A school model for a world that needs people who can think clearly, communicate well and turn ideas into useful work.
The River Tech approach
Human ability. Technical fluency.
Emerging technology changes the tools. Education still has to develop the person who uses them.
River Tech combines creative expression, practical technology and rigorous learning within a Christian framework. The ambition is graduates prepared for responsibility, collaboration and work that matters.
Learning reaches beyond the classroom.
Three pillars, held together
Develop the whole person.
Explore what each pillar contributes—and why none stands alone.
Human arts
A voice. A presence. A contribution.
Music and performance give students practice in preparation, expression, teamwork and showing up for others. These human skills belong beside technical ability.
In practice Rehearse, listen, refine and contribute to a shared performance.
Agentic technology
Build with the tools changing work.
Coding, robotics, design and AI belong in a practical learning experience. The aim is to understand a problem, choose a useful tool, check the result and take responsibility for the work.
In practice Design, build, test and explain the choices behind a project.
A strong foundation
Knowledge to think with.
Mathematics, language, science, history and Bible provide the knowledge students need to reason, communicate and make sound judgments. Technology is more useful when the person using it has something to bring.
In practice Work toward understanding, with room to practice and master the essentials.
The experience
A model built around people.
The arts, technology and academics belong together. So do faith, family and community.
Mastery matters
Students work toward understanding, with learning that recognizes different strengths and rates of progress.
More than one way to belong
The concept brings full-time schooling and à la carte homeschool enrichment into a shared community.
Faith in daily life
A Christian foundation connects learning with character, service and responsibility.
Current schools
The first chapter: Post Falls, Idaho.
Where the idea took rootPost Falls.Idaho
The first River Tech school
River Tech School of Performing Arts & Technology
The River Tech concept is in practice in Post Falls. This school is operated by Faithful Five Inc., a nonprofit, under license from River Tech LLC.
The wider vision is for additional schools, each with its own responsible operator and local community.
Enrollment and family information are available through the school.
Start a River Tech school
Bring River Tech to your community.
Build a locally operated school around the River Tech name and educational concept, with guidance from the founders. A licence gives you a shared foundation while you lead your school.
Explore the River Tech model
A school built for what comes next.
Twelve ideas. Countless possibilities for your community. Step inside the school you could build—one discovery at a time.
THE SCHOOL YOU COULD BUILD
01 / 12
artsLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 01 — 12
Begin with discovery
Give talent a stage.
An instrument. A voice. A place on stage.
Imagine a student discovering the drums, finding a voice in choir, then stepping into a musical. Instruments, acting, dance, visual arts and production give young people many ways to discover what they can bring to the world.
technologyLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 02 — 12
Begin with discovery
Make the future something they build.
From “what if?” to “look what I made.”
A robot that moves. A game they programmed. A film or 3D model that began as an idea. Students learn to direct AI agents, evaluate the results and use powerful tools ethically. Technology becomes a medium for their own creativity.
belongingLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 03 — 12
Begin with discovery
Let them belong. Help them grow.
Known by name. Challenged as an individual.
Build a school where friendships and individual progress both matter. Class placement considers age and social fit; academic work follows ability. Small classes and specialist teachers make room to notice a strength, work through a difficulty and encourage the next step.
majorsLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 04 — 12
From discovery to direction
Let a passion become a path.
The performer. The inventor. The student who is both.
The performer. The inventor. The student who lights up at both. Arts, Technology and Double Major options give those interests a place in the school week, with time to practice, create and take them seriously.
faithLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 05 — 12
From discovery to direction
Put Christ at the heart.
Learning with an eternal perspective.
Worship, chapel, Bible teaching and Christian studies belong in the life of the school. Welcome believers from different denominations, while leaving denominational questions with families and their churches. Faith gives learning a deeper purpose: using our gifts to honor God and serve others.
depthLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 06 — 12
From discovery to direction
Build depth that a short course cannot.
A first spark can become years of mastery.
Imagine what years of Spanish, music or filmmaking could make possible. Subjects return year after year, giving students time to move beyond a first taste, develop their craft and take on more ambitious work as their ability grows.
leadershipLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 07 — 12
From ability to initiative
Make room for their moonshot.
Small beginnings. A moonshot mindset.
A student farmers market turns an idea into something people can buy. Debate gives convictions a voice. Leadership and business projects give students practice in taking responsibility, solving problems and pursuing ambitious ideas that could benefit their community.
rewardsLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 08 — 12
From ability to initiative
Give effort something to aim for.
A challenge worth rising to.
A robotics challenge. A filmmaking competition. A prize worth working toward. School currency recognizes everyday effort and contribution, while creative and technical challenges can offer real-money rewards. River Tech’s Gold (RTC) makes progress and participation part of school life.
characterLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 09 — 12
From ability to initiative
Raise people others can count on.
Strong character is part of the education.
Talent matters. So does the person carrying it. Responsibility, Integrity, Voice, Excellence and Respect—the RIVER values—shape clear expectations and calm correction. A conservative Christian culture makes room for patriotism, hard work, earned achievement, grit and the courage to put things right.
lifeLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 10 — 12
From school to the wider world
Keep life bigger than a screen.
Connected to the world that matters.
God, family, church, community and the outdoors belong alongside technical skill. Relationships, money, health and everyday responsibility are part of learning, with device-free time for lunch, recess and physical activity. Build capable people who know there is a world worth stepping into.
communityLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 11 — 12
From school to the wider world
Become a place a community loves.
A school day can become a lifelong memory.
Take learning beyond the building through field trips. Bring families together for celebrations and shared events. Invite parents to contribute their time, ideas and experience. A school can become a place of shared memories, friendships and belonging.
nextLife at River Tech · Post FallsRIVER TECH / 12 — 12
From school to the wider world
Help the next chapter begin here.
The future starts before graduation.
Each year, high-school students tackle a substantial essay, building the thinking and writing experience they will need beyond school. Online college courses, taken during class time with teacher support, offer a practical way to begin that next chapter while still surrounded by familiar encouragement.
Permission to use the agreed River Tech name and branding, the school concept and consultation with Dan and Mary Hegelund on putting it into practice.
The concept brings Christian faith, academics, performing arts and technology together with preparation for adult life.
What you lead
Your organization operates the school. You choose staff, salaries, tuition, budgets and daily arrangements, and take responsibility for your premises and local requirements. River Tech LLC protects the brand and checks the agreed concept standards.
What we agree
A written licence identifies your approved campus, concept standards, fees and support. The licence is nonexclusive; additional campuses need written approval. We discuss the terms for your school before you commit.
From interest to opening
Tell us your idea
Share your community, experience and the school you want to build.
Explore the fit
Discuss the concept, your plans and what it would take to make the school work locally.
Agree, then prepare
Settle the licence and responsibilities before advertising or opening your River Tech school.
Your organization runs the school, including staffing, tuition, budgets, premises and local requirements. River Tech LLC provides the agreed brand and concept rights, founders’ consultation and oversight of the agreed concept standards.
What kind of space are we considering?
Our working plan starts with six classrooms averaging about 15 students each, plus space to eat, gather and work. The property guide includes a room-by-room plan and a preferred search range of 8,000–9,000 square feet. Explore the space plan ↗
Can a college start with a course rather than a school?
Yes. A workshop, course module or short course can be a starting point for collaboration. The college determines academic credit and qualifications. Explore college partnerships ↗
