High School GRADES 9-12
Our Students Know Us Best.
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My 12th-grade backpacking trip to Eagle Cap Wilderness in Oregon was an experience I’ll never forget. One of the best parts was teaching my classmates how to fly fish—standing by the beautiful lakes, casting lines, and celebrating every catch (or near catch) together. Being out there, away from the classroom, brought us closer in a way that nothing else could. Riverstone’s outdoor program isn’t just about adventure; it’s about building friendships, pushing limits, and learning from each other in the most incredible places.
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At Riverstone I could just walk into the office and say ‘let me do this’ and they gave me the resources and had the confidence in my ability to support it. That’s the kind of school this is, if you want to do something, there’s no one saying you can’t.
THE RIVERSTONE DIFFERENCE
Extraordinary Education. Unmatched Community.
Our students thrive beyond graduation.
As an International Baccalaureate World School, we cultivate each student’s unique talents within a nurturing environment grounded in our Five Pillars: Academic Excellence, Community and Service, Leadership by Example, International Understanding, and Outdoor Education.
Our inquiry-based approach encourages students to ask thought-provoking questions, explore diverse perspectives, and develop critical thinking skills while fostering a global mindset.
With small class sizes, day and boarding options, and robust financial aid, students benefit from personalized support that empowers them to explore, lead, and thrive.
INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION
OTTER STORIES
A Global Journey Inspired at Riverstone
Originally from China, Astoria joined Riverstone during High School, attracted by our reputation as a welcoming international community. The strong foundation she built here propelled her academic success at Boston University (undergraduate) and Columbia University (graduate), complemented by four valuable internships. Following graduation, Astoria launched her career at the prestigious William Morris Talent Agency in Hollywood before establishing her own business in London, where she continues to thrive today.
“When I first went to Boston University, which is pretty strong academically, I thought the first year was relatively easy compared to Riverstone. The class sizes were so small you get that dedication towards your growth, not just academically but also personally. It’s the community that made my experience, and then the academics. The students there were very driven and, academically competitive, which was great. Everyone knew what they wanted to do and you want to be surrounded by people like that. Still, each student is quite different from another, each coming from various interests and different backgrounds.”
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ASTORIA SONG
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
IB Experts. World-Ready Scholars.
Riverstone Graduates are accepted at the world’s top universities.
Our expert teachers guide students through a rigorous IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP), nurturing inquiry, critical thinking, and intellectual curiosity. With small class sizes and personalized support, students master advanced mathematics, sciences, and language and literature (including mothertongue instruction). A broad selection of DP courses from Chemistry to higher-level mathematics, Global Politics, to visual art and music allows our students to pursue
THE EXTENDED ESSAY
their interests and passions. In-depth academic writing and hands-on laboratory experiments focused on experimental design, data collection, and analysis, reinforce essential skills.
Beyond academic mastery, our program cultivates creativity across all disciplines, encouraging students to develop the intellectual versatility demanded by leading universities worldwide.
ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL EXPLORATION COME TO LIFE
Our IB expertise transforms the Extended Essay from a requirement into a profound intellectual journey. Expert teachers guide students through rigorous research processes while nurturing their unique academic passions, whether exploring nitrous oxide’s climate impact or how decisionmaking processes deviate between American and Russian cultures. This personalized approach consistently produces exceptional research that opens doors to prestigious universities while developing critical thinking skills that last a lifetime.
Recent Student Research Topics:
• To what extent can Minkowski Geometry be utilized to differentiate between previous Newtonian principles of relativity and Einstein’s theory of special relativity?
• What is the effect of the Cultural Revolution on the 2D animation visual styles of Chinese animation?
• How do the parameters of sag ratio, span, and mass per unit length affect the natural frequency of a suspension bridge?
COLLEGE COUNSELING AND PLACEMENTS
College Counseling
Our four-year College Counseling Program empowers students to discover their unique paths to higher education. With personalized guidance and structured milestones, we transform the college application journey from overwhelming to achievable.
Grades 9-10
Grade 11
Building Foundations—Students begin with self-discovery workshops and study skills development while gaining early insight into college requirements. These formative years focus on academic exploration, meaningful extracurricular engagement, and test preparation.
Crafting the Journey Juniors develop balanced college lists, draft compelling personal statements, prepare for SAT and ACT exams, and build impressive resumes. Our signature October retreat takes students to explore campuses throughout Washington and Oregon, helping them visualize their future while refining application strategies. An optional East Coast College Tour is offered during spring break.
Grade 12 Bringing Vision to Reality Seniors receive intensive 1:1 counseling to finalize college selections, perfect essays, manage application deadlines, pursue scholarships, and prepare for interviews. Our college counselor provides steadfast support through every decision and response.
Comprehensive Resources
Throughout all four years, students benefit from on-campus college representative visits, specialized workshops, and a faculty team trained in current admissions trends—ensuring each student transitions confidently to their next academic chapter.
INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING
Cultivating Global Citizens, One Experience at a Time
International understanding isn’t just taught—it’s lived daily. With students from 40 nationalities, our robust International Baccalaureate curriculum, and boarding students from 12 countries, our campus is a global community. Students develop multilingual proficiency, with 28% of our 2024 senior class earning IB Bilingual diplomas. Through immersive international travel experiences to destinations like Italy, Spain,
Costa Rica, and China, and daily multicultural interactions, Riverstone students graduate as confident global citizens prepared to thrive at universities across six continents and contribute meaningfully to our interconnected world.
Global Journeys, Global Perspectives
Riverstone’s international travel program extends classroom learning beyond borders, connecting our high school students with IB peers worldwide through purposeful educational experiences in Spain, Costa Rica, Italy, China, and beyond. These curricularbased journeys—from Spanish language immersion with host families in Spain to environmental conservation alongside international students in Costa Rica—are carefully designed as extensions of our IB curriculum, incorporating preparation, guided reflection, and synthesis projects. By
collaborating with partner schools globally, students gain authentic cultural insights while developing the intercultural competencies and global perspectives essential for university success and meaningful engagement with our interconnected world. Through these transformative experiences, Riverstone students don’t just study global citizenship— they live it.
OTTER STORIES
THE SCIENCE OF THE RENAISSANCE
Our “Science of the Renaissance” program took students on a journey through Rome, Florence, and Pisa to uncover the roots of modern innovation. They explored how visionaries like Galileo and Michaelangelo revolutionized art, science, and architecture by visiting sites such as the Da Vinci Museum, Museo Galileo, and the Uffizi Gallery. By examining Brunelleschi’s groundbreaking dome in Florence and witnessing the origins of the scientific method, they experienced first-hand the enduring
impact of creativity and curiosity born in the Renaissance.
“We discovered how the Renaissance combined an emphasis on human potential, generous patrons like the Medici family, keen observation of nature, and revolutionary advances in perspective and anatomy—all of which led to groundbreaking art and discoveries.” - Zach H. (‘25)
OUTDOOR
EDUCATION
Discovering SelfReliance in the American Wilderness.
Learning how to take care of ourselves, the world, and each other.
Throughout their Riverstone journey, students spend an extraordinary 144 days in nature’s classroom—hiking the Sawtooth Mountains, camping under the stars, and navigating waterways across the Northwestern United States. The program includes eight major expeditions and a regular schedule of monthly high school activities, which feature rock climbing, snowshoeing, and skiing.
By carrying their gear, preparing meals, and adapting to challenging conditions, students discover capabilities they never knew they possessed. They learn environmental stewardship through “Leave No Trace” principles and develop leadership skills by guiding peers through natural challenges.
These experiences foster resilience, collaboration, and environmental consciousness that extends far beyond graduation, preparing Riverstone students to navigate life’s journey with confidence and purpose.
Our Outdoor Leadership Certification recognizes and rewards students who demonstrate commitment to outdoor skills, leadership development, and service by completing required coursework, trip participation (including leadership roles and summer expeditions), wilderness training, and advocacy efforts, culminating in an additional credential upon graduation.
GRADE 12 FALL TRIP
MS/HS Outdoor Education
• Gr 6 - Yellowstone/SW Idaho
• Gr 7 - Owyhee Mountain Biking/ Weiser River Trail Travel Biking
• Gr 8 - Salmon River Adventure, Hell’s Canyon Backpacking, Idaho City Yurt Snowshoeing
• Gr 9-12 - High School Sawtooth Mountains, Mccall, and Eagle Cap (Oregon) Backbacking
• Gr 9 - Grand Gulch/Cedar Mesa (Utah)
• Gr 10 - Valley of the Rogue (Oregon)
• Gr 11 - College Retreat to the YMCA, Winter Backpacking
• Gr 12 - Senior Climbing Trip: City of Rocks
OTTER STORIES
Where Challenges Create Connections.
As a core component of the Riverstone experience, our outdoor trips give students a break from academic rigor while building our community. For sophomores Jane W. (‘24) and Sina H. (‘24), what began as a rain-soaked camping weekend evolved into a lasting friendship.
“I really love the outdoor trips; I look forward to them. Being without phones and laptops lets you truly connect with classmates and see different sides of them. During one trip, we got caught in a storm and spent the entire day in our tent, just talking for hours while listening to rain patter overhead. There was nothing else to do but talk, surrounded by beautiful scenery. That was probably my favorite trip—now we’re best friends.”
COMMUNITY AND SERVICE
Building Community Through Service
Our students learn to see a need and take action.
At Riverstone, service is woven into the fabric of student life through our dynamic club program. Every student participates in a club—from Chemistry and Forensics to Model UN to the Anglers Club—and each group is challenged to design meaningful service initiatives that benefit our broader community.
When the Anglers Club members restored local waterways, they didn’t just fulfill a requirement—they connected their passion to purposeful action. This seamless integration of interests with impact exemplifies the Riverstone approach to community engagement.
The strength of our community lies in its culture of empathy and proactive support. Students don’t wait to be asked to help; they anticipate needs and respond with initiative. This was beautifully demonstrated when our senior class organized “Parents’ Night Out,” providing childcare for younger Riverstone students so parents could enjoy an evening of relaxation.
This student-led initiative yielded multiple benefits: older students developed mentoring relationships with younger ones, parents experienced the tangible support of our community, and school-wide connections deepened across age groups.
As one senior reflected,
“The kids are all so fun and cute. It’s really cool to see them around campus, and it feels like we are all one big family.”
LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE
Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders.
Giving students everything they need to make a difference.
From mentoring younger students and leading backpacking trips to founding their own clubs, Riverstone students develop essential leadership skills through authentic experiences. These opportunities cultivate articulate communication, effective collaboration, and the confidence to show vulnerability. Our graduates emerge with the leadership toolkit needed to make meaningful contributions to our world.
OTTER STORIES
Students Finding Their Voice as Leaders.
Jane (‘24) transformed from a focused freshman into a confident school leader during her Riverstone journey. “When I first came to Riverstone, I didn’t know what my ambitions were or what kind of person I wanted to be,” she reflects. “I came intending to do well academically, but through my teachers, I discovered my leadership abilities. I love taking initiative and starting things—something I never would have done as a freshman.”
Jane’s leadership culminated in the creation of the student-led RiverGuides orientation program, which now replaces the school’s original orientation system. “It’s challenging to enter an IB school, and I saw the need for better support. What began as a club evolved into Riverstone’s official orientation program for new students.”
Her success highlights Riverstone’s approach to nurturing student initiative: “I could walk into the office with an idea, and they would provide resources and show confidence in my abilities. That’s Riverstone—if you want to create something meaningful, no one stands in your way.”
JANE W. (‘24)
CURRICULUM
Grade 9
MYP Year 4
Core Subjects
English (Language & Literature)
Language Acquisition (Spanish, Mandarin)
Mathematics
Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
Physical Education
Individuals and Societies (US History, World History)
Arts (Music, Visual Arts)
Electives
Student Council
Outdoor Education Leadership
Computer Science
Painting
Family and Consumer Sciences
Music Ensembles
Psychology
Online Elective Offerings
Local High School Offerings
Grade 10
MYP Year 5
Core Subjects
English (Language & Literature)
Language Acquisition (Spanish, Mandarin)
Mathematics
Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
Physical Education
Individuals and Societies (US History, World History)
Arts (Music, Visual Arts)
RIS offers 30+ clubs and 10 varsity sports.
For students looking to participate more competitively in other sports, we connect them with local clubs or public school teams where they can compete at IHSAA 5A level with a greater opportunity for excellent coaches and more athletes of the same desire.
Electives
Student Council
Outdoor Education Leadership
Computer Science
Painting
Family and Consumer Sciences
Music Ensembles
Psychology
Online Elective Offerings
Local High School Offerings
Clubs
Anglers
Baking
Beekeeping
Chemistry
Circuits
D&D
Entrepreneurship
Ethics Bowl
Fashion & Design
Film
Green Team
Magic
Mock Trial
SAGA
Grade 11
DP Year 1
Core Subjects
English (Language & Literature)
Language Acquisition (Spanish, Mandarin, German, Student-Support Self Taught in Any Other Native Language)
Mathematics
Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
Individuals and Societies (Global Politics, World Religions, Psychology)
Arts (Music, Visual Arts)
DP CORE
Grade 12
DP Year 2
Core Subjects
English (Language & Literature)
Language Acquisition (Spanish, Mandarin, German, Student-Support Self Taught in Any Other Native Language)
Mathematics
Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
Individuals and Societies (Global Politics, World Religions, Psychology)
Arts (Music, Visual Arts)
DP CORE
Fast Facts
Average merit aid per student was $305,000 in 2025. 97% of Riverstone students are accepted into top 150 US universities. Set in the foothills of Boise’s great outdoors. 5521 E Warm Springs Ave Boise, ID 83716
RiverstoneSchool.org admissions@riverstoneschool.org 208-424-5000
