AUTISM AWARENESS: 2ND GRADE CELEBRATION
EVENT: MAY 5 - MAY 6

The family and friends of Mariana, a 2nd Grade student, have organized an Autism Awareness event to celebrate the unique strengths and perspectives of students with autism. Rebecca Eisenberg, author and speech-language pathologist, will visit each 2nd Grade classroom on May 4 to share a story and help students learn more about communication and connection in a fun and engaging way. On May 5, 2nd Grade students will create a “Superhero Wall,” where everyone can share their own unique strengths—because every child has their own superpowers!

• WHAT: 2nd Graders will learn about Autism, including hearing from expert Rebecca Eisenberg and creating a Superhero Wall on a bulletin board 
• WHEN: May 5 - 6
• WHERE: Riverside School

All members of the community can show support by wearing blue on Wednesday, May 6 in honor of Autism Awareness Day.

Thank you for helping to celebrate all the different ways we shine! Please contact Mariana Robina with any questions. 

 

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NATIONAL WALK, BIKE & ROLL TO SCHOOL DAY
EVENT: MAY 6

Get some exercise. Reduce traffic. Save the planet. Wednesday, May 6 is National Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day! The Green Committee encourages all students to walk, bike, or roll to school on this day. Committee members will be outside Riverside School cheering on participating students and families. Get active and go green! 

 

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LOST & FOUND PICK-UP NEXT WEEK
EVENT: MAY 4 - 8

All labeled and unlabeled Lost & Found items will be on display next week to give parents, caregivers, and students the opportunity to search through the items and collect those that are their own. Any items remaining after the event will be donated.

• WHAT: Lost & Found Pick-Up Event
• WHERE: Outside the gymnasium
• WHEN: Monday, May 4 - Friday, May 8 (weather permitting)

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RIVERSIDE RUN
EVENT: MAY 9

Spring is here! Time to swap your snow boots for your running shoes and start training for the 41st Annual Riverside Run! 

• WHAT: Riverside Run!
• WHERE: Riverside School - REGISTER HERE
• WHEN: 
  • Race Day: Saturday, May 9
    • 8:30am for the 3-mile Run/Walk ($30 registration fee) 
    • 9:30am for the Kids Fun Run ($15 registration fee) 
  • Bib Pick Up: 
    • Early: Friday, May 8 - 2:30-4pm at Riverside School.
    • Day of: 7:30am at Riverside School.

• VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: The Riverside Run needs your help to ensure the Run “runs” smoothly - click here to volunteer!

Proceeds of the event benefit Riverside School PTA programs that enrich classroom curriculum, support teachers and staff, and strengthen the school community. 

 

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TASTE THE RAINBOW
EVENT: MAY 11-15

• WHAT: Riverside will celebrate Nutrition Week with a "Taste the Rainbow" initiative. During this time, all cafeterias in the Greenwich Public Schools district will incorporate specific colorful, fresh foods into the lunch menu for students to taste and explore if they’re purchasing hot lunch. If your student brings lunch from home during Nutrition Week, they can participate by bringing in a lunch that incorporates the “color of the day” fruits, vegetables, and legumes, as follows: Monday (Yellow), Tuesday (Brown), Wednesday (Red/Orange), Thursday (Dark Green), Friday (Blue/Purple). Some suggested food ideas can be found here.
• WHEN: Monday, May 11 - Friday, May 15
• WHERE: Cafeteria (during lunch periods) 

Parent volunteers will be present during lunch throughout the week to encourage students to try new healthy foods and to help make nutrition fun. If you would like to help out, please SIGN UP! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Diana Mehlman or Elizabeth Fazzino.

 

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ORDER YOUR 2026-2027 SCHOOL SUPPLIES
ORDER WINDOW: MAY 1 - JUNE 5 

  

The PTA is once again sponsoring a school supply fundraiser for the upcoming school year.

Order now, and your child's box of supplies will be delivered directly to the classroom by the first day of school.

Please visit the SchoolKidz Teacher Tailored website starting May 1 and enter account number 83285. The site will close on June 5. 

Earbuds and headphones will be available to purchase separately. Please note that it is strongly advised that Kindergarteners have headphones rather than earbuds. 

Please email Amina Abrahams and Amiee Merrins with any questions.

 

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RIVERSIDE SCHOOL SPELLING BEE 
EVENT: JUNE 5 (NEW DATE)

  

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, June 5 (Please notice the date change - moved from April 17 due to conflicts with other academic activities.). 
• WHERE: Riverside School
• CONTACT: Reach out to Ariel Ramchandani or the Riverside School PTA with any questions or ideas.  

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THE ART SHOW: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 
EVENT: JUNE 6

  

We are so excited for the Riverside Art Show that will take place from 6:30 to 8:00pm on Wednesday, June 3! 

• WHAT: The committee is looking for volunteers to help, mount, cut, label, and hang the artwork in advance of the Show! Sign up to volunteer here for specific dates and times within the below windows
• WHEN: Mounting: May 15 - May 22, Hanging: May 26 - June 2
• WHERE: Riverside School 

Please contact Lynn Fein or Cristina Ruiz at riversideschoolart@gmail.com with any questions!

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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:  

• Math Marathon Co-Chairs
• Science Enrichment Co-Chair
• Treasury Committee
• Digital Communications
• RIVPTA.org Website Updates
• PTA Registration Forms

..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!

 

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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.

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SUPPORT THE RIVERSIDE PTA BY JOINING TODAY!

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 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.

 

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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.