About Riverday School

At Riverday School, we challenge students academically while meeting each of them where they are developmentally. Our curriculum is built on differentiated instruction, and because of the student‑to‑teacher ratio, children who attend Riverday School are able to master foundational concepts while exploring topics of interest in greater depth.

Mission Statement

A mix of progressive instruction and experiential learning

We’re passionate about providing K–6 students with a safe, caring, and consistent school community. Respecting diversity and individual differences is as important as reading, writing, science, and math — in fact, helping children grow into well‑rounded, scholarly community leaders is part of the course work.

The Riverday Philosophy

We believe in the process of holistic learning

Our integrated curriculum spans disciplines and ages where students are expected to meet both academic and social challenges openly and willingly. Students are given the opportunity to make choices to reach their goals, which nurtures a learning environment where they understand that good choices result in privilege and responsibility.

Meet Our Staff

These are the folks that make the dream a reality

Head of School, TeacherMark Smith

Mark has provided engaging and exemplary education for kids of all ages for over twenty years. When he’s not teaching, he loves spending time with his family, going to concerts and college football games, and trying out new recipes.

Board members

Mandie SnyderBoard Chair

Chris Pendell

Testimonials

Our family moved to Spokane from out of state, and our son attended Riverday School for grades 4–6. The student-to-teacher ratio is the lowest we've ever heard of, so the instruction is really personal and individualized. At Riverday, the academics are grounded in real-world applications, and many of the projects the students work on are inventive and fun. Our son learned how to take responsibility for his own work and how to participate in effective multi-age project teams. The students learn from and teach each other as part of the process.

Riverday was exactly what our child needed in a school. He built confidence and skills, and once he graduated, he moved on to a public middle school with 750 students. He is performing well academically, he joined the football and baseball teams, and he has made good friendships. Riverday School was an important part of his development and growth, and we are very grateful to the dedicated staff for preparing him so well for the next stage in his academic career!

Annmarie and Lee

Riverday School changed the trajectory of my son, Seth's, life. Seth has learning and social challenges. Prior to joining the Riverday community in 4th grade, Seth had been in a different private school and tried two years of public school. While these schools were great for my other children, Seth spent most of his time hiding his face and in "fight or flight," which made learning absolutely impossible for him. The teachers at Riverday changed everything. They took a personal and investigative approach with Seth. They learned his style, his strengths, and his challenges. They collaborated with us and helped us know him better too. He has now successfully integrated into a bigger school for middle school and while he will always have some intellectual and social challenges, he has been set up for more success through his experience at Riverday. I cannot recommend their methodology, culture, and caring more. A heartfelt thank you to the teachers at Riverday.

Kristen

Riverday is an exceptional school and I am so happy we found it! It is exactly what we were looking for!

Mandie S.

I have twin kindergarteners who both attended public school in the previous school year. My son is special needs and I can’t even begin to say how wonderful Riverday is for him. In public school, we are sure he would’ve been lost. Riverday does an excellent job of tailoring education to his learning style; there are also several other children with different things happening and they do a great job of balancing all the different learning styles. Riverday has an excellent staff who are passionate about children and their education, and I couldn’t be happier about the experience so far.

Chris P.

Riverday School has been such a blessing to our son. He has been at the school for 3 years now. He has dysgraphia and is very bright. Riverday has given him individualized attention and challenged him as a student along with accommodating his learning differences. It is project-based, hands-on learning and the atmosphere is like family. For bright children with dyslexia or any learning difference, Riverday truly does change their educational experience and makes a difference in their lives.

Sabrina W.