Riverstone International School
March 3, 2016
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Hi All,
I would like to talk about the report completed by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation, " Don't Fail Idaho," that has received a great deal of coverage in the media of late. I have been asked by many parents as to how Riverstone is doing in comparison to the trends in this report and national benchmarks. I apologize if this is longer than normal, but urge you to read on. The skills identified in the report that employers are seeking mirrors the skills that Riverstone teaches our students: "performing with integrity, contributing to a team, acquiring knowledge, solving problems, and being able to communicate effectively." You can see our students putting these skills into action every day: - Our very youngest students speak publicly about their work during their Primary Years Programme open houses
- Our grade 5 students research and address real-life issues throughout their 8 week Exhibition
- Our Middle Years and Diploma Programme students research and form opinions on topics that are relevant to the real world
- Starting in Middle School, our students have to problem solve and cooperate to set up tents, carry group gear, and prepare meals for their outdoor trips
- Our students work side by side with classmates from around the world and from different backgrounds; real international and socio-economic diversity
College Preparedness Math At Riverstone, every student is required to take four years of mathematics and all of our students are on track to have the option to study calculus in their junior year. Nationally, less than 20% of students take calculus, even less in Idaho. Science One hundred percent of our students who attend Riverstone from grade eight on will study a year each of biology, chemistry and physics; nationally only 30% students earn credits in all three sciences. Our students then specialize in one science for an additional two years during the Diploma Programme, obtaining a total of five years of High School science prior to college. Second Language In the last major study fewer than 20% of all K-12 students nationally and under 12% of Idaho students studied a foreign language. At Riverstone, every student from Pre-Kindergarten forward study a second language, with many of our students achieving non-native fluency by graduation. Arts Reading, Writing, and Research Nationally, less than 25% of grade 12 students write proficiently. At Riverstone, we just mailed our seniors' 4000 word (14-16 page) Extended Essays to be read by evaluators around the world. My advisee's research question was, "To what extent did the rise of antitrust law in the United States shape future efforts by the federal government to expand regulation over the national economy." That's only one. You can see the topics for the Class of 2015 in our "Meet the Seniors" brochure from last year. They are equally impressive. The International Baccaulareate Programmes are only a part of our success. At Riverstone, we go beyond, by investing in small classes so that our inquiry-based approach to teaching and applying skills is always hands-on and integrated into our Five Pillars. Why Riverstone? What is it that made my family invest in a Riverstone education for our children? Quite simply, my wife and I (a former options trader) wanted to give our children the best probability of gaining the best set of skills possible - exactly those mentioned in the report. Call for anything,
Bob Carignan
Head of School
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Re-Enrollment Agreements were sent out via email last week, and as a reminder, these are due by 3:30 PM tomorrow, Friday, Mar 4, 2016.
If you have any questions about this process, or if your circumstances have changed for the upcoming year, please contact Rachel Pusch immediately. *Please note the email address sending the agreements out is info+riverstoneschool@schooladminonline.com. If you have not received your agreement, please check your spam inbox.
Thank you for your help in getting all of your Re-Enrollment forms in by the due date - it makes our jobs much easier!
Please submit your signed Re-Enrollment Agreement and Re-Enrollment Payment online no later than Friday, March 4, 2016 by 3:30 PM MST.
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RIVERSTONE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OPPORTUNITY
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 Each year, the Riverstone Board of Trustees elects generally two to four new members to replace trustees whose terms are expiring. New trustees typically assume their office immediately following the Board's annual meeting in May and serve one or two consecutive terms of three years each. The Board welcomes suggestions from the Riverstone community for individuals who might make a positive contribution to the Board for a term commencing in May 2016.
The Board's primary responsibilities are to determine and guide the character, mission, and culture of the School, to establish overall policies for the School, to assure financial sustainability for the school, and to cause the policies that the Board adopts to be effectively implemented. The Board is particularly interested in candidates with experiences and skills that will enable it to discharge those responsibilities most effectively. At this time, we are particularly seeking individuals with development, human resources, or construction management expertise.
We are interested in hearing from you if you believe you are an appropriate candidate or know of someone else who might be, regardless of whether they are presently a member of the Riverstone community.
Applicants should submit a brief summary of their qualifications (preferably no more than a page in length) by Friday, Apr 8, 2016 to the attention of Board Nominations at the Elementary School front desk. The Board will then reach out for further discussions with applicants who it believes are an appropriate fit the Board at this time.
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RIVERSTONE RANKED #1 PRIVATE SCHOOL IN IDAHO
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 Niche has recognized Riverstone as #54 out of the Top 100 Private High School in America and the #1 Private High School in Idaho!
We achieved this ranking by scoring highly in a variety of factors including SAT/ACT scores, student-teacher ratio, and the quality of colleges that students consider, as well as reviews from students and parents. We are proud to be part of this list of prestigious schools such as Andover (#1), The Overlake School, WA (#52), Latin School of Chicago, IL (#60), Milton Academy, MA (#69), The Blake School, MN (#76), and Maret School, DC (#99).
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 Please tell your family and friends about our upcoming open houses! Visitors will learn about Riverstone and tour the school.
Your referral is greatly appreciated and important to our community!
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Open House
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Date
| Elementary School
Preschool - Gr 5
| Tuesday, Mar 8 at 9:30 AM | Middle and High School
Gr 6-12 |
Thursday, Mar 10 at 9:30 AM
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Open houses begin in the Elementary School Atrium.
Additional open house dates throughout the rest of the semester may be viewed on our website. Please encourage friends to contact Sarah Taylorto RSVP. |
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PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE SIGN-UPS AND CHILDCARE
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Conference Schedule and Sign-Ups
Parent Teacher Conferences are an important opportunity to learn about your child's progress.
Student-led Elementary conferences will be held Thursday and Friday, March 17 and 18.
Sign up for Elementary School conferences here.
Middle and High School conferences will be held Wednesday (afternoon only), Thursday, and Friday, March 16, 17 and 18. Sign up for Middle & High School conferences here.
Conference Childcare
As a convenience, we will offer childcare for siblings during your conference times in the Multi-purpose Room. If you need additional childcare, please email Tarrah Elam by Monday, Mar 14. We will be offering all-day care from 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM on Thursday and Friday, March 17 and 18, for $30/child. Your student will need to bring a lunch and snack with them for the day.
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9 MORE DAYS UNTIL THE AUCTION!
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 This is it! No more time for fence sittin'! It's time to RSVP for the Auction. It's simple, really. And we are ready to make it even easier. Just send Amy a text (208-) with your food choice and any seating requests and she will make sure you are counted. But the time is now - don't procrastinate or your luck will run out!
Online auction
Bidding will end on this year's crop of goodies at 9:00 PM tonight! Wrap up yer biddin' here before it 's too late and keep yer browser open so you don't get outbid!
Additional Auction Opportunities
- Dessert Auction - sign up to contribute a dessert or cash donation of $40.00 to go towards our dessert auction this year! Sign up online or visit the Elementary School front desk. Desserts will need to serve 10 people and be delivered to the Boise Centre on the morning of Saturday, Mar 12.
- It's not too late to make a donation. Fill out your donation form today!
- Order your Koenig Wine Magnum for the big event. Only 96 bottles are available and will feature labels made from this year's student artwork.
Please contact Amy Bava or Kris Ball with any questions.
We would also like to give a huge thank-you to our sponsors: Petra, Erstad Architects and DL Evans Bank.
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Parents' Association Meeting
This morning's meeting was cancelled. Please join us at our next PA Meeting during the evening of Thursday, Apr 7 at 6:30 PM at the Liebich home ( 1650 E Holly St, Boise, ID 83702). This is the opportunity for any working families who are unable to make our standard morning meetings each month but want to be involved to join in on the fun. See you there! Volunteers Needed
Calling all volunteers! The PA is looking for willing hands to help support PA activities and events. Please read more here about positions that are available (second page) and about the process of getting involved. There are jobs that take no more than a couple of hours per month, some that are seasonal and a few that require a routine commitment. If you have any questions, please contact Natalie Geffros. International Committee Meeting - Japanese Festival
We are currently planning the Japanese Festival for Elementary students on Wednesday, Apr 6. A display about this Festival and Japanese culture will be in the Atrium from April 5 - April 15. If you would like more information or you would like to be involved, please contact Sumiko Gomi.
All parents are invited to join the International Committee at their next meeting on Wednesday, Mar 16 at 8:50 AM at Full Steam Bistro (920 E Park Blvd, Boise, ID 83716).
We will discuss about the Japanese Festival on April 6 and plan for next school year.
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2016 - 2017 SCHOOL CALENDAR
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For those of you who are planning ahead, you may download a schedule with a basic outline of the 2016-2017 year here. We will continue to update the calendar on our website throughout the next few months with further dates and information. Thank you!
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CLASSICS TO COMEDY SENIOR RECITAL
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 The 2016 Riverstone Senior Recital is next Tuesday, Mar 8 at 6:30 PM! Join us at The Terraces ( 5301 E Warm Springs Ave, Boise, ID 83716) to listen to performances of original compositions by students Cat C, Zach C, and Carter G, as well as a solo performance by Gabe B on piano. You will be impressed by the musical talents of our seniors -- we hope to see you there! |
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GOOD LUCK TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE BOWL TEAM
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 Best of luck to our High School Science Bowl team (practicing in the picture to the right) as they compete next Monday, Mar 7 in the Western Idaho Regional Science Bowl (WIRSB) at Boise State University. The event is sponsored by the Micron Foundation.
The WIRSB is an official regional bowl for the National Science Bowl competition for high school students coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. The WIRSB championship team receives an all-expenses paid trip to compete at the national event held in Washington, D.C. April 28 - May 2, 2016. The national event includes several days of science activities, sightseeing, and competitions. Teams enjoy the entire science bowl experience and take home many prizes. There are cutting-edge science seminars and hands-on science activities. |
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NATIONAL HISTORY DAY REGIONAL COMPETITION
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 Please wish all of our participating students best of luck in this weekend's Regional National History Day Competition!
This year's theme is "Exploration, Encounter, Exchange" and we're so excited for our Riverstone students to share their projects with the rest of the National History Day community. |
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DIPLOMA PROGRAMME INFO SESSIONS FOR PARENTS
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 Parents are invited to learn more about the Diploma Programme at Riverstone! Jami Whitmer, our Diploma Programme Coordinator, and Andy Johnson, our Middle and High School Director, will be explaining what the DP requirements are, what courses Riverstone offers, how students should approach choosing their courses, what the benefits of the DP in college preparation are, and more.
Although of utmost importance to parents of current Gr 10 students who will be entering the Diploma Programme next fall in Gr 11, all interested parents are encouraged to attend.
Information sessions will be held on Thursday, Mar 10 at 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM in the Library. The sessions will last about an hour and include time for questions. Please contact Jami Whitmer with any questions.
Diploma Programme Information Sessions for Parents: next Tuesday, Mar 10 at 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM in the Library.
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GR 6-12 MORNING SERVICE CALL FOR PARENT VOLUNTEERS
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 Would you like to be part of this year's Day of Service? Parent volunteers are welcome! Please contact Tarrah Elam with questions or your interest in volunteering.
On Thursday, Mar 17 all Grade 6-12 students in their Riverstone Advisory Rivercamps will go out into the community from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
Advisories will be helping a variety of organizations such as The Cabin, The Botanical Gardens, Boise City Parks Department, Idaho Youth Ranch and more. |
 Riverstone is gaining a reputation around the world for being a great place to spend a year. The following four students have named Riverstone as their Top Choice school. Some students hear about Riverstone through other students who have been here, while others have read about what a great place it is and want to join our community. Please help us make their dreams come true. We must have confirmed host families for these students before we can accept them for enrollment.
Carlota - A 16 year-old girl from Spain. She is interested in basketball, soccer, and other sports. She likes music, movies, and shopping. Carlota has two sisters and a cat. She says she is very sociable. She wants to come to Riverstone to meet new people, try new experiences and learn more about America. Fin - A 17 year-old boy from Germany. Fin visited the US one time and has wanted to come back ever since. When he heard about Riverstone, he decided this was the place for him. Fin says his passion is tennis, but he likes skiing and spending time with friends, too. Fin is hoping that Riverstone will give him the chance to try all kinds of new things and to share his culture while learning about American culture. Josephin - A 16 year-old girl from Germany. Josephin likes swimming, cooking, working with younger students, music and drawing. She has a younger sister and enjoys spending time with her. Josephin likes to ski and has recently learned how to snowboard. In addition to enjoying social activities with friends and family, Josphin likes animals. She has a dog and two horses and wouldn't mind being in a house with pets. She is hoping to come to America to learn more about the culture, to meet new people and to share her culture with her host family and friends. Hugo - A 16 year-old boy from France. Hugo is very excited about the idea of coming to the US. Hugo is the oldest in his family of four boys. All of his family enjoys art; his father enjoys sculpting, his mother dances and all of the boys play music together. Hugo plays double bass and bass guitar. In addition to music, Hugo enjoys reading, movies, and sports. Hugo hopes to study politics or business and he hopes improving his English will help him in his future. In his own words, "I chose to go to the USA because I want to improve my English, to discover a new culture and a new land, to meet many people, to discover beautiful landscapes and to see the life in one of the best countries of the world." |
New Sport Opportunity!
Want to join Riverstone's newest Ultimate Frisbee team? This opportunity is for all students grades 6-9. Games will be held on Mondays at 4:30 PM at Optimist Sports Complex and practices will be Wednesday mornings at 7:30 AM on the Riverstone campus. Games begin Monday, Mar 7, and practice will begin Wed, Mar 3. The season will run from next week through Wednesday, May 4.
 A note from Middle School Boys Basketball Coach Jacob Sanders:
"Both A and B teams wrapped up their seasons this past week! Riverstone B team finished up their season against Wilder and while they did not come away with the win, the boys put together a good season only losing 2 games overall. It was a good season for the B team and I saw a lot of hard work and improvement in each team member throughout the entire season.
The A team ended their season this past Monday night against Liberty Middle School after an impressive season. The boys went 5-3 for the regular season and took second in the conference, which gave us the opportunity to host a home tournament game last week against Notus School. Notus was a tough physical team, but two huge points at the end of the game by Spencer B (Gr 8) sealed up the win and the chance to play Liberty in the Semi-Finals. Unfortunately, the Otters lost and that was the end of our season. It was a great season for all the players!"
 A note from High School Boys Basketball Coach Eric Chapman:
"The Boys High School Basketball team played their best basketball of the season when it mattered most in the district tournament winning three key games over Compass, Horseshoe Bend and Notus High Schools to capture third place and advance to the play-in game for the State Tournament! After a long six-hour bus ride to Lewiston, the boys battled hard against a tough and experienced challenging team. Tied after one quarter and down just 4 points at the half, our opponents gradually stretched the lead before we were forced to foul in an effort to close the gap late in the game and eventually lost 44-58.
This was by far the most successful season in our short six year history as a program finishing with a 14-9 overall record. Words cannot express how proud I am of their collective efforts throughout this season. They are as unselfish a team as I have ever had the pleasure to coach and they gained great respect throughout the conference with their play this season.
Finally, we salute our three graduating seniors Zach C, Neal M and Regan Z who laid a critical foundation in helping grow this program into a contender during their time at Riverstone. Zach was a team captain this season while Neal and Regan are the first team members to ever play all four years for the Otters.
Thanks to everyone in the Riverstone community who came out to support us this season. The future of the program is bright and we expect to field a strong and exciting team again next season and hope all our fans will come along for what promises to be a fun ride."
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 There are many great hot and cold lunch options for this week, please look through the entire spring menu here. If you are planning to order pizza, please only select the number of slices you'd like to purchase (do not adjust the pizza size). |
This week's Facebook photo of our Winter Trip leaders final prep before boarding the bus. These experienced trip leaders will keep our 8th and 10th graders safe (and happy) during their 3 days out in the snow.
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