Letter from Chair of Visiting Accreditation Committee

Last month a team of eleven outside educators from some of the top schools in New England (including three from ISL schools) spent three days on the Rivers’ campus - sitting in on classes, talking to students, teachers, administrators, trustees, alumni, and parents, examining programs, reading critical documents - all for the purpose of validating the self-study Rivers had completed the year before.  The committee left as “huge fans” of the school.  Below is the letter Molly King, the chair of the committee, wrote to the Rivers community, followed by the list of visiting committee members:

November 6, 2013      

Dear Rivers Community,

The past few days have been a remarkable example of who you are as a community. From the moment the Visiting Committee stepped on campus last Sunday, we were warmly welcomed by all---students, faculty, staff, trustees, administrators and parents. 

- Students: Your spirit is infectious. From tours, class discussions, practices and games, announcements, speeches and musical performances, all of us left Rivers not only in awe of your talents, but also of your connection to your school, to your teachers and to each other. You seek to make a positive difference and you do. Keep up the great work. 

- Faculty: We are mightily impressed. Your expertise in your subject areas is matched only by your total commitment to the wellbeing of your students. They notice. Every Visiting Committee member heard stories from students about what a difference you are making to their lives. Excellence with Humanity. Your motto. There it is. 

- Administration and Staff: Talk about a can-do attitude! You collaborate at every turn, whether it's making an event happen (like hosting us), covering for each other in a time of need without regard for self, supporting families in need or finding innovative solutions to challenges big and small, you are all in for Rivers. 

- Trustees, alumni and parents: From dinner together on Sunday night to meetings in Willis House, your thoughtful reflections upon and affection for Rivers were the signature aspects of our conversations. All of you go above and beyond to share your talents and your generosity with Rivers and particularly looking at the exponential increase in your engagement over the last fifteen years, there is much for which you should be proud.

And to Tom Olverson, who is probably tempted to delete any words of praise from us, please know how much the entire Visiting Committee respects your leadership and profound affection for Rivers---both of which have had a transformative effect on this wonderful school during your tenure. 

On behalf of all of us who have had the privilege of serving on the Rivers Visiting Committee, thank you to all and know that you have eleven huge fans sprinkled across the landscape of New England schools.

Warmly,

Molly King
Chair, NEASC Visiting Committee
Head of School, Greenwich Academy

NEASC Visiting Committee Members

Molly King, Chair
Head of School
Greenwich Academy
Greenwich, CT

Theodorick B. Bland, Assistant Chair

Head of School
Milton Academy
Milton, MA

William Clapp

Mathematics Department Chair
Berwick Academy
South Berwick, ME

J. Bradley Faus

Instructor in Art
The Hotchkiss School
Lakeville, CT

Heather Flewelling

Director of Multiculturalism & Community Development
Milton Academy
Milton, MA

Tucker Hastings

Junior Class Dean, French Teacher
Brunswick School
Greenwich, CT

Maureen Keleher

Latin Teacher
Thayer Academy
Braintree, MA

Jennifer Kenerson

Mathematics Teacher
Taft School
Watertown, CT

Mark McLaughlin

Associate Head of School
Providence Country Day School
East Providence, RI

David Rost

Dean of Students
Concord Academy
Concord, MA
 

Thomas Sullivan

Head of Upper School
Greenwich Academy
Greenwich, CT

Success v. Meaning

I was talking last week to a 2013 Rivers graduate who is doing a gap year before she attends an Ivy League college.  She spent two months in Tanzania, working in a clinic that delivers babies.  She actually delivered four babies herself.  Her experience was transforming.  She now realizes that she can make decisions about her life, that she does not have to follow a prescribed path that leads to “success.”  She may, indeed, end up being “successful” but not at the expense of finding meaning in her life.  We talked and rejoiced at her new-found discovery.
 

As I listened to her story and the epiphany she realized, I could not help but think about the purposes that different independent schools have.  Beyond those schools that have very specific missions like addressing learning issues, it seems to me that most schools fall into one of two categories.  There are those schools that will almost exclusively teach students how to attain success- success as it is traditionally defined- great job, lots of money, financial security.  This is their sole purpose- to teach students how to compete, how to win, how to work harder and smarter than the others.  For these schools, adolescence is a training ground, a sort of boot camp to prepare students for the inevitable struggle that lies before them.

There are a lot of New England prep schools and independent schools in major cities throughout the country that fall into this category.  They are littered with parents who see their child’s success as yet another emblem of their successful lives.  I’m not convinced that these schools chose this path, but saddled with a parent and alumni body that demand the markers of success, they have clearly drunk from the “excellence or else” kool-aid and cannot turn back.

 
There are other independent schools, like Rivers, that teach a different value.  It’s true that that they want their students to strive for excellence; it’s true that they celebrate the excellence that their students achieve.  But the pursuit of excellence at these schools has a different, broader purpose- to find meaning in life.  It’s not that success and meaning are viewed as necessarily antithetical in these schools.  Rather, it’s just that the pursuit of a meaningful life has equal footing with the pursuit of a “successful” life.  At these schools excellence is not just an end; it is a means for finding a meaningful life, a life well-lived, to use Aristotle’s words.

Prospective parents ask me frequently how is Rivers different from the other independent schools in the Boston area.  In many respects it is very similar- similar programs, similar kinds of students, etc.  But its purpose is very different from that of many other schools.  At Rivers the pursuit of excellence is designed to strengthen a student’s character, not have him or her compete for the most prestigious jobs.  At Rivers the pursuit of excellence is designed to help students find meaning in life, not just the “good life.”  To help students find meaning, Rivers’ teachers and coaches know and value each student- not just the student taking four AP classes but also the one who demonstrates real leadership skills or a creative approach to solving problems.  The unique attributes of each of our students, we believe, are critical to their finding meaning in life, not just success.

The Journey Matters

At our recent commencement exercises, graduating senior Duncan Orlander '12 delivered a thoughtful, mature speech about the value of hard work above and beyond the outcomes hard work may produce. This relationship between the perceived value of hard work and the results it can generate is a curious one. On one hand, we are often motivated by the rewards of our labor. On the other hand, in the final analysis the reward is often not what matters; the hard work matters – the grit and determination, the lessons learned, and the friendships cemented. It's a strange paradox: Be motivated by the trophy, but don't let the trophy determine the value of the journey. Some may say the latter is just salve on the wound – a way to make ourselves feel better after we fail to meet the goal.

I don't think that’s true. 

I don't think the journey and the outcome are irreconcilable. You can be motivated by the goal and still love the process of getting there. When this happens, you find meaning in your endeavors regardless of the results. When the outcome is the only thing that matters, it's easy to end up like the Ivy League freshman profiled in a recent New York Times article about using stimulants to enhance performance:

“‘People would have never looked at me and thought I used drugs like that – I wasn’t that kid,” said Madeleine, who has just completed her freshman year at an Ivy League college and continues to use stimulants occasionally. “It wasn’t that hard of a decision. Do I want only four hours of sleep and be a mess, and then underperform on the test and then in field hockey? Or make the teachers happy and the coach happy and get good grades, get into a good college and make my parents happy?’” 

I suspect this young lady lived to fulfill the expectations of others, and thus, no meaning could be found in the journey. How sad! 

In a recent television appearance, a Columbia University professor lamented the diminished role of college as a means for young people to discover who they are. The professor freely acknowledged that college needs to prepare students for the working world. But the balance of power at many selective colleges has gradually shifted significantly toward credentialing, and thus college has often become simply a means to an end. The journey has lost its luster and discovering who you are plays second fiddle to a big job, regardless of the compromises to your essential being. 

So, thank you, Duncan, for understanding and highlighting the importance of the journey. The journey matters because it has the potential to shape your character and feed your most authentic self. And sometimes, for good measure, you get the trophy too.