Why choose us

In 1950, the Coppock family founded Riviera Day School at its current location, creating a school built on high academic standards and a strong sense of community.

From the beginning, Riviera offered a safe, nurturing, and challenging environment where students could grow with confidence and purpose. That founding vision laid the groundwork for the vibrant school community Riviera continues to be today. 

In 1972, Lawrence Cohen acquired Riviera and began a new era of leadership grounded in educational excellence and deep care for students and families.

His vision helped strengthen Riviera’s identity as both a school of high standards and a home away from home. That legacy continued through the next generation, helping guide Riviera’s growth for decades to come. 

In 1998, Riviera expanded again with the acquisition of the West Building, which became Riviera Preparatory School.

This addition strengthened the school’s academic pathway for students in Grades 6 – 8 and reinforced Riviera’s long-term vision of offering a seamless, high-quality educational journey beyond the elementary years. 

In 2011, Riviera Preparatory School moved to a new, state-of-the-art campus set on nearly 14 acres just minutes from the original school.  

This expansion allowed the private High School in Coral Gables campus to support both Middle and High School students in Grades 6 through 12, while the original campus continued to welcome preschool through Grade 5. Together, the two campuses strengthened Riviera’s mission across every stage of the student journey. 

In 2015, Riviera marked a major achievement by graduating its first senior class. The moment represented more than a commencement ceremony, it reflected years of thoughtful growth, academic investment, and a deep commitment to guiding students through the full secondary school experience.

With this milestone, Riviera further established itself as a school prepared to support students from their earliest years through graduation. 

This was a transformative milestone for Riviera Schools as they became a proud member of International Schools Partnership - ISP.  

Becoming an ISP school was Riviera Schools gateway to a dynamic global network of world-class schools. It provided access to unparalleled opportunities for our students to collaborate across continents, engage in innovative learning projects, and develop the skills to thrive as true global citizens. The world just became our classroom.  

In 2025, Riviera Schools celebrates its 75th anniversary, honoring a legacy that began in 1950 and continues to shape new generations of learners. Over the decades, Riviera has grown from a single day school into a two-campus community serving Preschool through Grade 12. 

Throughout that journey, its commitment has remained constant - creating an environment where students are known, challenged, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential. 

In 2025, Riviera achieved AP School Honor Roll Platinum, the highest distinction awarded through the College Board’s AP School Honor Roll. According to the 2025 national report, Platinum status was earned by roughly 8% of eligible schools in the US and Canada, making it a meaningful marker of academic distinction.

The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs expand access to college-level coursework while supporting strong student outcomes. Eligibility is based on research-backed criteria linked to college culture, college credit, and college optimization, including AP participation, exam performance, and sustained engagement across grade levels.

For Riviera, this milestone reflects a high-performing AP environment that helps students pursue rigorous academic challenge with purpose and confidence. It also reinforces the school’s position as a differentiated choice for families seeking advanced preparation for college and beyond. 

Since 1950, Riviera Schools has built a tradition of academic excellence rooted in personal attention, strong values, and a supportive school community where students are known and encouraged to reach their full potential. That long-standing legacy is strengthened by a broad range of accreditations and memberships that demonstrate accountability, quality, and an ongoing commitment to growth.

Riviera holds accreditation at the state, regional, national, and international levels, including recognition from respected organizations such as AISF, Cognia, Middle States Association, Accreditation International, NCPSA, and NIPSA. For families, this means choosing a school with both a proven history and validated standards of excellence. 

Riviera Schools provides highly personalized college preparation, helping every student find their best-fit path. With a 100% college acceptance rate, dedicated counselors, accelerated academics, and hands-on support from Middle through High School, students build the confidence, skills, and independence to thrive at university and beyond.

Counseling begins early and continues through each stage, with students receiving guidance on academic planning, goal setting, course selection, and college research. Rigorous coursework and accelerated preparation help strengthen study habits and academic confidence, while college visits, workshops, mock interviews, and one-on-one advising give students and families clear support throughout the journey.

Riviera’s academic program is designed for students who are ready to be challenged, supported, and inspired to go further. An accelerated curriculum, reinforced through required summer reading and math preparation in the Preparatory School, helps students begin each year with strong foundations and the confidence to succeed.

As students progress, they can shape a path that reflects their strengths and ambitions. With a wide selection of 29 AP courses, Riviera offers meaningful opportunities for advanced study across disciplines, allowing students to build a rigorous and personalized academic journey.

At Riviera Schools, recognition reflects the depth of opportunity students experience every day. Through Project Lead The Way pathways in Engineering, Biomedical Science, and Computer Science, students engage in hands-on, project-based learning that builds collaboration, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving skills.

Riviera’s Environmental Club earned the prestigious Fairchild Challenge Gold Award, celebrating achievement in environmental science, sustainability, research, and creative innovation. With 29 AP courses also available, students can pursue college-level learning and shape an academic pathway aligned with their interests, strengths, and future goals.

Athletics at Riviera are an extension of the classroom, building discipline, teamwork, leadership, and school spirit through meaningful competition. With more than 45 teams across a wide range of sports, students have the opportunity to develop their skills and represent the Bulldogs in programs that include basketball, swimming, soccer, tennis, volleyball, golf, and cross country. 

That experience is strengthened by high-quality facilities designed to support training and performance year-round, including an eight-lane competition pool, a full gymnasium, a synthetic turf field, a fitness room, batting cages, and a dedicated tennis center with eight courts. Whether students are competing at a high level or discovering a new passion, Riviera athletics helps them grow in confidence, character, and pride. 

Student life at Riviera is shaped by leadership, service, and a strong sense of community. Through Student Council, honor societies, clubs, and student-led service projects, students develop the confidence to lead, represent others, and make a positive impact.

Service is central to the Riviera experience, with students contributing more than 20,000 community service hours each year while growing in compassion, integrity, and character. Global opportunities, including international exchanges, virtual programs, collaborative projects, and Model UN, further help students build cultural understanding, leadership, and lasting friendships.

Riviera Tennis Center gives students the opportunity to develop as confident, resilient players in a supportive, high-energy environment. Through afterschool tennis for ages 5–18, players can progress from beginner Red and Orange Ball sessions to intermediate and advanced Green Dot and Yellow Ball training.

Programs run year-round and support complete player development, with coaching that goes beyond technique to include footwork, fitness, strategy, and mental resilience. Students also benefit from mini-camps during school breaks, private coaching options, and access to dedicated tennis facilities at the Prep campus. As part of Riviera’s wider athletics offering, the Tennis Center strengthens skills, confidence, discipline, and a lasting love of the game.

Riviera's approach to wellbeing and learning support is centered on understanding every student as an individual. At the Day School campus, the Learning Center provides personalized one-on-one instruction for students who need additional support while also offering enrichment for advanced learners.

Support continues throughout each student's journey with after-school Learning Center sessions and daily tutorial periods for Prep students in Grades 6 – 12. Working closely with teachers, these programs create a caring environment where every learner feels supported and empowered to succeed.

At Riviera Schools, students build essential life competencies alongside academic knowledge. Through Social Skills for Life, they develop self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

At the Day School campus, these competencies are embedded through dedicated SSL instruction. At the Prep campus, Thrive Time provides weekly opportunities for personal growth through advisory groups, Second Step lessons, and school-wide gatherings. Guided by ISP's Life Competencies framework, students graduate as resilient and future-ready learners.

Fine and performing arts are an important part of the Riviera experience, helping students grow as creative thinkers, confident performers, and expressive communicators. Through programs in visual art, music, and theatre, students develop their talents, explore new forms of expression, and build confidence through practice and performance. 

These experiences come to life through annual exhibitions, concerts, and theatre productions that showcase student work and celebrate the artistic energy of the school community. Whether students are creating in the studio, performing on stage, or collaborating with peers, Riviera’s arts programs foster imagination, discipline, and pride in creative achievement. 

Riviera Schools brings STEM learning to life through Project Lead The Way, a nationally recognized program rooted in hands-on, project-based learning. Beginning in the Day School, students explore age-appropriate STEM topics such as robotics, animation, forces, structures, and the human body, building curiosity, confidence, and problem-solving skills from an early age.

In High School, students can pursue advanced PLTW pathways in Engineering, Biomedical Science, and Computer Science. Through research, design, and real-world application, they deepen their technical skills while preparing for university study and future STEM careers in a technology-rich, college-preparatory environment. 

Students grow with confidence when they feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. At Riviera Schools, safeguarding and student care are part of daily life, supported by rigorous safety protocols, trained security personnel, and comprehensive wellbeing programs.

Strong home-school communication keeps families closely connected, while personalized support ensures every student feels known and valued. Staff complete annual safeguarding training, and roles are subject to vetting and background checks, helping create a secure, nurturing environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

ISP schools are a shared ecosystem of innovation and ambition. Students embark on a dynamic and personalised learning journey, guided by the transformative Learning.First™ approach, unique only to the ISP family of schools. They learn through five pillars enriched by worldwide collaborations, solving real-world problems with peers across continents. 

This powerful combination of academic achievement, multilingual learning and international opportunities creates unparalleled future pathways, preparing students for top universities and global careers.