Overcrowding at Riverwood Causing Safety Concerns

A Riverwood International Charter School source told Patch that overcrowding has caused safety concerns. The source also believes that school administration increased the number of students in order to receive magnet funds.

Principal Chris Triolo resigned earlier this month to be closer to family and accepted a position in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System in North Carolina where he previously worked. His last day is Wednesday

Parents say Riverwood’s ideal capacity is about 1300. Currently more than 1,700 students attend. 

One of the school’s two safety officers is shared with Heards Ferry Elementary. “That leaves one officer to cover the whole campus,” the source said. Because students are frequently in and out of the school, doors are left unlocked, the source added.

Riverwood started the current school year with 309 students from outside the attendance zone, according to the source. The governance board voted to allow 50 additional students from outside the zone to bring the total to 359. However, by mid-December, there were more than 460 students at Riverwood from outside of the zone.

The source complained that overcrowding has jammed hallways and impacted student traffic flow.

The governance board recently voted to limit incoming Riverwood students to children from Ridgeview Charter Middle School; out of district students who have a sibling at Riverwood; and children of teachers and faculty at the school.

Last week, Patch reached a Fulton County spokesperson for a comment on the overcrowding problem at Riverwood and is awaiting a response.

Patch will continue to follow this story.

See also:

Riverwood Exeriences Another Change in Principals

The Other Controversy at Riverwood