FRCPS: Our Mission

From a Parent:

"Four Rivers is not just a school. It is an entire environment with its own social and cultural system, one which both more accurately fits the world we live in and presents goals for improving the world we live in: it is educating not just the child's mind but helping children to learn how to behave, problem solve, indeed, how to LEARN in positive ways: to respect one another, to show warmth and human compassion to every other human being."

Four Rivers Charter Public School is dedicated to educating young people for lives of learning and service.

'The school offers a rigorous college preparatory program aligned with the Massachusetts curriculum frameworks and an emphasis on character development for moral and social responsibility.

Three central themes -– nature, technology and community -- guide teaching and learning at the school, engaging students and teachers in a fundamental question of our times: How do we find the healthy, sustainable interrelationship of the natural world, technology in its many forms, and the human community? The school works closely with parents and seeks both to serve and to learn from the many resources of Franklin County.

LEARNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Four Rivers offers a blend of challenging coursework leading to a solid preparation for college and increasing opportunities for independent work.

Classes of 18 or fewer meet in subject areas – English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Spanish, and Wellness.
Daily teaching and learning is as active as possible, with teachers developing projects, learning expeditions, and integrating subjects when possible to engage and inspire.
Service at school or in the community is required each year.
In 11th grade, students have internships with professionals in an area of interest.
Eligible juniors and seniors may take courses at nearby Greenfield Community College and propose independent study options.
In 12th, every student designs a Senior Expedition involving an essential question, extensive research and field work, and a culminating product. One built a guitar, another wrote a children’s book, others worked with the mentally ill or built a “grease car”.
Guided by our college counselor and their advisors, the seniors develop clear post-secondary plans. They carry their Four Rivers experience into the world, learning to make a difference.

A strong sense of community, supportive relationships with teachers, and a commitment to engaged learning make this a high school different from most.