The Riverwalk Roar

Happy Sunday, Pride!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! With the excitement of “Spirit Week 2.0,” the book fair, and Halloween celebrations coming up, it’s sure to be a week full of high energy and school spirit. I look forward to seeing all the fun unfold and our students engaging in these special activities.

In preparing for this busy week, I came across an article that got me thinking about the importance of community within our classrooms. The article, titled Helping Classmates to Get Along by Lory Walker Peroff, shares insights on building positive, “neighborly” relationships among students. The main idea is about emphasizing kindness, respect, and support rather than focusing solely on creating instant friendships.

This approach encourages students to be good neighbors to each other—acknowledging and valuing their classmates’ unique qualities and contributions. By doing so, we can create a welcoming classroom environment that allows friendships to develop naturally, without the pressure to make connections right away. It’s a shift that fosters an atmosphere of mutual respect, where everyone feels included and valued.

At Riverwalk Academy, our aim is to build a supportive community in every classroom, where students feel they have a place, a purpose, and a supportive group around them. Thank you for your partnership in supporting this vision and for encouraging these values at home.

Here’s to a wonderful week filled with excitement and a focus on what it means to be a great neighbor in our school community!

In Pride and Purpose,

~Dr. Compton