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About Riverstone
MISSION
Riverstone International School is a unique independent school located in Boise, Idaho, that offers an education based on the world-renowned programs and the philosophy of the International Baccalaureate Organization. Through a strong foundation built on the five pillars of Academic Excellence, International Understanding, Community and Service, Leadership by Example, and Outdoor Education, Riverstone knows and nurtures every child and ensures that they reach their potential in a respectful environment.
The mission of Riverstone International School is best demonstrated through its students and their values:
Riverstone students are independent lifelong learners who take the most challenging courses that prepare them for entrance to the best universities around the world. They are passionate and caring about their community and the environment, thinking globally and acting locally. They are confident communicators and active listeners. They are empathetic, inquisitive, creative, respectful, principled and balanced individuals. Riverstone students are leaders by example; they are our hope for a better future.
HISTORY
Riverstone International School was established in 1997 under the name Hidden Springs Community School. The mission of the school was to provide students in the Treasure Valley with a quality, independent education. Located just north of Boise, Idaho, the School opened its doors with 57 students enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade. In the decade since its opening as Hidden Springs Community School, Riverstone International School has been an ever evolving and dynamic educational environment.
It did not take long for word to spread about the School and its offerings. In 1998, enrollment in the Elementary School increased and the beginnings of the Upper School, grade nine, was established. In just three years, enrollment doubled. In 2000, the School moved from Dry Creek Valley to southeast Boise and changed its name to RiverStone Community School. The School was housed in an old Forest Service building and three modular buildings that were built by the School.
By the fall of 2001 enrollment had increased to 130 and an additional building was added. The School was accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges and Universities (NASCU) and the State of Idaho. In that same year the School approached the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to begin the rigorous authorization process that would permit the School to offer the revered IB Diploma Programme. This required adding grades ten through twelve to the Upper School.
In the 2002-2003 school year, grade ten was added and enrollment reached 170. Wanting to develop a global student body, the School's first international exchange students arrived in 2002. These students came from Russia, Thailand, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Chile, and Colombia.
The School dedicated itself to completing a full Upper School with a college preparatory curriculum culminating with the IB Diploma Programme in the final two years of Upper School (high school). In 2003, the School's enrollment increased to 235 students, including nineteen international students from countries including, Austria, Chile, France, Germany, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam. Eleventh grade was added, additional property was secured and the School broke ground on a new elementary school.
Grade twelve was added in 2004 and the IB Diploma Programme was authorized for grades eleven and twelve. In 2005, the School became an accredited member of the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS) and the School's second graduating class became the first recipients of an IB Diploma in the State of Idaho. The School changed its name to Riverstone International School in 2006. In 2009, Riverstone was granted authorization to offer the Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme and began offering our dual language, Spanish and English, full day preschool.
Riverstone International School is one of a small number of schools in the United States to offer all three IB programmes, the Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), and the Diploma Program (DP). We are currently the only school west of the Rocky Mountains to hold this distinction.
The School continues to grow and enrollment is currently at 310 students, including students and faculty from six continents.
CAMPUS AND FACILITIES
Riverstone International School is situated on 14 acres nestled between the Boise River and the Greenbelt in southeast Boise. The school is adjacent to the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Harris Ranch neighborhood with convenient access from Warm Springs Avenue.
Opened in January of 2010, our Elementary School was designed by Erstad Architects of Boise and features an energy efficient design, large classrooms with an abundance of natural light, a multi-purpose room, and a two story atrium that is often used for celebrations, gatherings, and productions. The most architecturally distinctive of our facilities, the Elementary School houses the elementary students and the School’s administrative staff. Our Middle School is housed in a purpose-built building that includes our recently remodeled school library. A state of the art science laboratory that students in all grades will utilize is currently being built within the Middle School, thanks to the many Riverstone supporters who contributed specifically to the science program during our annual auction. During the summer of 2011, our High School is undergoing an expansion and renovation. A courtyard with gazebo, recording studio, and classrooms will make up the the High School environment. Our athletic and recreational facilities include the Kennedy Gymnasium, tennis courts, full size soccer field, and two playgrounds, one specifically for preschool students and one for all grades.
Having the Elementary, Middle, and High Schools together on one campus promotes interactions between students of all ages, staff, and parents and, as a result, strengthens our Riverstone sense of community; one of the hallmarks of our school.
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