As students throughout Miami enjoy the summer, the students, families, administration and faculty of Riviera Schools look ahead with anticipation to the 2011-12 school year and the opening of its new, state-of-the-art preparatory school campus.
Riviera Preparatory School now will provide high school students with the same commitment and excellence that Riviera Schools has offered to younger students in preschool through eighth grade since 1950. The new campus, located on SW 87th Avenue, is nearing completion and will feature nearly 100,000 square feet of facilities on the 10.5-acre site.
“We have been working to make this high school a reality since 1998,” said Peter Cohen, Riviera Schools’ associate director. “It is a dream come true to be opening this fall. This school is a natural part of Riviera’s evolution and serves to further our mission of creating a unique educational institution and environment for our students.”
During the 2011-12 school year, Riviera Preparatory will open to students in grades six through nine and during each subsequent year, a grade level will be added. Students in grades six through eight who currently attend Riviera’s campus in Coral Gables will relocate to the new facility, while the Coral Gables campus will continue to serve students in preschool through fifth grade. New students have joined the Riviera Schools family and enrollments are being processed daily.
“We have our team in place and we have been working hard to prepare for this new school year,” said Cohen, who has been with Riviera Schools since 1996 and whose father, Lawrence Cohen, has served as Riviera Schools’ director since 1972.
“It will be exciting for these students to be the first to move in to this new facility. And our ninth grade class — the class of 2015 — will have the proud honor of being the very first graduating class at Riviera Preparatory.”
Cohen said that although Riviera Preparatory’s physical, tangible elements are incredible; its best resource continues to be its administration and faculty. Patrick Snay, who has served the educational community of South Florida for more than 35 years, will serve as headmaster. Dr. Linda Grant, known for her expertise in curriculum and instruction, will serve as associate headmaster. And finally, Dr. Carole Repensek, an educator since 1970, will be the director of academic advancement.
“This is a dream team. They all have incredible credentials and together, they have more than 115 combined years as educators,” Cohen said. “We are very proud of the educational team we have assembled. Our teachers are extraordinarily talented, qualified and dedicated.”
The Riviera Preparatory campus will include state-of-the-art classrooms, media center/library, cafeteria, auditorium, fine arts facilities, science labs, full indoor gymnasium, fitness room, dance studio, multi-purpose fields, aquatics center and more.
Technology will play an important role in the educational process. Interactive whiteboards, immediate response systems, laptops, document cameras and other technologies will be incorporated into the curriculum.
Extracurricular activities offered at Riviera Preparatory such as student clubs and organizations, and sports teams including basketball, football, soccer, baseball, softball, cross country, volleyball, wrestling, tennis, golf, swimming, water polo, dance and cheerleading, will enrich the student experience and allow children to pursue individual interests and develop additional skills.
Riviera Preparatory School is located at 9775 SW 87 Ave. in Kendall and Riviera Day School is located at 6800 Nervia St. in Coral Gables. To learn more about Riviera Schools, call 305-666-1856 or go online to www.rivieraschools.com.
