Message from the Director of Academic Programs
At Riverside Presbyterian Day School, educators, students and parents gather in a partnership that produces a vibrant, developmentally sensitive educational community.
Sharon B. Steedley
Director of Academic
Programs
The happy, formational years within the RPDS Early Learning Center provide an excellent foundation for the excitement of Grades 1-6, within which students learn through endless opportunities to explore, examine, discover and understand the world around them. Talented professionals nurture students to think creatively, to work cooperatively and to approach tasks logically, while they provide careful instruction in the academic skills necessary for future success. At its heart, RPDS is a community rooted in faith and committed to providing a challenging academic curriculum, while it remains sensitive to the development of the whole child.
As the academic demands increase with each year of maturation, RPDS provides a supportive educational environment that continues to balance an emphasis on individualized learning with the need for children to participate within a nurturing, close-knit community. With this in mind, the curriculum at RPDS is designed to recognize students’ individual needs and learning styles, at the same time guiding students to practice strategies for successful learning partnerships. Through the use of a broad academic curriculum providing exposure to rich literature, world cultures, studio art, music, science, mathematics, social studies, academic computing, physical education, spiritual formation and personal growth, students are equipped with the skills necessary to become life-long learners. It is our goal that students will grow to understand that their education and their lives should be balanced spiritually, cognitively, and physically if they are to be truly prepared for success in secondary school, in college and the future.
The success of any education community depends upon the people who comprise it. Riverside’s dedicated and talented faculty embodies the school mission and vision that have fostered our proven success in educating children. There is a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning that thrives at RPDS in both teachers and students. Educators at RPDS model the habits and behaviors required to become life-long learners as they challenge our students to grow in this way. In turn, this enlivens our classrooms with innovative teaching that inspires and challenges both the students and teachers to continue this cycle of renewal.
I hope you will consider joining us at Riverside Presbyterian Day School as we train the Hearts, Hands and Minds of Jacksonville’s children as they begin their fulfilling and successful life’s journey.
Sharon B. Steedley
Director of Academic Programs
