First Graders Take a Deep Dive with RCDS Leaders

As part of their yearlong Community curriculum theme, first graders at The Rumson Country Day School dove into an exciting journalism project to learn more about leadership and the roles of key figures within their school community. Inspired by the RCDS Deeper Dive series—a Q&A-style feature in the school’s e-newsletter—students became reporters themselves. They conducted thoughtful interviews with RCDS leaders, demonstrating curiosity, teamwork, and the school’s Four Pillars: Kindness, Honesty, Responsibility, and Respect.

“We started off by reading books about leadership and discussing what it means to lead with integrity,” said first-grade teacher Donna Francis. "The highlight of the project was the opportunity to conduct face-to-face interviews with RCDS leaders."

Interviewees included Head of School Dr. Carson T. Smith, Head of Lower School Ms. Lea Prendergast, Plant Superintendent Mr. Brian Stolowski, and Director of Safety and Security Chief Lou Ferraro among others. These interviews offered students a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be a leader and how their roles impact the school community.

To prepare for the interviews, the budding journalists brainstormed insightful questions as a class, practiced active listening, and refined their note-taking skills.

“Through the process, they not only learned about leadership but also gained invaluable experience in communication and collaboration, all while embodying the Four Pillars,” explained Mrs. Francis.

The students wrapped up their assignment with write-ups of their interviews proudly displayed outside of their classroom. The Deeper Dive journalism project is just one example of how RCDS’s overarching curriculum themes spark creative instruction and expanded possibilities for students. By integrating these themes into rich, engaging, and relevant projects, students are making meaningful connections between their learning and the world around them.

Below, you can read the Deeper Dive Q&A's conducted by our young learners.

Dr. Smith, Head of School Q: What is the best part of your job? A: The best part of my job is spending time with students. Q: What is the hardest part of your job? A: The hardest part is making decisions when people don’t agree.
Ms. Prendergast, Head of Lower School Q: What is the best part of your job? A: Getting all the things for the students to do their best. Q: What is the hardest part of your job? A: Finding the right schedule so that everyone can get what they need. Q: What is it like to be in charge of a group of people? A: I make a list every day of three things to do and write a lot of post-it notes.
Mr. Brian, Facilities Manager Q: What is the best part of your job? A: Seeing everyone smile. Q: What is the hardest part of your job? A: Making sure everything is working and functioning properly. Q: How do you manage your job at RCDS? A: Using a booklet to keep notes of problems and solutions. Q: What do you do to keep the school clean every day? A: I keep the school clean by wiping and dusting.
Nurse Delaney, R.N. Q: What is the best part of your job? A: The best part is seeing kids and making them feel better. Q: What is the hardest part of your job? A: The hardest part about my job is when students come in not feeing well. I don’t like to see kids sick. Q: How do you make people feel better? A: I make people feel comfortable, happy, and relaxed. I give people Band-Aids and ice packs.
Chief Lou, Director of Safety and Security Q: What is the best part of your job? A: Greeting everybody and seeing smiles. Q: What do you do to keep the school safe? A: I check doors and cameras. Q: What is the hardest part of your job? A: Making sure everyone stays safe all day long.
Miss Judy, Lead Kitchen Staff, Side Dish Catering Q: How do you make food for the whole school? A: We count the tables and then we count the people. Then we know how many portions we need. Q: What is your favorite lunch to make and why? A: My favorite lunch to make is tacos because I like tacos. Q: How do you decide what food to make for our school? A: I make food that the kids like.