Riverside Institute of Technology

Riverside Institute of Technology
Address
51 Ontario Street Riverside Buffalo , Erie , New York 14207 United States
Coordinates	42°56′51″N 78°54′20″W / 42.947427°N 78.905489°W / 42.947427; -78.905489Coordinates: 42°56′51″N 78°54′20″W / 42.947427°N 78.905489°W / 42.947427; -78.905489
Information
Type	Public, Coeducational
Closed	2019
School district	Buffalo Public Schools
School number	205
Grades	9-12
Campus type	Urban
Color(s)	Purple and Gold
Athletics conference	Section VI
Team name	Frontiers
Yearbook	The Skipper

Riverside Institute of Technology (formerly known as Riverside High School) was a public high school located in Buffalo, New York. It served Grades 9-12 and taught according to the Board of Regents. Riverside closed in June 2019 after years of low academic performance and safety concerns.

History[]

Riverside High School began construction in the late 1920s and was completed in time for the 1930 school year. Beginning in 1993, the school also housed the Buffalo Academy of Math and Science a magnet school for Grades 7 and 8. In 1999, the two schools merged and the name of the school was changed to "Riverside Institute of Technology", however, the Grade 7 and 8 component only lasted for a few years.

The building was renovated from 2008 to 2010. The new renovations included updated classrooms and improvements to the auditorium, as well as a new weight room, sports vailiion and football field. While the school was being renovated, 9th and 10th graders were temporarily housed at School 51 in nearby Black Rock, while 11th and 12th graders remained in the Riverside building.

In 2015, Riverside Institute of Technology began phasing out due to low academic performance. The final Riverside class graduated in 2019. It was replaced by the new , which opened in Fall 2017.

Former Principals[]

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

• Dr. Charles W. Whitney–1930-1944 (Assistant Principal - Hutchinson Central High School, retired)
• Mr. Raymond W. Spear–1944-1957 (Acting Principal - Bennett High School, retired)
• Mr. Carl S. Walz–1957-1971 (Assistant Principal - Riverside High School, retired)
• Mr. Michael J. Anelli–1971-1980 (Assistant Principal - East High School, named Principal of City Honors School)
• Mrs. Doris H. Erickson–1980-1985 (Assistant Principal - Southside Junior High School, named Principal of )
• Mr. Nicholas F. DiPirro–1985-1987 (Assistant Principal - Seneca Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of Hutchinson Central Technical High School)
• Mr. John J. Vella–1987-2004^[1] (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School,^[2] retired^[3])
• Mr. Michael J. Mogavero–2004-2010 (Principal - Buffalo Traditional School,^[4] named Director of Athletics for Buffalo Public Schools^[3])
• Mrs. Denise E. Clarke–2010-2015 (Assistant Principal - Riverside Institute of Technology, named Principal of Lafayette High School)
• Mrs. Ella M. Dunne–2015-2017 (Instructional Specialist - Bennett High School, named Principal of The International Preparatory School)
• Mr. Jerome J. Piwko–2017-2019 (Principal - Native American Magnet School, resigned^[5])

Former Assistant Principals[]

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

• Mr. Raymond Spear–1930-1942 (Science teacher - Bennett High School, named Assistant Principal of Bennett High School)
• Mr. Lloyd A. Miller–1942-1946 (Guidance Counselor - Riverside High School, returned to teaching)
• Dr. Irwin H. Himmele–1946-1948 (Vice Principal - Lafayette High School, named Assistant Superintendent for Buffalo City Schools)
• Mr. Lloyd Miller–1948-1952 (Guidance Counselor - Riverside High School, named Vice Principal of East High School)
• Mr. Robert C. McGowan–1952-1956 (Guidance Counselor - Lafayette High School, named Vice Principal of East High School)
• Mr. Carl Walz–1956-1957 (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Principal of Riverside High School)
• Dr. A. Benjamin Ravine–1957-1969 (Vice Principal - , took medical leave)
• Ms. Suzanne M. Kestner–1963-1966 (Social Studies teacher - Grover Cleveland High School, named Director of Social Studies for Buffalo Public Schools)
• Mr. Franklin R. Weitz–1966-1967 (Science teacher - South Park High School, named Assistant Principal of Bennett High School)
• Mr. Michael Anelli–1967-1970 (Social studies teacher - Riverside High School, named Assistant Principal of East High School)
• Mr. James A. Farley–1969-1980 (Social Studies teacher - Seneca Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of City Honors School)
• Mr. Summer Nunley [interim]–1970-1971 (Science teacher - Riverside High School, returned to teaching)
• Mr. Charles L. Sodaro–1971-1979 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Assistant Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
• Mr. John R. Robinson–1973-1974 (Science teacher - Clinton Junior High School, named Assistant Principal of Bennett High School)
• Mr. William F. Blomberg, Jr.–1979-1982 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, retired)
• Mr. Harry E. Adams–1980-1990
• Mr. Alfred H. Rasp–1982-1985 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Assistant Principal of Burgard Vocational High School)
• Mr. Gary R. Lopez–1985-1990 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, unknown)
• Mrs. Mary Agnes Scanlon [interim]–1985-1986 (Administrative Assistant - Riverside High School, returned to position)
• Ms. Susan M. Doyle–1990-1994 (Special Education coordinator - Buffalo Traditional School, named Principal of Buffalo Traditional)
• Mr. Thomas F. Vitale–1994-1999 (Educational Diagnostician - Buffalo Public Schools, named Principal of P.S. 42 Occupational Training Center)
• Mrs. Carol A. Wilson–1993-2007 (Business teacher - Riverside High School, retired^[6])
• Mr. Gary R. Lopez–1999-2010^[7] (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, retired^[8])
• Mrs. Louise A. Klier–2007-2009 (Assistant Principal - International School 45,^[9] named Assistant Principal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Institute^[10])
• Mrs. Denise Clarke–2009-2010 (Assistant Principal - Lafayette High School,^[10] named Interim Principal of Riverside Institute of Technology^[11])
• Mrs. Laura M. Samulski-Peters–2010-2014 (Academic Intervention teacher - Riverside Institute of Technology, named Instructional Specialist at Buffalo Public Schools)
• Mrs. Aarin J. Pelliteri–2010-2015 (Assistant Principal - Math, Science, Technology Preparatory School, named Assistant Principal of Emerson School of Hospitality)
• Mr. Jason B. Madden–2011-2015 (English teacher - , named Assistant Principal of Burgard Vocational High School)
• Mr. David B. Thomas, Jr.–2014-2015 (Dean of Students - School 115, named Assistant Principal of North Park Middle Academy)
• Mr. Patrick J. Doyle–2014-2017 (Math teacher - Riverside Institute of Technology, named Assistant Principal of The International Preparatory School)
• Mr. Martin S. Buchnowski–2016-2018 (Dean of Students - Riverside Institute of Technology, named Assistant Principal of The International Preparatory School)
• Ms. Colleen M. Cunningham–2018-2019 (Supervisor of School Leadership - Buffalo Public Schools, named Assistant Principal of Riverside Academy)

Former Administrators[]

School 51, where some Riverside students were housed during its reconstruction

* denotes interim appointment

Notable alumni[]

• Joe Ehrmann–Former defensive tackle for the Baltimore Colts
• Clifford Robinson–Retired NBA player, notably played for the Portland Trail Blazers
• Mike Williams–Wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League

Academics[]

Riverside had three small learning communities within its school: The Academy of Entrepreneurship, the Academy of Finance, and the Academy of Health Sciences. Students earned internships, college credit, and job shadowing through these academies. If successful, they graduated with both a Regents Diploma and a CTE endorsement in their academy from Buffalo Public Schools. Riverside also had multiple community partners, including Medaille College, HSBC, Kaleida Health, and the National Academy Foundation.^[12]

In 1990, Riverside was named a School of Excellence by New York State for its high test scores and attendance.^[13] It held this distinction for a number of years, but was placed on New York State's list of Persistently Lowest Achieving schools in 2010 due to poor test results and graduation rates.^[14] This resulted in a number of changes at Riverside, including a new administration and grant funding from New York State.

Bell Schedule[]

References[]

External links[]

• School Website