Parents and Caregivers at The Rivers School form the backbone of our community. We invite you to become involved in the Rivers Parents' League. There are multiple opportunities (with varying time commitments) to volunteer on campus, assist with events, and participate in our amazing community.
Current Parents and Caregivers should log in to RIVERSNET for secure information, including helpful documents, an online directory, important forms, and to learn more about Parents' League leadership and volunteer role descriptions. We look forward to meeting and working with you!
Questions: contactJanet McKeeney, director of family and alumni engagement.
We hope you become involved in the Parents’ League. Even if you only have a few hours to spare, there are ways to get involved, help with events, and connect with other parents/caregivers of your child’s friends and classmates.
Make sure your contact information is correct. A link to your child’s Health Information Forms will be emailed to you mid-summer. You will receive information in mid-August about your child’s schedule, books, orientation, and pre-season athletic events.
For parents new to the school, this is the Rivers version of “back-to-school” night. This important event provides information about curriculum and an opportunity to meet your children’s teachers. Each division holds its own Mini-School, typically at the end of September or beginning of October.
Advisors will be assigned at the beginning of the school year. Students meet with advisors at least two times a week. Don’t hesitate to call or email your child’s advisor with any questions or concerns.
Please read the Weekly Update, which is emailed every Thursday and includes events for the upcoming week. In addition, there are informative articles about school events and activities. A definite must-read!
Use the website, both the public and the password-protected RiversNet areas. Take some time to familiarize yourself with both. The “Parents” tab, handbook, and the calendar will be particularly valuable tools throughout your time at Rivers.
You will have to log in to access grades, student billing, the Wellness page, carpool lists, and other secure information.
Participate in the Rivers Fund. With every gift, you bolster The Rivers School’s commitment to its people, its programs, and its facilities, allowing the institution to deliver an education that meets the highest standards and prepares students for an ever-evolving future.
You will be assigned a parent grade representative in the fall and should hear from them in September. As new families transition into the school, grade reps replace new family hosts as a point of contact for questions and will email about upcoming school events and parent social events.
Whether it's a sporting event, musical performance, drama, or seeing your child's artistic creations, come and cheer them on. You will forge friendships with other parents on the sidelines, at concerts or performances, parent coffees, or speaker presentations. There are also grade-specific parent orientations, which are a wonderful way to get to know the parents in your child's grade. These are just a few of the many parent-related activities on campus throughout the year and a great way to meet new people and form connections with fellow parents and caregivers.
Homecoming and Fall Fest held in late October celebrates Rivers athletics with alumni, current students and families, as well members of the professional community. It is a chance to gather “under the lights” to cheer our incredible athletes. Saturday activities include a child-friendly Barn Babies petting zoo, a pumpkin patch, food trucks, a Rivers spirit wear pop-up shop, the Rivers fan zone, and a photo booth.
The State of the School
The State of the School is an annual event that takes place in February. It is an opportunity to bring together members of the Rivers community, including current families and alumni, and hear from Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem and senior administrative leaders who provide updates on Rivers’ academic, operational, financial, and strategic initiatives.
Friendsgiving
From its modest origins in 2019 as a lunchtime potluck held in a Campus Center classroom, Rivers’ annual Friendsgiving celebration has grown into one of the most beloved and anticipated dates on the school calendar. An evening of food and fun, Friendsgiving is co-sponsored by Middle School and Upper School BRIDGE. It is an evening about fun and food, but it’s also an occasion to give thanks.
Veterans Day
Veterans Day has traditionally been a school day at Rivers because we believe that the day is not a holiday but rather a time for community gathering, reflection, learning, and service. All-school assembly, led by Rivers' head of school, is a tradition that conveys the significance and solemnity of the day.
Community Golf Tournament
Golfers of all experience levels are most welcome. Gather your team (or register as a solo player, and we will match you with a foursome) to join us for a fun day of golf, camaraderie, and connections. We will complete the day with a reception with Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem in the clubhouse.
Annual Community Event
This community event provides an opportunity for the parents and caregivers and the professional community to gather before the end of the school year for a fun, casual evening. This year, the event will include a “Toss It Up” for Rivers Corn Hole Tournament in MacDowell Athletic Center.
Cookie Palooza
This beloved annual tradition is a chance for Rivers families to show gratitude and appreciation for members of the professional community as they near winter break. On this day, the conference room in lower Haynes Hall is open and members of the community fill a box (that will be provided) of a variety of delicious, sweet treats!
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Campus News
List of 3 news stories.
Beyond the Podium: Debate Club Takes on the Windy City
Members of The Rivers School’s debate club organized an immersive three-day trip to Chicago in January to hone in on issues of criminal justice and legislation. The trip allowed students to apply their research skills and gain a deeper understanding of the American legal system through meeting with experts and drafting their own reform bills.
“Nothing’s Gonna Change If You Don’t Change It”: Nonesuch Players Present 9 to 5: The Musical
For two nights this February, the Nonesuch Players’ production of 9 to 5: The Musical whisks audiences back in time to the 1970s, when the grind of office life meant typewriters, landlines, lots of paper—and keeping to the status quo in which women were treated as less than their male counterparts. With a tagline of “Nothing’s gonna change if you don’t change it,” the show tells the story of three women taking charge of their own lives to make a difference—with plenty of humor, heartfelt songs, and flashy dance numbers along the way.
Rivers’ Third Annual State of the School Update: Ushering in a Bold New Chapter
On Wednesday, February 11, The Rivers School held an evening event for parents, caregivers, and alumni: “Activating Our Bold New Plan: A State of the School Update.” The program provided an inside look at the current state of the school from various perspectives—strategy, governance, finance, advancement, and academics—along with a focus on the past year’s strategic planning efforts aimed at shaping the school’s future.
Rivers admits academically qualified students and does not discriminate against students or families on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or ethnic or national origin in the administration of its educational programs, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic programs, and other school-administered programs.