Riviera Preparatory School
Private Schools in Miami for Grades 6 through 12
Founded in 1950 and rooted in the Miami community for more than seven decades, Riviera Preparatory School offers a college preparatory experience built on the belief that every student deserves to be known — by name, by strength, and by potential. With small class sizes, dedicated faculty mentorship, and programs that challenge students across academics, the arts, athletics, and leadership, Riviera prepares students not just for college acceptance, but for the lives they will lead after.
Middle School at Riviera Prep — Grades 6 through 8
The middle school years are among the most formative — and the most underserved — in a student’s education. At Riviera Prep, we take them seriously. Grades 6 through 8 are designed to give students the structure, mentorship, and intellectual challenge they need before the demands of high school begin, without sacrificing the sense of belonging that makes those years meaningful. For families exploring private middle schools in Miami, it is a distinction worth looking for.
Academic Preparation That Builds Independence
Core subjects advance each year, with opportunities for honors and high school-level coursework that challenge students while their teachers remain accessible, invested, and genuinely attentive to each student’s progress. Students strengthen writing, critical thinking, organization, and communication skills while beginning to take real ownership of their learning.
College and Career Awareness Starts in Sixth Grade
Rather than treating college planning as a stressful, last-minute experience, Riviera introduces students to possibilities early. Beginning in sixth grade, students are encouraged to think about their future in a way that feels approachable and personal, exploring strengths, discovering interests, and building a sense of direction alongside faculty and counselors who know them well. It is one of the qualities that sets Riviera apart among private middle schools in Miami.
Guidance That Goes Beyond Academics
At Riviera Prep, support isn’t a separate department, it’s woven into the daily experience. Through Thrive Time, our advisory program focused on social-emotional learning, communication, and self-awareness, students develop the maturity and interpersonal skills they need to navigate complex academic and social environments. Afternoon tutorials, counseling support, and faculty mentorship round out a structure designed to help students thrive inside and outside the classroom.
A Middle School Life Worth Showing Up For
Student life at Riviera Prep gives students reasons to be proud of where they go to school. Signature experiences include:
- Spirit Week and Pep Rallies
- Bulldog Breakout Week: travel, team-building, and learning beyond the classroom
- Grade-level trips, including Islands of Adventure
- 8th Grade Formal and Bridge Ceremony
- Competitive athletics: basketball, soccer, volleyball, cross country, and tennis
- Clubs and electives spanning STEM, arts, academics, and personal interests
These experiences build the leadership, collaboration, and school pride that distinguish Riviera among private middle schools in Miami and that students carry with them into high school and beyond.
High School at Riviera Prep — Grades 9 through 12
High school at Riviera Prep is where ambition meets structure. It’s a program designed to develop independent, well-rounded young adults who are prepared for college and everything that comes after it — not just applicants who check the right boxes.
Families exploring private high schools in Miami often look for an environment that combines academic rigor with genuine mentorship, real-world experience, and a culture that values character. That is what Riviera has built over more than seven decades, and what continues to define the experience for students in grades 9 through 12 today.
A Curriculum Built for Intellectual Depth and Personal Discovery
Riviera offers a thoughtfully designed curriculum that meets students where they are while pushing them toward what they’re capable of. With nearly fifty Honors courses, thirty AP classes, and a robust Dual Enrollment program, students can pursue advanced study across core subjects, STEM, the arts, business, and the humanities.
Signature academic programs give students the opportunity to go deeper in areas that matter to them:
- Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Biomedical Science: a nationally recognized pathway that connects coursework to real-world healthcare and science careers
- High School of Business: a focused academic track integrating business, entrepreneurship, and finance across the high school years
- Honors and AP coursework across core disciplines
- Dual Enrollment for college credit
- Electives spanning engineering, computer science, digital media, public speaking, and the performing arts
Students also have access to ISP’s global programming, including Model United Nations, the Artists program, and Chess Masters, experiences that extend learning beyond campus and connect Riviera students to a wider community of peers across the network. It is the kind of breadth that families consistently seek in private high schools in Miami and rarely find in one place.
College Counseling That Feels Personal, Not Transactional
College planning at Riviera is not a senior-year sprint. It is a four-year process built on relationships, self-knowledge, and steady preparation.
Students work closely with dedicated academic and college counselors who take the time to genuinely know them. Not just their GPA or extracurricular list, but their goals, their strengths, and the kind of environment in which they’ll thrive. Through dedicated planning resources, students can research colleges, track deadlines, build personalized lists, and collaborate with their counselor throughout the process.
Four Years of Guidance — By Grade
Riviera’s counseling program provides structured, personalized support across all four high school years:
Grades 9–10: Counselors guide students in course selection, help students explore extracurricular opportunities, and begin building a strong academic foundation and personal résumé.
Grade 11: Students meet regularly with counselors to research colleges, prepare for standardized testing, and develop a balanced and thoughtful college list.
Grade 12: Focus shifts to applications, personal statements, recommendation letters, and scholarship planning, with comprehensive one-on-one support every step of the way.
A Community That Reflects Who Your Student Is Becoming
High school at Riviera is more than an academic credential. Students who graduate from Riviera leave with a track record of growth spanning the classroom, the field, the community, and their own character. The values of honor, honesty, and genuine care for others are not posted on a wall; they are practiced in daily life at school.
Riviera graduates earn admission to colleges and universities across the country each year, with scholarship recognition reflecting the preparation and character they bring to their applications. It is one measure of an education designed, first and foremost, to produce people who are ready — and one reason Riviera has been among the most trusted private high schools in Miami for more than seven decades.
See Riviera Prep for Yourself
The best way to understand what Riviera Prep offers is to experience it in person. We invite families to submit an inquiry and connect with our Admissions team, who will be happy to answer your questions, learn more about your student, and personally invite you in for a tour.