Parents and Caregivers

Creating Community and Connections

Parents and Caregivers at The Rivers School form the backbone of our community. Throughout the year, there are many opportunities for families to get involved. On this page, you will find helpful resources that will keep you connected and informed during your student’s journey at Rivers. We encourage you to check back often. 
 
Questions: contact Amy Dunne, director of special events and parent programs.  

Current Parents and Caregivers should log in to RIVERSNET for secure information, including helpful documents, an online directory, important forms, and more. 


Upcoming Events

List of 2 events.

View All Events

Welcome Families!

Please consider becoming involved in the Parents’ League. It does not need to be a major time commitment, and even if you only have a few hours to spare, there are ways to get involved. It will help you feel more connected to Rivers, which helps bolster our community and connect you to other parents/caregivers of your child’s friends and classmates.


Rivers “Top 10” List for Parents and Caregivers

List of 10 items.

  • 10. Fill out your Family Information and Health Information Forms.

    Make sure your contact information is correct. A link to your child’s Health Information Forms will be emailed to you mid-summer. You will receive information in mid-August about your child’s schedule, books, orientation, and pre-season athletic events.
  • 9. Go to Mini-School!

    For parents new to the school, this is the Rivers version of “back-to-school” night. This is an important event, as it provides information about curriculum and an opportunity to meet all your children’s teachers. Each division holds its own Mini-School, typically at the end of September or beginning of October.
  • 8. Use your child’s advisor as your first point of contact.

    Advisors will be assigned at the beginning of the school year.  Students meet with advisors at least two times a week. Don’t hesitate to call or email your child’s advisor with any questions or concerns.
  • 7. Get to know the schedule.

    Monday-and Friday: check-in by 8:25 a.m. . Classes start at 8:30 a.m.
    Athletics: Rivers Sports Information Line 339-686-4580.

    • Middle School game days are typically Wednesdays & Fridays.
    • Upper School game days are typically Wednesdays & Saturdays.

    Is your child going to be absent? Contact Nina Righter in the Middle School 339.686.2282 or Susanna Donahue in the Upper School 339.686.4582.
  • 6. Read the Weekly Update

    Please read the Weekly Update, which is emailed every Thursday and includes events for the upcoming week. In addition, there are informative articles about school events and activities. A definite must-read!  
  • 5. Use the Rivers website

    Use the website, both the public and the password-protected RiversNet areas. Take some time  to familiarize yourself with both. The “Parents” tab, handbook, and the calendar will be particularly valuable tools throughout your time at Rivers. 

    You will have to log in to access grades, student billing, the Wellness page, carpool lists, and other secure information.
  • 4. Participate in and get excited about the fundraising activities that are important to Rivers.

    Participate in the Rivers Fund. With every gift, you bolster The Rivers School’s commitment to its people, its programs, and its facilities, allowing the institution to deliver an education that meets the highest standards and prepares students for an ever-evolving future.
  • 3. Get to know your parent grade representative.

    You will be assigned a parent grade representative in the fall and should hear from them in September. As new families transition into the school, grade reps replace new family hosts as a point of contact for questions and will email about upcoming school events and parent social events.
  • 2. Attend school events.

    Whether it's a sporting event, musical performance, drama, or seeing your child's artistic creations, come and cheer them on. You will forge friendships with other parents on the sidelines, at concerts or performances, parent coffees, or speaker presentations. There are also grade-specific parent orientations, which are a wonderful way to get to know the parents in your child's grade. These are just a few of the many parent-related activities on campus throughout the year. Go even if you don’t know anyone…it’s a great way to meet new people and form connections!
  • 1. Be a part of the Rivers community. Get involved and be informed.

    Attend Parents’ League meetings, grade orientations, and coffees.

    Follow us on social media. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter!

    And Volunteer!  Homecoming, Grandparents’ Day, and Homecoming Pop-Up Shop are great opportunities to volunteer and meet others.


Rivers Community Traditions

Campus News

List of 3 news stories.

  • In a morning and evening sessions, neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang addressed the Rivers community.

    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
  • Dr. Kristin Cannon Named New Director of Athletics at The Rivers School

    Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem announced this week that, following a national search that drew a robust pool of more than 100 candidates from across the country, Dr. Kristin Cannon has been named director of athletics at The Rivers School, effective July 1, 2025. Cannon, a distinguished leader in athletics, brings experience, passion, and a deep commitment to fostering excellence in student-athletes at both collegiate and independent school levels. In this role, Cannon will provide strategic and administrative leadership to Rivers’ highly successful athletics program and serve as a key member of the administrative team, partnering with colleagues across campus to bring to life the school’s educational philosophy of Excellence with Humanity.
    Read More
  • Dahlem (right) presented Bower (left) with the external Commitment to Excellence Award at December's professional community meeting.

    Head of Middle School John Bower Receives 2024 Commitment to Excellence Award

    At the final professional community meeting of 2024, Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem added some extra cheer by presenting John Bower P’31, head of Rivers’ Middle School, with a Commitment to Excellence Award. This external award, presented by Borislow Insurance, recognizes and celebrates educators, administrators, and staff at independent schools nationally who “go above and beyond to enhance the quality of education and positively impact the overall student experience.”
    Read More
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