On Dec. 2, Riverview school district was declared provisional accreditation. This will be in effect starting Jan 4.

Riverview Gardens School District has been unaccredited since 2007. On the Annual Performance Report (APR), Riverview school district scored in the 30s. Fully accredited schools such as Oakville regularly scores in the 90s. Riverview Gardens superintendent Scott Spurgeon helped bring up the APR into the 70s which resulted in provisional accreditation.

“I’m worried about my son, but more about my daughter who is in 5th grade enrolled in Mehlville” said Shammera Smith, parent of Riverview transfer student.

Many transfer students are not excited about having to go back and have some concerns.

“Riverview is just not an option because I really don’t want to be there. My sister went there and ever since then her life has been messed up. It’s just drugs, violence, and it’s not an option… (My mom) wants me to get the best life that I can because she saw what it did to my other sister and ever since then she hasn’t been the same. She just wants me to get the best education that I can so that I can get a good job and provide for myself,” Eleshia Alavez (9) said.

Riverview will continue to provide transportation for the rest of the school year. As for the following school year, students will have to find their own transportation. This will become very hard for Riverview students who still wish to transfer.

“I’m tired of waking up early in the morning…I’m going to Jennings or Hazlewood,” Janeria Harris (9) said. “but I’m not going to Riverview.”

Mehlville accepts the transfer students with open arms. Mehlville school district’s four year plan is for transfer students to continue schooling in the Mehlville school district until their “natural break” (elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, or completing their high school education).