Riverside Leadership Magnet

Riverside Leadership Magnet with its rich history of tradition, excellence, and innovation, is committed to developing leaders and setting high academic standards for all students. We utilize differentiated instruction, data analysis, and support systems to meet individual needs. Our success is demonstrated by building, district, and state assessment scores as well as student involvement at school and beyond.

Riverside allows students to experience, understand, value, and practice principles of leadership in a variety of ways:  participating in our buddy mentoring program, developing a love of learning, preparing for the future, and taking part in developmentally appropriate responsibilities. Our program promotes connections for lifelong learning.

Riverside Leadership Magnet uses teaching in a cross-curricular, integrated, literature-based learning program. Instead of just reading about a topic, Riverside teachers immerse students into the topic. the focus is on leadership themes that promote connections and lifelong learning.

Located in the historic Riverside area, its close proximity to area museums and other community resources ensure that students realize learning is a life-long undertaking.

At Riverside, thematic teaching is cross-curricular, integrated, literature-based learning that is geared toward school-wide leadership development and history themes that promote connections and lifelong learning via experiential, hands-on lessons so that students acquire skills and knowledge in a purposeful and meaningful way.

Exit I-135 at 13^th St. Go west on 13^th St. past North River Blvd. to Woodrow St. Go south on Woodrow St. to Riverside Magnet. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

Riverside helps us prepare step-by-step for the challenges of life. 

--Developed by Student Leadership Team students.

1. All students will demonstrate problem-solving competency in math.
   
2. All students will develop effective reading comprehension skills.
   
3. All students will develop effective writing skills.

Each school has a site council, which is a group of parents, community members, business representatives, teachers and other school staff. Site councils identify, consider and discuss educational problems and issues at the school. Councils provide advice and counsel for evaluating state, school district and school site performance goals and objectives. Councils may also recommend methods that may be employed at the school site to meet these goals and objectives. 

Meeting Day: Third Monday, bi-monthly
Time:
Location: Library

• Leadership ideals and principals integrated into our grade-level studies
• Latchkey (school-age program)
• Opportunities for community service
• Parent volunteer program
• Student Council
• Student-led conferences
• Student announcements
• Use of technology to collaborate with leaders and other students

Kindergarten

Riverside offers many educational and rewarding student activities.  These are offered through a safe learning environment with an experienced and caring staff.   

• Two Leadership Dinner Theater Nights
• Buddies 
• Grandparents Day
• Fun Night
• Thanksgiving Feast
• Prime Time Friday Night
• Family Movie Night
• Student Council 

The history of Riverside Elementary School dates back to 1889 when a one-room frame building was erected at a cost of $495. The school was located "between the rivers." In 1892 the Board voted to dispense with the school for a year. However, in 1893 school was resumed on a trial basis and Riverside has been in session every year to the present time.

The school was moved to the corner of 13th and Water in 1893. The building was repaired and remodeled and opened in December of that year. In 1908 a small frame building was erected in what is the present 900 block on Litchfield. Riverside School was held at that location until 1910. The school was opened to grades one through five with 32 students. A four-room brick building with basement and boiler room was constructed in 1910 at Porter and Harrison, the present location. The building cost $14,000. Grades one through seven were taught, and a principal and two teachers were employed.

Enrollment began to increase during the late teens, and an additional five rooms and a library were added in 1920. Four classrooms, an office and a basement auditorium were built in 1927. The basement auditorium was called a community room. Enrollment soared to an all-time high during the following 15 years. There were 505 students in 1930. The school had a professional staff of 14 teachers, principal, custodian and a secretary.

The number of schools began to increase in the '30s and '40s. Riverside's enrollment fluctuated between 400-500 during the depression and war years. Another peak enrollment came after the Korean War in 1953-54 with 480 students. The late '50s and '60s brought a decline in enrollment. Contributing factors to the decline were neighborhood school concept, urban renewal and an increase in the number of schools.  The enrollment stabilized near 350 for a time but continued downward in the early '80s to below 200.

From 1987 through 1992 Riverside shared a principal with Woodland Elementary. In 1995 it shared a principal with Pleasant Valley Elementary.

The fear their school would be closed due to low enrollment spurred the parents to petition the Board of Education to become a cultural arts magnet school. This theme was chosen to take advantage of the close proximity of the museums on the river. In 1991 Riverside became a Cultural Arts and History Magnet School. Enrollment is maintained around 325.

In April 2000, the voters of the Wichita School District approved a $284.5 million bond issue. The projects began in the fall of 2000 and were completed over the next five years. The plan built 19 multipurpose rooms, upgraded science labs, replaced portable classrooms with permanent construction, improved handicap accessibility to all buildings, rebuilt five existing elementary schools, added a new elementary and middle school, expanded seven other elementary schools and provided nine new libraries as well as the expansion of nine others. Building infrastructure in 82 buildings was also upgraded, including the replacement of antiquated plumbing, updates and expansion of electrical systems, replacement of inefficient or broken windows and doors, upgrades of heating and cooling systems, and asbestos abatement when required.

The Board of Education approved the purchase of property at 1027 N. Porter to have sufficient property to construct the new addition of Riverside. The architectural firm Wilson Darnell Mann was utilized, and Rainbow Construction Co., Inc. was contracted to complete the remodel and addition project. Riverside received a new addition including a multipurpose room and kitchen, as well as renovations for classrooms and student support. Exterior restoration work was also completed.

The Bond project dedication ceremony was held April 12, 2005.