Welcome from the Head of School
Welcome to The Rivers School
Ryan S. Dahlem is the ninth head of school at Rivers. He arrived on July 1, 2023, having previously served as assistant head of school at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, a PK–12 school of 1,240 students in San Juan Capistrano, CA. There, he created a unique student-centered Innovation Strategy rooted in design thinking that has been recognized nationally in the world of independent schools. At Rivers, Ryan continues that approach of student-centered learning, built on a foundation of strong relationships and the school’s philosophy of Excellence with Humanity.
"Above all, I value deeply personal relationships between educators and students. They are at the heart of a transformational education."
—HEAD OF SCHOOL RYAN S. DAHLEM
—HEAD OF SCHOOL RYAN S. DAHLEM
Ryan graduated from Stanford University with an AB in psychology and from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a master’s degree in teaching and curriculum. He is a trained musician and avid mountaineer who has climbed the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Ryan and his wife, Anne, have three children: Peter, Ella, and Colin.
Ryan was initially drawn to The Rivers School for its mission, core values, and tradition of Excellence with Humanity, which, he said, resonates deeply with his own educational philosophy. Building on the school’s momentum, he is delighted to lead Rivers into its next chapter.
MEET RYAN DAHLEM
Ryan S. Dahlem, our ninth head of school, spent several days on the Rivers campus before his official arrival. He visited classrooms, met with students and faculty members, and began the process of becoming a member of the Rivers community. We caught up with him on one of his early visits, and in this video, he shares his first impressions of the school and his excitement about his new role.
Head of School News
List of 19 news stories.
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Rivers Holds Second Annual State of the School Update: Imagine 2035
Read MoreOn Tuesday, February 11, The Rivers School held an evening event for parents, caregivers, and alumni titled “Imagine 2035: 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, development, and academics—along with a special focus on the past year’s strategic planning efforts aimed at shaping a bright future for Rivers.
Click here for an executive summary highlighting key information shared during the presentation. -
The Power of Teams: Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem Participates on PIN Panel
On January 15, the Parents’ Independent School Network (PIN) hosted a virtual heads of school panel to discuss the topic of teams: “Being Our Best Selves: A Team Approach.” In addition to Rivers’ Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem, the event featured heads of school from three other Massachusetts independent schools: Derek Boonisar from Fenn School in Concord; Judith Guild from Brimmer and May School in Chestnut Hill; and Mark Stanek from Shady Hill School in Cambridge.Read More -
Renowned Neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang: Understanding Adolescent Brains
We may think of the world of emotions as very separate from biology or the process of learning and the brain, but Mary Helen Immordino-Yang would have you know that those processes are deeply linked. Following the winter break, The Rivers School welcomed back Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, a distinguished neuroscientist and professor of education at the USC Rossier School of Education, as a guest speaker for a day of professional development, and in a later session for parents, caregivers, and alumni.Read More -
“Rivers on the Road” Admission Tour Brings Science to the Harvard Museum of Natural History
The Rivers School admission team recently stopped at the Harvard Museum of Natural History for the second annual “Rivers on the Road” event. The museum’s newly renovated Earth & Planetary Sciences gallery, an expansive space that houses thousands of rare minerals and sparkling gemstones, was a perfect setting for forging new connections and talking about science programs at Rivers.Read More -
Veterans Day at Rivers: Service and Sacrifice
Read MoreThe Rivers School held its annual Veterans Day assembly to recognize and honor members of the community who have served in the military. This year, a new dimension of this 42-year tradition offered students the chance to give back and serve veterans in various community organizations throughout the Boston area. -
Strategic Design Summit: Imagine Rivers 2035
On Saturday, November 2, more than 100 members of the Rivers community—parents, alumni, trustees, and professional community members—came together for an exciting and important task: Imagining the future. Specifically, they were asked to spend the morning discussing, pondering, and creating a vision for The Rivers School of 2035, 10 years down the road. The Strategic Design Summit, convened by strategic planning co-chairs Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem and Trustee Alison Hall P’19, was a milestone along the path that will lead to the creation of a new strategic plan, targeting approval in June 2025.Read More -
Rivers Welcomes AISNE Visiting Team to Campus
A team of educators representing AISNE (Association of Independent Schools in New England) arrived on the Rivers campus on Sunday, September 29, for a three-day visit, as part of the school’s re-accreditation process. The team comprised independent school colleagues, representing a variety of positions and institutions, including nearby Dana Hall, The Winsor School, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Milton Academy, among others. The visit marked the next step in the re-accreditation process, following a year of work that included internal reflection, focus groups, and the drafting of a self-study report, which was submitted over the summer. On Wednesday, the visiting team shared initial findings with a small group of senior administrators to conclude the visit; Rivers will receive a detailed team report in several weeks.Read More -
“The Reason We’re Here”: Students Return to Campus for First Day of School
A perfect September morning—blue skies, mild temperatures—set the stage for a joyful first day of school on Tuesday. Returning students embraced one another, greeted their teachers, and launched into the year ahead with aplomb.Read More -
HOS Ryan S. Dahlem Inspires Students to Finish Strong
With campus in full bloom, The Rivers School held one of the last all-school meetings of the 2023-2024 academic year on Monday, April 29. Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem challenged and inspired students to finish the year strong by asking: What will you make of May?Read More -
An Evening of Community and Connection: Charting the Path Forward at Rivers
The Rivers School held an evening event for parents and caregivers, “Community and Connection: A State of the School Update,” on Wednesday, February 7, providing an overview through a range of lenses: strategy, governance, finance, development, academics, and more. The speakers painted a picture of an institution on an upward trajectory, building on the momentum of Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem’s first six months at the helm.Read More -
Cold Comfort: A Head of School’s Lessons from an Antarctic Adventure
Climbing Antarctica’s highest peak—where average temperatures hover around -20F and base camp is reached by taking two unusual flights from Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost point—might not be everyone’s idea of a good time. But for Head of School Ryan Dahlem, who scaled the Vinson Massif years ago with a team that included his father, John, the challenges of the climb were part of what made it a life-changing experience for him.Read More -
The Fall Riparian Arrives!
The fall issue of the Riparian is here, with a fresh redesign and a lineup of exciting stories. This issue covers Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem’s journey as an educator, investigates the impact of AI in the classroom (and what Rivers is doing about it!), and takes a look at our travel programs, back bigger and better than ever post-COVID.Read More -
Celebratory Welcome for Ryan S. Dahlem Ushers in Friday Night Lights
A celebration for Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem and his family brought excitement and fanfare to Rivers on Friday evening. More than 300 members of the Rivers community gathered in Kraft Dining Hall to officially welcome the school’s ninth head, Ryan S. Dahlem, and his family to Rivers, preceding the season’s inaugural Friday Night Lights game.Read More -
Looking Back and Forward: A Student-Centered Vision for the Future of Rivers
Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem shared a bright and exciting vision—for students and members of the Rivers professional community alike—highlighting the future of The Rivers School at Monday’s all-school assembly. Dahlem opened with an extended moment of silence in honor of the victims of 9/11 and their families on the 22nd anniversary of the tragic event. He went on to thank the community for an “amazing first week of school...the energy, the excitement, the engagement were so inspiring for me to see.”Read More -
First Day: Dahlem’s Tenure Gets Under Way on Opening Day
“Happy New Year!” The calendar may still read 2023, but that was the greeting offered by Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem at an all-school assembly on the first day of school this past Tuesday, underscoring the excitement of launching into both a new academic year and Dahlem’s tenure as head.Read More -
Ryan Dahlem, Ninth Head of School, Begins Tenure Tomorrow
On July 1, the next chapter for The Rivers School begins as ninth Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem arrives on campus, ready to assume his new role. In anticipation of this pivotal moment, Alan D. Rose Jr. ’87, president of the Board of Trustees, shared the following letter with the Rivers community.Read More -
Incoming Head of School Ryan Dahlem Returns to Rivers
It was back to school last week for students—and back to Rivers for incoming Head of School Ryan Dahlem, who paid his second extended visit to campus to meet with various constituencies in the community from March 27 to 29. Dahlem was accompanied by his wife, Anne, and the Dahlems took the opportunity to further acquaint themselves with the community ahead of their July move to Weston. Dovetailing with a busy admission session, the visit advanced Dahlem’s immersion by broadening the focus to current and newly admitted families.Read More -
Getting Acquainted: Incoming Head of School Ryan Dahlem Visits Campus for Two-Day Immersion
Incoming Head of School Ryan Dahlem visited The Rivers School on February 2 and 3 for a two-day immersion in the life of the school that included classroom visits and meetings with students, trustees, faculty, staff, deans, and department chairs. The itinerary, mapped out by the Heads Transition and Support Committee, was designed to give Mr. Dahlem an opportunity to experience the culture and community of Rivers firsthand before his official start in July.Read More -
Ryan S. Dahlem Named Ninth Head of School
Last week, after an extensive and rigorous search process, the Board of Trustees, acting on the recommendation of the Head of School Search Committee, voted unanimously to appoint Ryan S. Dahlem as Rivers’s ninth head of school, succeeding current head of school Ned Parsons. Ryan will officially join Rivers on July 1, 2023.Read More
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