Rivermont’s gifted faculty provides students with a demanding and comprehensive education driven by excellent resources and small class sizes. The Rivermont education provides students with the necessary tools and honest desire to pursue knowledge independently, to lead their peers in community involvement, prize fitness and compete athletically, and to take intellectual and artistic risks.
The Early School at Rivermont Collegiate provides children with their first step in formal education. This important transition from family as the primary learning environment to a broader learning community sets the stage and develops skills and attitudes necessary for success.
Rivermont Collegiate provides an environment in which students experience the joy of learning and the excitement of discovery. Our teachers are equally concerned about helping each child develop socially, emotionally, and physically. In partnership with parents, teachers strive to meet the needs of every child. Active family support and frequent home-school communication help children accomplish their goals.
Rivermont Collegiate is committed to removing any roadblocks to success for its Middle School students. The widest possible array of choices in curriculum and extra-curricular activities help assure that each student is able to achieve academic and personal goals successfully.
The Rivermont Upper School student is well-rounded, with many opportunities available for personal and academic development. Good citizenship is emphasized in every aspect of student life. Rivermont students, although diverse in their national and cultural backgrounds, share a common concern for each other as well as for the community at large.
Rivermont students continue a proud tradition of athletic excellence and leadership in clubs and organizations.
Varsity Boys’ Basketball: Rivermont’s team competes in the Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 1A. A typical season begins in January; the School’s Homecoming revolves around this team of seasoned players. Home games are often evenly-matched, exciting and provide ample opportunity for Rivermont families, friends and staff to mingle and show their school pride.
Cheerleading: The cheer team is comprised of male and female students endeavoring to improve their gymnastic, dance, cheer and all-around athletic abilities. Teamwork, experimentation and coordination are key skills needed for success. The squad typically performs at all home Varsity Boys’ Basketball games.
Cooperative Programs: Students interested in taking part in other athletic teams are encouraged to take advantage of the Rivermont’s cooperative agreement with Bettendorf Public Schools. Rivermont students often compete alongside Bettendorf students in football, soccer, track & field and golf.
Computer Club: Rivermont students with an interest above and beyond the progressive curriculum offerings join together to learn more about the world of Computer Science, and put that knowledge to practical use. One notable example is Rivermont’s annual “Computer Optimization Day”; club members raise funding for their computer education by tending to the software/hardware needs of interested QC residents.
Drama Club: Drama Club students enjoy theatre—as participants and audience members. They work to promote the Rivermont Drama program in the school and the community, they raise funds to help support the program, and they try to attend at least one outside theatre performance each year. Drama Club is open to all Middle School and Upper School students.
National Honor Societies: The National Honor Society (NHS) and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) are the nation's premier organizations established to recognize outstanding high school and middle level students. More than just an honor roll, NHS and NJHS serve to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character (and Citizenship for NJHS). These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since their beginnings in 1921 and 1929.
How is Rivermont's College Counseling program different than that of a public high school and other local alternatives? Bonnie Campbell, Director of College Counseling describes Rivermont's program as being custom built to the individual and "limitless." Counseling is structured and thorough; each student receives specialized attention throughout the sometimes complicated application process, including search, application, interview, and acceptance. Most importantly, students explore a variety of college opportunities, expand their understanding of the large and sometimes daunting landscape of post-secondary opportunities. Perhaps most unique are the counseling services offered to parents as well as they participate in the college application process.
Contact Bonnie Campbell
campbell@rvmt.org
(563) 359-1366 x304
Preparation Overview
The process begins in earnest in 9th grade, continues through college acceptance, high school graduation, and throughout life as an Alumni.
100% of Rivermont Collegiate graduates are accepted to a four year college. A sampling of colleges where recent graduates have been accepted:
The Changing Face of College Applications
“The Common Application set a record on January 1, crossing the 2 million application mark earlier than ever. December 31 was once again the busiest day of the year, during which the online system processed nearly 4 submissions per second. … As of January 15, nearly 300,000 counselors and teachers had submitted 5.8 million school forms. That's 5.8 million documents that never needed to be printed, posted, mailed, opened, sorted, or filed by hand. … Four years ago at this time (the Common Application) online school forms system did not exist.”
The Common Application allows each student to apply to a maximum of 20 cooperating schools with one application. At this time there are 456 Common Application members in 46 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in France, Germany, Italy, Scotland, and Switzerland. Members range from Ivies such as Brown University, RI to liberal arts colleges such as Grinnell, IA and large universities such as the University of Michigan, MI. Each year more members join the Common Application, and furthermore, 146 schools are “exclusive members” who accept only the Common Application; these schools include Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, etc.
Members of the Class of 2012 each used the Common Application for some or all of their college applications. Juniors will have a workshop on the Common Application this spring as part of Rivermont College Counseling .
*"The Common Application” January 2012 School Officials Update
Preparing for the SAT I
This week Freshman and Sophomores turned their iPads into tools to prepare for the SAT I. After downloading the free College Board SAT Question of the Day application and under the guidance of the College Counselor Bonnie Campbell, students answered the Daily Question. Daily Questions represent two of the three sections of the SAT I, alternating a verbal question with a math question. Students will continue to gather after Morning Meeting as a group during second semester to tackle the SAT Question of the Day.
The application gives students the following great feedback:
Yes! PSAT Scores Are In!
Juniors (and those sophomores who opted to take the PSAT) looked beyond the test scores by taking a mini workshop to thoroughly navigate both PSAT/NMSQT Score Report Plus test results and the College Board My Quick Start college planning tool. First, juniors learned how to use the Score Report Plus and then all registered for My College Quick Start on the College Board site. Students accessed an interactive score report using an individual code to see projected SAT I scores and explore the site to :
Once registered, students may access My Quick Start at any time. Although at this time students received a National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test Selection Index Score, no placement results will be available until Fall of 2012.
New members of the Common Application:
The Common Application members now number 456 in 46 states and the District of Columbia. 45 new members joined for the 2011-12 year including the University of Kentucky and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. (the University of Michigan went from a non-Common Application member in 2009-2010 to a Common Application ONLY school in 2010-2011). In 2010-2011 the Common Application saw 578,000 unique applicants submit 2.4 million applications. This was a 24% jump over the previous year.
Changes in Advanced Placement courses:
Currently, the College Board in asking for broad changes in the Advanced Placement programs in foreign languages. These new requirements will result in new teaching syllabi by 2014.
A new face on the Early Action/Early Decision scene:
Single-choice early action is a new option offered by a few colleges. This plan works the same way as other early action plans, but candidates may not apply early (either early action or early decision) to any other college. You can still apply to other colleges under regular decision plans and are not required to give your final answer to the early-application college until the regular decision deadline.”
For more information on early application options see the College Board site www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/104.html
Skype Your Way to an interview:
If you are trying to fit in visits to far flung schools, see if your school or university offers Skype interviews. For several years, schools have offered telephone interviews and interviews with local designated alumni are old hat. Now get out your laptop or iPad to Skype your interview.