Riffenburgh Elementary School

I put so much time into researching and selecting a school and in the end I chose Riffenburgh because the principal is so engaged and the teachers are all experienced and genuinely care. They will also become a full IB school in 2013-2014. I like that the school is smaller than most and that they really strike a perfect balance between having structure and discipline in the classrooms along with being supportive of creativity and independent thinking. My child has come home many times and talked about how nice the older kids are to her. They cultivate a culture of caring and respect at this school and have a strong positive rewards behavior program in place. Academics are important here but they also really value physical (and emotional) wellness and work hard to make that an important part of their culture as well. If you want your child to be a well rounded human being, Riffenburgh is a great choice. My child LOVES going to school everyday because as she puts it "Riffy Rocks!"
—Submitted by a parent

My son has gone to Riffenburgh from Kindergarten to Fifth grade. He had some struggles early on but he was given the support he needed. He now excels at reading, writing and math and has a great deal of respect for his teachers and principal. He will genuinely miss going there.
—Submitted by a parent

AWESOME school I attended this school and it was amazing!! I think that since it is I.b. that it helps alot with the education.

My son attended Riffenburgh this year as a kindergartner. He has grown so much over the past year. This school has opened up his mind to so many questions about the world around him. He's developed strong friendships and is truly loving school. We would highly recommend Riffenburgh!
—Submitted by a parent

My son, however has had a great experience at the school. He has a lot of friends, seems to have broadened his interests and hobbies, and just overall seems to enjoy school. I'm not sure what the difference can be attributed to, but I think that it's a good school overall if they can get the bullying situations under control.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has high rankings and definitely deserves them. This is an amazing school! The principal and all the staff are wonderful and truly care about the children.
—Submitted by a parent

I was surprised to read some of the past reviews for Riffenburgh which complain about bullying. It very well may have been a problem 5 years ago when those reviews were written, but bullying is not a problem whatsoever now. My two children have been at this school for three years now and we have been thrilled. The community is caring, parents are active and volunteering, teachers are proactive, and the principal is attentive and approachable. My children are thriving in this school and I just can't say enough great things about it. We are so thankful to live in this neighborhood with such a fabulous school!
—Submitted by a parent

Riffenburgh is a wonderful, caring, high performing neighborhood school. It is small enough for the principal to know the name of every student. The teachers and administrator are very responsive to parent input. Its PTO is extremely active, with parents logging thousands of hours of volunteer time each year. A very special place for students and their families!
—Submitted by a parent

Great neighborhood school with a motivated staff, involved families and attentive principal. Love the new emphasis on sustainable learning, too!
—Submitted by a parent

Riffenburgh is a great school with the best teachers. One teacher was a top 3 finalist for the 2009 Rotary Teacher of the year award. The school has won the John Irwin School of Excellence.
—Submitted by a parent

Riffenburgh is a great school ... wonderful teachers!
—Submitted by a parent

Last year I was a bit worried about bullying in the school, but with dudiligence, they seemed to take care of it. Of course the pricipal was replaced too - which may have something to do with it. I like that fact that the teachers push the students to excel beyond what they are required to know for their grade level.
—Submitted by a parent

I have mixed feelings about this school. My 3 stepsons have been enrolled in this school since the oldest was in kindergarten. (He is now nearly finished there). Some of the teachers are wonderful; while others have shown me that they quickly pick favorite kids over others; and when there is an issue with discipline (specifically, lack thereof) calls to the principal are rarely, if ever, returned. I had an issue with my son being 'dared', 'bullied' and physical altercations being glossed over by the staff. Granted, they score highly on CSAP tests but that should never be the ONLY qualifying factor used by parents when picking out a school. Educationally they are a sound school, but discipline and follow up of parent concerns is sorely lacking.
—Submitted by a parent

My family moved to the area 4 years ago and I started my 4 children at this school. BIG mistake. Bullying is prevelant and accepted. I had to remove 3 of my children from the school and move them to O'dea to protect them from threats, attacks and a staff that did not know how to administer discipline to the instigators of the bullying. Parents were not cooperative in helping solve the problems and soon, my family would be gossiped about and rediculed because, as a parent, I saw issues the school was not dealing with and fought to have them dealt with. I now have only one child there and this year will be the test if the new principal has managed to help these issues. My youngest is entering 4th grade and I will be watching... closely. Think twice about this school.
—Submitted by Melody Ketner, a parent

I love this school because it is a true neighborhood school. Only one bus serves a small number of children. The racial and economic diversity mirrors that of the district as a whole. Yet, the school regularly performs above the district average on the state tests.
—Submitted by a parent