Only At Rhoades Home / About Us / Only At Rhoades Choosing the Rhoades School We know that parents have a lot of choices for their child’s education. So, why do families choose The Rhoades School and stay with us until their child graduates? It’s because so many wonderful things happen at our private school, #OnlyatRhoades. Let us tell you more! Daily Dialogue & Habits of Mind Our student-led assemblies are more than just a time to get together and revel in student success. It is also a time to reflect inward and reinforce our mission to “inspire curious minds to think deeply and live courageously.” These gatherings are Rhoades’ way of celebrating the fact that our students are in charge of their own learning path. It is about giving our students a voice in their learning. Our culture has a heavy emphasis on living courageously and we use the 16 Habits of Mind to support this way of thinking. A common assembly theme is to choose one of the “Habits” and connect it to our studies and social growth. In the past, students have performed wonderful skits and shared lessons with the whole school to help them internalize these themes. For example, our 5th grade students presented how they had to persist through difficult projects or tasks for the science fair using trial and error. They learned that the final outcome was not always a finished product, but it is about learning from their mistakes. Girl Rising The Girl Rising chapter at our school empowers our students, not just females, to become mindful and courageous leaders. The chapter is entirely student-led with faculty support. They plan activities, choose organizations, and lead service projects across multiple campuses. They share updates on what they are working on during our morning assembly. Girl Rising is creating a better future for girls globally and Rhoades is proud to be a part of it. Dramatic Arts All of our students have the chance to perform in a play. Our 5th grade students even write and perform their own plays! In the younger grades, our teachers write the plays. Our students learn the lines and act them out. Dramatic arts at our private school is not just about putting on an entertaining show for parents to watch, but also about self expression and working well with others. Classes must learn to work towards a goal and persist through some of the frustrations that come with a theater performance. Our 4th grade students act as a practice audience for our younger students. They give them feedback, fostering collaboration and support between our student body. Buddy Program As part of our Buddy Program, our younger students get matched with older students. They meet biweekly to participate in fun social and academic activities including crafts, reading, and even an egg drop contest. Through the JEDI (Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusivity) club, middle school students come to the lower school to teach our TK students about friendship. This is a great bonding experience for students who may not typically be friends and also provides a mental health break from daily stressors. We want our buddies to learn from each other, but also have fun! Service Learning in Action We use social justice standards to inform our service learning projects. Some projects that exemplify our commitment to giving back to the community include our Empty Bowls event and partnership with Casa de Amistad. Through collaboration and dedication, the students craft bowls, make soup, and serve it at our Empty Bowls fundraiser. The event helps raise money to benefit Feeding San Diego and teaches students the importance of hard work and the effects of food insecurity on our society. Our middle school students have also volunteered with Casa de Amistad, a non-profit organization that provides tutoring and mentoring for underserved youth in North County. Our families donate food and gift cards to support Casa families affected by job losses. Student Leadership Rhoades is student-led in every way, from service learning to academic achievement. Our students are encouraged to be confident in themselves and learn from their mistakes. Our students in 4th through 8th grade take part in student-led conferences where they create a portfolio and set goals at the beginning of the year with their teachers. This is an opportunity to show evidence of their learning journey and how they came to reach the goal. Students feel empowered in the classroom because learning is not only about good grades, but about deep thinking, happiness, and confidence. Our program allows our students to realize that success can come from within and encourages them to recognize that pleasure can come from completing tasks, rather than rewards or prizes.
