Honoring Tradition, Shaping the Future: Life, Honorary, and Former Trustees Gather for Annual Reception
Life, Honorary, and Former Trustees reconnected and celebrated the school’s ongoing momentum during a special reception held in late October at the Head of School’s house. Hosted by Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem and his wife, Anne, the evening provided an opportunity to express deep gratitude to the school’s longstanding leaders while sharing an inspiring update on Rivers’ current successes and strategic direction.
The gathering opened with a lively period of socializing, followed by introductions around the room during which attendees shared their connections to Rivers. The formal presentation began with remarks from Board of Trustees President Pete Walter P’23, ’25, ’28, ’29, who welcomed the group and thanked them for their collective decades of service to Rivers and impact on the school’s trajectory. Walter then introduced Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem, who expressed further appreciation to the assembled trustees: “Building on your hard work and the investment of your time, talent, and treasure, Rivers continues to be in a very strong position as we look ahead.”
Dahlem highlighted remarkable achievements across every facet of campus life at Rivers:
- Enrollment: Rivers opened the 2026–27 school year fully enrolled with 537 students, a signal of market strength.
- Academics: The Science Department continues to set a benchmark for experiential learning, especially in life sciences programs. Additionally, participants in the signature summer science internship program recently shared their experiences during an Upper School assembly, with one participant missing in order to present her research alongside a mentor at a conference in Ohio.
- Athletics: Building on last year’s NEPSAC football bowl championship and ISL field hockey championship, the Red Wings remain dominant, with the field hockey team off to a stellar 11–2 start this season.
- Arts: The arts program is thriving across performing and visual disciplines, including the jazz band’s trip to New Orleans last spring. Meanwhile, The Rivers School Conservatory (RSC) continues to flourish with over 1,300 students following its landmark 50th-anniversary celebration last year.
- Philanthropy: Thanks to the leadership of Chief Advancement Officer Meret Nahas and the advancement team, Rivers achieved a record-breaking $4.1 million annual fund this past year, including a record $525,000-plus raised for the RSC Annual Fund.
Looking ahead, Dahlem provided updates on highly successful college admission placements and detailed how the school’s strategic plan is actively translating Rivers’ mission and core values into practice campus-wide. On the innovation front, the school is implementing a new daily schedule and adopting a thoughtful approach to integrating and evaluating artificial intelligence within the educational landscape. Prioritizing wellness, Rivers expanded its counseling staff last year, leading to a 15% increase in students supported and a 17% overall boost in total counseling sessions provided. Finally, to foster student purpose, the school has broadened community engagement opportunities, highlighted by a new community engagement internship program, and Rivers continues to deepen meaningful connections with alumni.
Dahlem also outlined the priorities for the upcoming comprehensive capital campaign, including a new community center and reimagined campus entrance; growing the endowment for financial aid, professional community excellence, and program innovation; and sustaining robust annual giving through The Rivers Fund and RSC Annual Fund.
The reception concluded with Dahlem sharing an inspiring story about alumnus Luke Flood ’12, underscoring the lifelong impact of a Rivers education and the vibrant connection between alumni and current students.
Flood, who has directed the pit orchestra and performed on keyboard in over 1,300 shows for the national tour of Wicked (currently running in Boston), visited campus earlier in the week to work with Conservatory Program musical theater students. During his visit, Flood shared lessons from his career on Broadway tours, performed on piano alongside Alexander Ho ’27 and Jojo Stein. ’27, and gave feedback on performances by Upper School musical theater students.
Stories like Flood’s highlight the enduring legacy of excellence built by the Life, Honorary, and Former Trustees, whose continued stewardship helps support transformative opportunities for every Rivers student.
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