- Emergent Thoughts on High School with Dr. Michael Riera
Posted on October 8, 2008 - Redwood Day School Rock Bands Perform Benefit Concert at Ashkenaz
Posted on March 5, 2007 - Redwood Day School Speaker Series: All Kinds of Minds
Posted on September 20, 2005
Upper School Update for October 31, 2008
Posted on October 31, 2008
WELCOME to the RDS Upper School Update. This is the ninth in a series of Updates to keep you apprised of activities related to our Upper School. For more information go to: www.rdschool.org/About_RDS/Upper_School
Upper School FAQs
Why is RDS expanding to a K-12? Aren’t there enough quality high schools in the Bay Area to choose from? For nearly 10 years, RDS has been planning to build a high school curriculum and program based on what has been so successful in our K-8. We believe there are no high schools in the East Bay that offer the type of education we intend to provide: a dynamic and engaging curriculum that will prepare our students for college and life. We are redefining what college preparatory, rigor, and excellence mean for high school students based on the latest brain and educational research. Our program will exceed all the requirements for admission into the full range of colleges, especially the UCs.
Is the Upper School expansion detracting from the K-8 school? In fact, it is quite the opposite. The Upper School program is a natural extension of RDS, embodying all of our core educational principles, including: challenging academics with a focus on differentiated instruction, a positive approach to discipline, and diversity and inclusion principles. Our curriculum will be further integrated within and across grade levels.
Is the Head of School spending all his time on the Upper School, instead of the Lower & Middle school? Through weekly meetings and frequent communication with all three Division Directors, Mike is actively involved in all aspects of the School, however Division Directors manage most of the day-to-day operations. Mike is leading the charge of further developing RDS into a vibrant learning community. This is a very active and exciting time at RDS!
How many students will you start with? Class size? What will be the final student body of the fully-built Upper School? We will start with a class of 35-50 ninth grade students, with an average class size of 15-20. Over time our Upper School will accommodate 300-500 students, depending on campus size.
What classes will you offer? We will offer an advanced curriculum that includes math, science, English, history and humanities, as well as rigorous courses in world languages, art, music, drama, and athletic programs. In addition, there is a four-year course in Life Planning that includes: strengths assessment, diversity and inclusion training, financial responsibility and philanthropy, brain research, health education, and college counseling.
See new Upper School Curriculum Guide at: www.rdschool.org/About_RDS/Upper_School/Curriculum
What sports will you have? We will initially offer volleyball, basketball, cross country, softball, baseball, soccer and golf. We are also considering a range of other sports, including football.
What about social life (dances, clubs, activities)? Club time is built into the daily schedule and students will be called upon to lead and to create a rich student life. We will also offer social activities similar to those of other independent schools in the Bay Area.
What happens to the Upper School if we are unable to purchase the Golf Links site?
The RDS Board of Directors passed a resolution in January of 2008 to open the Upper School in the fall of 2009, and the RDS community is committed to achieving this goal. A team of Trustees is visiting leased facility options within 10-15 minutes of the Sheffield campus. RDS Upper School will open in the fall of 2009.
Golf Links Site Update
Negotiations continue, and we are cautiously optimistic. At the same time we continue to pursue other sites--for both the short- and long-term. Something will break soon, and until then please hold positive thoughts. And again, thanks so much for your early and ongoing support. We will get there.
-Mike Riera, Head of School -Ray Wilson, Upper School Director
Emergent Thoughts on High School with Dr. Michael Riera
Posted on October 8, 2008
November 12th, 2008
7:00-8:30 pm
Redwood Day School
3245 Sheffield Ave., Oakland 94602
- Redefining college preparatory curriculum
- Normal and abnormal sources of stress in high school and what can be done about it
- What teens really need to be successful in high school, college, and life
- Developmentally
- Socially
- Intellectually
Mike Riera, Ph.D., is one of the country's foremost authorities on understanding children and teenagers. Since 2004, Dr. Riera has been the Head of School at Redwood Day School, a K-8 school in Oakland which will soon be expanding to a K-12. His latest book, Staying Connected To Your Teenager, has appeared on several bestseller lists and was written as the follow-up to his first book, Uncommon Sense For Parents With Teenagers, both of which were featured on Oprah. He is the author of two other books on adolescent development, Surviving High School and A Field Guide to the American Teenager written with Joe DiPrisco, Ph.D. Mike Riera has appeared on many television and radio shows about parenting: he was the host of the award-winning show, Life in Progress, on Oxygen cable network and was the parenting correspondent for the CBS Saturday Early Show for seven years.
Download a flyer for the event here. (.pdf)
This event is free and open to the public. Space is limited. Please RSVP to Justine Lewis, Upper School Coordinator, at jlewis@rdschool.org or (510) 534-0804 x 225
Redwood Day School Rock Bands Perform Benefit Concert at Ashkenaz
Posted on March 5, 2007
Proceeds support RDS financial aid program and Music Rising, an instrument replacement program for musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina
Redwood Day School’s middle school rock bands will perform a benefit concert at Ashkenaz in Berkeley on Sunday March 11th at 6:30 pm. All proceeds will be donated to the RDS financial aid program and to Music Rising, an instrument replacement program for musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina. This is the second year in a row that Redwood Day School rock bands have hosted a benefit concert at Ashkenaz.
Last year the group raised over $1200, which the students donated to the RDS financial aid program. This program provides tuition assistance to 24% of its 333 students—50% more than independent schools nationwide. “Our strong financial aid program is a key component of what Redwood Day is as a community…an independent school in the heart of Oakland that places a high value on all kinds of diversity. We celebrate, learn from, and thrive on our differences—cultural, ethnic, gender, socio-economic and intellectual. That the rock bands expanded their fundraising efforts to include an organization outside RDS reflects a group of compassionate, thoughtful and generous students—qualities that we seek to sustain on a daily basis,” says Head of School Mike Riera.
Redwood Day School Speaker Series: All Kinds of Minds
Posted on September 20, 2005
Oakland, CA -- Thursday, October 27, 2005 at 7:00pm
The Redwood Day School Parents’ Association begins its annual speaker series for parents on Thursday, October 27, 2005. Head of School Dr. Michael Riera and Assistant Head of School Kathy Duhl will present an interactive workshop exploring the ideas of world-renowned pediatric neurologist Dr. Mel Levine’s “All Kinds of Minds” program, as applied at Redwood Day School.
Learn how to help your child identify his/her unique learning style to maximize success at school and beyond. Dr. Riera has a national reputation as an enlightening speaker, a best-selling author of five books, and a celebrated expert in parenting and child development. Kathy Duhl is certified as an advanced instructor for the All Kinds of Minds program and is regionally known for her expertise in curriculum development.
This event is open to the public andwill be held at Redwood Day School, 3245 Sheffield Avenue, Oakland, CA. Admission is free; adults only, please. Reservations are required; please call 510-534-0804, ext. 241 to RSVP and for further information.
Contact: Hillary Fontaine