Signature Traditions
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Time-tested traditions set RCDS apart.
We value the daily routines, cherished practices, and rite-of-passage experiences that tie generations together and are instrumental in raising students to become successful, community-oriented individuals who act with integrity.
Ask our graduates: many of the experiences that made a lasting impact on their lives are the Signature Traditions of RCDS. Signature Traditions play a vital role in academics, school life and how we treat one another as a community. RCDS traditions also extend into family life. The traits RCDS students demonstrate and develop — kindness, inner motivation, service to others — all stem from our tried and true traditions that instill purpose, character, and the sense of belonging.
“Class Day is awesome. I remember looking back at the classes behind me as a third grader and relishing the knowledge gained, and looking ahead of me at the eighth graders and thinking about all that was to come."Abby Ryan
RCDS Class of 2017
Morning Greeting
How we start our day matters! It sets the tone and expectation for The Four Pillars — Kind, Honest, Responsible and Respectful. Every RCDS student is greeted at the entrance, every morning by the Head of School and or Head of Lower School, Head of Upper School and other faculty members.
Class Plays
Plays are a beloved tradition at RCDS, with every Lower School class staging a play each year. This time-honored practice teaches teamwork and collaboration, while laying the groundwork for students to become articulate and confident communicators.
Family Style Dining
No one sits alone at RCDS, because students always have a place where they belong. Lunch is served family-style at assigned tables where students of mixed ages are joined by a teacher or administrator. At the table, there is plenty of time for students and adults to get to know each other, to chat and joke, and to discuss their daily challenges. Family-style lunch is another way we build community based on mutual respect. Also, every student has a job at lunchtime; it might be getting food to the table, stacking dishes, or wiping the table when the meal is done.
Wilderness Adventures
Annual wilderness adventures in Grades 5 to 8 are a favorite rite-of-passage. These multi-day trips to the Adirondacks and other destinations, are 100% hands-on! Students deepen their class bond while learning how to take healthy risks, experiment with different problem-solving methods, and stretch themselves in new ways.
Phi Beta Kappa Day
Every year, the Tuesday after President’s Day commemorates the achievements of RCDS alumni inducted into Phi Beta Kappa (PBK), the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society. More than 65 RCDS alumni are known to be members; the photos of PPK inductees have a prominent place on our campus. It’s a reminder and inspiration to current students that the pursuit of excellence leads to greater accomplishments and rewards.
Class Day
Class Day is the schoolwide ‘moving up’ ceremony held on the last day of school in June. It’s a powerfully moving event to witness and be a part of; each class moves up a row in recognition of their progress in the current year and signifying students’ advancement to the next grade. The eighth grade class moves to the back of the gymnasium to stand with faculty and staff, a sign of their next chapter and new status as RCDS alumni. Class Day also recognizes and celebrates student achievements and growth throughout the year.
8th Grade Carnival
Hosted by the graduating class each year, the 8th Grade Carnival serves as an opportunity for the students to step up as leaders and for the entire school community to kick off the school year together. Funds raised from the carnival are allocated to the class gift – a contribution presented by the 8th grade to recognize the school and leave behind a little piece of their class legacy.
Public Speaking
People often remark on the comfort and poise displayed by RCDS students in public speaking. Communication skills are a hallmark of RCDS that are regularly practiced and honed through classroom debate, research presentations, monthly assemblies, Mock Trial, Student-Led Conferences, Drama Club and more.
Whale of a Sale
RCDS’s Whale of a Sale, affectionately referred to as “Rummage,” is quite possibly the largest indoor garage sale in all of NJ. The entire RCDS community pitches in to donate, sort, and sell gently used goods to the greater community. The philanthropic event raises proceeds devoted to the School’s tuition assistance program in addition to benefiting the surrounding community and local charities.