PIZZA BINGO IS BACK: MARCH 20, 2026
TICKETS ON SALE NOW & VOLUNTEER FOR PIZZA BINGO
 

 

Tickets on sale now!

 

We hope that you will join us for an exciting evening filled with Bingo, Raffle Prizes, Pizza, and
fun for the whole family. Pizza Bingo is one of Riverside School PTA’s most important fundraisers of the year. Take a chance at winning one of our amazing baskets, ice cream/treat gift cards and many
more prizes.

 

 

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Doors Open: 6:30pm

Bingo:   7:00-8:00pm

Greenwich High School Student Center | 10 Hillside Road

 

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Pizza Bingo needs YOU to make it happen. Please sign up for a volunteer shift HERE.
Your class parents will reach out (if they haven't already) about basket donations to make this FUNdraiser a success.

Stay Cheesy!


If you have any questions, please contact Kim Halperin or Abby Finkel

 

RIVERSIDE'S MULTICULTURAL WEEK
 MARCH 2-6

 

Multicultural Week Starts on Monday, March 2!

From March 2-6, Riverside will transform into a global hub of color, rhythm, language, and flavor as we celebrate the diverse backgrounds, traditions, and stories that make our community so special.

 

Special events:

 

Wednesday, March 4: Multicultural Bake Sale Benefiting UNICEF

Stop by our after-school bake sale at 3:15pm on Wednesday to enjoy treats from around the world.  Every item will be sold for $1 and Venmo will be accepted. All proceeds will benefit UNICEF and support children worldwide. Click here to sign up and share a treat. 

*Most items will be homemade and prepared in home kitchens. Please use discretion when purchasing for children with allergies.* 

 

Friday, March 6: Cultural Heritage Spirit Day 

Students are encouraged to wear traditional clothing, a jersey from a national team, or colors representing a flag or heritage that is meaningful to them. We will have a special "photo opportunity" for those wearing special clothing that day -- so parents should bring their cameras to drop off!

 

Other Highlights During the Week

  • A Global Welcome at Drop-Off: Keep an eye (and ear!) out during arrival. You’ll notice a different look and sound at our entrances as we kick off each morning with music from around the world.
  • Morning Announcements:  Listen for student voices sharing greetings and messages in different languages throughout the week. This year they will hear Portuguese, Japanese, Dutch, Icelandic and Afrikaans!
  • Lunchtime's Riverside Rhythms: Rick Reyes, a songwriter, performer, and storyteller, will perform songs from Latin America during lunch on Tuesday. 
  • The “Hello” Wall & World Map: Have your students visit our giant map display outside the Cafe to see where Riverside families come from. They can look for “Hello” written in dozens of languages (and perhaps even find your family’s roots represented on the wall!).  Click here to register your country or state!
  • Art, Music, Books & Culture Throughout the Building: School hallways will feature student artwork inspired by artists from Japan, Brazil, France, Austria, Spain, the U.S., and Africa. The glass cabinets will showcase country boards and cultural artifacts. The Media Center will highlight international fiction and nonfiction authors. In Music students will play music games from the Middle East, Japan and Oceana. 

It is going to be a meaningful, joyful, and truly world-class week at Riverside!

Please reach out to Anne Mette Kalstrup or Marianna Palocci with any questions.

 

RIVERSIDE CHORUS 
 MARCH 8

  

SUPPORT RIVERSIDE CHORUS AT A BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS GAME!

Although our annual Riverside PTA Family Outing will be to see the Westchester Knicks on March 28, if you are looking for another fun local experience, the Riverside Chorus will be performing God Bless America at an upcoming Bridgeport Islanders hockey game (vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms)!

  • WHAT: Bridgeport Islanders Hockey Game, featuring Riverside Chorus
  • WHEN: Sunday, March 8, 3:00pm
  • WHERE: Purchase tickets to sit with Riverside families here.

Please contact Jessica Punchatz with any questions. 

MATH MARATHON 
 MARCH 10 - 15

  

The PTA is excited for Riverside School’s 2026 Math Marathon! iIt is a week-long event where we celebrate the study of math in our school community. This year’s Marathon will run from Tuesday, March 10th through Sunday, March 15th and include:

  • At-home Math Marathon Game Board Challenge with pencil and paper game boards (available for download from the PTA Math Marathon website on March 6) where each fun math activity students complete earns them a chance to win fun prizes! 
  • Math Games with the Riverside Math Team - Tuesday through Friday - before the start of school!  Each day, we will host 3 separate tables - for K - 1, Grades 2 - 3 and Grades 4 - 5.  Students at each table will have the chance to win a different prize each day!

Last year we had over 200 game board submissions – we hope you will join us for Math Marathon 2026!  All students, Kindergarten to Fifth Grade, are encouraged to participate.   

For any questions, please look for updates and announcements on the Math Marathon website or email our Math Marathon PTA volunteers at riversideschooleducation@gmail.com.

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE CLUB MEETING
MARCH 11

 

 This month, the Community Service Club will be learning about Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) — a rare genetic skin condition that causes extremely fragile skin. We’ll be talking about bravery, kindness, and how small acts of support can make a big impact. Our very own third grader, Elodie Kubik, lives with a severe form of EB, and we’ll learn about the annual Plunge for Elodie and explore ways we can show up for Elodie and the greater rare disease community.

  • WHAT: Community Service Club meeting (Grades K-3) -  EB Edition  ðŸ¦‹ 
  • WHEN: Wednesday, March 11 from 1:15-2:00pm (Early Release day)
  • WHERE: Cafeteria (Dismissal will be from the black top outside the cafeteria doors)

If your child would like to attend, please complete the sign up form online. Sign up is required and space is limited. 

Please contact Kim Halperin and Holly Harlow with any questions. 

 

 

SAVE THE DATE: PLUNGE FOR ELODIE
MARCH 28

 

 

 

The Riverside community will once again be plunging to find a cure for third grader, Elodie Kubik, who suffers from a rare disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa ("EB"). Children who suffer from EB are often called butterfly children because their skin is as fragile as butterfly wings. There are limited treatment options for this disease, and EB patients currently have a life expectancy of 30.

  • WHAT: Plunge for Elodie
  • WHEN: Saturday, March 28, 9am
  • WHERE: Rye Playland
  • OTHER PLUNGE EVENTS:  March 11 - Community Service Club (see details above), March 25, Dry Plunge Arty Party

Please join Elodie's friends and family to fund important research, change the treatment paradigm for this disease and save lives. Click here to learn more about the event and donate. And please save March 25 for the Dry Plunge Arty Party.

 

TICKETS NOW ONSALE FOR THE FAMILY OUTING
MARCH 28

 

 

Calling all Riverside families and staff to come together to cheer on the Westchester Knicks! In prior years, Riverside students have enjoyed an annual family outing to see a local team play - including a Bridgeport Islanders hockey game and a NY Mets baseball game. This year we have scored an opportunity to see the Westchester Knicks (the NY Knicks' G League team) for some great basketball in a fun local arena. Tickets will go on sale next Wednesday, February 4, 2026.    

  • WHAT: Westchester Knicks Game, this year's Riverside Family Outing 
  • WHEN: Saturday, March 28, 3:00pm (Doors open at 2:00pm)
  • WHERE: Westchester County Center, White Plains

Please reach out to Katie Rollins or Kristiana Wilson with any questions.

 

RIVERSIDE MATH TEAM:
LAST WEEK TO REGISTER FOR THE NOETIC CONTEST
 

 

Spring Contest: Register by Friday, March 6

  • Contest Date: Tuesday, April 14 at 7:30am (Note this is FREE for all students thanks to your generous support of the Riverside PTA)

Morning Noetic Prep Sessions: Register today on myPage! (See page for dates and details - please look carefully at the dates if your 4th/5th grader is also participating in before-school WordMasters with Mrs. Ciafone)

  • Mondays 7:45am for 4th and 5th graders
  • Tuesdays 7:45am for 2nd and 3rd graders

Questions? Email Math Team Co-Chairs Betsy McIntyre and Sandy Yong at riversideschoolpta@gmail.com.

 

WORDMASTERS SPRING SESSION:
SPRING SESSION - MONDAYS, MARCH 2 - APRIL 13

 

 

ALP ELA Teacher Mrs. Ciafone is leading an early-morning WordMasters Spring session for 4th and 5th graders. 

  • WHAT: WordMasters Spring Session for Grades 4-5
  • WHEN: The Spring session will take place on Monday mornings: March 2, 16, 23, and 30, April 13 and 20 (challenge test day). 
  • COST: $175 for the session

Reach out to Jimena Castro with any questions.  Stay tuned for further information on registration!

 

RIVERSIDE SCHOOL SPELLING BEE 
FRIDAY, APRIL 17

  

This year, Riverside will join several other GPS elementary schools in hosting its very own Scripps Spelling Bee.

  • WHAT: Spelling Bee for Grades 3-5. Winners and their homerooms will receive prizes!
  • WHEN: Grade-level word lists are available here: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade. (NOTE: you must be logged into your RIVPTA.org account to view them.) Written spelling tests will be administered in homerooms to participating students. Top scorers from each homeroom will compete in the Spelling Bee on Friday, April 17. 
  • WHERE: Riverside School
  • CONTACT: Reach out to Ariel Ramchandani or the Riverside School PTA with any questions or ideas. 

RENOVATION ROUND-UP 
BET WILL TAKE FIRST PASS AT CAPITAL PLAN NEXT WEEK

 

 

The next phase in the town’s budget development and capital planning process will happen when the BET Budget Committee makes motions to amend, and take a vote on, the town budget and capital plan. There may be discussion about the timing and/or magnitude of the Riverside renovation’s construction funding.

  • WHAT: BET Budget Committee Decision Day
  • WHEN: Tuesday, March 3 from 9:00am-4:00pm (and March 4, if needed)
  • WHERE: Town Hall Meeting Room or livestream on GCTV’s YouTube channel 

Please note that the BET’s four-member Budget Committee takes a first pass at the town’s budget and capital plan before it moves to the full BET for consideration and a final vote in late March or early April.

 

If you have any feedback in response to these comments & inquiries, or anything else regarding the Riverside renovation project, you can email the BET at any time. For more information about the renovation, see the GPS project page and PTA webpage.

 

HELP US FILL OPEN PTA ROLES!

The Riverside School PTA is looking for volunteers for this year!  Volunteering is a great way to engage with the school and community. If any of these roles sound interesting, please email riversideschoolpta@gmail.com to learn more!

  • Arts Field Day Co-Chair – Coordinate an afternoon "Arts Field Day" to be held on May 20, 2026 offering hands-on workshops in crafts, drama, dance, visual arts, writing and music to students in Grades 3-5.
  • Communications Team: Website Manager – Maintain and update content on RIVPTA.org.
  • Communications Team: MTK & Technology Lead – Primary point of contact for parent technology related queries to Membership Toolkit (MTK). 
  • Safety Duty - Assist children as they exit their vehicles in the front driveway during morning drop-off (8.30am - 8.45am daily) Sign-up Here 

VOLUNTEER TO BE A FOOD RESCUE DRIVER

Join the Riverside Green Committee in reducing food waste and supporting our neighbors in need.

  • WHAT: Collect surplus food from the cafeteria fridge, deliver it to local partners, and log the donation in the Food Rescue US app
  • WHERE: Deliveries go to Kids in Crisis in Cos Cob
  • WHEN: Fridays from 1:50pm to 2:15pm. Sign up for one slot or many!

Make an Impact in Under an Hour. Your help ensures surplus food reaches families, not the landfill. Every delivery counts! Sign up here.

Please contact Silvia Romano or Emily Gildersleeve for any further info.

SUPPORT THE RIVERSIDE PTA BY JOINING TODAY!

Our school community counts on the PTA to deliver an array of events, programs and initiatives that enrich classroom curriculum, support teachers and staff, enhance the school campus, and strengthen the community.

To do this, we rely on the generosity of Riverside School families via our annual Membership Drive, one of the PTA’s most important fundraisers. While your participation is voluntary, we do aim for 100% participation in our Membership Drive.  The PTA does a lot – and we couldn’t do it without your support!

Join the PTA

 INTERESTED IN THE EARLY MORNING PROGRAM?
Sign-up Now!

The Early Morning Program (EMP) at Riverside School is a before school enrichment program that provides a fun, familiar place for Riverside students before the start of the school day and is staffed by a Riverside teacher.

The program runs every Monday through Friday from 7:15-8:30am, and students could be dropped off at any point during that timeframe. Visit the Early Morning Program page for more details.

 

PARENTING WORKSHOP WITH DR. BOGART

Follow-up Resources from October 8, 2025

 

At our Fall PTA General Meeting, Dr. Chris Bogart from the Sasco River Center spoke to us about "Raising Confident and Resilient Kids." He reminded us that stress is inevitable, normal, and even important for development; the hard part for parents is how to model healthy management of stress and struggle.  

Please refer to the following resources from the session:

If you have ideas for speakers or topics for future PTA parent enrichment sessions, please email us at riversideschoolpta@gmail.com.

THE NEW GPS REPORT CARD

Follow-up Note (session held on October 21, 2025)

 

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Principal Martín and Assistant Principal Collette provided parents with an overview of the new GPS Elementary School Report Cards. You can find the explanation for making the changes in this GPS District Video.

Although details are still being finalized, rather than assessing students' skills on a scale of 1-5, teachers will now assess students' skills as either ES (Emerging Skill), DS (Developing Skill) or SS (Secure Skill). 

The skills being assessed remain the same as in prior years for the applicable grade level, as they are tied to the CT Common Core standards. 

Please note that the first marking period will end at the end of November.

 

Upcoming Dates


    View Full Calendar    
    2025-2026 District Calendar

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Have you signed up for Safety Duty?

Help keep morning drop-off safe & efficient by helping children exit their vehicles in the front driveway from 8:30-8:45am daily.
Sign up for a shift today!