USED BOOKS DRIVE
JUNE 17 - 19

WHAT: A gently used book drive to support our school community and literacy.
WHEN:
- Family Pick-up: June 17 – June 19 (during student pick-up)
WHERE: Look for the collection bins located in front of the school.

How it works: Donated books will first refresh our teachers' classroom libraries. Remaining books will be available for families to take home, and any final leftovers will be donated to Darien Book Aid.

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

LOST & FOUND
JUNE 8 - 19

The school year is coming to a close and the Lost & Found is overflowing.

WHAT: All Lost & Found items will be available for pickup
WHERE: Outside the Gymnasium
WHEN: Monday, June 8 - Friday, June 19
Please contact Natalie Razov or Rachel Sbano with any questions.

SPIRIT WEAR ONLINE STORE
ORDERS DEADLINE: JUNE 19

The Spirit Wear Shop will be closing for the summer — don’t miss your opportunity to shop a large selection of items at 40% off!

WHAT: Shop Spirit Wear and show your school spirit all summer long!
WHERE: Spirit Wear Shop
WHEN: Orders must be placed by 8:00am on Friday, June 19

Can’t make it to the Pop-Up? Visit the online Spirit Wear Shop! Orders must be placed by 8:00am on Friday, June 19 for delivery before summer break!

2026 SUMMER READ - AMERICA 250

WHAT: This year’s Summer Read Initiative will take students on a journey through America’s history! Below are the Summer Read Books and suggested grade levels:
- The 4th of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh (K-2)
- George Washington’s Teeth by Deborah Chandra (K-2)
- Revolutionary War on Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne (1-5)
- I Survived the American Revolution,1776 by Lauren Tarshis (3-5)
- The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (4-5)
- Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy by Nathan Hale (4-5)
WHERE: You can find detailed descriptions of each book as well as further reading ideas on the Summer Read webpage
WHEN: Read over the Summer Recess

If your child is interested in participating in a Book Club when we return in the Fall, please sign up by August 25th.

Please contact Riverside PTA Summer Read Co-Chairs Stirling Eads and Ariel Ramchandani with any questions.

RIVERSIDE SCHOOL SUMMER GARDEN

Would you like to add delicious, locally grown produce to your family's plates this summer? Click this link to sign up to care for our beautiful, bountiful vegetable garden for a week this summer!

Responsibilities include: watering, weeding, and harvesting. Be sure to include your email so we can keep you posted with garden updates and news. If you are interested, but feel uncertain because of lack of gardening experience, no problem! One of our more experienced gardeners can work with you at the beginning of your week to answer any questions and get you started!

Questions? Email Lindsay Koenig or Liz Shaw.

VOLUNTEER FOR OPEN PTA ROLES!

The Riverside PTA is a vibrant, volunteer-led organization dedicated to supporting our students and school community. As we plan for the year ahead, we’re seeking volunteers for open PTA roles—big or small, there’s a way for everyone to get involved!

Open PTA volunteer roles for the 2026-2027 school year include:

PTA Registration Forms
Graphic Designer
Riverside Renovation Parent Advocate
DEI Representative to PTAC

..and much more!

Please complete the volunteer interest form to review all the open roles and express interest in one (or more) of our volunteer opportunities!

Volunteering is a great way to engage with the school and community. Whatever your interests or availability, we have many ways for you to contribute and make a positive impact.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about PTA roles, please contact this year's Nominating Committee, Morgan Gilbert, Jaclyn Glazer, and Kimberly Ball. We look forward to talking to you!

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:

Zoom Recording of the session
Dr. Bogart's presentation
Book he mentioned regarding the Space program: Breaking Free of Child Anxiety & OCD
The Sasco River Center in Darien has lots of other great resources!

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.