Student Life Growing together. Overview Dorm life Arts Activities and athletics Wellness Health Care Riverview School seeks to integrate academic and social development in students’ living environment to encourage living and learning together. The following are some of the skills that Riverview students learn in the dorms: Self-care Room and dorm care and laundry Budgeting and money management (“needs vs. wants”) Leisure-time planning Establishing and maintaining friendships Health and wellness through nutrition, fitness and recreation opportunities Self-advocacy and social skills Meal planning and preparation (GROW students have one assigned cooking night a week with staff support) Scheduling evening homework and/or quiet time Time management and organization (agendas, charts, lists) Executive function skills Community safety practices *While the routine and structure ensure that these important skills are taught and reinforced, GROW students play a very active role in designing and planning their individual schedules. DAY STUDENT PROGRAMMING Riverview School accepts a small percentage of day students from nearby and neighboring communities, all of whom participate in academic classes and the after school activities and sports program from 8:15am – 5:00pm, five days a week. Designed to mirror the week day morning and afternoon portion of the School’s boarding program, the day program adheres to the same high standards as the programming available to our boarding students. Parents and/or school districts are responsible for all transportation to and from the day program. TAKE THE FIRST STEP Dorm life Friends & Fellowship Riverview’s dormitories are more than a place to sleep and study. They are among the most important classrooms on campus. Because living and learning are fully integrated at Riverview, the residential program is designed as thoughtfully and thoroughly as the academic program. From social skills and communication to cleaning, laundry and cooking, the lessons that students learn in the dorms last a lifetime. The student-to-faculty ratio in the dorms is 8 to 1, which allows for personalized attention. Residential Supervisors oversee assigned dorms, and Residential Instructors and Residential Instructors with Overnights stay in the dorms with students. Dorms for students 17–22 in our GROW program are located both on campus and off campus. GROW students prepare breakfast and dinners in their dormitories and are actively involved in food inventory, grocery shopping, meal preparation and clean-up on a weekly basis. “I like my roommate. She is funny and she is there for me when I need a friend. We hang out and take walks around the track together.” — Student SOME SKILLS RIVERVIEW STUDENTS LEARN IN THE DORMS Self-care Room and dorm care and laundry Budgeting and money management Leisure-time planning Establishing and maintaining friendships Health and wellness through nutrition, fitness and recreation opportunities Self-advocacy and social skills Meal planning and preparation Structured evening homework and/or quiet time Time management and organization Executive function skills Generalization of skills within the community Safety practices within the community TAKE THE FIRST STEP Arts Drama Riverview students find new ways to express themselves, develop their imaginations, think, act, and gain confidence and poise through participation in the school’s robust drama and music programs. All students may join the chorus and participate in drama productions, which reflect the collaboration between Riverview’s visual and performing arts programs. Music Music is part of the everyday curriculum at Riverview. Students are given the opportunity to study music history, sing, and learn how to play a variety of musical instruments. Other music-based activities include: DJ (Audio/Visual) Tech Training; Band; M.A.D (Music, Acting, Dance); Sing A-longs; Creative Song Writing; Drum Line; Acapella: and Chorus which has over 90 participants each year. Visual Arts Riverview students begin with the fundamentals of art, where they learn about proportion, perspective and color. They work with the face, figure and geometric forms to create self-portraits. This exercise helps them to focus on who they are to themselves, and to the world around them. Many students also enjoy learning about and incorporating the latest technologies like Photoshop into their artwork to broaden creative options. TAKE THE FIRST STEP Activities and athletics Actitivies All Middle & High School students participate in a comprehensive after-school activity program, which builds their skills while enhancing their sense of community and belonging. Additionally, weekend programming includes trips to local Cape Cod and New England attractions. Activities provide students with typical teenage experiences such as student government, clubs and the prom. GROW students select and plan for their own social activities, which take place both on and off campus. They have many options and decisions to make regarding evening and weekend socializing. Typical college-age experiences, such as going out to dinner, to the movies, to the mall, or attending sporting events and performances, keep GROW students socially active. Athletics The philosophy of “personal best” is embodied in all aspects of Riverview’s physical education, sports and fitness programs, which consist of modified and adaptive instruction. In the Middle & High School, Riverview’s physical education program emphasizes the skills necessary for participation in a variety of individual recreational sports and traditional team sports, and helps students to stretch beyond their comfort zones. Skills such as sportsmanship and teamwork are reinforced. The athletics program at Riverview School is completely inclusive. Any Middle & High student who wishes to participate in soccer, basketball, softball, swimming, tennis, cross country, or track and field, and maintains a commitment to the sport, will be placed on a team. Riverview has joined the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and become a Special Olympics Unified Champion School for both basketball and track and field. Now Riverview’s athletic accomplishments will be officially recognized! Health, nutrition and fitness are important as well. Students learn about the benefits of healthy eating and staying active. They have use of Riverview’s state-of-the-art Wellness Center, staffed by a certified fitness instructor. “I’m glad that I came to Riverview because I get to do a lot of activities and get to do them with friends.” — Student “Cross Country, Swim Team and Cheerleading are just a few of the activities that our daughter has participated in at Riverview that she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to participate in otherwise. She is constantly surrounded by her peers so she is actually a part of the community rather than a subsection of it. We are always amazed at her growth academically, socially and in independence.” — Parent TAKE THE FIRST STEP Wellness Riverview’s Wellness Program focuses on the benefits of keeping active, healthy eating and being mindful. We are committed to embracing wellness as a community, and to ensuring that our students are developing and internalizing habits that will guide them to independently make healthy choices throughout their lifetimes. Physical Activity The expansion of our wellness programming has led to many exciting innovations. Community wide wellness challenges, boot camp classes, more recreational activities, fitness orientations and personal training, and a new group exercise room are just a few examples! In addition, all students have access to the state-of-the-art Wellness Center, staffed by a certified fitness instructor. Healthy Eating Healthy eating has always been on Riverview’s menu. Sage dining services provides great tasting meals that are also healthy and balanced. Our GROW transition students are offered a healthy cooking elective and our residential staff are trained in healthy cooking practices. Additionally, the Riverview community participates in healthy eating challenges that are not only competitive but a lot of fun! Mindfulness Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique. In addition to daily meditation each morning, yoga classes are offered to both staff and students and faculty teaches mindfulness as an important coping skill. RIVERVIEW: BUILDING A CULTURE OF WELLNESS Tom Black Wellness Coordinator “We imagined how amazing it would be to teach our students to calm their minds, center their bodies and ultimately lift their spirits!” — Riverview Teacher “Don’t worry about right or wrong. Don’t judge. Just be.” — Riverview Student TAKE THE FIRST STEP Health Care Health Care Center The Health Care Center (HCC) is located on the main campus and is staffed seven days per week/ 24 hours per day by a team of nurses, medical assistants, and EMTs. Skilled nursing staff assess and treat minor ailments and injuries. The six-bed HCC provides students a place to rest if they are ill. Overnight medical staff are available for emergencies or to care for students requiring overnight care in the Health Care Center for medical reasons. In the event of an emergency, Riverview is centrally located and accessible to several area hospitals and urgent care facilities. To see a list of frequently asked questions regarding our Health Care services please click on the following link: Health Care Center FAQ Cate MacFarland Director of Health Care Services TAKE THE FIRST STEP 551 Route 6A, East Sandwich, Massachusetts 02537 T: (508) 888-0489 F: (508) 833-7001 admissions@riverviewschool.org Riverview School is an independent, coeducational boarding/day school, located on beautiful Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Established in 1957, Riverview is a leader in educating students, ages 11–21, with complex language and learning challenges that include Autism, Down Syndrome, and intellectual disabilities. 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