Riverside School

Building Renovation Project

Key Information About the Project

See the Ed Specs

View the Conceptual Design

Greenwich Public Schools Project Page

Email the PTA with questions

Next Phase of the Project (A&E) Funded by the BET!

The BET unanimously approved $2 million for Architecture & Engineering (A&E) funding in FY26 for the next phase of the Riverside School renovation project. The BET also earmarked $41.5 million for Construction in its FY27 capital plan. Inclusion in the capital plan does NOT guarantee Construction funds will be appropriated but it does signal that, at this point in time, the BET supports the project.

As a last step, the BET-approved budget will go to the RTM (the town’s legislative body) for final approval where it has the authority to remove, but not add, items from the budget.

We’d like to thank everyone who contacted elected officials, attended meetings & public hearings, and spoke in support of the project in recent months. Advocacy from our community is the reason this project continues to progress. We will need to mount an even bigger effort next year when Construction funds are expected to be appropriated. 

Please note: Funds for the renovation project come from the town’s capital budget, which is different from the operating budget that got much attention ahead of the BET's Budget Decision Days. Capital and operating budgets are not interchangeable.

The Renovation Project Proposal ("Ed Specs")

Approved by the Board of Education

At its monthly business meeting on February 20th, the Board of Education discussed the Riverside educational specifications which provide the roadmap for the building renovation project. Apart from removing the addition of two Pre-K classrooms, the proposed ed specs were unanimously approved (with one member absent) as is.

While many details still need to be worked out in the ensuing phases of the project, the BOE's approval of the ed specs was another critical step in moving the renovation project forward. This endorsement solidifies the scope of the project, which will give the building what it needs:

• Accessibility, safety, and security upgrades
• A comprehensive renovation that brings the building into the 21st century
• An addition that provides room to enlarge small spaces and create additional designated areas for specialized instruction, student support and large group programming

The ed specs were initially presented to the BOE on January 16th, along with public comments from members of our school community. At a minimum, we encourage you to take a peek at:

Conceptual Design
A concept (pages 47-49) for how the proposed changes could be placed within the building, for the purposes of illustrating what is possible. Detailed design plans aren't created and finalized until the next phases of the project.

Possible Timeline
A schedule (page 80) used to develop the $45.5mm project cost estimate, which shows work on the building beginning as early as November 2026, if it is funded accordingly.

Want to Learn More About the Renovation Project?

View the presentation slides from the January 9th Zoom info session. Please share them with friends and neighbors outside of the Riverside School parent community. Please note: As of March 2025, the BET should not be contacted directly by email. When contacting the BET, please use this form. 

Greenwich Public Schools Riverside renovation webpage

Questions? Email riversideschoolrenovation@gmail.com.