| Riverside University High School | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1912 |
| Type | Public (magnet) secondary |
| Principal | Dr. Daniel Donder |
| Students | 1,600 (approx) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | 1615 E Locust St, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA |
| Colors | Orange and black |
| Mascot | Tigers |
| Yearbook | 'The Mercury' |
| Newspaper | 'Word on the River (formerly Tiger Times) |
| Website | www2.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/riverside |
Riverside University High School is a public high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a college preparatory curriculum. It is a part of the Milwaukee Public Schools system.
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Starting in the early 1850s the newly established city of Milwaukee debated establishing a public high school. As early as 1860 Milwaukee had a high school program in the attic of an elementary school in the Brady St. area. After several fires and increasing enrollment, East Division High School opened in the late 1880s. By 1906 ground was broken for a state-of-the-art building at 1615 E. Locust St. (East Locust Street was known at the time as Folsom Place.) Using then modern technology, the architect increased the window size by using a steel frame designed to bear the weight of the building. This also allowed for less restrictive and cheaper construction. This new design attracted local residents as well as residents in surrounding areas. The design was that of a four-story U-shaped building with a three-story square building inside. The buildings were connected via five skywalks on the second "main" floor for access to the auditorium and two stairwells to access either basement level gym, nicknamed "the dungeon." " The dungeon" is now home to the liberal arts and theater department. This room is used for rehearsal purposes as well as final dress rehearsals. Many of the buildings around the school were inspired by the Elizabethan and Romanesque facade of the school.
The new building, dubbed Riverside High School, opened for classes in the fall of 1915. The school was also known as East Division High School until the mid 1980s. East Division was a typical early 20th century high school with a mostly Caucasian student population. The population was segregated at the time because many local residents on the east side of Milwaukee only attended. It was considered the neighborhood school.
Until the 1930s or 1940s Riverside did not have a school cafeteria and lacked a full library. By then, Riverside had received a renovation and a three-story addition that added a third gym and a full cafeteria to the rear of the building, turning the U shape of the school into a square on all but the fourth floor. The third gym was originally intended to be a new pool, but cost and a looming war made it a want, not a need.
By the 1970s Riverside High school, like many older urban schools, was in a state of rapid decay. The windows leaked water and snow and made the building's heating system unable to keep the staff and students warm. Nearly all aspects of the building were in disrepair. It was decided that a second addition and a renovation were in order. After a careful review, the building was retrofitted with new Plexiglass windows. The new windows yellowed over time and blocked much of the sunlight, as well as covered most of the window frame. A new building was added next to Riverside that included a six-lane 25-yard pool, a gym larger than both the original gyms combined, two auto shops, a foundry room, two metal shops, a drivers education room, the Anzivino Computer Lab, a fitness center, and more general classroom space. This extra space allowed the third floor cafeteria to be converted into a large library with three special media centers, while the basement level gym was turned into a cafeteria. The new building made Riverside compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 by adding street level and basement level ramps, as well as adding a second elevator; the original elevator is now used primarily as a service elevator. This new addition made Riverside one of the excelling schools in the City. It was one of the first to have wheelchair accessible classrooms and floor levels.The addition also added three open "commons" areas, the Cafeteria Commons, the Pool Commons and the Leonard Commons (named after Larry Leonard, a former assistant principal, coach, and special ed teacher who passed in 2003), often used for gatherings. In 2008, the school began renovating the Leonard commons by adding two flat screen televisions often displaying photos of the school, different events, art work, and information, square-wooden seats, and carpet. The new addition created several dead spaces rarely seen, including the old gym seating behind a wall on the first floor near the rear hallway, and the staircases. The staircases run from the first floor to the fourth floor and are located between the old building and the new building elevator.
Along with several other schools in Milwaukee, the 1980s saw major curriculum changes for Riverside. Advanced Placement classes were added and the school was rededicated as Riverside University High School. The nickname "East Division High School" was dropped from the daily lexicon. With its new partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Riverside had transformed itself from a decaying urban school into one of the best AP based high schools in the nation. Riverside is one of the best performing schools in the metropolitan Milwaukee area. Along with Rufus King High school, Milwaukee HIgh School of the Arts, and Milwaukee School of Languages, Riverside is considered one of the best high schools in the city. In recent years Riverside has made Newsweek's list of best high schools in America. (2008-2010) Riverside also excels in sports with excellent varsity teams and the current state record holder in the 100 meter dash.
Riverside also use the slogan "It's a great day to be a tiger," created by Riverside Physical Ed teacher, Mary Fowlkes.