School Life

Menschlichkeit

Ask any parent what they most enjoy about RHA, after the academics. Since our founding, RHA has been known for a close-knit community in which integrity, leadership, care and responsibility are cultural cornerstones. Our goal is to build lifelong character in our children, developing them into responsible stewards and well-rounded citizens committed to their communities and to the world. We build opportunities for students to practice being ‘menches’ and celebrate our student population full of ‘mini-menches’ every day.
At RHA, we celebrate simchas and feel a deep sense of obligation to anyone in our community who is in need of support. We have an active range of programs that encourage mentorship between older and younger students. In our Buddy Program every child is assigned a friend from a different grade for shared learning experiences and special activities. In our grade five Leadership Program, students lead morning exercises and then become Playmakers on the playground.

Playmakers have the opportunity to teach younger students to play games, encouraging good sportsmanship and ensuring that all students are included in play.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core values at RHA. By design, our school culture fosters respect among students, classmates and teachers. Our staff, led by Claire Sumerlus, are trained in a variety of methods to identify, discuss and resolve bullying expediently with an active partnership between parents, students and staff. We keep abreast of the rapidly changing digital world and have age-appropriate boundaries that engage students actively but responsibly with technology.
RHA is a deeply welcoming environment for parents, who are encouraged to become an integral part of the school community through volunteering, committee work and classroom support. Our Ambassador Program matches new parents with returning parents who welcome newcomers, answer questions and introduce them to teachers, staff and other parents.