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.
Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem held an opening reception on Sunday afternoon for the visiting team at the head of school’s house. It was a chance to introduce and thank the visitors, the Rivers professional community, and the trustees, and to express special gratitude to the “AISNE 5,” the small but mighty group of professional community members who led and managed the first phase of Rivers’ 10-year accreditation cycle. “After a year of internal research and reflection, we are thrilled to welcome the external perspective of independent school colleagues from throughout New England to help assess our strengths and opportunities for growth as we look to the future at Rivers,” said Dahlem.
Throughout the three-day visit, the visiting team met with members of the professional community to share reflections from the self-study process. The structure of the visit also provided time and space for the visiting team to walk in the shoes of students and members of the Rivers professional community to experience day-to-day life and the outstanding work that occurs on campus every day. The team’s “all-access pass” to campus allowed them the freedom to drop into a class, set up a meeting, listen to a senior speech, grab lunch in Kraft Dining Hall, or ask any questions that might come to mind with any member of the professional community.
On Tuesday morning, time was set aside for parents and caregivers to connect with the visiting team over casual coffee and conversation in Nonesuch Cafe, to give the visitors a better understanding of the family experience at The Rivers School.
Rivers launched its self-study process in the summer of 2023, with all members of the professional community taking part in writing sections of the report. Work was divided by committees, each addressing one of 13 “standards,” which covered such areas as curriculum and pedagogy, student well-being, governance, finance, resources, and more. After months of careful research and collaboration, the 13 standard reports were drafted over the course of the 2023–24 academic year.
Rivers launched its self-study process in the summer of 2023, with all members of the professional community taking part in writing sections of the report. Work was divided by committees, each addressing one of 13 “standards,” which covered such areas as curriculum and pedagogy, student well-being, governance, finance, resources, and more. After months of careful research and collaboration, the 13 standard reports were drafted over the course of the 2023–24 academic year.
Dahlem sees the self-study as a basis for envisioning the future of The Rivers School. In meetings throughout the past academic year, Dahlem emphasized the importance of the accreditation process as a launching point for the future of Rivers. At the State of the School last February and throughout the spring semester, Dahlem engaged with different constituent groups about the next chapter for Rivers—a chapter that, in addition to the AISNE accreditation process, includes a market research study, a campus master plan refresh, a mission and core values review, and a strategic planning summit in November. Through these shared efforts, Rivers looks toward a new spring 2025 strategic plan that will provide a roadmap for building the future of Rivers.
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