Riverside board approves K–5 configuration at Chatury and Riverside elementaries

The Riverside School District Board of Directors voted to establish K–5 configurations at Chatury Elementary and Riverside Elementary for the upcoming school year, the board announced after a staff study and discussion. The motion to approve the K‑5 plan was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote.

Superintendent Ken told the board the recommendation follows a multi‑year study that included staff surveys, parent and guardian surveys, meetings with teachers, and consultations with building principals. Ken said the district assembled a study team to evaluate academic outcomes, operational readiness and how the change would be measured going forward. "I feel really good from all of that analysis to recommend to you to make the decision to move to K5 at Chatury Elementary and K5 at Riverside Elementary for the next upcoming school year," he said.

Board members asked questions about costs, staffing, enrollment impacts and implementation timelines. The superintendent and staff said facilities, staffing and instructional materials have been planned, and that the district would track effectiveness after implementation. A written statement from absent board member Tim Fitzgerald was read into the record: "This proposal simply makes good sense ... This proposal has significant support from the parents, teachers, and school administration personnel as documented in the surveys. ... Therefore, I fully support it. If he were here, he would vote yes," the statement said.

Board members who had participated in the study session earlier said their concerns had been answered and expressed confidence in principals and staff to implement the change. The board did not record a roll‑call vote in the transcript; the motion carried by voice vote. The district plans additional communications and a follow‑up study session on community engagement in April to share implementation details and gather further input.

The decision reduces the number of transitions for students who otherwise would move between schools after fourth grade; the board and staff said they expect the change to improve continuity for students and families. The study materials cited parent satisfaction and internal capacity as key reasons for the recommendation. The district spelled the elementary name variously in the transcript ("Chaturoy," "Chatury," "Chattery," "Shadroy"); the district materials used in the study consistently referenced the same school and the board motion identified it as the elementary targeted for the K–5 configuration.

The board moved next into business items and approved several curriculum and policy measures that district staff said will support classroom instruction and operations.