What grades does River Grove serve?

We currently serve grades K-5.

Is River Grove free? Who can attend? 

Yes, River Grove is a tuition-free public charter school. Any K-5 student who lives in Minnesota can attend River Grove.

Is River Grove part of a local school district?

No, we function as our own independent Minnesota District (#4254). We can make our own decisions quickly, enabling us to be responsive to our school community.

How many classes are there? How many students?

We currently offer 1 section of each grade level with a maximum class size of 25 students.

How long is the school day?

Our school day begins at 8:30am and ends at 3:15pm. We have a slightly longer day than neighboring elementary schools to allow for longer lunches, extra recess, and more time outside!

Is busing available?

Yes, we own and manage our own buses with four routes that service a wide area from Marine on St Croix down to Bayport, MN. Because we own our own buses and employ our own drivers, we have the flexibility to do more field trips to local historical sites, performances, and educational venues.

Do you provide school lunch?

Yes, we will provide hot and cold lunch options daily as well as a to-go breakfast.

Does River Grove’s follow the Stillwater School District Calendar (#834)

Because many of our families also have students in Stillwater Area Schools, we do consider Stillwater’s calendar when making ours, but they may or may not match exactly, depending on the nature of the calendar and the desires of our school community.

What is unique about River Grove?

Research shows that exposure to the outdoors has numerous long-term benefits to students’ intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development. Children are given an immersive environmental experience. We intentionally spend time outdoors for both free play and structured learning activities. River Grove students access the surrounding forest, including hiking and cross-country ski trails, “outdoor hallways,” outdoor learning settings, and a wide variety of natural surroundings that enable us to get kids outside for learning.

Who are your teachers? How do you differentiate for students of varying needs? 

We are proud of our fully licensed teachers and exceptional staff! Please read about our teaching staff on our website and contact us with your specific questions.

Our first goal is to make our students feel welcomed and supported in the classroom — this is the springboard for everything else!

We use a variety of authentic assessments, and include computer adaptive NWEA Map Growth Testing, to understand where our students are in their learning. Teachers and other instructional staff adapt curriculum and differentiate to meet a variety of student interests and needs.

How do you use technology in the classroom?

Although we are nestled in the woods, we have high-speed internet in all of our buildings. While not a regular part of programming, classes may use Chromebooks and other technology to enhance and enrich learning. We view technology as a tool for learning rather than a substitute.