Riverdale Diner en Blanc Raises Funds for School District

Ron and Jillian Cain and Amber and Henry Hillman

Portland, OR. Nearly 100 supporters of the Riverdale School District in white attire came together for a white party benefit. Ron and Jillian Cain, and Amber and Henry Hillman enjoyed the festivities. The Diner en Blanc, on October 1st, was a French-Euro White Party with cocktails, dinner, and dancing. The secret venue (Waverley Country Club) wasn’t disclosed until the night before.

Star Sanaee, Maryam Bolouri, Jillian Cain, Amber Hillman, Soloumeh Saghafi, and Rania Nordean helped host the party.

Chris Sanaee brought out a top hat and cane.

From Riverdale: The Riverdale School District serves over 600 families living in a residential, wooded area seven miles south of downtown Portland, Oregon and adjacent to the city of Lake Oswego. (District Boundary map) The grade school is the only public facility in the neighborhood and is a focal point for community activity. Lewis and Clark College is located within the District. The Portland metropolitan area, with a population of 1.2 million, is the cultural and economic center for Oregon. Residents enjoy the benefits of a major urban area, while living within a short drive of both the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

The Riverdale Community has valued excellence in education for more than 125 years. The community prides itself on its independent status and voted to retain this independence with the passage of a bond in March 1996 to build a high school. Riverdale School District has always enjoyed widespread community interest, involvement and support.

The Riverdale Grade School offers a program for students in preschool through grade eight and provides a comprehensive and varied curriculum. The preschool through grade eight students benefit from a low student-teacher ratio. The grade school is organized as Primary (Pre-K-4), Intermediate (5-6) and Upper Grades (7-8) to allow for broad curriculum flexibility. The faculty includes specialists in music, second languages, physical education, library/media, art and special education/student services. Students also enjoy a diverse selection of enrichment programs. A Field Studies program involving students and staff combines learning experiences with the opportunity to explore Oregon’s many resources. Both Riverdale Grade School and Riverdale High School have state-of-the-art computer labs with computers networked throughout the schools and connected to the Internet. The new state-of-the-art LEED Gold Grade School facility was completed in August 2010.

Riverdale High School opened in September 1996 for grades 9-12. The high school is located at 9727 SW Terwilliger Boulevard in Portland, just two miles from the Riverdale Grade School. Riverdale High School has grown to a student body in the mid-200’s, while maintaining a low student-teacher ratio to maximize individual attention. In addition to resident students, non-resident students are encouraged to attend Riverdale High School on a tuition or inter-district transfer basis.

Riverdale schools focus first and foremost on the relationship between teacher and student, and the academic disciplines that bring them together. Students are required to demonstrate their understanding of a core subject matter through classroom work as well as demonstrations called “exhibitions.” These exhibitions provide a basis for accountability by asking students to show what they know. The focus of the high school is to help adolescents learn to use their minds well. Riverdale School District is committed to providing education for all students that is personalized, learner-centered, and academically rigorous.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.