Riverstone Blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog Musing from the Head of the School Wed, 16 May 2012 12:14:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Ben Brock + Water Hose on Full Tilt = Rain Gear Check http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/ben-brock-water-hose-on-full-tilt-rain-gear-check/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/ben-brock-water-hose-on-full-tilt-rain-gear-check/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 12:14:31 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5508 Every spring, a couple of days before they head off on their four-day river rafting trip, our Grade 7 students have their rain gear tested by Outdoor Program Director, Ben Brock. Is it waterproof or just water-resistant? There’s a big difference! This lesson becomes even more important on every Riverstone outdoor trip that they experience hereafter!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/ben-brock-water-hose-on-full-tilt-rain-gear-check/feed/ 0 Sheep Creek & Grand Gulch http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/sheep-creek-grand-gulch/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/sheep-creek-grand-gulch/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 16:37:23 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5495 Grade 9 took the new Sprinter down to Grand Gulch, Utah for their spring trip!

Grade 10 heads off on the culmination of many years of outdoor education…our Sheep Creek trip. No trails to follow. Lots of sage brush. Amazing students and trip leaders.

 

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/sheep-creek-grand-gulch/feed/ 0 Grade 8 Heads to Hells Canyon http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/grade-8-heads-to-hells-canyon/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/grade-8-heads-to-hells-canyon/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 22:33:58 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5483 Five days in Hells Canyon, covering 22 miles! They look ready.

 

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/grade-8-heads-to-hells-canyon/feed/ 0 Vocabulary Day! http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/vocabulary-day/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/vocabulary-day/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 01:28:14 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5473 Our Elementary School students celebrated the power of words by coming dressed as their favorite word. Totally fun!

What’s your favorite word?

 

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/vocabulary-day/feed/ 0 Spring Arts Festival http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/spring-arts-festival-3/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/spring-arts-festival-3/#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 16:20:19 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5458 Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Spring Arts Festival on Tuesday! The musical performances and art displays by students from preschool through grade 11 were fantastic! Special thanks to our art and music teachers for organizing this wonderful showcase of talent.

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/spring-arts-festival-3/feed/ 0 Give It Up! Benefit Concert http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/give-it-up-benefit-concert/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/give-it-up-benefit-concert/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 23:07:21 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5439 Grade 8 is thrilled to report that the Give It Up! Benefit Concert raised $1,261 to send to the Lotus Children’s Centre in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. We will be sending the orphanage a full report of the concert and the money raised shortly. We hope to send them footage from the wonderful and lively event so they can see how many people from our community came out to support the project.

We know that the money will make a big difference in their efforts to improve their facility. We are so grateful to everyone who performed at the concert and everyone who came out to support our effort. Thank you!

 

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/give-it-up-benefit-concert/feed/ 0 Real World Math in the Chem Lab http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/real-world-math-in-the-chem-lab/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/real-world-math-in-the-chem-lab/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 11:07:13 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5410 Math makes so much more sense when placed in the context of real-world learning. Riverstone math teachers utilize that strategy on a regular basis, regardless of what age their students are.

As an example, Grade 10 students used plastic bottles, beakers, liquids, and dyes to model the circulatory system and predict how long it would take before blood would be clear of a toxin that was injected. By mimicking the metabolism of the toxin in the kidneys and keeping careful records, students were challenged to develop a mathematical model to predict the amount of toxin in the blood each hour. In their final report, they summarized their findings, developed graphs, and identified three ways to alter the simulation to make it different for future students in their class.

Now that’s some seriously fun math!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/real-world-math-in-the-chem-lab/feed/ 0 Our College Counseling Expands Around the World http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/our-college-counseling-expands-around-the-world/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/our-college-counseling-expands-around-the-world/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 17:28:38 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5424 High school College Counseling Assistant and IB English teacher, Gretchen Arguedas, had the opportunity to visit New York University’s new campus in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.  Gretchen was one of seventeen college counseling professionals from around the country invited to tour NYU Abu Dhabi’s campus, meet students and faculty, attend a dinner with NYU’s president, John Sexton, and explore Abu Dhabi.

NYU Abu Dhabi’s student body currently consists of 161 students hailing from sixty different countries.  Eventually, the school will build enrollment to around 2000 students.  Admission to NYUAD is highly selective, and around 2% of last year’s applicants were granted admission.  The school describes itself as “The World’s Honors College” and aims to “embody a new paradigm in higher education for a global world” and “be a center of innovative undergraduate and graduate education and of distinctive scholarship, research, and artistic activity.” (NYUAD website and mission statement)

Gretchen came away from the experience completely impressed with the caliber and diversity of the students attending NYUAD.  Riverstone is excited to host representatives from NYUAB on May 9th.  Representatives will present information on NYUAD, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, which is scheduled to open in 2013.

Enjoy Gretchen’s photos from her trip!

 

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/our-college-counseling-expands-around-the-world/feed/ 0 Meet the Seniors http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/meet-the-seniors-3/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/meet-the-seniors-3/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:40:31 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5393 Thank you to the Parents’ Association for hosting this year’s Meet the Seniors! The seniors shared where they are going to college, what their IB Extended Essay topics were, what their favorite aspects of Riverstone were, how they navigated the college application process, and gave advice for the younger high school students.  Universally, our students thanked their teachers for their support and guidance.

Next up for our seniors: IB exams. Good luck!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/meet-the-seniors-3/feed/ 0 Meet the Seniors http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/meet-the-seniors-2/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/meet-the-seniors-2/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:38:34 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=5385 Join us to hear where the Class of 2012 will be attending college, what their Extended Essay topics were, and most importantly, what impact Riverstone has had  on their education and their lives. Hope to see you there!

Meet the Seniors: Monday, April 30 at 8:45 AM in the Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room

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