As classrooms fill and independent schools welcome students back, we begin by recognizing the labor of Black and Brown scholars and educators who continue to show up, excel, contribute, and build a sense of belonging.

 

Our scholars work hard in and out of the classroom, and many are still working to feel fully seen. We pray that when our educators bring rigor, care, and cultural understanding to their work, they are valued for it. We understand the extra effort parents and caregivers make to show up to advocate and partner with schools to make sure their children have room to thrive without leaving who they are at the door.

 

And we recognize the schools doing the work, too.

 

To the independent school communities examining their practices, strengthening relationships, and working to become the best version of their missions: keep going. Belonging is not a finished initiative. It is an ongoing commitment made visible through culture, curriculum, leadership, and the everyday experiences of students and families.

This year, we are making room for both excellence and belonging without compromise. Our scholars deserve nothing less.

Applications are live, school tours and open houses are available, and families are anxious about what comes next. It is not a race to hit submit, rather a moment to explore educational opportunities, while identifying communities where your scholars can soar. It is about telling their story with confidence as older scholars articulate their own. It is about entrance exams and staying on top of what is expected.

Our admission deliverables are designed to help families move from an applicant to an enrolled mindset—with clarity, strategy, and a stronger understanding of what matters.

Our latest blog and social posts explore how to approach the admission season without confusing urgency with readiness. 

The admissions season is underway, and RIISE is here to provide families with a roadmap for the journey.

Our DOER families are excited to move forward together with their vision for educational legacy, while being encouraged to navigate this admissions season confidently and strategically. 

Whether you are just beginning or already deep in the process, the question can't be, “Where can my child get in?” It should be, “Where can my child belong, excel, and become?”

Let’s build your roadmap.

 

Our recent gathering at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum brought scholars, families, educators, alums, and community members together for a conversation that stayed with us

 

With author of Lonely Graduation: The Journey After The Milestone, Dr. Christopher Dennis and our dynamic panelists (thank you: Tim Fields Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Emory University and co-author of The Black Families Guide to College Admissions: A Conversation about Education, Parenting, and Race; Kyle Wilkie Glass CEO/Head of School, Ethical Culture Fieldston School; Berkeley Carroll School parent, school counselor, Dr. Rashidah Bowen White; Riverdale Country School & Brown University alum, Connie Collins), we explored the space between the expectation of achievement, and the reality that can follow it. How do we navigate identity, belonging, and purpose when the next chapter asks something different of us?  

 

This conversation had us consider the difference between what we expect success to look like and the realities, while reflecting on how important community is beyond the celebration.

Thank you to everyone who showed up with honesty, wisdom, and a willingness to make room for the next generation. 

 

We will continue sharing the voices that illuminated the room with reflections that inspire the journey ahead and remind us that achievement is only part of the story.

For families already enrolled, the work & wonder continues. 

Let's show up, speak up, and lead as parent partners this school year because it is an opportunity to build confidence, pride, and discernment in our scholars, as well as stronger academics.

New on the RIISE blog? Confidence, Pride & Discernment: A Parent Toolkit for the School Year

Back in community,
Gina Parker Collins
Founder, RIISE | Indy School OG