My kids are about to go into 8th and 6th grade. We have been at this school for 6 years. If you are looking for a school that is nurturing and loving to each and every student, don't look any further. No school can mimic the experience we are getting at RHLS. If your number one priority for a school is the best and newest facilliies, don't come here. If you are looking for a principal and staff that genuinely cares for your child, consider RHLS. I would definitely NOT listen to the reviews below that are from families who do not attend our school. If you need to ask questions, feel free to reach out to me via Yelp and I'll answer any questions. read more

If I could give less than one star I would. This school talked a really good game at their info night, but in reality, they're not interested in the kids. They were terrible with communication, the Principal is very stand-off ish and gossipy. The teacher who "assessed" my son was arrogant and condescending. I really wanted to like this school, but I was very disappointed. Avoid. My son is now thriving in public school, so I guess this was a blessing in disguise? read more

My daughter has attended Riviera Hall Lutheran School since her TK year in 2018 and we have loved every aspect of our experience at this beloved school by the sea. The school environment and culture from the teachers, principal, and administration are always top notch as they really take the time to get to know the children, their needs, and instilling the school's core values of love, respect, and responsibility. The opportunity as a parent to be on campus and volunteer is encouraged and available to all the parents. The principal's door is always open to parents and she loves fresh ideas on how we can make our school and community a better place. The families are a tight knit and welcoming community that support and encourage their children to thrive. Every year each one of her teachers has been an absolute pleasure to work with and they have strived to make your child's school year a memorable and successful one. If you're looking for a Christ-centered top notch education in a smaller school environment, RHLS is the best out there and we are beyond blessed to be a part of the school and RHLS community. read more

We never attended but only toured so I am only commenting on what I observed. I am also writing this because I think this school lacks diversity and fair representation. I only applied since I had some close friends who had heard "good things." When I toured I found the facilities to be run down and the principal did not seem engaged or interested in establishing a connection with me. I left thinking this place looks so downtrodden but yet the children seem happy so I continued with the application process. I found the communication I received to be sterile and lackluster at best. They didn't even spell my son's name right. Save yourself time and energy and keep searching if looking for a faith based school. They may treat kids that attend their preschool better. I also believe they probably treat the individuals who attend their church better so these families may enjoy this school. I truly think you will feel like an outsider if you don't attend this church and that this is an extremely close knit community lacking in diversity. So sorry but this needs to be said. When my son shadowed I was in shocked and saddened that there is such a lack of diversity. I think inclusivity is so important in this day and age so i felt compelled to share this. Be careful when applying is all I can say and you can contact me for further details. Wishing you all health and wellness read more

Due to the constraints and unprecedented times following the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to switch from a public school to private school for our first grader. After a couple of recommendations from other parents and comparing to about 5 other local private schools, we decided to go with RHLS. The school is very welcoming and friendly. You will notice every staff from the principal, teachers, and all the administrative assistants are all very attentive and kind. From the first moment when corresponding over phone and email conversations with principal, Ms. Kelly McCabe, she took time out of her busy schedule (in between classes and after the start of the first week of school) to answer all of my questions. There are options for either in-person attendance in school or distance learning at home (depending on your family's situation during the COVID pandemic). We opted for the distance learning approach as our child has health risk factors. We are very pleased with the curriculum and our child's growth and development. Our family and especially our son adores his teacher, Mrs. Anderson, and speaks very highly of her. I am impressed by her teaching techniques in keeping the class orderly while attending and meeting the needs of every single child! She is so attentive and while observing her teach, you can sense her joy and passion in being a teacher; she is amazing! There are also additional classes: computer, STEM, Spanish, and religion classes which are all awesome! In all, I feel RHLS prepares my child with wisdom to be a creative and innovative learner with faith, kindness, compassion and love. For those who are looking for a better learning environment for your child, look no further... RHLS may solve your problems. Thank you RHLS for being so AWESOME! read more

The teacher Ms. Anderson was the person to give my daughter her assessment test to see if she would be accepted into her first grade class. She took my daughter right away into a room and told her dad and I to go walk around the building and wait behind a gate. This was the first time my daughters met her and I can tell she would be a little nervous with us not being with her or at least seeing where we would be waiting. Right after her test the teacher comes out and says she doesn't know any of her numbers or letters in front of our daughter which she felt sad about later. Later that day she said the teacher just gave her paperwork and didn't explain to her what to do. She was on her phone most of the time during the test. She made mean faces to her when getting something wrong and when she was trying to count she told my daughter to count quietly in her head. She is 5 years old and I don't think the way this teacher conducted the test was appropriate. read more

This school has SO much potential under different leadership and a couple new teachers. I am very happy this is my child's last few days at RHLS. It has been a difficult journey. I describe the academic and staff culture as toxic. You see and feel it overtime not right away. The middle school lacks so much and the teachers are just not available, or equipt in my opinion. The worst part is the feedback that parents provide falls on deaf ears, and A LOT of parents are unhappy. The whole religious aspect is a selling point, they are not consistent in the way they treat students or parents. By they I mean leadership and some staff. Principal Kelly spends no time in the class room observing teachers, she does not study the lesson plans to check for quality and value, she is very unfriendly and not a pleasure to be around. Parents I have spoken to have a very low opinion of her leadership skills and most believe she just doesn't care. I have often questioned why she is even there. If I knew then what I know now, We would NOT have attended RHLS. I only see positive reviews displayed, the non recommended ones that I just happen to see and read ring very,very true. I found myself agreeing out loud! read more

I have two children attending RHLS. When I enrolled my son, I didn't know what to expect as I have no other experience with private schools. To be honest, I felt intimidated and nervous. I'm happy to say that this community has become so dear to me. The school prides itself on it's three main values: love, respect and responsibility. It shows. The older students are kind to the younger students and all grades genuinely support and encourage each other. The parents are also encouraged to volunteer their time and stay engaged which only enriches the environment. The staff/PVO go above and beyond to make school fun, exciting & extra special for the kids. My son has never once complained about "having to go to school" and I'm sure my daughter will follow suit when she starts this fall. The staff also goes above and beyond to protect the integrity of the students. The students thrive academically and are offered many opportunities to further their knowledge with after school classes (music, Spanish, sports, etc.). There's an after school S.T.E.M./crafting class that my son absolutely loves. The piano teacher is one of the most kind and encouraging people I have met. All in all, we are so pleased with our decision to enroll our kids here! read more

This is our first year at Riviera Hall, our son is in the TK program and I am so happy to see his excitement for school each day. He comes home with so much to talk about and is already learning such important lessons from the school core values: love, respect, and responsibility! He even got a special award from the principal for displaying the core value respect, if you could've seen his face! Small gestures like that really encourage children to take ownership of their choices, so cool. The staff are quick to respond to emails and questions, are kind and courteous and have a heart for the students. I'm blown away by our experience thus far and am just so thankful this school exists as an option for our family! read more

My children love RHLS. We were first introduced to this school by my children's preschool when we were looking for a Transitional Kindergarten program. We had intended to just do TK and then move to another school, but 6 years later and we are still at RHLS! My children have thrived at the school. I love the small, caring community that offers personalized attention and reminds children to respect and be kind to one another. Every staff person/teacher knows my children and I feel that they are well cared for in this environment. They are challenged academically, have daily PE, and are provided with several programs (gardening, Spanish, STEM, etc.) that further enrich their learning experience. read more

My opinion is based on time spent at RHLS, not just a semester. As a Christian school I Do not find this school to practice what they preach and advertise. The admin and staff at this school are phony and disingenuous, I do not know how else to describe it. My wife and I do not like to feel like we are imposing on people, and the staff makes certain parents feel that way based on conversations with other parents; the teachers make you feel as if they have other things to do. There are times like during 15-minute relay conferences where they "ACT" like they care other than that there is NO open door. Academics-The program overall is weak on every level, in MANY classrooms. Take a look at the textbooks they use, their style of teaching, and ask them to explain how they get kids to MASTER a concept. They will not be able to because they are teaching kids 1000 useless concepts through worksheets and tests. The school tries to offer Science enrichment but the poor guy who runs it Mr. Unger is overwhelmed and spends a lot of time dealing with behavior issues. The kids get sent to the principal and no real ministry takes place. Kids that are at odds are taught to just exist with one another, fellowship and brotherhood are for someone else to spend time doing not the school -then why be at a Christian school? (that's my takeaway). In addition, Principal McCabe does not truly know if her teachers are effective teachers. The quality of the textbooks she authorizes says a lot. St. John Fisher is far more superior in that area. I do not send my child to St. Johns because we are not Catholic, and I do not want to spend time undoing some of the religious ideology. Leadership and Staff-Principal McCabe gossips about parents who speak up, or make suggestions, with other staff members imagine how that emboldens teachers to act towards the students of concerned parents? Principal McCabe acts very moody and inconsistent with parents and students, and instead of taking parent feedback into account her attitude completely changes towards parents. Several families have left the school largely due to Principal McCabe. Social Aspect-The staff is NOT diverse at all, and as a Caucasian I find that to be a major disadvantage. Children should be taught by teachers of all backgrounds so people of other origins are not foreign to them. As well as to ascertain the knowledge that the measure of an individual should be based on thoughts and character not ethnicity, but if you are only taught by one group or around one group your perspective is largely skewed and the kids lose out on the value people of different backgrounds possess. Again, we found this out over time, we thought surely things would improve as this is a Christian school. When looking for a school honest reviews from parents who have spent time I appreciate. If you are going to call yourself a Christian school, then make sure leadership and staff reflect that to all. This school as it stands is NOT WORTH THE INVESTMENT, it's not very different from the public schools. They have serious work to do, and the school knows it but I have to assume they do not care to make noticeable changes. I will say it may be time for leadership change. Principal McCabe may be a step up from the former Principal but the bar should be higher. RHLS deserves exceptional leadership, seasoned teachers and an innovative model while keeping with Christian teachings and fellowship. My child has a few close friends, and as an introvert it took him quit some time to make friends. That is THE ONLY reason we have not switched schools, or homeschooled. If things change, I will fairly and gladly update my post. read more

This school holds a very special place in my heart. When my son was in TK, he was introverted, lacked confidence, was uninterested in school. After TK, he blossomed into a completely different person. Ms. Steeves was able to help him gain the confidence he was lacking through her belief in him and her high standards. The teachers in this school really care for their students. read more

Really love Mrs. Opich the second grade teacher. She is committed to making sure our kids are learning. You can tell she really cares. She puts feedback on the kids homework which tells me she's not just checking it off that really interacting with us and she stopped me in the carpool line a couple of times to give me feedback on how my son is doing. read more

My child has attended this school for six years, what I value most is the community, with only one class for each grade, it's small and close knit school. The staff and families really get to know each other well over the years, it is the kind of place where there are plenty of familiar faces. I appreciate how involved you can choose to be as a parent, with many opportunities to be on campus supporting the school. I also greatly appreciate the core values of the school, which are expected behaviors of the children; Love, Respect, and Responsibility. read more

This is our 4th year at RHLS and our son LOVES it! Parents are always welcome and I think of it more as extended family than school. My son feels safe and loved and we as a family feel loved. I wish I had this opportunity when I was a child! The curriculum is outstanding and the staff truly cares for the children. We love RHLS!!!! read more

WE LOVE THIS SCHOOL! We have two children enrolled and are so happy. The staff and teachers have treated our children with love and respect. They have been a true example of God's love to our little ones. read more

This school gives such great core values of Love, Respect and Responsibilities. Christian values which are so needed now a days. Academically pushes the students to be the best they can. So happy our family has extended to our school family as well. read more

This is the best school! My son is in kindergarten here and he loves it. He learns so much everyday and they have so many wonderful programs like gardening and computer lab and Spanish built into the day. The staff is amazing! I can't imagine sending my kids anywhere else. read more

RHLS is a great school!! Everyone is very friendly and positive. We are very happy and satisfied to have our child at this school from kindergarten to middle school. Highly recommend! read more

My children have attended RHLS since pre-school! They were reading books before Kindergarten! More important than the stellar academics us the loving, supportive environment in which the kids are encouraged to explore, ask questions, make mistakes and learn. All the teachers and staff truly care for my kids- I feel it. I'm so grateful for this school and all the teachers and staff! read more

My girls have been going to Riviera Hall since preschool and they are in 7th and 4th. They consider RHLS their second home and my oldest daughter who only has one more year next year left is already devastated to leave her second home. I can't say enough about the community at RHLS. You hate to give your babies up to anyone but at RHLS you feel confident they are well taken care of and that they are getting an amazing education and learning about the Lord. I recommend RHLS to everyone! read more

LOVE this school! They teach our kids about Jesus, kindness, respect and responsibility. This school is home. Truly, the most common discussion amongst parents is how well behaved the students at the school are. This speaks volume to our community and is encouragement for families with younger children attending RHLS. Older kids on campus are great role models for the younger ones. Plus, everyone knows everyone's name. Friendly! Chapel time is darling and is like camp for kids! They love it and most importantly, my children love it! #grateful read more

My girls love this school! With small class sizes, caring teachers and excellent staff the school provides a positive environment for them to learn and excel in academics and in life. The extracurricular activities they provide such as STEM classes, sports, etc... provide for a well rounded education. read more

Absolutely love Riviera Hall Lutheran School! We have 3 boys attending the school (Preschool, TK, and 2nd). There is a big focus on character and spiritual development as well as academics. I love how the older children look out for and protect the younger children. Principle McCabe, Preschool Director Dorian and All of the teachers are always so receptive to feedback and willing to help out or offer their advice. The school feels like a family. I have made life long friends with many of the parents and I know my boys have made life long friends with their peers as well. read more

Best kept secret in the South Bay. We've been there for 9 years and still amazed by our amazing community. Love the school, love the faculty and most of all, I love the RHLS kids. read more

What an amazing little school this is! My son started kindergarten at RHLS in September and we have been having a truly positive experience. The teachers and staff are loving, patient and treat every student (and parent) with care and respect. We are very happy with our decision to begin our son's grade school journey here! read more

This little school by the sea is a very special place. My son attended K-8th and my daughter is currently in 3rd grade and it has been a great experience. As a smaller school the faculty and staff really get to know your child. My son isn't as out-going as some other kids. During his time at the school he was encouraged and supported to do things outside of his comfort zone such as Student Senate and Model UN. He developed a tremendous amount of confidence during his time at RHLS. There is a great sense of community and I feel as though my children are surrounded by extended family due to some of the close relationships that have been formed with teachers, staff, and student families. There are many opportunities for parents to volunteer (or not if that's your preference.) I feel the academics are strong and while that's very important to me I think I have to say it's some of the other efforts made to develop qualities such as Love, Respect, and Responsibility that are perhaps more important to me. I want my kids to be good people and the fact that this school echos the type of behavior and values that we try to instill in them at home is something I'm truly thankful for. read more

RHLS is a great school to develop the whole child. Emphasis is put on developing a well-rounded individual who is respectful, loving and contributes to society in a positive way. Prepares children to be successful in higher education but teaching core values, organization and responsibility. The community is very supportive of one another. As they say, it takes a village to raise our children, and this village has been a great fit our family. read more

We love Riviera Hall. The teachers and staff go above and beyond for their students, not only focusing on academics, but providing opportunities to give back to the community and offering a variety of extracurricular activities to fit different interests and personalities. RHLS provides that well rounded education we were looking for. read more

We love RHLS. Our daughter has been going to RHLS since Kindergarten and is now in Fourth grade. The class sizes are small and the teachers have all been great! All of the teachers have taken special, individual attention to our daughters growth and education. It is a wonderful small community within a large city. We love that she is gaining a wonderful foundation in her Christian faith and a great education at the same time. The families are all very friendly and the students are very polite and nice to one another. We can't say enough positive things about RHLS. read more

Absolutely love Riviera Hall Lutheran School. Our 3 boys attend the school and we couldn't be happier. We love how the older children look out for and protect the younger ones. Principle McCabe, Preschool Director Dorian and all of the teachers are all very receptive to feedback and are always willing to lend a helping hand. We have made life long friends with the other parents and our children have made lifelong friends as well. RHLS feels like family. read more

We love Riviera Hall! My son has been attending since Kindergarten and we are now in our 4th year. We love the caring and nurturing environment. He is truly thriving here and loves coming to school each day. The small community feel, loving teachers and overall atmosphere is really what brought us to the school. We love the Christian values he is learning at school and feel like RHLS is really growing him mentally, spiritually and emotionally! read more

Riviera Hall is a school where the whole child is respected and supported. Academic success is highly valued BUT the love of learning is nurtured as well. Acceptance of differences amongst the students creates a space where individuals can grow. students are exposed to a very strong experience with each of the subject areas as well as being part of a Christian based experience. I am thankful I found my way to the school. read more

From preschool to 8th grade, great memories have been made. This school offers great curriculum, great teachers, and countless other things. If you are looking for an amazing private school, this is the one for you. Pay them a visit and you won't be sorry read more

This is our 5th year at Riviera Hall Lutheran and my children continue looking forward to going to school everyday. I love that it is a small,but mighty school with a close knit community; you really get to know the families as well as the staff. The teachers have been accessible, responsive and willing to work with you on your child's particular needs. In addition to receiving a great education, the children learn core values such as kindness, love, respect, responsibility and honesty. One of the things I was most impressed with when I 1st visited the campus 5 years ago was how respectful and polite the older RHLS kids were; it's what is taught and expected of the youth here at RHLS. The school provides a very nurturing environment for the children and allows the parents many opportunities to be involved and show their support for their child and the school. There of course is a strong focus on academics and RHLS students are more than prepared for whichever High School they choose to attend. I believe balance is important and the school also provides great after school programs, exposure to a variety of the ARTS such as music, theater, art, public speaking (i.e. weekly in chapel, the Speech Meet, class presentations), physical fitness etc. Looking forward to my children growing, learning and making more happy memories here at RHLS. read more

RHLS is the best! The teachers and staff are a gem! They know all the students by name and make an effort to get to know them all. The academics are top notch, but more importantly, the children learn love, respect, and responsibility. Thank you Kelly, Coach King, Lyessia and the rest of the RHLS teachers and staff for making our school by the sea the best ever!! Love, MO read more

We love this school for both our kids!! We've been here since my daughter was in Kindergarten (she's in 8th grade now). The things that stand out to me the most are the sense of community, parental involvement and the breadth of an academic program in a small school environment. STEM, music, daily P.E., art, a garden program, and an emphasis on public speaking are just some of the offerings. Class sizes are small, after school enrichment programs are great for working parents who are just unable to take their kids to activities all over town. Most importantly though, is the emphasis on character (the stuff that is way harder to teach!). My husband was initially unsure whether this would be the right school for us as he had gone to public school and thought that would be fine. When he met some of the older kids at an info night and saw how kind, poised, and well-spoken they were - he was convinced that it was the perfect place for our family. Riviera Hall is a great choice! read more