from our Head of School

This land is the thread that connects us all; from the indigenous people who first settled here, to us Mariners today, we love this place and find peace and joy here. When life gets to be a bit much for us, we can take our cues from the osprey whose constancy brings them back each year to the same nest, from the persistence of the tide, and most majestically from the strength of our Elm Tree, reminding us that we too can be resilient.

Of course, a hallmark of Rocky Hill Country Day is our people, including our accomplished and dedicated faculty and staff. Through them, learning is both personalized and personable. Research shows students learn best when they have a positive relationship with their teacher, and families report those connections in survey after survey. And classmates, who both challenge and inspire us, also guide us on the journey to achieve our ultimate purpose.

At Rocky Hill, students enjoy opportunities to develop leadership skills through our Leadership Academy, Prefects, Athletic Captains, and interdivisional projects and mentorship, including this year’s Hack for Global Good where Upper School students mentored Middle and Lower School students in design thinking. The joy of all the students, older and younger during Hack-Health 2023 was palpable, and resulted in new experiences between divisions, such as 6th graders designing model Ninja Obstacle courses for our Preschoolers to assess.

We also prepare Mariners for the world of work and life beyond RHCD. The continuation and expansion of our emphasis on Project-Based Learning builds those ‘future of work’ skills in collaboration, social responsibility, and problem solving. Examples include 4th graders creating a campus map that is currently in use on our school website; 5th graders continuing their archive project, chronicling the history of Hopelands and Rocky Hill; Middle School Empty Bowls project, developing their understanding of food scarcity while advancing their artistic skills; and Upper School Spanish students writing children’s stories in Spanish, then reading them to Lower School students. the

At Rocky Hill Country Day, our students learn, practice, and hone crucial skills as they progress through RHCD.

And we find new ways for them to exercise their intellect for fun, such as the inaugural year of the Quiz Bowl club. Mr. Dollen and the students are having a blast!

Finally, at the heart of what we do stands our motto – Know Thyself – embedded in our mission: inspiring each other to discover our full selves and use our wisdom for good.

We believe all humans want to be known, by themselves and others. The identities we develop as we live into our School motto imprint this sense of Place on us forever. This, along with the respect for our People and the value of our Purpose, lead us to more fully and deeply apply our talents during and long after our time at Rocky Hill.

Diane Rich Head of School

Departing Trustees

A special thank you to our departing Trustees who have served on our Board.

Rocky Hill Country Day School does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, handicap, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, employment, educational policies, or other school programs.