Riverview staffers ready for Oakmont and Verona students to return

Riverview School District officials have placed an emphasis on professional development to go along with student achievement this coming school year.

High schoolers and Oakmont and Verona elementary students will enter their respective schools Aug. 27.

A new collective bargaining agreement with the Riverview Education Association extended the working calendar by 20 days for after-school sessions for teachers and administrators. They plan to gather together in instructional teams to assess student learning needs, share strategies, examine curricular needs and develop action plans.

“The implementation of professional learning communities this year will add great value to the learning experience for all our children,” Superintendent Peggy DiNinno said. “We are excited that our staff will have time to learn, grow, support, plan and lead together in the best interest of students and learning.”

Fourth through sixth graders will see a boost in their STEAM programming — science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

The district received a $35,000 PA Smart grant to provide specialized training for their teachers.

“We will continue to dive deep into our students’ math needs as we refine math assessment tools and examine new math curricular resources,” DiNinno said.

Verner Elementary students will be welcomed by a new principal. Special education director Christina Monroe formally steps into the shoes of Mary Ann Plance, who retired in July after five years in the district and 35 years overall in education.

Monroe met district families at kindergarten orientation. She’s been at Riverview since November 2016.

“I like it here at Riverview,” Monroe said. “It’s a very nice school district. I’m kind of excited (about being principal). I get to go back and see kids every day and interact with kids every day. A lot of times when you move to central administration, that’s one of the things you miss.”

Other personnel moves include Tenth Street Elementary Principal David Zolkowski being named elementary schools supervisor, and high school instructional principal Neil English being named curriculum coordinator.

High school business teacher Patsy Kvortek adds dean of students to her list of district titles and responsibilities.

District facilities also received some much-needed repairs and upgrades in preparation for the 2019-20 school year.

Projects worked on during the summer months included adding ballistic films to windows throughout the district, replacing an elevator at the senior and junior high school building, constructing a wrap-around driveway at the senior and junior high school building and repairing concrete walkways.

A construction update, along with other back to school-related information, was posted on the district’s website, rsd.k12.pa.us.

District enrollment is about 980 students.