School Life

Core Attributes

Rivendell is a place full of rich experiences, deep relationships, and meaningful traditions.

From quiet study to lively discussions, from moments of worship to hands-on learning, our school is full of life. Alumni often return, drawn by the friendships and formative experiences that shaped their time here.

Silhouette of an adult and child holding hands, walking along a path with outdoors elements such as a tree, small plant, and rocks, symbolic of hiking or outdoor activity.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT 

SENIOR PARTNERS IN THE LIFE OF RIVENDELL

Parents are senior partners in their child’s education at Rivendell. We invite families to take an active role in the life of the school, fostering a strong sense of community and shared responsibility.

PARENTS CONTRIBUTE BY:

A young girl in a school uniform smiling and holding a paper, talking to an adult outdoors with other children in the background.

Serving in core hour roles (office help, morning drop-off, lunch AND recess supervision)

Three young girls with long blonde hair are performing a human pyramid outdoors on a grassy field with trees and a fence in the background. The girl in the middle is on top, smiling at the camera.

Leading art, music, or PE classes and helping with classroom activities

Two children dressed in vintage clothing leaning out of a decorative window surrounded by green vines and white flowers.

Assisting with stage productions, school events, and supporting the school

Parental involvement enriches the student experience and models the importance of service, engagement, and lifelong learning.

“We offer our children, under the strong and tender providence of God, to the nurture of Rivendell School. We accept with humility and seriousness of spirit our responsibility for assuming a high level of involvement in our children’s community of learning.”

– From the Rivendell School Blessing and Commitments, Parent Response

“At Rivendell, I feel like I’m not just watching my child’s education happen - I’m a meaningful part of it. The opportunity to contribute my own time and skills in partnership with teachers and staff has helped me feel truly connected to a community that cares just as much about who my kids are becoming as what they’re learning.”

— Beth Chapman Kaufmann, Rivendell Mom

Icon of an adult and a child standing next to each other, with the adult's arm around the child's shoulder.

BUDDIES

LEARNING THROUGH MENTORSHIP

One of Rivendell’s most treasured traditions is where older and younger students are paired together for the year as Buddies. It is more than just a school tradition, Buddies has become a vital part of our community- where the kids spend weekly time together helping students form meaningful relationships across Forms.

A young girl and a teenage girl sit together in a room, smiling for the camera. The teenage girl wears a navy blue jacket with a university logo, while the young girl wears a school uniform with a plaid skirt. They are seated on the floor, with the girl in the jacket kneeling beside the young girl, holding her hand. Behind them is a window with a few framed photos on the windowsill, and a potted plant on the left. The room has wooden cabinetry to the right and light-colored walls.

YOUNGER STUDENTS
gain friendship, guidance, and confidence as they learn from their older peers.

Two young girls sitting at a table in a classroom, smiling while playing the card game 'Apples to Apples'. Other students are visible in the background.

OLDER STUDENTS
develop leadership, responsibility, and a heart for service.

Two boys in school uniforms sitting on a colorful world map rug in a library. One is smiling and sitting in a stroller, the other on the floor smiling. There are bookshelves filled with children's books behind them.

Buddies engage in shared activities, reading time, and school events, creating bonds that last beyond the school year.

THIS PROGRAM EMBODIES OUR VISION FOR EDUCATION AS A RELATIONAL EXPERIENCE, WHERE STUDENTS LEARN NOT JUST FROM TEACHERS, BUT FROM ONE ANOTHER.

“Starting as a young kindergartener, having an older buddy to look up to helped me feel like I had a place at rivendell. Now that I am older and have a younger buddy, I love getting the chance to be the person setting the example and helping the little ones feel like a part of the school.”

— Ava Rogers, 7th Grade

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ASSEMBLY

WORSHIP, STORIES, & LEARNING TOGETHER 

Each week, our entire school gathers for Assembly, a time of worship, storytelling, and shared learning. Led by our oldest students, Assembly includes:

Three people playing guitars and singing on a stage with music stands and an amplifier, in front of a large white screen.

JOYFUL WORSHIP
We sing together as a school songs that direct our hearts and minds toward Christ.

A large indoor gathering with a group of children standing on a stage for a performance or presentation, with an audience seated facing the stage. The background features a moon-shaped window and a large screen displaying the title 'The Shema' and part of a prayer.

GUEST SPEAKERS
Parents and community members share personal stories to inspire.

A woman in khaki pants and a light purple shirt holding a microphone speaking in front of a stage with three people standing behind a podium and a woman standing on the stage with a black curtain in the background.

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
Classes teach one another about what they are learning and how it connects to a greater Story.

“Assembly is our weekly opportunity to gather as a community and remind ourselves why we are here and whom we serve! It’s a vital part of our schedule, a time to connect with one another and with the Lord as we celebrate the end of another wonderful week.”

— Emily Andringa, Form 3 Teacher

A dark blue silhouette of a flag on a pole

TRADITIONS 

MEANINGFUL PREDICTABLE MOMENTS

There are events throughout the year that have become tradition and a part of the culture here at Rivendell. A few of those things are:

THE SCHOOL BLESSING

A young boy smiling, wearing a white shirt with a school logo and a striped tie, holding a diploma, standing in a room with chairs and wooden partitions.

FALL FESTIVAL

Two boys dressed as pirates standing behind a rustic stall with signs selling cookies and muffins, in front of a backdrop of trees and a blue sky.

LESSONS & CAROLS

Young girl singing at a music event decorated with holiday greenery and a red bow, with children seated behind her.

…AND MANY MORE!

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