Dear Parents and Students,
On behalf of Riverstone International School, we all would like to warmly welcome you to our school community. In the Elementary School, we offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. Children as young as 3 years old may begin their educational journey with us and continue all the way through Grade 5. Because we are an authorized International Baccalaureate World School your child may then continue into our Middle Years Programme followed by our Diploma Programme, which takes your child through Grade 12. Being a World School means that our curriculum and programmes dovetail beautifully into each other, and your child will be well prepared not only for each phase of their educational journey, but far beyond and throughout their life.
The International Baccalaureate is a holistic approach to learning that develops “inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who are motivated to succeed.” Giving learners “distinct advantages by building their critical thinking skills, nurturing their curiosity and their ability to solve complex problems” all while learning across disciplines and asking challenging questions. (ibo.org)
At Riverstone, all children are learning an additional language taught by a native speaker and receive lessons in art, music, physical education, and library which are also taught by specialists. In our Elementary School, our additional languages are Spanish and Mandarin. Spanish is taught from Preschool through Grade 5 and Mandarin is taught from Grade 2 through Grade 5.
Unique to Riverstone are our Guiding Principles and our Five Pillars. Both work together to provide the basis for everything we do. Our Guiding Principles are: Seek Understanding, Respect Yourself and Others, and Take Action to Contribute to the Community. Our Guiding Principles overarch our Five Pillars, and our Five Pillars are the foundation pieces from which we build all we do. Our Five Pillars include:
Academic Excellence
Where we value what each person brings with them such as their individual background knowledge, their strengths, and areas that would benefit from support. We then scaffold learning accordingly to be both engaging and challenging, fostering creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking skills.
Community and Service
Every learner, regardless of age, participates in acts of service and building community that engages all learners and provides a place to belong. Learners are invited to contribute their thoughts and ideas, make connections, and stretch their understanding in an environment that is nurturing, safe, and welcoming.
Leadership by Example
Valuing who each person is and recognizing their own strengths empowers learners to lead in a variety of ways, such as through problem-solving, assisting others, being an upstander, and being a model example. We have a buddy program pairing younger and older grades together, both throughout the Elementary School and also Bridge Buddies with the Middle and High School.
International Understanding
By recognizing and valuing each person as an individual and developing the learner profile attributes in each person, we broaden our perspective and understanding of the world and all of its inhabitants. We value diversity, advocate for equity, and are inclusive in all we do.
Outdoor Education
Our learning experiences reach far beyond the walls of a classroom. Through intentional design and planning, learners are exposed to a variety of opportunities in which they can develop and practice leadership skills, foster grit and determination, build self-confidence, develop collaboration skills, and learn to be good stewards of the world.
Our Elementary School teachers and staff develop meaningful relationships with each learner and their family so that we may work in partnership with you to assist your child in their educational journey. Our small class sizes and commitment to fostering a passion to be a life-long learner prepare your child not only for their academic career but also throughout life.
We would love the opportunity to show you around our community, share with you more in-depth and answer any questions you may have. We invite you to take a tour or inquire about our school. Please feel free to reach out to me personally at [email protected] or to [email protected]. We look forward to meeting you.
Sincerely,
Kari Boazman
Elementary School Director