signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, November 9.

On Saturday, November 12, Middle and Upper School Conservatory Program students will present a benefit concert in collaboration with Music for Food, a musician-led initiative to fight hunger in our local communities. This event, which begins at 7:00 p.m. in Rivera Recital Hall in Bradley Hall, is a school-wide opportunity to support the Natick Service Council's Vi Tituny Food Pantry, an organization with which Rivers has had a long association. The program will feature Conservatory Program musicians in classical, jazz, and vocal ensembles, as well as solo performers.

The Nonesuch Players’ production of William Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors opens on Thursday, November 10, at 7:00 p.m. with additional shows on Friday, November 11, at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 12, at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the Haffenreffer Black Box Theater.

On October 20, Rivers’ Career Development Committee hosted an interactive panel discussion on “Managing Established Companies with an Entrepreneurial Mindset” at the offices of Bain Capital. Moderated by Committee Chair Gregory Stoller ’87, and featuring three speakers each with a Rivers connection, it was the latest in an ongoing series of themed panels.

“In life, just as in art, you can't correct a blank canvas—take the risk, make a mark and see where it leads you.” This final comment in Chris Love’s artist statement sums up best what the faculty offers the Rivers community in this year’s annual faculty art exhibit—a glimpse into the risks they take each time they put brush, or camera, or clay to work, to create a vision to share with the world. A gallery reception on Thursday, October 13, in Bell Gallery kicked off the month-long exhibit that features works in a wide variety of media.

It is a common refrain for coaches to describe their programs as families, citing the incredible amount of time, sacrifice, and commitment that goes into any given season. This fall, the Rivers football program has taken a “keeping it in the family” approach to its coaching staffs by welcoming three members of the 2010 ISL Championship squad back to Waterman Field.

For high school students, summer vacation is a time to rest, recharge, and prepare for the challenges that await them when school reopens in September. However, the world of business keeps rolling through the summer months and will open its doors to students from Rivers and the community next summer through The Rivers Summer Academic Program’s Business Planning: Entrepreneurship in Action.

More than a dozen faculty members spent a recent Sunday afternoon at the A.R.T.’s acclaimed production of Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education, and shared their reactions to the play at a follow-up Critical Conversations discussion with other Rivers teachers and staff later that week.

The first few weeks of school are a time for some to settle into a new environment, others to reacquaint themselves with old friends, and the community as a whole to look toward the year ahead. However, as Head of School Ned Parsons reminded everyone on Monday, it is also a great time to reflect on the past and what it tells us about the endless possibilities that await every student.

Many soccer coaches – from the youth level through the pros – begin the process of building their teams with the goalkeeper and defenders, working off the old adage “defense wins championships.” Fortunately for a few coaches at the collegiate level, they have found that they can lean on recent Rivers alumni to anchor their defenses and provide a strong foundation for the rest of their team.

Rivers students are naturally curious, so it is no surprise that when they are given the opportunity to participate in activities outside of the classroom the ideas they come up with fill a room. The annual club fair is a showcase for these ideas and they range from community service and cultural awareness to football analytics and entrepreneurship.

For the past several years, Middle School teacher Laura Brewer has enthusiastically embraced Rivers’ yurt as the perfect place to teach the seventh grade Humanities curriculum entitled “The World Through Story.” As students explore the power of stories to define both individuals and cultures, the yurt has been an off-stage character, drawing students out of their bricks-and-mortar Western world and into a setting half a world away. This summer Ms. Brewer experienced first-hand the role of the yurt in Mongolian life as she spent two weeks traveling a country that she found to be “wonderful, friendly, and much more interesting than I had even imagined.” Her trip was funded by a Rivers Faculty Enrichment Grant.

Robert Gallo '17 and Michelle Ryder '17 recently completed summer internships at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital respectively, during which they gained skills that will benefit them whether they go into the medical field or choose another career. Brigham and Women's and Children's have been key participants in Rivers' Summer Internship Program as it has grown over the last several years. Providing opportunities to experience either research or patient care, these internship sites give students insight into the depth and breadth of the medical profession. 

Nazeli '17 and Shahen Hagen '17 recently finished up their seven-week internships at Jackpine Technologies in Maynard, Mass., and their very different experiences highlight the power of summer internships to individually engage and excite Rivers students.

As a summer intern at Harvard Medical School’s MEDscience Program, Thabi Khumalo ’17 had the opportunity to preview one of the new experiential learning programs that some of her Rivers classmates will participate in later this year. Thabi spent a week providing support to the team behind MEDscience’s simulation-based bioscience immersion program, helping set up for a variety of daily events for the students, including simulation cases, hospital tours, and skills labs; transcribe students’ reflections; and photograph activities to showcase in a video about the program.

By plane, bus, and overnight train, nine Rivers students crisscrossed China for twelve days in June, experiencing everything from the high-rises of Shanghai to tofu-making workshops in the countryside. Accompanied by Chinese language teachers Chris Holownia and Fred Kosak, they visited some of China’s iconic tourist destinations, but also got a glimpse of life in rural China, including a tour of a Chinese school in Jianshui County where they tried out their Chinese and played a little pick-up basketball with their local counterparts.

Nazeli '17 and Shahen Hagen '17 are in the midst of internships at Jackpine Technologies in Maynard, Mass., where they are assisting in both marketing and programming initiatives for the company's cloudspace product, CONS3RT.

Throughout the summer, we will be sharing journal entries written by eight Rivers students about their experiences as interns at some of Massachusetts’ leaders in science, technology, medicine, and business.

The Rivers campus was abuzz this morning, as a 40’ x 8’ x 9.5’ shipping container was towed onto campus and installed, with the help of an enormous crane and some aerial acrobatics, behind the Lewis Math and Science Center. Housing a complete hydroponic farming operation, the Freight Farm, as it is known, will provide experiential learning opportunities for Rivers’ seventh grade science classes, helping to advance one of the key academic goals of the new Strategic Plan. [Click here for a time-lapse video of the installation!]

It was a picture perfect morning to celebrate the graduation of Rivers’ Class of 2016. Family, friends, faculty, and staff gathered under the tent on the Quad on Friday, June 10, to honor the 93 members of the graduating class.

Rivers’ annual Prize Day ceremony was held Thursday, June 9, honoring students for their achievements in academics, the arts, and community service, and for personal character. Several faculty and staff members were also recognized for their service and contributions to the Rivers community.

Rivers athletes, coaches, parents, and friends gathered at Wednesday’s Varsity Awards Night to celebrate a record year of accomplishments. The annual tradition celebrated both the teams and the individual student athletes whose dedication made the past year such a success.

Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start of summer in the northeast, but before heading off on vacations and internships, several Rivers alumni athletes had to complete their spring seasons and one alumna capped off her season with a National Championship.

The Middle School Select Chorus spent this past Saturday at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Mass., but they weren’t there to ride the rollercoasters – at least not right away. The ensemble competed in the annual Music in the Parks Festival and earned first place in its division.

The Conservatory Program Vocal Ensemble earned a Gold Medal from the Massachusetts Instrumental & Choral Conductors Association Small Ensemble Festival on Saturday, May 14, at Concord Carlisle High School.

On Monday, May 16, MacDowell Athletic Center was transformed from a hub of study halls and athletic events to a bustling center of service education as the 10^th Grade engaged in RISE Day, the culmination of a yearlong service-learning program.

The first Alumni Day of Rivers’ second century had perhaps the best weather of any day this spring.  Lunches and games in the afternoon set the stage for a wonderful evening program where alumni who have played pivotal roles in moving the school forward were honored.

On Monday, May 9, Rivers alumni, parents, and friends came together at Charter Oak Country Club for the 16^th Annual Rivers School Golf Tournament to Benefit Financial Aid. While golfers enjoyed spring sunshine and good camaraderie, the event raised funds to help deserving and qualified students attend Rivers.

The Rivers Edge has been chronicling campus news and promoting student voices on Winter Street for decades and this year’s staff has done that legacy justice by earning top honors from the American Scholastic Press Association’s (ASPA) 2016 Scholastic Newspaper Awards.

The generosity of the Rivers community soared to new heights at Saturday’s Parents’ League Auction, setting a record of $300,000 (estimated gross) for the annual event that raises funds for professional development and student technology. Nearly 400 parents, faculty, and staff attended, enthusiastically bidding on all manner of live and silent auction items, from Rivers-bedecked kayaks to Patriots tickets to a hot-air balloon ride.

On Monday, the Rivers community welcomed back alumna Cara Nicoletti ’04—butcher, baker, and cookbook maker—in order to present her with a Young Alumni Achievement Award. Cara spoke to students and faculty at the all-school assembly about her passion for literature and food, and how she has managed to combine the two into a satisfying and successful career.

For the last 26 years, The Rivers School Conservatory has held the A. Ramon Rivera Piano Competition to honor the legacy of its former Director and current piano instructor. This spring, for the first time in the competition’s history, both prize winners from the competition’s “inside division” were students who are also students at Rivers.

The Rivers community came together this week to celebrate the variety of cultures our members embrace and to acknowledge the challenges some students face in today’s society. Students, parents, and faculty shared their favorite foods and traditions at the Global Fair in Kraft Dining Hall on April 13, followed by participation in the Day of Silence on April 15.

Rivers teachers have never been shy about sharing their interests with their students, and perhaps one of the most unusual examples of this is the Middle School Stage Combat class taught by Dr. Julian Willard, chair of Rivers Interdisciplinary Sudies department.

Rivers student artists had an impressive showing at the recent Small Independent School Art League (SISAL) annual exhibition, hosted this year by the Bancroft School in Worcester. Thirteen students received a total of 15 awards, Audrey Connelly ’20 received Best in Show in the Middle School division for her drawing entitled “Ann Barnstable.”

While the weather has yet to decide if winter is over and spring can finally get under way, the spring athletic season has officially kicked off for many former Rivers athletes. However, like the winter weather, winter sports continue to make the news – in this case, from the sidelines of a basketball court in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Each year Rivers Givers, the school’s student philanthropy organization, researches a number of deserving nonprofits in the Greater Boston area and eventually awards grants totaling $10,000 to their three top choices. At the April 1 all-school assembly, the students presented checks to representatives from three organizations that provide important services to families and children in the community: Zumix, Heading Home, and Circle of Hope.

Rivers science teacher Maureen Courtney took time out from her year-long leave of absence to talk to students in Dave Burzillo’s Pathogens, People, and Inequality class before spring break. Courtney shared the results of the research project that she has been working on as a doctoral candidate at Boston University. The talk gave students not only an understanding of her study of HIV-associated dementia, but also a glimpse into the arduous process of researching, writing, and defending a doctoral dissertation.

The Rivers Big Band wrapped up a very successful year on the competition circuit by earning a pair of Silver Medals at a pair of Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education (MAJE) competitions.

Jillian Dempsey ’09 has been making hockey history—first as a forward on the Boston Pride team during the National Women's Hockey League’s inaugural season, and now, helping the team clinch the first-ever Isobel Cup.

Forty-one student musicians, accompanied by six Rivers faculty members, spent a week of spring break on a concert tour of Croatia and Italy, performing at four different venues and impressing audiences with their musicianship. The students—members of the orchestra, jazz bands, and chorus—also had ample time to enjoy the sights, food, and culture at each city and town they visited.

Students continue to receive recognition well beyond the Rivers campus with a number of recent kudos for creativity in writing and the arts.

The winter sports season is the longest of the athletic calendar, but this particular season flew by, with all four varsity teams making deep runs in NEPSAC Tournament play and boys' varsity ice hockey winning an ISL Championship.

If you happen by the Robotics Club meeting during Thursday club block, you may hear cheers and moans emanating from the classroom. The club members are finishing up their inaugural robotic soccer season. And they’ve been having a blast. [Click here for a video about the Robotics program and inaugural soccer match.]

The prodigious talents of Rivers’ Visual Arts Department faculty are on display in Bell Gallery for the community to enjoy—and ponder—between now and spring break. A gallery reception on Thursday, February 11, kicked off the month-long exhibit that features works in a wide variety of media.

It is the peak of competition season for Rivers musical ensembles and both the Big Band and Select 1 Combo have had their yearlong efforts rewarded at the Berklee High School Jazz Festival and the prestigious Charles Mingus High School Competition.

Grade 10 students took part in what has become a wonderful annual tradition here at Rivers by helping run the Special Olympics of Massachusetts Regional Qualifying Tournament on February 7.

The Rivers Nonesuch Players are putting the finishing touches on their production of “Cinderella,” to be performed on Thursday, February 18 and Friday, February 19 at Regis College’s Fine Arts Center at 7:00 p.m.

The Massachusetts Music Educators Association held auditions for its annual Junior District Festival on January 30 at Needham High School and four Rivers students were accepted for spots in both the Chorus and Orchestra.

Brooke Heinsohn ’16 has had an incredible senior year on the soccer field. She helped Rivers claim ISL and NEPSAC Championships, suited up for the Under-20 Women’s National Team, was named a NSCAA All-American, and on Thursday morning was named the Massachusetts Gatorade Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year.

The 2016 Boston Globe Scholastic Art and Writing Awards recognized Rivers students with a total of 36 awards:  29 art awards and seven writing awards. The school received six Gold Keys, six Silver Keys, and 24 Honorable Mentions. Four students received multiple awards. Chosen from more than 15,000 entries in art and 2,500 writing entries, the winning work was reviewed by more than 50 judges on the basis of three criteria: originality, technical skill, and personal vision.

As January winds to a close and temperatures drop towards freezing, the collegiate athletic season is heating up and several recent Rivers graduates have put together impressive seasons thus far.

The Rivers community welcomed alumnus Tim Geary ’02 back to campus on Monday to honor him with the 2016 Young Alumni Achievement Award. In his acceptance speech at all-school meeting, Geary credited his successful business career to lessons he learned at Rivers—knowing how to build a team, define goals, and earn trust.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day away from school for most students and recognizing the man and the work he did as a leader of the civil rights movement can be a passive experience as a result. However, the Rivers community took an active approach to honoring Dr. King’s memory through an assembly program on January 11 and a service day on January 18.

Julia Thissell ’16 has been among the best basketball players in the Independent School League for the past several years, earning All-League honors as both a sophomore and junior. Now, midway through her senior season, Julia has been named a nominee for the 2016 McDonald’s All-American Game.

Rivers’ teachers started off the New Year on the other side of the desk on Monday morning, giving new meaning to the term “flipped classroom.” They spent the first half of their professional day honing technology skills, guided by some of Rivers’ finest—the student Tech Team. In a pair of back-to-back workshops, the students walked their teachers through a variety of apps to show them how to best enhance the classroom experience.

Rivers’ students embraced the spirit of the recent holiday season by initiating a number of outreach efforts in the local community, ranging from the traditional coat and toiletry drives to concerts both on and off campus.