Dear Parents and Students,
I love Riverstone. My kids love Riverstone. Our family has been a part of this community for more than 15 years.
The Middle School at Riverstone invites students to seek understanding, respect themselves and others, and take action to help their community. This is a growth process that happens in the context of strong, positive relationships with students and teachers. Relationships are built through small inquiry-based classes and a progressively challenging, world-class outdoor education program staffed by students’ teachers. They are expanded through collaborative class projects, service-learning experiences, mixed-age advisory groups, athletics, music ensembles and clubs. We strive to know and support each of our students in and outside their classrooms so that they are comfortable asking questions, engaging in classroom discussion, and providing each other with high-quality feedback.
Academics in the Middle School focuses on building students’ toolbox of learning skills through explorations of engaging, globally focused content. These years equip students for one of the most comprehensive college preparatory experiences – the International Baccalaureate’s Diploma Programme for 11th and 12th graders. Our students do extremely well in the Diploma Programme because of their preparation in Riverstone’s Middle School. They can write effectively for a variety of purposes, they can research, they know how to recognize patterns and connections, and they know how to synthesize information to form a judgment – and they do it in every subject, every day.
We believe the challenges our students face and will continue to face as adults are complex. Our students learn to embrace complexity and ambiguity by learning to listen, analyze and communicate. They practice collaboration with others and learn to communicate effectively through a variety of media. Their skills are grounded in the respect, understanding and relationships that are central to our community and our students’ growth and success.
I encourage you to visit Riverstone. Meet our faculty and students. I am certain you will find them to be warm and welcoming, while deeply engaged in learning and growing each day.
I look forward to meeting you.
Damon Brown
Middle School Director