Rivers' Third Annual State of the School Update: Ushering in a Bold New Chapter

Opening the 2026 State of the School in Kraft Dining Hall against the backdrop of a classic New England winter, Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem welcomed the community with a message of warmth and institutional momentum. After a performance by a string quartet of talented student musicians, Dahlem noted that while the recent snow required flexibility, the school itself remains on an incredibly firm footing. Quoting the Farmer’s Almanac to highlight the season’s predictability, he drew a parallel to the school’s own steady trajectory, noting that Rivers continues to operate from a position of significant strength.

Dahlem highlighted the school’s revised mission statement and core values as a backdrop to the entire presentation, noting their importance as foundational expressions of “what we do with our students and how we do it.” After providing data on strong admission demand, including the lowest admit rate in school history while matching the highest yield, he shared information about college admission outcomes that demonstrated equal demand for Rivers graduates among top colleges and universities across the country. Dahlem emphasized that both markers reflect the strength of the school’s core program, in which “there is no hiding in the back of the classroom; students are regularly expected to formulate and articulate their own ideas and perspectives.”   

A broad overview of success across many dimensions of the program followed, including recent ISL and NEPSAC athletics championships, inspiring artistic expression in visual and performing arts, high engagement in the school’s distinctive summer internship program, and cultural celebrations that highlight the rich diversity within the Rivers community. Dahlem also spotlighted student Global Education Scholars and Community Engagement Interns who presented at a recent civic engagement conference in Atlanta and are creating spaces on campus to discuss complex current events. 

This foundation of excellence serves as the launchpad for the school’s new strategic plan, which is already being activated through three primary pillars: pursue excellence through innovation; cultivate an ecosystem of connection, well-being, and belonging; and focus on lives of impact and purpose.

The move from vision to action is already visible on campus, as seen in Dahlem's updates on the first year of strategic plan implementation. He highlighted a comprehensive schedule redesign led by a design team of Middle and Upper School faculty, as well as a proactive approach to AI literacy through workshops helping the professional community and students navigate this new tech frontier. 

A major focus of the plan involves increasing the cohesion of the Grade 6 through 12 experience. To support this, the school has increased collaboration between Middle School and Upper School faculty, launched an internal study of the Grade 9 experience, and will add a new assistant head of Middle School to the Academic Leadership Team, which ensures a seamless transition between divisions, both academically and socially.

Addressing community well-being, Dahlem shared that the school has increased the number of counseling and learning services personnel and is providing additional proactive wellness education. Dahlem also announced that Rivers is conducting feasibility testing for a new Center for Community and Performing Arts. This landmark project signals a bold future for the campus footprint and will include community gathering space, new classrooms, additional student study and socializing space, wellness space, and a highly needed performance venue. 

Along with these large-scale goals, the school remains continually focused on the individual student experience, utilizing new belonging surveys and tech-wellness education to ensure every student feels interconnected and supported.

In a poignant conclusion, Dahlem honored Board President Alan D. Rose, Jr. ’87, who is completing his tenure at the end of the academic year. Reflecting on Rose’s deep roots as a student and long-term trustee, Dahlem thanked him for his “profound impact on the school’s ongoing success.”

While acknowledging the challenges and uncertainty of the current global landscape, Dahlem closed by reaffirming that the state of the school is strong, fueled by a "steady commitment to the hope and promise of young people" that underpins Rivers’ enduring philosophy of Excellence with Humanity.

Board President Alan D. Rose, Jr. ’87 reflected on his journey from a student in the 1980s to being the first graduate in three decades to lead the Board. He spoke candidly about his mission to maintain the school’s momentum during the search for Rivers’ ninth Head of School and the development of the new strategic plan. As he prepares to step aside, Rose expressed immense confidence in his successor, Peter Walter P’23, ’25, ’28, ’29. “A Rivers parent four times over and the current vice president of the Board, Pete is the perfect person to step in to lead the Board,” said Rose. “He is calm, analytical, and has a deep understanding of the professional community as the engine driving the school's philosophy of Excellence with Humanity.”

The institution's financial health remains a point of significant pride, as detailed by Chief Financial Officer Jon Wasserman ’88 P’18, ’21, and Chief Advancement Officer Meret Nahas. Wasserman emphasized Rivers’ student-centered budgeting philosophy and made the case for continuing to strengthen the endowment. The Rivers School’s endowment has seen remarkable growth since the launch of the last comprehensive capital campaign, FutureMakers, receiving over $21 million in gifts and pledges since 2019. The endowment recently surpassed a record $48.8 million. This fiscal strength allows Rivers to operate with a lean, disciplined approach while setting new school records for The Rivers Fund, which reached $3.58 million last year. Nahas noted that 100% of the Board, 92% of parents and caregivers, 24% of alumni, and 86% of the professional community contributed to these efforts. 

Nahas also highlighted the profound impact of philanthropy, sharing anecdotes from two alumni whose love for Rivers inspired them to make a current-use gift and document a bequest to support the internship program and faculty mentorship to the benefit of future Rivers generations. Looking ahead, the school is currently in the final stages of the feasibility study of its second-ever comprehensive capital campaign, with a formal leadership phase set to begin in the summer of 2026.

Academic innovation continues to be the heartbeat of the Rivers campus. Dean of Academics and Institutional Research Chris Dalton provided an update on the comprehensive schedule redesign, driven by a dedicated design team and informed by over 150 focus group participants to center the student experience in a process called “design thinking.” At this stage, the team is refining two prototypes: a five-day-per-week model and a rotating-day model. Both designs prioritize consistency and predictability for students while eliminating Rivers’ traditional “Monday schedule” in favor of longer blocks that allow for deeper project-based learning. In the Upper School, these prototypes also introduce dedicated “X blocks” to better integrate wellness and community programming into the daily rhythm of school life. Dalton noted that a single final prototype will be selected this spring for full implementation in the 2026–27 academic year. Parents and caregivers had the opportunity to take part in a coffee and Q&A on the design process on February 17. 

As the evening drew to a close, Dahlem returned to the podium to reaffirm the school’s commitment to its mission, core values, and strategic priorities. He drew inspiration from the science of adolescent motivation, emphasizing the school’s unique ability to balance high expectations with a championing, supportive environment. Dahlem offered a look ahead to a roster of spring events on the horizon and invited attendees back to campus for several opportunities to connect. 

He closed the evening with a recent example of unbridled joy on campus: a video of a Middle School basketball player sinking a game-winning, half-court shot that evoked a rousing cheer from the audience and Dahlem’s trademark close of “Go, Red Wings!”