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Academic Excellence

Middle School

The Riviera Ridge Middle School Curriculum and Signature Programs are uniquely tailored to honor the individual development of each student.

At the heart of it all is our nurturing and experienced faculty as they lead with passion while also taking the time to build relationships with students and getting to know them as individuals.The Riviera Ridge Middle School experience provides a robust and vigorous curriculum to each student that fosters problem-solving and critical thinking skills through authentic learning opportunities layered with real-world applications, and hands-on activities.

Middle school students at Riviera Ridge school using the pool.

Middle School Core Curriculum

The Riviera Ridge School helps its students find their joy as they become active citizens of the world. Preparing students for the next stage of life is their strength and is why my family chose to send our daughters there from JK through 8th grade. ~ Lori Weathers (Alumni Parent/Trustee)

Middle School Signature Programs

Middle School Signature Programs include Kaleidoscope, Advisory & SEL Program, Honors Program, Success Seminar, CDEC & STEAM Studio, SEEK!, and STEAM2 Electives. Exploring our passions, diving deep into our studies, and seeking Purpose Beyond Ourselves, Riviera Ridge Middle School Scholars dream big, do more, and develop their own unique footprint as they prepare to contribute to their community as confident young adults.

Kaleidoscope

During the Middle School years, the Riviera Ridge vision for cultivating social responsibility and empowering individual potential grows even stronger.

In 6th grade Service Learning & Leadership, students learn about philanthropic leadership create their own Service in Action Project supporting a local or regional non-profit agency.

In 7th Grade, the study of Ethics and Morality allows students to reflect on how they make decisions and examine their own beliefs and moral frameworks, as well as the ethics of others.

In 8th Grade The Kaleidoscope Program culminates with a in-depth and comprehensive study of Comparative Religions. Our 8th grade leaders graduate from The Riviera Ridge School empowered with a profound awareness for empathy, love of diversity, and immeasurable purpose beyond self.

Learn more about our Kaleidoscope

Middle School Advisory & SEL Program

Now more than ever, we are proud of our unique and deeply rooted Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program at The Riviera Ridge School. As the mental health of all our children continues to be a priority of providing the highest level of academic excellence, numerous studies continue to support the positive long-term effects of social-emotional learning.

Social-emotional learning at all grade levels, with smaller strategic groups with targeted counseling goals like creating positive friendships, or with more individualized support for students going through a period that is particularly difficult. All Middle School students participate in a grade-level SEL course taught weekly by our school counselor, Anna Forterra, LCSW.  Middle School Parents are invited to participate in parent coffees and our Community of Belonging parent education series throughout the year.

Middle School Honors Program

The Riviera Ridge School offers a variety of optional Honors courses that meet 2 times a week before school starts for advanced students looking for additional learning opportunities.

Learn more about our Honors Initiative

Middle School Success Seminar

The Riviera Ridge Middle School Success Seminar is a universal learning support program to build individual capacities for lifelong learning through a student-centered curriculum.

Success Seminar, led and taught by our Middle School Division Coordinator provides all Middle School scholars with the unique opportunity to develop and implement individualized study skills and learn about their developing brain within an academic context.

Together, students explore the various functions and strengths of the adolescent brain to better understand how they each learn best as an individual. Students build the vital executive functioning skills needed to achieve personal academic success through regularly practiced strategies.

CDEC & STEAM Studio

The CDEC is a dynamic learning environment where students engage in hands-on projects that foster creativity, innovation, and problem-solving through design thinking, robotics and STEAM. Collaborations with classroom teachers from JK through 8th grade seamlessly integrate engineering, art, technology, and core academic content, providing every student with meaningful experiential learning opportunities. Through creative problem solving, coding, and design thinking processes, students build the confidence and skills needed to solve problems, achieve goals, and develop a creative innovator’s mindset.

In middle school Makerspace, electives and STEAM Studio, students further strengthen and enhance skills such as adaptability, collaboration and creativity. Using innovative tools such as 3D printers, cutting machines and robotics, students transform ideas into physical prototypes while exploring real-world problems through coding and engineering. Design thinking encourages empathy, effective communication and constructive collaboration among peers. The flexibility of the open learning space empowers both teachers and students to think creatively, work collaboratively and bring ideas to life.

STEAM Studio Course Description

STEAM Studio is a dynamic middle school course offered weekly to students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, designed to inspire creativity, innovation, and hands-on problem solving through the integration of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Students explore a wide range of creative and technical skills including logo design, 3D modeling, cardboard engineering, circuitry, coding, and game design. Through engaging, project-based learning experiences, students are encouraged to think critically, experiment with new ideas, and develop solutions to real-world challenges.

Using innovative tools and technologies such as multi-color 3D printers, robotics and cutting machines, students bring their ideas from concept to creation while strengthening collaboration, communication, and design-thinking skills. STEAM Studio fosters a creative environment where students learn to prototype, revise, and problem solve with confidence. Whether designing interactive games, building engineered structures, or creating custom projects with digital fabrication tools, students develop the adaptability and creative mindset needed to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

SEEK! Study | Experience | Explore | Know

Field and Study Tours

  • 6th Grade: Catalina Island
  • 7th Grade: Northern CA STEAM Tour
  • 8th Grade: Alaska STEAM Tour

Optional Trips

  • Stem: US Virgin Islands
  • Humanities: Boston & Washington DC
  • Visual & Performing Arts: NYC
  • Kaleidoscope Capstone: Southern California

Learn more about SEEK!

STEAM2 Electives
  • Surfing and fishing at Campus Point.
  • Learning to cook while studying the cuisine of Mexico
  • Designing a 3D tool for the International Space Station.
  • Practicing yoga in the Meditation Garden on a school day.
  • Singing and Dancing your heart out in a Musical.
  • Hiking and exploring local trails.

 

At The Riviera Ridge School, we believe that developing a critical curiosity is a benchmark of lifelong learning. Our STEAM2 elective program allows students to develop their talents, passions, and growth mindset through a thoughtful curriculum led by faculty who are passionate about teaching with deep knowledge and a genuine love of the subject matter. All of our classes are interdisciplinary in approach, which allows students to gain a deeper understanding of a variety of topics. We incorporate movement into our curriculum through field trips, projects, and hands-on activities since movement increases brain health, creativity, and innovation.

See Course Offerings and Certificates Available

Middle school students at The Riviera Ridge School