Academics

PHILOSOPHY

A CHRIST-CENTERED EDUCATION
FOR LIFE 

Rivendell School offers a Christ-centered, integral education for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Our motto, “Helping children explore God’s world and discover their place in it,” reflects our commitment to forming both mind and heart— shaping students who think critically, engage deeply, and live with purpose. 

A RIVENDELL EDUCATION

Two boys in white shirts are showing a map of the Caribbean made with painted rocks, with country labels, at an outdoor event.

EQUIPS

Trains students to read deeply, think critically, write clearly, and calculate accurately. 

Children dressed in vintage or traditional costumes performing on stage, singing, with a man playing violin in the background and stage decorations of plants.

AWAKENS

Cultivates imagination, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning.

A young girl sitting at a table with other children, smiling and using her hands to write or draw on a long sheet of paper covered with white foam or soap, in a classroom or activity room.

Develops

Develops resilience, leadership, and strong relationships.

A young boy with short brown hair and a light blue shirt lying on a large pile of yellow corn kernels, smiling and looking at the camera.

IMMERSES

Immerses students in the beauty of the world to prepare them to seek its restoration.

HOW WE DO IT

We Cultivate

  • Rivendell is a place of protection and freedom— a wildlife refuge for learning. Here, students are given both structure and space to explore, take risks, and grow in confidence and wisdom.

We Guide

  • Children are both fallen and full of potential—what we call “innocent rascals.” Rather than overprotection, we provide guidance and challenge, encouraging students to develop resilience and responsibility as they engage in meaningful learning.

We Ignite

  • Education is not about filling a bucket, but lighting a fire— a fire of imagination that awakens a love for what is good, noble, and beautiful. Aristotle taught that learning begins in wonder, and at Rivendell, storytelling is central to our approach.

We Engage

  • At Rivendell, learning is not confined to books and lectures— it is an active encounter with the world. We use the rich resources of Washington, D.C., museums, historical sites, and cultural institutions to create immersive learning experiences that deepen understanding and ignite curiosity.

    Through classroom simulations, historical reenactments, and hands-on projects, students step into history, wrestle with complex ideas, and experience learning firsthand.

EDUCATING BY FORM

At Rivendell School, our classes are organized using a Form system. Small, multi-age classes give teachers greater flexibility to nurture children at different ability levels and allow students to progress at varying speeds in particular skills. Kindergarten and First Grade are each a self-contained, single grade class, although they study the same units and may engage in cooperative activities. Students in Grades 2-3, 4-5, and 7-8 are placed in Forms that incorporate two traditional grade levels. 

FORM 1

K and Grade 1

separate classrooms

FORM 2

Grades 2 & 3

mixed-grade classes

FORM 3

Grades 4 & 5

mixed-grade classes

GRADE 6

Grade 6

single classroom

FORM 4

Grades 7 & 8

mixed-grade classes

Students sitting at tables in a classroom, working on assignments. A projector screen displays instructions for dissection steps, and classroom rules and decorations are visible on the walls.

Our Curriculum

THE RIVENDELL ROAD

Rivendell’s curriculum is structured around The Rivendell Road, a journey designed to develop wisdom, virtue, and deep understanding. Our approach balances foundational skills with thematic learning, ensuring students see knowledge as a unified whole rather than isolated subjects. 

A winding dirt path leading through a grassy landscape with pine trees, with misty mountains in the background under a blue sky with a few clouds.

OUR LEARNING IS SHAPED BY
FIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

Inquiry

Asking foundational questions

A watercolor painting of a winding dirt path leading through a grassy landscape with evergreen trees, towards distant mountains under a cloudy sky.

Investigation

Seeking understanding through analysis and discovery 

Ideas

Engaging with great thinkers and worldviews

Imagination

Using story and narrative to spark curiosity

Integrity

Reaching wise conclusions with discernment 

  • Literacy at Rivendell is about more than decoding words—it is about engaging deeply with ideas. 

    • Students read carefully, write clearly, and think critically

    • Writing is a tool for reasoning, not just an academic exercise

    • Students engage with both God’s Word and His world with depth and understanding

Three school boys in uniform sit at desks studying with open binders and notebooks; classroom has large windows and artwork on windowsill.

  • We use Math in Focus: A Singapore Math® Approach, designed to build problem-solving skills through a concrete–pictorial–abstract learning progression.

    • Hands-on learning deepens understanding

    • Real-world applications strengthen problem-solving skills

    • Visual learning tools enhance comprehension

    Not only do we want students to get the correct answer, we want them to understand the steps taken to reach the answer.

A young student writing on a whiteboard in a classroom with two women in the background.

  • Guided by our ethos of discovery, exploration, and the pursuit of excellence, Latin at Rivendell serves as an intellectual laboratory— not merely a foreign language -- sharpening grammar, logic, and vocabulary while connecting students to the roots of Western thought.

    • Unlock Language: Master Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes to decode English vocabulary and write with precision.

    • Cultivate Critical Thinking: Its systematic grammar fosters attention to detail and analytical habits across all disciplines.

    • Enrich Core Studies: Alongside exploring Roman culture, politics, history, and myths, students immerse themselves in the context behind Western civilization and even the foundations of our own government. This study deepens their grasp of Scripture, citizenship, and the story of “how we got here".

A young boy with light brown hair wearing a white shirt and tie, sitting at a table looking at an open binder with papers.

  • The arts are essential at Rivendell, shaping students’ hearts, minds, and imaginations. Rooted in a biblical worldview, the arts reflect the Imago Dei, drawing students beyond themselves toward truth, beauty, and creativity.

    Through music, drama, and visual arts, students develop:

    • Discipline and perseverance in refining their craft

    • An appreciation for beauty as a reflection of God’s creation

    • Collaboration and communication skills through performance and presentation

    • Confidence and a sense of wonder as they explore their talent

    The arts are woven into the curriculum, not treated as electives. Students study historical periods through artistic and musical movements, use drama to engage with literature, history, and biblical narratives, and learn music in the context of the units they study.

    At Rivendell, students are not just learning about beauty—they are creating it, contributing to God’s ongoing redemptive work in the world.

A girl creating a colorful mosaic art piece using small pieces of colored tile or glass on a wooden board, with some white adhesive or grout.
LEARN MORE ABOUT US

INTEGRAL UNITS OF STUDY AT RIVENDELL

Four children in rain jackets holding bags of freshly picked apples in an orchard on a cloudy day.

FORM 1
K & 1st

  • ❖ Patterns: A World of Clues

    ❖ Earth and Space: Our Just-Right Home!

    ❖ Christmas Around the World

    ❖ Geography: Finding Our Way in God's World

    ❖ Weather: Sunshine and Storms

    ❖ Shakespeare: A Magnificent Mind

    ❖ Animals and Biomes: God's Colossal Creativity

  • ❖ Patterns: A World of Clues

    ❖ Native Americans: Why is Where Important?

    ❖ Christmas Wonder and Worship

    ❖ Economics 101: Wants and Needs

    ❖ Community: Who is my Neighbor?

    ❖ Fabulous Fables, Proverbs, and Parables

Two young girls in school uniforms and blue gloves holding tongs over a paper plate with a science experiment in a classroom or library.

FORM 2
2nd & 3rd

  • ❖ Walk a Mile in Someone Else's Shoes

    ❖ New World

    ❖ One Nation Under God

    ❖ Shakespeare

    ❖ Character Matters

    ❖ Plant Kingdom

  • ❖ The Hidden Wonders of the Beach

    ❖ Wonders of the Animal Kingdom

    ❖ The Wonders of the USA

    ❖ Fairy Tales: Tales of Wisdom and Wonder

    ❖ Wonders of the Human Body

Three boys wearing light blue shirts standing behind a table with educational projects and models about the Amazon Rainforest outdoors, with a wooden fence and trees in the background.

FORM 3
4th & 5th

  • ❖ Age of Discovery: Where Does Your Treasure Lie?

    ❖ Latin America: Treasure of Sacrifice

    ❖ Middle East: Treasure of Tradition

    ❖ Shakespeare's Europe: Treasure of the Spoken Word

    ❖ Asian Sub-Continent: The Treasure of India

    ❖ Great Commission: Sharing our Treasure with the World

  • ❖ Geography Toolbox: Where are you Headed?

    ❖ Journey through Africa: Land of Stories

    ❖ Journey through China: Land of Walls, Doors, Bridges

    ❖ Journey through Russia: Land of Contrasts

    ❖ A Journey West: Westward Expansion, Dangerous Journey

Group of seven children wearing orange helmets and harnesses, standing outdoors with trees in the background, ready for adventure or zip-lining.

6th Grade

  • ❖ Responsibility: Who Am I?

    ❖ Faith: Old Testament Era Kings & Kingdoms

    ❖ Compassion: A Christmas Carol

    ❖ Self-Discipline: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    ❖ Loyalty: Forms of Government & U.S. Constitution

    ❖ Courage: Immigrants, Citizens, & Ambassadors

    Science

    ❖ Systems of the Human Body

    ❖ Introduction to Cells

    ❖ Osmosis & Diffusion

    ❖ Metabolism

    ❖ Traits and Genetics

A young girl with red hair smiling and sitting at a desk in a classroom setting, with open books and papers in front of her.

FORM 4
7th & 8th Humanities

  • The Hero's Journey, Year 1

    ❖ Ancient Greece: The Call to Adventure, The Children’s Homer

    ❖ Ancient Rome: Heroes & the Challenge of Power, Book of

    Luke

    ❖ Middle Ages: The Search for Security (in the Ultimate Hero),

    Tales of King Arthur

    ❖ Shakespeare's Heroes & Heroines: Treasuring God's Gift of

    Words, dramatic presentation of Shakespeare play

    ❖ Renaissance: The Heroic Desire to Discover, Art History

    ❖ The Hero's Journey for Today: The Hobbit

  • A Man's Hopes & Dreams God's Purposes, Year 2

    ❖ America's Dream: The American Revolution, Johnny Tremain

    ❖ The Testing of America's Dream: The American Civil War

    ❖ Dreams of a Better Life: The Industrial Revolution & dramatic

    presentation of Oliver Twist

    ❖ Dreams and Disillusionment: World War I & Poetry

    ❖ False Dreams: The Russian Revolution, Animal Farm

    ❖ The Dream Survives: America's Great Depression

    ❖ Defending Freedom's Dream: World War II, The Hiding Place

    ❖ Dreams in Conflict: The Cold War

    ❖ Our Personal Dreams: Coming of Age, To Kill a Mockingbird

A young boy with curly hair wearing a blue shirt looking into a microscope in a classroom setting.

FORM 4
7th & 8th
Science

  • ❖ The Nature of Light

    ❖ Energy and Mass

    ❖ Simple Machines

    ❖ An Introduction to Chemistry

  • ❖ Electricity and Magnetism

    ❖ Weather and Climate

    ❖ Physics and Motion

APPLY NOW