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2025 Summer Program: July 9 - August 12

Academics and adventures.

Riverview’s Summer Program is an ideal opportunity for students to maintain academics, improve upon independent living and executive functioning skills while enjoying social opportunities with peers on beautiful Cape Cod.

Summer at Riverview offers programs for three different age groups: Middle School, ages 11-15; High School, ages 14-19; and the Transition Program, GROW (Getting Ready for the Outside World) which serves ages 17-21.

Whether opting for summer only or an introduction to the school year, the Middle and High School Summer Program is designed to maintain academics, build independent living skills, and provide social opportunities with peers. 

During the summer, the Transition Program (GROW) is designed to teach vocational, independent living, and social skills while reinforcing academics. GROW students must be enrolled for the following school year in order to participate in the Summer Program.

Riverview’s summer experience serves as an ideal opportunity for students, whether coming in for the new school year or not, to become acquainted with campus life, teachers, residential faculty and peers.

Middle & High School summer

Academics

Academic instruction is provided each weekday morning using a thematic, integrated curriculum. Reading, writing and the arts are connected to a central theme, which provides a meaningful, multi-sensory learning environment. Students also receive instruction in mathematics and participate in elective classes to explore new interests. Each summer is based around a theme. Past themes have included Oceanography, Legends and Myths and Paris & the Olympics!

Activities and Outings

Riverview Summer is about adventures and having fun! Students experience summer on Cape Cod by attending sporting events, dances, whale watching, beach outings, water parks, kayaking, deep sea fishing and cultural events, such as concerts and plays—teenage experiences!

For Example:

  • Concerts on the Green (Cape Cod & Plymouth)

  • Cape Cod Baseball League

  • Sandwich Boardwalk

  • Personal Shopping

  • Main Street Strolls

  • Barnstable County Fair

  • Kayaking/Paddleboarding/Tubing

  • Cape Cod National Seashore

  • Movies

  • Cape Cod Beaches

  • Day at Camp Greenough

  • Bookstore Visits

  • Canal and Beach Walks

  • Local Hikes

Social Skills

Social skills training is one of the corner stones of the Riverview program. All activities are designed to strengthen cooperative skills and individual growth. Outings allow for skills learned in the classroom to be practiced across all settings and environments within the community.

Independent Living Skills

Students learn how to plan their time, complete chores to take care of their rooms as well as common living spaces, and budget their money to make purchases in the community. They also learn how to self-advocate and learn executive functioning skills.

Summer Day Students: Day students participate in the summer program from 8:30am to 4:45pm, five days a week. Designed to mirror the weekday morning and afternoon portion of the School’s boarding program, the day program adheres to the same high standards as the programming available to our boarding students. Parents and/or school districts are responsible for all transportation to and from the day program.

GROW summer

Riverview’s GROW Summer Program is a five-week educational experience for students who have graduated from high school (17–21 years old) and who are enrolled in the school-year program. The program is designed to build students’ vocational and independent living skills while reinforcing academics.

Academics

GROW students participate in academics during the summer to continue building practical reading, writing, and math skills. Students also take afternoon elective classes that give them an opportunity to engage in activities to develop personal and recreational interests.

Vocational Training

Students rotate through career exploratory fields, where they are exposed to jobs and the foundation skills associated with each position. At the completion of the program, students are given a Work Exploratory Assessment.

Activities and Outings

In addition to the hard work, GROW summer is also about adventures and having fun! Students experience summer on Cape Cod by attending sporting events, whale watching, beach outings, water parks, kayaking, deep sea fishing and cultural events.

For example:

  • Concerts on the Green (Cape Cod & Plymouth)

  • Cape Code Baseball League

  • Sandwich Boardwalk

  • Personal Shopping

  • Main Street Strolls

  • Barnstable County Fair

  • Kayaking/Paddleboarding/Tubing

  • Cape Cod National Seashore

  • Movies

  • Cape Cod Beaches

  • Day at Camp Greenough

  • Bookstore Visits

  • Canal and Beach Walks

  • Local Hikes

Social Skills

Young adult experiences allow for the development of social competency; building and maintaining friendships. Additionally, GROW students learn how to self-advocate.

Independent Living Skills

GROW students learn how to plan activities, arrange transportation, and budget their money. They do chores to take care of their rooms as well as common living spaces, as well as go grocery shopping and cook meals.

Who Should Apply

Finding the Right Fit

Riverview School places a great deal of importance on the appropriateness of a candidate’s total application, the number of openings in each grade and dorm, and in ensuring a good fit between the applicant and students who are currently enrolled.

Riverview has a long standing commitment to neurodiversity and continues to enroll students who are neurodivergent. Our curriculum supports a variety of children and young adults who learn differently.

If your child meets the following criteria, they may be a candidate for Riverview:

  • Is described as gentle, friendly, kind, and naive

  • Diagnosed language, learning and cognitive disabilities

  • Desires to make friends and is interested in forming relationships with others

  • Seeks social and extracurriculuar opportunities such as playing on sports teams, attending dances, participating in drama, music, art and student government

  • Responds well to a structured, supportive, predictable environment

  • Capable of greater success in the academic environment

  • Has mastered basic daily living skills and personal hygiene and self-care

  • Mild medical issues that complicate—but not compromise—daily activities

  • IQ and Achievement scores between 65–90 or functional abilities within that range (many times there is great variability)

Please Note: Students demonstrating a history of emotional, behavioral, psychiatric disorders, or requiring a therapeutic environment, are not able to be considered.

If you feel Riverview may be appropriate for your child, please fill out the inquiry form or call us at 508-888-0489 with any questions you may have.

Visit our Admissions page for FAQs, to schedule an information session and for more information.

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