Rivers Holds Second Annual State of the School Update: Imagine 2035

Following a reception for more than 250 attendees featuring music by the Select 1 Jazz Combo, Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem opened the presentation in Kraft Dining Hall. He welcomed the audience–a united room of parents, caregivers, trustees, alumni, and members of the professional community. “Tonight, this is the house of the Red Wings,” he said. Dahlem acknowledged the school’s strong position in terms of selectivity in admission and the demand for Rivers students by top-tier colleges and universities upon graduation and joyfully announced that Rivers had recently received the highest accreditation status possible–a 10-year term, indicative of the school’s overall programmatic and operational strength. 

To commence the program, Dahlem shared impressive admission statistics to highlight the strong demand for the Rivers experience and noted that application numbers are up 12% in the current admission cycle. He commended Director of Enrollment Management Yassine Talhaoui and his team for their tremendous work. He also showcased outstanding college admission outcomes for the Class of 2025, with 98% of students applying early and a 78% Early Decision/Restrictive Early Action (ED/REA) admit rate–demonstrating strong demand for Rivers students in the college admissions process. Dahlem noted the geographical diversity of the colleges chosen by Rivers students and praised the efforts of Dave Lyons ’99, P’30 and the college counseling team. Displaying a list of colleges where students in the Class of 2025 have already enrolled, Dahlem remarked, “I love this list. It’s long and strong, and it should be because we have unique students and a very individualized college counseling process.”

Dahlem credited the admission success of both incoming and graduating students as a by-product of what happens daily at Rivers. He highlighted a variety of programmatic areas, including the interdisciplinary humanities program and new HIVE mathematics initiative in the Middle School, a new Upper School science research course in which students are maintaining a fruit fly colony for genetic research as part of Stanford’s Stan-X program, and thriving and vibrant student-run club opportunities in a variety of interest areas across campus, with examples such as the robotics and venture capital clubs. 

Dahlem also spoke about the accomplishments of Rivers’ outstanding athletics program, which is among the most successful in New England. He noted that Rivers is one of only five schools in New England to qualify four teams for the fall playoffs and highlighted the early signing period when nine student-athletes committed to play their sport in college, with many more to follow. Dahlem also spoke about the renowned arts program, including the esteemed Rivers School Conservatory, and noted with enthusiasm that the Middle School fall play–an original piece–was written, choreographed, and staged entirely by Middle School students. Dahlem also highlighted the school’s ongoing commitment to equity and engagement work, stating, “We are highly committed to celebrating diversity in our community and creating a sense of belonging for all community members.”

Dahlem concluded his opening remarks by showing a photo of the aurora borealis over campus last October, using the analogy to speak about the bright future of Rivers. 

Board President Alan D. Rose, Jr. ‘87 then took the stage to reflect on Rivers’ growth and outline the essential role of the Board of Trustees. “Our primary focus is to look at the long-term success of the school, ensuring that decisions are made in alignment with the school’s mission and long-term goals,” he stated.

“It is a privilege to witness the remarkable evolution of this school,” added Rose. He emphasized the Board’s focus on elevated strategic planning and described four key objectives that the board and its committees prioritize: safeguarding the school’s mission, supporting the head of school, approving long-term strategic plans, and ensuring a strong financial foundation.

Chief Financial Officer Jon Wasserman ’88, P’18, ’21 provided a detailed overview of the school’s financial position, emphasizing the importance of the endowment. He noted its impressive growth from $465K in 1988 to $43M in 2024, alongside annual giving. While the growth is significant, Wasserman explained that much work remains. He discussed the various revenue streams supporting the 2025 budget and the allocation of resources, outlining the four budget levers used to optimize the student experience: enrollment, tuition rate, philanthropy, and endowment draw.

Interim Director for Development & External Relations Meret Nahas provided a comprehensive update on philanthropy at Rivers and outlined the pillars of the school’s development efforts: The Rivers Fund, Capital Gifts, and Gifts of the Endowment and Planned Giving. “With the new strategic plan launching this spring, we will have a clear roadmap for the future,” said Nahas. “One that builds on our strengths and sets ambitious goals for what lies ahead.”

Nahas noted that Rivers’ endowment has grown by over $16M since 2019 and emphasized that growing the endowment remains a priority. She also made a timely plug for #LoveRIVERS, Rivers’ Giving Day on February 20, that aimed at collecting 534 gifts—one for each Rivers student.

Head of Middle School John Bower P’31 and Head of Upper School/Assistant Head of School for Program Melissa Anderson P’25, ’25 discussed curricular and program innovations, as well as Rivers’ ongoing commitment to student well-being. Key priorities include cohesion of the academic program across grades 6-12, leadership development, technology, and mental health. Anderson spoke about the school’s emphasis on self-awareness and intentionality regarding the use of phones and social media—an initiative aimed at teaching students healthy technology habits. Bower highlighted leadership opportunities on campus and beyond: “Students are given opportunities to think critically about their roles as community members and change-makers.”

Bower and Anderson also discussed the future of Rivers, including a schedule redesign and focus on key resources and staffing to support and effectively teach students. They emphasized the integration of social-emotional learning and leadership development in a meaningful way. Anderson noted that the two divisions—Middle and Upper School—are “firmly aligned in how, why, and what we teach” and highlighted recent curricular work on the transition from grade 8 to 9 in science and math. Their joint effort to use resources wisely, create a strong foundation, and strengthen the academic program provides students with even more opportunities to explore, create, and grow.

Dahlem returned to the podium to speak about the development of the next strategic plan and ongoing work to revise the school’s mission statement. He outlined the timeline and inputs to the strategic planning process including a market research study, the AISNE Self-Study and accreditation team visit, and a Strategic Design Summit. Further strategic plan development will continue, leading to final approval by the Board of Trustees (projected for June). Dahlem walked through the findings of the various inputs and shared a preview of the emerging strategic priorities, beginning with a reaffirmation of the school’s commitment to its grounding philosophy of Excellence with Humanity.  

Three overarching priorities followed: Building on our Tradition of Innovation; Creating an Ecosystem of Connection, Well-Being, and Belonging; and Focusing on Lives of Purpose. Dahlem shared examples of initiatives under each that together will advance the academic program, invest in the professional community, increase health and well-being resources, grow the endowment (particularly in support of financial aid), elevate institutional equity, and enhance campus facilities.

Dahlem spoke passionately about a long view of education, with success defined by Rivers students living lives of purpose years from now. He highlighted increased engagement with alumni as a window into the future and an opportunity to inspire current students to imagine their own individual pathways in life. 

Dahlem concluded with a reflection on Rivers’ guiding philosophy of Excellence with Humanity. He quoted the book 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People by David Yeager, accentuating the need to balance high expectations with a supportive community of adults to lift and champion our young people. “Rivers could have written this book,” he declared. 

The inspirational evening came to a close with Dahlem praising the strong strategic planning efforts that will guide Rivers forward and echoing the advice he received from students at the start of his tenure: “Make Rivers even more Rivers.”

And together, we will do just that.