Riverside Elementary School (Wichita, Kansas)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of the article are generally not sufficient for a Wikipedia article. Please include more appropriate citations from reliable sources, or discuss the issue on the talk page. This article has been tagged since December 2007.

Riverside Elementary School was first opened in Wichita, Kansas in 1889 as a one room school. It operated until 1892 at which time it was closed for a year. However, in 1893 the school was reopened and Riverside has been in session every year since then. The school has been housed in four locations throughout Wichita. The current building at 1001 Porter was opened in 1910. Enrollment hit an all time high in the late 1950's with 505 students. Where did they put them all? Enrollment remained high through the mid 1950s but a steady decline in enrollment began later in that same decade.

In 1990, with an enrollment of less than 170 students, Riverside was faced with a dilemma: be merged with another school, be closed altogether or find a way to bring more students into the building. A committee of proactive parents was formed by the PTO to look into alternative choices for the school. After much discussion, the committee endorsed making Riverside a magnet school. Due to the location of the school, the committee suggested a magnet focus of cultural arts and history which would take advantage of the proximity of area museums. In addition to the Wichita Art Museum, the Mid-America All Indian Center, Botanica, Cowtown, Wichita Historical Museum, the Wichita Omnisphere, Wichita Children's Museum and Exploration Place, are all within a short distance of the school. The idea was approved by the neighborhood, PTO and the Board of Education.

Riverside opened the 1991 school year with a new name: Riverside Cultural Arts and History Magnet School. In addition to a new name, an innovative method of educating children was embraced which enabled them to learn in an integrated, thematic fashion which prioritized hands-on experiences. Enrollment jumped the first year to over 280 students. Due to its innovative approach to education, enrollment continued to increase and now averages about 320 students each year. Riverside is looking forward to continuing its role as the longest operating campus in Wichita.