Kindergarten Sweethearts!

Our kindergarten students are enthusiastic about learning....

Josh and Isabella match pictures and numbers.

Miss Rivera leads a reading group.

Alex studies his sight words. 

Athena and Mya solve a math problem.

Amara & Darius work on their writing while 

they review their word rings. 

Bringing the World to Our Classrooms

Japanese international students from SUNY Oneonta visited our third grade today as part of a Social Studies unit on Japan.  The Japanese students had an opportunity to share their life experiences with a focus on school life in Japan, 

Japanese music, religion, culture, and art.  This collaborative project was a fantastic way for our third grade students to truly make connections between what they are 

learning and real life experiences.

This morning Mr. Neer was leading his students in a quick three minute math review 

that also got the student's blood flowing.    

We like to move when we learn at RS…. 

With the Right Kind of Instruction......

With the right kind of instruction everyone can find their inner artist.  Mrs. Myers, the Riverside Art Teacher 

has a natural teaching gift.  Due to her outstanding instruction students create highly impressive art pieces.  

Their work is consistently celebrated though out the building.  

What a privilege it is to be working and learning in an 

exquisite student art museum.  

Important Little Gestures of Love...

Students in grades third through sixth are currently involved in state testing.  The three day English Language Arts State Exams began yesterday and will conclude on Thursday, and the three day Math State Exams begin next Wednesday and concludes that Friday.  Due to the expertise of our staff and incredible student initiative, children are well prepared for the exams. 

I have a little sign on my office door that displays one word, Love.  I believe that everything begins with love.  We are so fortunate that the staff at Riverside demonstrates unconditional love every day for their students.  A simple example of this was observed this morning.  Teachers provided homemade chocolate chip pancakes, individually packed special snacks, and tasty drinks for the students to enjoy during the testing morning. 

When students know their teacher cares, when they feel this, all things are possible.  

After working diligently for 90 minutes our third graders took a five minute break to get their wiggles out.  Dance style....

At a recent faculty meeting Mr. Zeh shared a "best practice" with the staff.  He introduced them to a program he was using with his 5th graders.  The program is called Moodle.  

Mrs. Ouimet jumped right on board.

Mrs. Ouimet and her second grade students have found a creative means to communicate. Instead of using pen and paper they are using an online program called Moodle.  For the first Moodle project they are focusing their correspondence on the current science unit.  Although there are many ways you can use Moodle, for this project, Moodle is being used as a secure on line journaling opportunity between Mrs. Ouimet and the students. She posed the initial science based question and from there the conversation began.  Students are using iPads to respond. While it sounds simply like emailing the Moodle program provides a great deal more.   For example, the entire class can have threaded discussions about one topic, selected groups can be generated for their own discussion, or individual private exchanges can take place between Mrs. Ouimet and the student.  The bonus to this program is flexibility.  Students and teachers can log on to the Internet and enter Moodle to complete an assignment in the evening and weekends.