Welcome to RPDS
It all starts here...
Welcome
Dear Parents,
Thank you for placing your trust in RPDS. As partners in your child’s educational growth and development, we are excited to begin this transformative journey alongside you and your family. At RPDS, we believe childhood is to be celebrated and therefore have designed a program and experience that is meaningful, rewarding, and reflects the values, mission, and philosophy of our School.
In these pages, you will find everything you need to prepare for the school year. The Guide to Riverside provides a wealth of information that will serve as a valuable resource. We look forward to partnering with you as we charge into the 2024-2025 school year.
Go Rams,
Ben Ketchum Head of School
Jennifer Helbing Assistant Head of School ext.152 jhelbing@rpds.com
Peggy Campbell-Rush Director of Early Learning ext.176 pcampbellrush@rpds.com
Denise Fleming Williams Building Front Office ext.100 dbrennan@rpds.com
Bizzy Wimberley Newton Early Learning Center (ELC) ext.141 bwimberly@rpds.com
Tavia Mullen Director of Admissions ext.128 tmullen@rpds.com
Julia Davis Riverside in the Afternoon ext.163 jhdavis@rpds.com
Marye Edenfield Chief Financial Officer ext.102 medenfield@rpds.com Facebook @rpdsjax Instagram @rpdsjax
Dates
Sundae Monday
August 12
First Day of School
August 13
Conference Day
October 2
(No school for students)
Professional Development Day
October 21
(No school for students)
Faculty Development Day
November 8
(Early Dismissal for students)
Family Open House
January 16
Professional Development Day
January 17
(No school for students)
Faculty Development Day
February 14 (Early dismissal for students)
Conference Day March 5
(No school for students)
Last Day of School
May 22
6th Grade Graduation
May 23
Breaks
Labor Day
September 2
Fall Break
October 18 - 21
Thanksgiving Break
November 25 - 29
Christmas Break
December 23 - January 3
rpds.com/calendar
Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 20
Presidents’ Day February 17
Spring Break March 10 - 14
Easter Break April 18 - April 21
Schedule
RPDS follows a 6-day rotating schedule. Academic and resource classes correspond with specific rotation days, rather than traditional days of the week. Within the school calendar, small circles with numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 are embedded in the bottom right corner, representing the rotation and schedule for the day.
Extended Hours School Hours
PreK 3
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
PreK 4
8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Kindergarten - 6th Grade
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
RITA Morning Care
7:00 a.m. - 7:40 a.m.
RITA Afternoon Care
Open daily until 6:00 p.m.
Noteworthy Hours
Chapel
Begins at 8:20 a.m. every Thursday
Early Dismissal
Begins at 11:30 a.m.
Morning Arrival
Morning arrival is from 7:40 a.m. - 8:10 a.m.
PreK 3
• Walk-in Option: Park along May Street and enter through the ELC back door.
• Drop-off Option: Drive through the main ELC loop for greeters to unload students. Drivers must pull forward and remain in their vehicle.
PreK 4 - 6th Grade
• Walk-in Option: Parents are responsible for walking students to campus, ensuring they are received by RPDS faculty/staff. The ELC back door entrance is reserved for PreK 3 walk-in students only.
• Drop-off Option: All students should be dropped off in the main ELC loop for greeters to unload students. Drivers must pull forward and remain in their vehicle.
Important Reminders
• Students will not be unloaded or able to walk-in before 7:40 a.m., unless registered for morning RITA.
• Stopping early, and without a greeter present, causes congestion and is a safety concern. Pull forward and remain in your vehicle. Drivers needing more time to unload should change plans, park, and walk-in. Do not park in reserved spaces.
Afternoon Dismissal
Afternoon dismissal is from 3:00 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.
PreK 3 and PreK 4
• Drive through the main ELC loop for greeters to load students. Drivers must pull forward and remain in their vehicle.
Kindergarten - 6th Grade
• ELC Walk-up Option: All PreK 3 - Kindergarten students and 1st - 6th Grade students with ELC siblings will be picked up at the ELC back door. Parents must find street parking and wait by the ELC back door.
• Williams Walk-up Option: 1st - 6th Grade students with no siblings, or no ELC siblings, will be dismissed to the Williams Building main entrance. Parents must find street parking and wait by the Williams Building main entrance.
• Drive-up Option: Drive through the main ELC loop for greeters to load students. Drivers must pull forward and remain in their vehicle.
Important Reminders for Afternoon Dismissal
• Students will not be dismissed before 3:00 p.m. Do not arrive before 2:45 p.m. each day. This will cause traffic to back up into the street.
• Stopping early, and without a greeter present, causes congestion and is a safety concern. Pull forward and remain in your vehicle. Drivers needing more time to unload should change plans, park, and walk-in. Do not park in reserved spaces.
School Communications You’ve got mail!
Riverside Reminders
Every Thursday morning, be sure to check your inbox for our weekly parent communication, Riverside Reminders which is filled with—well— reminders about everything from upcoming early dismissals, lunch cycle registration deadlines, and so much more. We know life gets busy, and everyone can benefit from a reminder!
Thursday Folders
Every Thursday, your child will be sent home with their Thursday Folder, put together by homeroom teachers. Folders include grade and class-specific information. Occasionally you might find a school-wide invitation or announcement.
The Ram Report
The Ram Report is Riverside’s e-newsletter focused on delivering interesting stories and updates on how RPDS is living out our mission to educate the mind, nurture the spirit, and foster the development of the whole child.
The Riverside Review
The Riverside Review is Riverside’s annual report. This publication features school year highlights, academic stories, alumni news, and much more.
In case of
Emergency
In the event of a weather-related closing, delayed opening, or other emergency event, RPDS will send important information to our school community via email and our text alert system.
All new parents are automatically added to email and text lists at the start of the school year. Please check that your best phone number and email are listed in your myRPDS profile to ensure you do not miss any emergency communications.
Ben Ketchum
Meet Riverside’s
Leadership
Head of School, Ben Ketchum
Education: University of Notre Dame, B.A. in Economics and a M.A. in Educational Administration; M.A. in Teaching from the University of Portland
Favorites
Children’s Book: Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Ice cream Flavor: Strawberry Cheesecake
Hobbies: Running, gardening, and exploring Avondale with my two Bernese Mountain Dogs (Winston & Kiki)
Assistant Head of School, Jennifer Helbing
Education: University of Georgia, B.A. in Special Education and M.A. in Child Disabilities and Development
Favorites
Children’s Book: The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
Ice cream Flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip
Hobbies: Taking my kids to fun activities (beach, movies, amusement parks), and exercising
Director of Early Learning, Peggy Campbell-Rush
Education: College of New Jersey, B.S. in Education, University of Colorado Boulder, M.A. Education
Favorites
Children’s Book: Thundercake by Patricia Polacco
Ice cream Flavor: Chocolate Chip
Hobbies: Collecting sea glass around the world, international travel, jogging, riding bikes and writing
Peggy Campbell-Rush
Jennifer Helbing
RPDS At-A-Glance
Things
Mission Statement
that mean a lot to us!
To educate the mind, nurture the spirit, and foster the development of the whole child.
The Riverside Way
The Riverside Way is composed of traits that can be experienced daily throughout our campus. They are used by our faculty, staff, students, and parents. Using the RPDS acronym, The Riverside Way stands for respectful, responsible, persevere, praise, dependable, dedicated, seek and serve.
The Riverside Way is more than eight words. It’s about the way we carry ourselves in the classrooms, the hallway, in Chapel, on the playground and in the community. It’s the way we care about those inside and outside our campus. And it’s the way we want others to care about us. The Riverside Way is about showing God’s love through our actions and putting others before ourselves.
School Mascot
We are the RPDS RAMS! Fun fact: The RPDS Rams came to be through a student-led mascot campaign. The RPDS Class of 2021 met with members of the school administration about the need for a school mascot. After a year-long, student-led campaign with multiple mascot candidates and a full school election process, Rams came out on top. You can spot Rammy around campus throughout the year!
RPDS-isms
What are we talking about?
Afternoon Academies
As the school day concludes, more than 40 Afternoon Academies begin! Read more about Academies on page 28.
Capers
Caper (v.) to skip or dance about in a lively way. Capers (n.) is RPDS’s annual fundraising gala. It’s a big party to celebrate and support our school.
Free Dress Days
If you see a free dress day on the school calendar or in Riverside Reminders, it means students are invited to wear clothes normally outside of dress code. Bust out the jeans, shorts, and t-shirts. Some free dress days even have special themes!
ELC (Newton Early Learning Center)
Did they say your child’s classroom is “in the ELC”? ELC is simply an abbreviation for the Newton Early Learning Center. The ELC is homebase for our PreK 3 through Kindergarten classes.
RITA (Riverside in the Afternoon)
Before and after an academic school day, RPDS is here for your child with Riverside in the Afternoon, usually referred to as its acronym, RITA. The extended day program opens its doors at 7:00 a.m. and closes at 6:00 p.m. on regular school days.
RPA (Riverside Parents Association)
RPA stands for the Riverside Parents Association. Every parent is a member! This group of parent volunteers helps with special happenings throughout the year. Learn more on page 31.
Sundae Monday
Sundae Monday is a back-to-school celebration held the Monday before the first day of school. Students can meet their teachers, check out their classrooms, and enjoy an ice cream sundae while catching up with friends and meeting new friends. It’s a sweet way to kick off the school year!
Team RPDS
The Team RPDS Program was created to motivate and encourage students and their families to enjoy a more active lifestyle outside of the school and work day. Our ultimate goal is to cultivate a lifelong love of play and exercise! Every year students are given a special Team RPDS t-shirt, which they are allowed to wear every Friday throughout the school year.
Resources
If your child comes home talking about resource classes, they are referring to classes such as: Art, music, foreign language, PE, STEAM, Bible, and Library.
Lunch at Riverside
Lunch for Riverside students is an outdoor event! We take advantage of the beautiful Florida weather, our children’s love for the outdoors, the fun and excitement of a picnic lunch with friends, and the sheer joy of free play. Our campus location also provides convenience to parents who wish to stop by and join their children for lunch (1st-6th Grade).
Snack
All students are required to bring their morning snack, along with a reusable water bottle to school each day.
Lunch
Students can bring a packed lunch from home or take part in a lunch order option. Lunch orders run in cycles which are marked on the school calendar. Check your school calendar to view when lunch order cycles begin and end. You will receive reminders of when lunch cycle registrations are opening and closing. Lunch order sign-ups are done through the myRPDS Parent Portal.
Student Dress Code
RPDS has a dress code for students in 1st - 6th Grade. The complete dress code policy can be found in the Parent/Student handbook. In short:
Boys may wear navy or khaki shorts or slacks with any solid color collared polo or Oxford shirt.
Girls may wear navy or khaki skirts, shorts, or slacks with any solid color polo or Oxford shirt. Girls may wear dresses as long as they are a single color and have a collar. Jumpers must be worn with a collared shirt.
Important Reminders
• Belts are required if pants or shorts have loops.
• Sweatshirts (crewnecks and hoodies) are permitted, however, they must either be RPDS branded or solid colored.
• Every Friday students are invited to wear their Team RPDS shirt to school. Students may wear the current year’s shirt or previous year’s Team RPDS shirts.
• The first Tuesday of each month is Spirit Day! Students are encouraged to show their school spirit by rocking the blue and green and their favorite RPDS tops with dress code bottoms.
You have school spirit, yes you do; and we have school spirit wear just for you! Below we have listed places where you can shop dress-code approved tops and bottoms and Rams gear, too!
RPDS School Store
The most comprehensive selection of school spirit wear can be found on RPDS’s online school store. Keep your eyes peeled for school store sales and pop-up shops where you can purchase limited edition school gear. Visit rpds.com/store to browse gear for children and adults, too.
Lands’ End
Looking for dress code-approved tops, bottoms, and dresses? Visit landsend.com and click on the “School” tab at the top. To view items with RPDS embroidery click on “shop by school.”
You can find RPDS’s Lands’ End store by searching our school name or entering our school number, 900103789.
Kennedi’s Closet
RPDS enjoys supporting our community and shopping local! Another great option for dress code-approved shirts, dresses, and jumpers is Kennedi’s Closet. Parents may purchase clothes directly from Kennedi’s or drop off clothes purchased from other stores for RPDS embroidery. Kennedi’s Closet is located 4212 Beverly Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32210.
Key Places Explore these dynamic learning spaces!
Steve and Dotty Risley Media Center
Students enjoy diving into literature of all types during their library time in the Steve and Dotty Risley Media Center. To support and nurture our students, we provide access to 18,000 print books and multiple online research tools. In our commitment to support our students wherever they may be, our online catalog and research resources are available to students 24/7, wherever there is internet access.
Kissling Hall
Kissling Hall is the hub of RPDS! A multi-purpose space, Kissling Hall is where you will watch spectacular school plays, view your child’s State Fair display, listen to a speaker at a Coffee & Conversation, and even do some book fair shopping.
STEAM Wing - Williams Building
The Williams Building STEAM Wing is where all students have the tools to dream, create, and collaborate. Students learn across the spectrum of design-thinking, computing, coding, and more! With a LEGO wall, 3D printer, Ozobots, and a wall of materials for students to explore, the possibilities are endless in this lab. Parents can catch a glimpse of our students’ STEAM creations, often displayed in the front hallway of the Williams Building.
Ram Ready!
You’re
Monthly Happenings Traditions we cherish throughout the year.
Thursday Morning Chapel
On Thursday mornings, the Riverside family gathers in the sanctuary of Riverside Presbyterian Church to celebrate God’s love through music, verse and lesson. Our Chapel services are welcoming to children and parents of all faiths. With imagination and inspiration, each Chapel program nurtures the spiritual growth of the Riverside children and assures each one of their special place in God’s world.
Assemblies & Flag Raisings
The first Tuesday of each month is RPDS Spirit Day and either a flag raising or school assembly. We enjoy this time to connect as a full school community, celebrate the previous month’s events and accomplishments, and charge into a new month. Assemblies and flag raisings are led by our 6th Grade class.
Rise N’ Shine
Rise N’ Shine is a mini-chapel service specifically designed for our PreK 3 through Kindergarten students. Kindergarten students begin to build their leadership skills by helping present the Bible story and leading the classes as they move, sing, and pray.
Annual Events Building community & sweet memories, too.
Sundae Monday (Aug. 12)
Sundae Monday is the annual opportunity for RPDS students to meet their homeroom teachers, explore their new classrooms or a new campus location, and enjoy an ice cream sundae served by faculty and staff while they reunite with friends and connect with their new classmates. Sundae Monday is a time-honored RPDS tradition that kicks off the excitement of the new school year!
Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day (Oct. 17)
Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day is a special morning at RPDS in which students have the opportunity to invite their grandparents or special friends to visit campus, get a peak at their classroom experience and resource spaces, and enjoy a special Chapel service, complete with student performances.
Fall Festival (Nov. 15)
Every year we look forward to a traditional fall festival on the Rice Sports Zone, complete with cake walk, face painting, inflatables, treats, and more!
Christmas Sing-A-Long (Dec. 20)
The Friday before Christmas break, we invite families to join us on campus for a special morning singing Christmas carols and celebrating the season as a school community.
Family Open House (Jan. 16)
Every January, parents are invited to our Family Open House night. During Open House, students give their parents an inside look at all that goes on in their wonderful classroom and resource areas and get to take a sneak peek at their classrooms for the upcoming year! Families are also invited to enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner hosted by the RPDS Alumni Council.
School Plays & Musicals
RPDS is proud to showcase our students’ musical and dramatic talents in grade-level productions throughout the year. Check out the school calendar to view dates for various grade-level performances. Students typically conduct two performances, one for fellow students and faculty to enjoy and a second showing for parents to attend.
Bike Week
Bike Week is a tradition at RPDS for our 4th and 5th Grade students. During Bike Week, students have the opportunity to ride their bicycles during PE, where they focus on riding skills, safety, and etiquette. This is always a fun and memorable week for our students!
Capers (Feb. 21)
Capers is an annual fundraising event for RPDS, typically held in late winter. Each year, a parent committee works alongside our Advancement team to select a theme and plan a wonderful evening for parents, alumni, and friends of RPDS to continue strengthening connections with one another and build awareness around RPDS’s commitment to remain a strong corporate citizen.
Camp Riverside
A summer program for our early learners.
RPDS has a summer program for rising PreK 3, PreK 4, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade students. Camp Riverside includes fun weekly themes that incorporate many of the elements used during the academic portion of the school day. Throughout the summer, students have opportunities to build their social and emotional skills through morning Care & Connect, reading rich literature, engaging in play time with friends, and expressing their creative side with various arts and crafts. The afternoon portion of the day includes summer fun on the playground with water play and free play, too.
RPDS Athletics
Meet the Coaches
RPDS participates in the North Florida Independent Schools Athletic Conference (NFISAC) and has been a member since the 2015-2016 school year. Participating in the NFISAC allows our 5th and 6th Grade students to play sports with other Independent Schools in Northeast Florida. The RPDS Rams currently participate in Boys and Girls Basketball, Flag Football and Volleyball.
The primary goal of RPDS athletics is to provide students with an opportunity to play a school sport in which the focus is on enjoying the game, learning the sport and being part of a team. We believe the opportunity to play with classmates tremendously increases student comfort and confidence with sports.
Coach Mike Sullivan
Coach Gabe Clark
Extended Day
Morning Care
Programming opens at 7:00 a.m. Students are dismissed for school at 7:40 a.m.
Riverside in the Afternoon (RITA)
RITA programming begins at the end of the academic day and closes for all grades at 6:00 p.m. At Riverside, we value every moment we have to equip young students with the foundations of academic and lifelong success, and our after-school program is no exception.
Many of our RITA employees are working towards becoming credentialed teachers or working towards a college degree, and some are experienced teachers. RITA employees maintain the same active learning and engaging activities with our students. The entire staff is First Aid and CPR trained.
As the school day concludes and the transition to RITA begins, students may also participate in our Afternoon Academies program.
Afternoon Academies
As the school day concludes, more than 40 Afternoon Academies begin! There are a variety of activities from which to choose, all tailored to delight, entertain, and enrich each child’s afternoon experience at RPDS.
For our younger students, ballet, art, and music lead the way. Older students enjoy exciting activities ranging from creating LEGO worlds, playing musical instruments, cooking, painting, robotics, acting and playing sports!
Have questions about Riverside in the Afternoon or Afternoon Academies? Our Director of Riverside in the Afternoon, Julia Davis, is happy to help!
Julia Davis, Director of Riverside in the Afternoon jhdavis@rpds.com
Parent Community
Riverside Parents Association (RPA)
Through the Riverside Parents Association (RPA), RPDS encourages parents and grandparents to discover the joy of participating in the daily educational life of their children and grandchildren. Providing opportunities for our families to engage on campus fosters community, strengthens our partnership and demonstrates our commitment to educating the whole child. From joining together in fellowship to serving as a homeroom parent, there are a variety of ways for our community to get involved.
New Family Ambassadors (NFA)
This committee serves as a liaison to newly enrolled families to help engage them in school life and connect them to other RPDS families. Ambassadors are assigned families that they partner with throughout the year, guiding our new families as they navigate their first year on campus. Ambassadors are recruited in July/August prior to the new school year. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please contact chair Shannon Langley at shannonlangley86@gmail.com.
Parents in Prayer
All parents are welcome to join Parents in Prayer. This group meets the first Thursday of each month before Chapel at the picnic tables between Kissling and the Rice Sports Zone to pray for the RPDS community.
Visit rpds.com/rpa to learn more about parent committees, calendar of events, volunteer links and more!
If you are interested in learning about parent volunteer opportunities throughout the year, contact our Assistant Director of Advancement and fellow RPDS parent, Courtney Powers.
Courtney Powers, Assistant Director of Advancement, Parent Programs and Special Events
904.353.5511x127 • cpowers@rpds.com
The RPDS Fund is our school’s top fundraising priority. Every year, we invite parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends to participate in this annual giving campaign by making a charitable gift to our school.
Gifts to the RPDS Fund allow us to maintain the standard of excellence in our programs that is the hallmark of an RPDS education. This year’s RPDS Fund will also allow us to move forward with a greater emphasis on providing a safe environment for our students and faculty, strengthening our community through connectedness and inclusion, and sustaining our commitment to educational innovation.
We invite you to join us in supporting this important annual giving campaign. Your generosity keeps us moving forward in fulfilling our mission to educate the mind, nurture the spirit and foster the development of the whole child. We sincerely thank you!
Notes