The school was established in 1971. Riverdale Baptist Church had expanded greatly under pastor Richard Herbert Fitzpatrick, a noted Baptist preacher and televangelist born in Roanoke, Virginia and who became known nationally for the "Riverdale Baptist Hour". Fitzpatrick had previously founded a large church inConnersville, Indiana and served at Riverdale Baptist Church from 1964-1998.
Programs
Enrollment for the past several years has been over 900 students in three-year-old prekindergarten through the twelfth grade. Riverdale’s campus includes a gymnasium with weight room, athletic fields and enclosed elementary play areas. The Preschool and Kindergarten programs emphasize readiness and take a hands-on approach to academic subjects with the curriculum presented from a Christian perspective. Each school level has a dedicated computer lab with grade-appropriate software. The elementary program at Riverdale Baptist School emphasizes spiritual precepts, character building, and the skills and concepts necessary to academic advancement. These self-contained classrooms follow a carefully selected curriculum of learning in Bible, language skills, spelling, reading, math, handwriting, science and heritage studies. The middle school and high school departments each have a science laboratory. The middle school program emphasizes strong academics as well as an expanding Fine Arts program. The school day consists of a Bible class, four academic classes, physical education, and one elective. Riverdale Baptist high school program emphasizes a college preparatory curriculum with honors and advanced placement courses offered to academically qualified students. Over 50% of the high school student body maintains a 3.0 GPA in an intensive academic program that includes developing solid Christian character. On average, 96% of the schools seniors are accepted into four year colleges and universities each year.
Faculty and mission
Faculty members are all dedicated Christians who have a calling to minister in Christian Education. They have earned degrees from reputable Bible colleges, Christian colleges, and secular universities from across the nation. They are active in Church activities and ministries. Throughout the school year, days are set aside for attending conventions, conferences and in-house workshops to enrich and provide teacher development. Mission statement: Riverdale Baptist school exists for the purpose of providing the opportunity for all students to develop a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to receive a Christ-centered Biblically-based education.
