Spring is a time of transitions. Students are planning their transitions to the next grade, and at RVIS, we have significant transitions as students shift divisions from grade 5 to 6 and grade 8 to 9. Our school counselors are an integral component to the positive transitions of our students, and grade level transitions meetings will begin this month as we plan for a successful 2021-22.

In these meetings, you will meet our new Secondary Counselor Mr. Nathan Taylor, who will continue the excellent work of Mr. Pinkerton. Mr. Taylor and his family will be joining us from Saudi Aramco Expatriate Schools in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia where he has worked since 2004, first as the Director of Student Services and then as a Middle School Counselor/School Psychologist. Mr. Taylor will be joining RVIS with his family, and he will have two students attending RVIS. In anticipation of his transition to RVIS, Mr. Taylor states that as the Secondary School Counselor at a small school, he looks forward to forging close professional relationships with the entire RVIS community-parents and students alike. Mr. Taylor prides himself in being personable, empathetic, approachable, and someone who thoroughly enjoys working with adolescents and young adults as they transition from middle school to high school, and then on to university and beyond.

We extend our great appreciation to Mr. Pinkerton who has deepened our secondary counseling program during his tenure at RVIS. He has put into place transition systems to both middle school and high school, a four-year high school planning process, and a robust and personalized college counseling program. Reflecting on his years at RVIS he stated, “Forming relationships with students and parents at RVIS has been truly rewarding.  I most enjoy and am proud of helping each individual find a path that is right for them.”  Mr. Pinkerton’s compassion and care for our students and their wellbeing is evident, and he will be greatly missed.

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Nathan Taylor who you will meet in the upcoming transition meetings during the spring.