Last bell rung at Riverside
Riverside School’s bell rang for the last time Thursday morning at 11:50 a.m.
By the time the final bell rang, the process had already begun of stripping classrooms and halls of memorabilia and other items which will be packed away, or sent off to other schools this fall. As students and parents streamed out of the century-old school house, they lingered on the lawn speaking with neighbours and friends. Many talked about summer plans. Little girls shared hugs. But more than a few posed near the front steps to take photos, or near the school’s mosaic.
Robert Warren watched on as his daughter Unique’s Grade 5 class created an impromptu portrait in front of the mosaic. He was thinking back to all the years he and his family have spent walking the school grounds and halls.
“It’s been an excellent school for my family,” he said. “I have had three children go here. I just love the personalization. The classrooms are smaller, and there has been more one-on-one time with the teachers. It’s been a great schooling experience ... It’s sad for the community. This has been a staple here for 100 years now, and it’s sad to have it go.”
Unique’s classmate Jada Hopkinson took a few moments to linger near the mosaic after her classmates began to disperse.
“To me, Riverside is about having fun, having a small school and getting to know everyone, and be able to have more friends than the usual schools,” she said, touching the school’s mosaic sign one final time.
Hopkinson, who would have been leaving Riverside in the fall anyway, was determined to look on the bright side.
“I am kind of sad the school is closing down, but I am kind of excited to go to a new school for the first time,” she admitted.
Principal Sherri Hendricks said she and her staff were determined to have the last month in the school be happy for students.
“All of the good-byes have already happened along the way,” she said. “We just tried to make June a fun time. And the kids did it, and embraced it. It is sad but at the same time exciting because there is new challenges ahead and new friends to be made.”
Hendricks said the students went swimming together Thursday morning as a final bonding experience before heading out on summer holidays.
“What we did today, is the kids came and we went to the pool, they swam and then they came back. Then they just hung out with their friends. So just a relaxing and fun day to give them all the time they needed to say good-bye.”