Grandparents and Special Friends Gather, Reconnect, and Learn at Annual Grandparents’ Day

Head of Middle School John Bower P’31 formally welcomed the guests Monday morning on behalf of Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem, who was unable to attend.
 

Bower welcomed those gathered, and asked for a show of hands for those who had traveled a distance to attend—including one couple attending from outside the U.S.—and a sizable number of guests arriving from outside of New England. There was a healthy showing of new faces as well, as nearly half the room represented first-timers to the Rivers campus. 

Bower emphasized this year is a particularly meaningful one for him as he is now a Rivers parent as well—son James ’31 began this year in the sixth grade—which “brings a whole new perspective and sense of pride to the work we do each day,” said Bower. He reflected on the role grandparents play in the life of his own children, who can see their grandmother, who lives with them, as much as they want. “Grandparents hold a unique place in a child’s life, offering wisdom, patience, and unconditional love that helps to shape who they are. Your presence today strengthens those bonds, and it means a great deal to all of us at Rivers,” he said.  

Bower also noted the importance of the work in the Middle School to acknowledge the developmental growth and discovery that takes place in adolescence, designing programs that support that growth. He spoke about the Grade 7 Oral History Project, part of the humanities curriculum, in which each student interviewed someone who traveled from their home country to the United States, learning about their journey, their challenges, and their resilience. “Projects like this are just one way we encourage our students to see the world from multiple perspectives and to develop compassion for others—a quality our world truly needs,” said Bower.

Bower then introduced Ginny MacDowell P’96, ’99, GP’12, ’24, grandparent co-chair of the Rivers Fund. MacDowell addressed the guests, sharing her warm memories of Rivers, and stressed the importance of supporting the school’s programming with a gift to the Rivers Fund. 

Guests were then treated to performances from various Middle School ensembles. First up was “Gratias agimus tibi,” by Lon Beery, sung by the Middle School Chorus. Choral Director Krissy Skare introduced the ensemble, calling the song “a song of gratitude” and offering the spirit of thanks to the morning’s audience.

The Middle School Chamber Ensemble, led by Dan Shaud, performed the Overture to Bizet’s Carmen, a lively medley of catchy and well-known melodies. The Middle School Big Band, led by Bill Jones, featured several soloists in their performance of “Killer Joe” by Benny Golson. And the Middle School Musical Theater class, led by Margaret McFadden while Zoë Iacovelli is on parental leave, offered two selections from Tim Minchin’s Matilda the Musical—the poignant “When I Grow Up” and the empowering, defiant “Revolting Children.”

Grandparents and friends were then invited to attend a class with their middle schoolers, dropping in on art, humanities, media literacy, and math before returning to Kraft Dining Hall for a luncheon together. 

In Grade 8 art with Chris Love, grandparents and grandchildren were tasked with making self-portraits that express two sides of themselves—such as “a summer me and a winter me” or “a school me and a home me.” 

In math class with Kevin Faherty, students and their guests were engaged in a little conversation about Daylight Savings Time, still on people’s minds after changing the clocks back over the weekend. They moved on to more interview-type questions, students learning about their grandparents' and friends’ lives as children—”What was your favorite age to be?” “What was your favorite food as a kid?” “How much did you pay for two scoops of ice cream?”—with grandparents making connections amongst themselves too. 

At the earlier assembly, guests heard from student speaker Colin Stokes ’29, described by Bower as “a student who cares deeply about every aspect of the Rivers experience.”

“When I was looking for a school to attend,” said Stokes, “I wanted a place with good sports facilities and teachers who were patient.” Since attending Revisit Day, he says, he knew Rivers was right for him. He spoke about a few of the experiences that have made a difference for him as a Rivers student, such as Grade 7 sustainability night, when he did a project on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.  Stokes concluded with deep appreciation for the gathered guests, addressing the grandparents present: “My parents are great, but they learned everything from you.”