Written by Isabel Tiburcio

Rye Country Day School: an elite private K-12 college preparatory school known for its insane matriculation list and academics. With an emphasis on creating well-rounded leaders who truly embody our school’s motto, “not for self, but for service,” the school has embraced public purpose, arts, and innovation initiatives. But, there’s been an oversight. 

Picture this: You’re an RCDS tour guide walking a prospective family through the Cohen Center when they ask about Woodshop. Now imagine the utter confusion and disappointment on their faces when you explain to them that Woodshop is only a middle school offering.

They have a point. Why doesn’t the Upper School have Woodshop classes?

Are woodworking skills somehow more relevant in Middle School? Why is this class simply being dropped off midway through a student’s academic career? Perhaps a reflection of the school’s values?

Last Spring, The Rye Crop sat down with the school’s Manual Arts teacher, Stephen Tofano to get some answers.

TRC: Do you feel like your Classes should be offered in the Upper School? If so, why?

Stephen Tofano: Certainly. Now, people are now starting their own businesses online. Even with a small idea, there’s a huge volume of people you can reach. Now is the time to be pioneers. Covid caused a lot of rethinking of the world. It showed us that there’s other opportunities out there, not everyone has to follow such similar, specific paths. There are alternatives. Teaching kids how to open new doors and new directions is a whole life lesson on how to succeed.

The Rye Crop: Why do you think your classes aren’t offered to the Upper School? 

Stephen Tofano: The school has had a very tunnel-vision view of success. This idea that we’re getting them ready for college and only college. Changing a system that has been in place for a gazillion years is a big challenge. All the boxes you check are all pre-arranged, all the directions you check them in are all pre-arranged. “This is the slope for this. This is the direction for that.” And now you’re adding a new category. And there’s no box to check for that new category. So no one knows what to do with it until somebody has the courage to say: ‘“You know what? Let’s add a box to the form.”

The Rye Crop: Do you imagine that this will ever change?

Stephen Tofano: When I got hired here 28 years ago this was specifically an academic school. They made that very clear. But I’m almost certain that with the new leadership, there is a shared understanding that the world is changing and it’s time to change with it. I think the faculty and administration is now open to rethinking a bit of our tradition. Our new Head of School is creative, open-minded, and understands that these changes need to start from the top down. What we need is someone like him. Someone willing to mess with the system a bit to find what works; find the right boxes to check.

If you could pitch your course to an Upper Schooler who knows nothing about woodworking, what would that pitch be?

Stephen Tofano: I say come on down and try something new. Human kind, by nature, is exploratory, interested in building things. You might not like it but there’s no harm done. It’s like therapy. If you’re having a tough day, I’ll give you a box of nails and a hammer. You’ll leave here feeling refreshed. Even something as little as that can be helpful at high stress school. All you have to do is bring your enthusiasm and imagination. That’s it. I’ll supply the rest. 

While it remains uncertain if Woodshop classes will be offered in the Upper School anytime soon, the added value such a class can bring to a student’s life is indisputable. In a heavily academic school like RCDS, woodworking allows students to practice different skill sets than the ones in the classroom. Woodshop teaches creativity, logic, and spatial awareness, abilities that can’t be memorized through Quizlet or measured through standardized tests. If RCDS is truly trying to create a well-rounded and innovative student body, woodworking classes in the Upper School just might be the way to do it.