Heads of Middle School and Upper School Spend a Day Shadowing Students

The choice to shadow a Grade 8 student and a Grade 9 student was intentional—part of a strategic focus on the transition between the Middle School and Upper School that a cross-divisional academic team is leading this year.

One of the classes Bower attended with Mitrokostas was geometry, taught by Matt Dias-Costa ’13. “It was a true full circle moment, because I actually taught Matt French when he was in Grade 8 at Rivers,” Bower said. Bower also experienced Perspectives in World History, biology, a Model UN meeting, a science lab group meeting, and lunch with Upper School students. Throughout the day, he noted ways that skills and strategies fostered in the Middle School were on display in Mitrokostas’ Upper School classes.

“In Perspectives in World History, I appreciated the intentionality of Mr. Leeming sharing how much he cares that the students are demonstrating integrity, especially in their writing,” Bower added. “He said, ‘Everything revolves around trust in this class,’ and it was clear as class continued that students trust him already, and a very positive relationship has already been formed.”

Kyle attended Okyere’s math, Spanish, and humanities classes, as well as sitting in on jazz band practice, Grade 8 lunch and break, and “media day” for Okyere’s Middle School boys soccer team. 

“It’s clear that the throughlines of Excellence with Humanity are embedded into all we do at Rivers,” said Kyle. “My colleagues have high expectations, whether it’s reviewing verb tenses in Spanish or getting a line of music just right in band practice, and they clearly take care to balance that rigor with support through engaging lessons and assignments.”

Asked what he hopes the academic team learned from this shadowing experience, Okyere said, “I hope they learned that they’re doing an amazing job and the community is really thriving here in the Middle School.”