Riverwood International Charter School

The review of Dec. 7, 2012 was obviously written by an education administrator with advanced professional knowledge. No parent talks like that. The school is well respected but it has it's issues like any intown school.
—Submitted by a parent

Submitted by Chris Triolo himself, no doubt. This is in keeping with the self-aggrandizement seen so many times.
—Submitted by a parent

Riverwood High School is the most mediocre educational institution I ve ever come across. The faculty and guidance office have no directive to aid students toward success, rather, they believe in punishment as the guiding principle. All parents please listen. DO NOT ALLOW YOUR STUDENT TO ATTEND RIVERWOOD HIGH SCHOOL. The teachers do not believe in helping students in achieving any sort of success. No student actually enjoys Riverwood because of the mindset among faculty that no student should succeed. This is no exaggeration. Riverwood applies rules that does not actually keep delinquent students in check, instead, students who want to achieve further success are restricted, and cannot succeed in Riverwood. Although rules are necessary to keep a safe environment, there lie many unnecessary rules that limit passionate students from achieving extracurricular goals within the school. Other reasons for not attending the school include much drug abuse and bullying. The school s drug problem is much larger than expected. Your student will not utilize his/her full potential and their future will be scarred for the next four years and beyond. Please head my warning.
—Submitted by a parent

There are many exciting things happening at Riverwood International Charter School with the implementation of Teaching For Excellence. This innovative program of professional development is shifting the classroom experience from traditional teacher/lecture to student engagement and interactive learning. The program is being funded by the all volunteer Riverwood Foundation, a 501c3 organization dedicated to improving the learning experience of all students at Riverwood.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent teachers--Chris Triolo, the new head of school, is bringing a vitality to the school that gives teachers motivation and incentive to teach to every child. Classroom sizes can be a bit larger than any parent would want. However, the diversity of races, languages, religions and socioeconomic status introduce a welcomed education to our high schooler.
—Submitted by a parent

Riverwood International Charter School has many positives: Excellent Teachers, Involved and Dedicated Parents, Talented students and Leadership that is focused on students and quality classroom instruction. Thanks to a quality reputation, Riverwood has seen significant growth causing some overcrowding issues and larger than ideal classroom sizes. As with any change in leadership at the top (Principal) there have been some bumps in the transition. However, I am convinced Principal Triolo's priorities are spot on. His commitment to High Quality Classroom instruction, supporting his faculty through professional development and reaching EVERY student to help them realize their full potential will set the pace for other schools to follow. There is still much work to be done with the current physical campus challenges to be addressed in the SPLOST funding. I have every confidence with the current leadership, involved parents, and talented faculty...Riverwood will continue the tradition of Excellence for years to come.
—Submitted by a parent

Riverwood is an excellent school offering a rigorous course of study via the IInternational Bacculaureate program. Principal Chris Triolo is totally committed to the students and to the faculty, focused on transforming the learning experience for every student at every level. The school consistently ranks in the top public high schools in the state of Georgia and in the U S. We made the decision to move our son from a well-regarded private school he had attended through 8th grade to Riverwood because of its excellence in teaching
—Submitted by a parent

Overall Riverwood is a good school. Some teacher care some don't... but you get that at all schools. yes the pot smoking is everywhere!
—Submitted by a parent

My child is a '11 graduate and had a great experience at Riverwood. The AP classes were very challenging. Just finished a great first year of college and I attribute that to the preparation received in high school.

Concerned parents would be wise to avoid Riverwood if you have any other options. The previous post, by a teacher, is very accurate -- the reputation is better than the actual school. Most kids don't get a superior education, especially those in the "on level" classes. The new principal doesn't have a good understanding of high school students or how to build concensus with faculty, parents or the kids. And if for no other reason, avoid Riverwood because the drug and alcohol culture is the worst in the metro area - that's confirmed by "experts" such as substance abuse counselors and others who are "in the know." More than any school in metro Atlanta -- public or private - the pressure to use drugs and alcohol is so intense. It is truly considered "uncool" not to use. Many parents don't seem to be concerned, as long as the kids "achieve" on the report card. Overall, the student culture is not healthy emotionally, academically, pscyhologically. Look elsewhere.
—Submitted by a parent

Despite a recent decline in the caliber of student that coincided with the increase of student population from 1000 to 1600, Riverwood is still a good school. It is safe. There are a few fine programs for the motivated student (the Art and IB Program stand out). The teachers care and there is a small group of involved parents. It is possible to get a good education at Riverwood, but a student would have to take the initiative and avoid the on level classes that are the repository for the 90% who are doing the absolute minimum or less. The administration is more or less competent, but they are all stick and no carrot. In order to protect themselves they burden the students and staff with demoralizing and petty rules. There is a palpable culture of reproach. Bottom line? The school is not as good as its reputation, but better than most of the public schools in the region.
—Submitted by a teacher

Please do not consider Riverwood International Charter School if there are other options. The staff and teachers are definitively not motivated to teach. I am a student at Riverwood I have had teachers taunt me, ignore me, use profanity with me, and have even tried to make me do their class planning in exchange for an A in class. I'm being very honest and I have no other way of telling you how horrible this school. I was a straight A student with almost a 4.0 GPA and dropped to a B to C average with some F's. Ask neighbors, Ask Other Kids, and Look over and study this school before considering before your child ends up like me.
—Submitted by a student

I had high hopes as a parent, but the administration and teachers at Riverwood does not compare to the education my older children received at St. Pius X Catholic High School. I can't recommend this school as a parent. We have been greatly disappointed as a family and plan to leave. The lack of respect to the students, lack of parent involvement, and teacher quality are major concerns, to name a few. Riverwood is a major disappointment and it is unbelievable that some parents pay tuition to have their children attend this school.
—Submitted by a parent

Riverwood has enjoyed a lot of positive hype the past few years. The reality is somewhat different. Excellence exists in some areas and with some teachers, but it is also possible to have a year in which mediocrity is the norm especially if your child is not in advanced classes. There is very little "school spirit" at Riverwood. Drama and music programs are very good. Unfortunately the drug and alcohol problem is widespread, one of the worst in metro Atlanta. "Rankings" seem to matter more than anything else in too many cases.
—Submitted by a parent

Riverwood has turned out to be a HUGE disappointment. My son is in 9th grade so he just started this year. So far he has had two teachers quit and the principal had to resign as well as the athletic director. The majority of the students are out of control. I have seen videos of fights in the cafeteria and it looks like a scene from a prison movie. We have encountered rude teachers (my son told a teacher he needed to check out and that I was in the front office to get him....the teacher berated him the entire way to the lobby telling him that he didn't believe him and that my son was just trying to skip school....when they arrived, the teacher said to me, "he better be glad you're up here") I have also received less than professional emails from some of his teachers that contained inaccurate information. Also, a couple of his teachers have lost several of his assignments !!!!! We are leaving this school as soon as the semester is over!!!!!
—Submitted by a parent

We have two children at Riverwood and they love it! They have good teachers and they do have to work hard. I think its weird for people to expect teachers to nurture their children in high school. Aren't we getting them ready for college? Anyway, Riverwood is a great school with an awesome marching band and awesome band teacher. Our girls are involved and we are involved also. High school students should be more independent as they get ready to become adults. I think Riverwood assists with this. It's a great school and we would move all over again to attend this school.
—Submitted by a parent

The principal of Riverwood just resigned due to "auditing irregularities" meaning he was taking money from the student activity funds (raised by sale of tickets to athletic/artistic events) and using it personally. Stay away!
—Submitted by a parent

This school purports to be all kinds of things but is not - it is all about numbers and excelling - there is no joy of learning. If a student is not excellent, the child is treated as if they are a bad kid regardless of their behavior. The students do not learn about diversity and interacting and communicating well with others. Many teachers are disorganized and engage in favoritism without regard to the damage to the other students. The IB program teaches little about international relations and provides little encouragement or support to students. The only students the school or this program cares about are ones who are achieving. There are students are supposedly achieving and winning awards who are cheating and using shortcuts falling on the edge with little regard for learning. Once a child is labeled, it appears virtually impossible to move forward.Don't send your child there.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is a graduating senior at Riverwood. We have had a great experience at Riverwood. The sports programs and the academic opportunities have been excellent for her. She has had wonderful teachers except for a couple of math teachers. Overall the teachers are very challenging and keep the parents updated through parent connect. She has made wonderful friends over the last four years which have come from both public and private schools. I'm looking forward to another four great years with our younger daughter as well.
—Submitted by a parent

I am currently a ninth grader at riverwood. This school really challenges you to do your best at all times. It was a little hard for me at first, mainly due to the fact that i moved from another state, but once i got the hang of everything it was a lot easier. Some great advice to students: Do your homework! I learned the hard way that not doing your homework can really mess you up. Study! Study as much as you can it could really help you with finals! Good luck to the upcoming students :)
—Submitted by a student