RTMA’s mission is simple: together they live AboveTheCode. Guided by the Torah, they passionately pursue excellence through engagement, reflection and growth.

The code represents the minimums. It’s about just getting by. At RTMA, they strive to live above that base. As a community—students, parents, and staff—and as individuals, they strive for more. They live by this mission and it directs their every step as a school and as a family.

The best way to move forward is together. Working as a unit, relying on each other for support, allows people to accomplish and succeed.

At RTMA, the house system is a vehicle through which they aim to achieve just that. A byproduct of the annual focus groups that they hold with each of their students, the school is divided into eight houses, all with appointed junior and senior deans.

Each house, a randomly selected mix of 9th through 12th grade students, is tasked with monthly, weekly and daily goals, depending on the current theme. Students have input throughout the whole process, from the house selections to the monthly objectives, and from the number of houses to their names.

The house names are Malchus, Yesod, Hod, Netzach, Tiferes, Gevurah, Chessed and Da’as, representing the Sephirot and paths to a closer connection with Hashem.

House deans are tasked with leadership responsibilities in bringing their houses together through a variety of situations and media, to promote growth among themselves and the other houses. The deans were trained before the school year by representatives of the United States Marines, and have weekly check-ins with the administration to monitor progress.

The house system is just another way in which RTMA students, no matter the grade, connect with each other to move forward in growth and excellence.