Montessori Moving Forward
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Montessori Moving Forward 2015-2016 Annual Report EXECUTIVE LETTER: OUTGOING HEAD OF SCHOOL his spring, after spending eighteen years with this in the Eliot School and felt it throughout our transforma- community, I got to see an amazing class gradu- tion together – the opportunity to watch these kids learn T ate as I too completed my final year at Riverbend. and grow with our school is such a gift. I am so proud of what we’ve done together. As I reflect The nine members of the class of 2016 have been an inte- on my journey, I know it’s all of the people involved with gral part of Riverbend. The high schools they have chosen Riverbend that have made these years so great. With to attend are truly lucky to have them. And, the final weeks determination and a lot of work, you’ve made this school of the 2015-2016 school year were so fun! From the spring extraordinary, and I am excited to see what’s next. concert, where they presented me with a College Cap- tain’s Chair engraved with the Riverbend School logo, to Riverbend offers a uniquely exceptional education that is Graduation, where I had the chance to reflect on a favorite deeply grounded in our Montessori roots, and because of memory with each graduate, I am so grateful. you, we’ve grown in tremendous and important ways. We have seen our enrollment increase steadily and we now Of course, there is still much we can do to provide each have the ability to offer financial aid to more students who student with the tools and opportunities to reach their need it. Every member of our faculty and staff donated fullest potential. As I depart, I know Riverbend is in to the Annual Fund, and the auction raised more this year great hands! I am proud of our successes and I feel Parents, teachers, staff, board, than ever before. Parents, you really came forward in our confident in the school’s leadership going forward, with participation challenge and we all got to celebrate with an Christine Price as Head of School and Tony Proctor as ice cream party! President of the Board. and of course, students: thank The commitment and participation you’ve demonstrated My wish for our newest graduates and our incoming is inspiring. Riverbend’s legacy is one of community and students is the same as it is for the school itself: may you of coming together for the success of the individual as continue to find inspiration in the sound of the river. You you. The 2015-2016 school year well as the school. I know that the momentum you’ve are already excellent. Listen and you will know the way created will help the school soar even further forward. A forward. new Upper School, 100% participation in the Annual Fund, Thanks to all of you for your support in the past year. a campus that truly matches the quality of the education, was an unbelievably rewarding year. and more classes full of the most amazing students – all of these things are possible, and I know you can do it! time for me! The time I spent at Riverbend was such an important piece of my personal journey and I am honored to have been a part of the school’s story. Our achievements as a community are wonderful, but what I will treasure most Karen Riccardi are the moments with the children. I knew it as a teacher Outgoing Head of School EXECUTIVE LETTER: INCOMING HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Friends, I am so grateful to be writing to you today! As my first year possibilities ahead, through your active physical and at Riverbend begins, I am delighted to have an opportunity financial involvement in our community. to celebrate the success of the 2015-2016 Annual Fund. I feel fortunate to join this community at such an exciting Through the dedication of the Annual Fund team, its time and to be working with such a great team. As you Ambassadors, and the generosity of this community, we may know, I have a holistic six-month plan that focuses substantially exceeded our goal of $130,000. This is a on getting to know children and parents, learning about testament to the enthusiastic commitment of Riverbend the distinguished history of Riverbend and its Montessori families and its faculty and staff to providing each child approach, and understanding the school’s distinctive with unparalleled resources, and opportunities for their culture and traditions. I look forward to working with many growth over their time in the school. of you in the months and years to come. We are building on a strong foundation and I am eager to be a part of what Your contributions not only close the gap between tuition lies ahead. and actual costs to educate each child, they also offer new and wonderful possibilities for learning, whether it’s Thank you for your generous spirit and your belief in a new Chromebooks for the dLab or giant building blocks small school that will be doing big things in the coming I feel fortunate to join this for the Children’s House playground. years! The story of Riverbend is a story of a community who With love and gratitude, is committed to building and sustaining a place of community at such an exciting excellence for their children, a school where children’s academic, social, emotional, creative, and athletic skills are fostered, and where the innate curiosity of the child time and to be working with is honored in their unique educational journey. From two small Montessori schools, we have become one school Christine Price, Ph.D. that strives to exemplify the very best in both innovative Head of School such a great team. and Montessori learning for children ages Toddler through Eighth Grade. You play a critical role in realizing the many Outcomes Riverbend in a word 8th Grade Graduates Children’s House moments Our graduates are truly our most important outcome. The nine students that graduated in science fair memories 2016 are a great representation of all that is at the heart of the Riverbend School, and we are confidence math community music so grateful to have shared in celebrating this part of their lives. performance opportunities dance support farm Upper School We asked some members of the Class of 2016 to Here I have discovered that learning is all about me. Wheth- parents Ms. Latona MMUN Mrs. Lapon reflect on their time at Riverbend. Here is what a few er acing all of the spelling tests in third grade, realizing that friendship Mr. Puleo of them had to say: I need help in math, or getting a perfect score on my oral lessons Mrs. Lal presentation, my teachers didn’t tell me how to do any of field trips Mr. Wilkins those things. They just guided me along the way. To me, Riverbend means thinking outside of the box. Spanish Mr. Cohen Actually thinking without a box. It has meant being as —Daniel home Miss Karen creative as possible and it is a place where everyone’s Middle School ideas are heard. When I started at Riverbend, I was shy. Throughout my —Emily time here, I have given presentations, sung at concerts and assemblies, spoken in a committee at Model Montessori The question “what has Riverbend meant to you?” makes United Nations, and acted in short plays. This is such a me think of the word home. Not perfect and not without supportive, nonjudgmental environment. It has made me flaws, but always a place to turn to when you want and who I am today. need. Riverbend has been a phenomenal experience in —Elena all ways. —Isaac I think I’ve spent about two thousand days of my life at this school. I’m not going to remember everything. But what I will remember are the people, and they’re most important. Riverbend is a place full of people that I could never forget. —Skylar Maya Angelou once said, “There is no greater agony 8th Grade Graduates William Avila Isaac Hargrave than bearing an untold story inside you.” My hope Emily Banthin Daniel Hartman for our graduates is for them to be brave, make their Elena Carmichael Seamus Merullo Skylar Davis Evan Strouse story matter, and share it with the world. Michael Duplessie Liz Lapon, Upper School Teacher Upper School Riverbend’s test scores soar Riverbend’s fifth year at MMUN It is easy for us to say our students are amazing. This is Riverbend students consistently performed at or above In March, Riverbend sent about thirty students and four deeply into topics that are incredibly important to the true before they arrive at Riverbend; it’s true before they the 95th percentile for achievement across grades four teachers to join peers from other schools at Montessori times in which we live. The opportunity to meet and begin to read; it’s true without a test score. It’s not some- through eight when compared to independent school Model United Nations (MMUN). To participate, students mingle with students from other schools makes this an thing we need data to prove, but now we have it. peers nationally. choose a country in September and throughout the year important social occasion as well. Students report that, they learn as much as possible, discussing the ways that from start to finish, MMUN is awesome! These days, testing is on the minds of many educators The questions our kids will face in life will always be global issues affect the nation and its people.