Building Bridges

BY BETH DEGERLIA P’16, ‘19, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

The best partnerships foster meaningful connections that are mutually beneficial to those involved. Rocky Hill School is fortunate to have a strong sense of community among its students, faculty, parents, and alumni. We are intentionally small which affords a level of intimacy and connectivity that is difficult to capture in a larger setting. Big kids know little kids, faculty build strong relationships with students and parents, students forge lifelong friendships, and those invaluable connections extend for years beyond graduations out to our alumni.

A large part of alumni relations and development work is about keeping those connections with one another and the School strong. We also work to make connections with the broader community through service projects, academic partnerships, fundraising events, and grants. All of these efforts provide opportunities to make the School a dynamic and robust environment for learning. Annual events like Homecoming, Winter Solstice, and Alumni Reunion bring us together to celebrate our community. Schools need traditions like these that create memories and strengthen bonds. But, increasingly, we need to be innovative and creative in developing partnerships that draw upon our strengths to spark mutual growth and build bridges to opportunities.

Alumni Career Day

In recent years, the School has brought back Alumni Career Day. The day offers juniors and seniors an opportunity to connect with alumni in regard to their career paths and professions. It presents real opportunities for students to gain practical career advice and to network with potential mentors and internships sponsors, and for alumni to reflect on how Rocky Hill School prepared them for their own journeys. When you look to the future and reflect on the past, you gain insight and understanding about yourself and your relationships. One of my favorite Career Day stories is that of Stuart Flanagan ’05. Stu came back to talk about his work in renewable energy and that reconnection ultimately led to him helping the School secure a grant to install solar panels on the Flynn Academic Center that his company, Newport Renewables, installed. I’d call that a great partnership!

Behind the Scenes: Student Pathways

In partnership with the Parent Teacher League, we are in year three of Behind the Scenes, a lecture series for parents to learn more about Rocky Hill School’s curriculum, teaching model, and the School in general. The program has covered many distinctive programs, but the

February lecture had our students giving the advice. Student Pathways featured seven Upper School students sharing with parents and 8th graders the programs and projects they have experienced that have led them to publish a novel, intern with a senator, work with young children, mentor future leaders, become a sage on the stage, create films, and excel in technology and math. By sharing their journeys they hoped to inspire others to find their passion, too.

Business After Hours

This new event was hosted in January and was first envisioned by the Alumni Board and spearheaded by Mia Caetano Johnson ’91. A committee of parents and alumni worked together with the alumni office to plan this first amazing networking evening that drew over 70 people together to mix and mingle over business. The goal of starting a meaningful business-to-business network was realized and everyone walked away with business cards and new connections. We look to expand the network and build a resource for current business leaders, young alumni starting their careers, and current students looking for mentors and internships. Our next Business After Hours is planned for July 20, 2016.

Mindfulness and Project-Based Learning –Community Lectures

As an educational institution, learning is not limited to our students. The School has made considerable efforts to bring important professional development and parent education programs to the forefront. RHed Talks is the newly titled educational series the School is hosting. A school-wide adoption of mindfulness has taken place this year after piloting the program in the Lower School in 2014-15. Rocky Hill School parent and founder of ResilientKids Vanessa Weiner is an expert in the field and has been pivotal in training our faculty and community. Mindfulness employs techniques of meditation and yoga to mitigate the increasing stress and anxiety in our youth, and build more compassionate, empathetic, and resilient communities. She presented a Rhed Talk in March. Former parent Meg Stowe offered a two-part lecture series focused on Building Resilience and Self-Esteem Through PassionBased Learning. Rocky Hill School’s motto, “Know Thyself,” is based on helping students discover their passions, strengths, and weaknesses. Project-based and passion-based learning is woven throughout the curriculum and Meg and her colleague Heidi Kasevich shared their expertise as thought leaders in this area.

Senior Projects and 8th Grade Expositions

Alumni and parents have long been an invaluable resource for students immersed in their capstone projects of the 8th Grade Expo or the Senior Internship. Students have connected with celebrities like Soledad O’Brien or Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, world-renowned doctors, influential business leaders, astronauts, politicians, and so many more incredible people and places as a result of these projects. Whether it is a 100-hour internship or a first real interview of a stranger, these opportunities have been made possible time and again thanks to our close and connected community.

Senior Seminar

Another great example of partnering at its best is Senior Seminar, a multi-week collaborative project where students are introduced to a college seminar and lecture format. This year, the class worked in small groups to conceive, research, and present a comprehensive marketing plan for the School to a panel of educators and marketing consultants. The students were fortunate to have Head of Lower School Patty Pontarelli’s husband Jim as their project mentor. Jim is the president of RDW Group, an integrated communications firm in Providence with over 70 professionals working in all aspects of marketing. Jim met weekly with the seniors and brought colleagues to the School to share their expertise. The final projects provided valuable insight and ideas to the admission and communications offices.

Community Service Partnerships

We know that learning is meaningful when it is combined with real world experiences. The community service program is geared toward building empathy in students and empowering them to impact the world in a positive way.

Service Learning has been brought to a new level in the Lower School this year and students are working together to give back and gain a deeper understanding of their project purpose and goal. One current project involves making care packages for children at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. The Interact Community Service Club for grades 7-12 has partnered with New England Institute of Technology and EnablingTheFuture.org to fund and assemble 25 3D printed prosthetic hands for child amputees impacted by war and other disasters.

These many examples of partnerships between Rocky Hill School and its amazing community are just the tip of the iceberg. You have read about our ongoing collaborations with Trinity Rep, Save

The Bay, and University of Rhode Island. Other partnerships have developed with the RI Interscholastic League, Rotary, GiftsToGive, and Communities for People, to name a few. These connections offer our students opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom and build bridges to future relationships and possible careers, all while offering something back in return.

So, when you receive that event invitation, see Rocky Hill School come up on caller ID, or get an email from the School, I urge you to free up your schedule, answer the call, or click on that email and see what opportunities might be waiting. You are sure to gain just as much as you give. v

Campaign Promises

A presidential election year is filled with campaign promises that often feel like rhetoric aimed at winning your vote. In the development world, it is critical that you keep your campaign promises and set goals based on the needs of your constituents. We take this responsibility quite seriously and in recent years have embarked on many campaigns for the betterment of the School. The Annual Report of Giving provides a summary of our efforts and documents the impact giving and volunteering has had on the community. Please take a moment to read and review the 2014-15 Annual Report of Giving online at www.rockyhill.org/donate.

Besides celebrating the year behind us, we must continue to charge ahead to realize the goals set forth in 2015-16. This year, we created a Bucket List to illustrate the critical programs and objectives we need to fund. Donors are selecting the “Bucket” that they are most passionate about and gifts have increased by an average of 14%. An additional fund we are hoping to complete is the Terry Coes Innovative Teaching Endowment. This $25,000 endowed fund will support innovative teaching projects and we have raised $21,600 to date. If you have not made a gift yet this year, or are inspired to do more, please visit www.rockyhill.org/ donate or call 401-884-9070 ext. 129.

2015-16 Bucket List: Financial Aid and Scholarships: $230,000 | Athletics: $80,000 | Arts: $49,000 | Technology: $20,000 | Outdoor Education and Waterfront: $50,000 | Faculty: $159,000 | Student Program Support: $42,000