Enrolment at École Riverside School is down a little bit from 2017-18, but the students managed to raise the most money they ever have for the Terry Fox Foundation, thanks to a water balloon fundraiser held in September.
Principal Jonathan Wamboldt said in September that the school had 370 students, down about 15 from the previous school year, but they far surpassed a goal of raising $1,500 for the Terry Fox Foundation.
“After over 20 years that Riverside School raised money for the Terry Fox foundation, this is by far the most dollar our students ever raised,” said teacher Martin Vermette, totalling $5,132. “Our school was deeply affected by cancer this year after two of our staff members [James MacDonald and Cynthia McGregor] lost their battle to cancer. So students really rose to the occasion to help in the fight against cancer. Way to go Riverside!”
For every $25 that students raised, they got to throw one water balloon at brave volunteers on a chilly late September afternoon, including school staff and Thompson RCMP Insp. Kevin Lewis and Staff Sgt. Colby Argue.
“There were 170 water balloons thrown at teachers and community members,” said Vermette. “Our two highest fundraisers were Liam Desjardine, a kindergarten student who raised $200 and Kirk Pankratz in Grade 2 who raised $180. Very impressive!”
Most of the teachers and other staff from the previous year returned, said Wamboldt, now in his fifth year as principal, including some who came back from maternity leave. The school also got new sod in the soccer field and a new paint job in the Grade 2 to Grade 4 area inside, to go with a new swingset and rocks on the playground.
The school offers both English and French immersion programs, with students being accepted into French immersion up to Christmas in Grade 1.
The school also has 160 students in its lunch program, with demand for more.
“We still have a pretty large waiting list,” said Wamboldt, but the school would need more lunch monitors in order to expand.
