Rivers School
Prep school in Weston, Massachusetts, US
title: "Rivers School" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["independent-school-league", "schools-in-middlesex-county,-massachusetts", "private-middle-schools-in-massachusetts", "private-high-schools-in-massachusetts", "weston,-massachusetts", "1915-establishments-in-massachusetts", "educational-institutions-established-in-1915", "rivers-school-alumni"] description: "Prep school in Weston, Massachusetts, US" topic_path: "society/education" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivers_School" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Prep school in Weston, Massachusetts, US ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox school"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | The Rivers School |
| former_names | {{plainlist |
| logo | Rivers School Crest red.jpg |
| logo_size | 150px |
| motto | Excellence with Humanity |
| streetaddress | 333 Winter Street |
| city | Weston |
| state | Massachusetts |
| zipcode | 02493 |
| country | United States |
| coordinates | |
| type | Independent, Day |
| established | |
| founder | Robert W. Rivers |
| grades | 6-12 |
| gender | Coeducational |
| enrollment | 536 (2025-26) |
| class | 11 students |
| ratio | 6:1 |
| head_of_school | Ryan S. Dahlem |
| teaching_staff | 74.8 (FTE) (2015–16) |
| website | |
| campus_size | 55 acres |
| campus_type | Suburban |
| athletics_conference | Independent School League |
| mascot | Redwing |
| teams | 58 (Varsity, JV, Thirds, and Middle School) |
| team_name | Redwings |
| publication | Riparian |
| newspaper | The Rivers Edge |
| endowment | $48.8 million (June 30, 2025) |
| tuition | $66,140 (2025-26) |
| :: |
| name = The Rivers School | former_names = {{plainlist|
- Country Day School for Boys of Boston
- Rivers Country Day School | logo = Rivers School Crest red.jpg | logo_size = 150px | motto = Excellence with Humanity | streetaddress = 333 Winter Street | city = Weston | state = Massachusetts | zipcode = 02493 | country = United States | coordinates = | type = Independent, Day | established = | founder = Robert W. Rivers | grades = 6-12 | gender = Coeducational | enrollment = 536 (2025-26) | class = 11 students | ratio = 6:1 | head_of_school = Ryan S. Dahlem | teaching_staff = 74.8 (FTE) (2015–16) | website = | campus_size = 55 acres | campus_type = Suburban | colors = | athletics_conference = Independent School League | mascot = Redwing | teams = 58 (Varsity, JV, Thirds, and Middle School) | team_name = Redwings | publication = Riparian | newspaper = The Rivers Edge | endowment = $48.8 million (June 30, 2025) | tuition = $66,140 (2025-26) The Rivers School is an independent, coeducational preparatory school in Weston, Massachusetts.
History
Rivers School was founded in 1915 as an educational institution for boys in Brookline, Massachusetts. Robert W. Rivers founded the school and was its first headmaster. The Country Day School for Boys of Boston merged with Rivers in 1940, and the school moved to its present location in Weston in 1960. It became co-educational in 1989.
The Rivers School Conservatory
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Logo_of_The_Rivers_School_Conservatory.png" caption="Logo of the Rivers School Conservatory"] ::
The Rivers School Conservatory was founded in 1975 by Ethel Bernard, one of the pioneers of the music school movement. She approached Rivers School with the idea of using the then-unoccupied former headmaster's house on the campus (now called Blackwell House after George H. Blackwell).{{Cite web | title = Our Story - The Rivers School Conservatory | author = | work = The Rivers School Conservatory | date = | accessdate = 2016-02-16 | url = http://www.riversschoolconservatory.org/ourstory/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140715114414/http://www.riversschoolconservatory.org/ourstory/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 15, 2014 | quote =
It was first called the Music School at Rivers, then Rivers School Conservatory. In 1978, the Annual Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young was established,{{Cite web | title = WGBH Showcases The Rivers School Conservatory's Annual Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young | author = WGBH | work = YouTube | date = 2013-06-13 | accessdate = 2016-02-17 | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nphVhFohLc | quote = |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ29GmXGodw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/bJ29GmXGodw |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Libby Larsen: Fantom of the Fair (world premiere) |website=YouTube |date=April 24, 2014
The Conservatory currently has more than 750 students, including a student orchestra program, jazz and chamber ensembles, music theory and composition, a marimba program,{{Cite web | title = 99.5 All Classical Festival | author = | work = WGBH Boston PBS | date = 2010-06-19 | accessdate = 2016-02-17 | url = http://www.wgbh.org/995/festival_performers.cfm | language = | quote = The Rivers School Conservatory Marimba Magic® Ensemble delights audiences with their brilliant performances of Ragtime, Classical, Latin, and Jazz selections, played by high school virtuosos. | title = 16th Annual 99.5 WCRB Cartoon Festival | author = | work = wgbh.org | date = 2014-11-01 | accessdate = 2016-02-17 | url = http://www.wgbh.org/995/cartoonfest_bios.cfm | language = | quote = The Marimba Magic Ensemble, directed by Sarah Tenney, is a comprehensive musicianship program for students ages five through sixteen. | title = Wayland Resident Brings 'Marimba Magic' to Life | first = Brooklyn | last = Lowery | work = Wayland Patch | date = 2012-02-06 | accessdate = 2016-02-17 | url = http://patch.com/massachusetts/wayland/wayland-resident-brings-marimba-magic-to-life#video-9052443 | quote =
Clubs and co-curriculars
- The robotics team Architects competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge, under the team number 4176.{{cite web |url = http://www.rivers.org/podium/default.aspx?t=204&tn=Robotics+Team+Places+First+at+State+Qualifier&nid=696744&ptid=111282&sdb=False&pf=pgr&mode=0&vcm=False |title = Robotics Team Places First at State Qualifier |date = January 23, 2014 |accessdate = May 4, 2014
Notable alumni
- Jack Lemmon ’39, actor
- John T. Noonan, Jr. '44, judge
- David Steinberg '46, professor of Asian Studies
- Frederick Wiseman '47, documentary filmmaker
- David Lamb '51, reporter
- Glen W. Bowersock ’53, historian
- Richard G. Darman ’60, director of the Office of Management and Budget (1989–1993)
- David Sutherland '63, documentary filmmaker
- Joseph I. Banner ’71, football team owner
- Philip Goldberg '74, The US Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research
- Josh Kraft '85, philanthropist
- Jon Anik '97, television host
- Stephen Belichick, football player
- Jillian Dempsey ’09, ice hockey player
- Charlie Rugg '09, soccer player
- Elliot Richardson, member of Nixon and Ford cabinets
- Tayra Meléndez '14, basketball player
- Jermaine Samuels ’17, basketball player
References
References
- [http://www.rivers.org/Page/About-Us/Mission--History River's History]
- Program notes: 36th Annual Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young, the Rivers School Conservatory, April 4–6, 2014
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