Riverview School

The Riverview School was founded in 1957. Today, serving students ages 11 to 21 year olds with language, learning, and intellectual disabilities from 23 states and several foreign countries, and the Cape Cod community.
🌱 Serving these students with language, learning, and cognitive disabilities (typically with an IQ of 65-90) who seek a structured, supportive environment.
🌱 Located in East Sandwich on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Riverview School is a renowned independent boarding school that serves a unique student population. A key admission requirement is the "Social-First" Requirement. Riverview specifically looks for students who have a disese to make friends and be part of a community.

🌱🌱🌱 What the Riverview School is 🌱🌱🌱

1. Specialized Student Population: Riverview serves students ages 11 to 21 (Grades 6–12, plus a transition program) who have complex language-based learning, cognitive, and social disabilities. It is designed for those who may struggle in traditional settings but thrive in a supportive, specialized environment.

2. "Whole Student" Philosophy: The school’s curriculum goes beyond standard academics. Innovative curriculum design.

3. It focuses on five core pillars: Academics, Social-Emotional Development, Independent Living, Vocational Readiness, and Wellness. This holistic approach aims to help students become as independent as possible.

4. The GROW Program: One of Riverview’s most famous offerings is the GROW (Getting Ready for the Outside World) transition program. This post-high-school program serves as a bridge to adulthood, helping young adults develop the skills needed for employment and community living.

5. Hands-on Vocational Training: The school operates several student-run businesses, such as Café Riverview and the Second-View Thrift Store. These provide real-world environments where students practice professional skills, handle customer service, and build vocational confidence.

5. Residential Community: As a boarding school, Riverview emphasizes a "caring community" where students live in dorms. This residential setting is a "living classroom" where they learn essential life skills—like cooking, laundry, and time management—while building deep social connections with peers.

>>> The Riverview School and GROW program do not serve young people who have:
​- Primary Psychiatric or Emotional Disorders. Riverview is not a therapeutic school.
- Significant Behavioral Issues: They cannot accommodate students with a history of aggressive, self-injurious, or significantly disruptive behaviors. Because the Riverview operates on a 1:8 staff-to-student ratio.
- Intensive Medical Needs: While the school can manage mild medical issues.
- Lack of Basic Independence Skills: Prospective students are expected to have mastered basic daily living skills, including personal hygiene and self-care. While the school teaches "independent living," students must have a foundational level of autonomy to enter the residential program.
- Substance use
- A key informal exclusion is a lack of social motivation.​ All the young people on campus are interested in social engagement.