- November 22, 2024
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Seabreeze-University Group Neighborhood Watch member Bradford Gonzalez (center, left) and Riverview Learning Center Principal Thomas Soli (center, right) gather the students, faculty and staff for a photo-op at the "We Care Celebration". Photo by Michele Meyers
Dr. Maggie Cotto (second from right) claps with students (left to right) Tanari Smith, Gabriella Rivera-Gamble, Nathan Seidel at the Riverview Learning Center and the Seabreeze Neighborhood Watch celebration. Photo by Michele Meyers
Retired Ormond Beach police officer Greg Stokes attends the We Care Celebration at the Riverview Learning Center in Daytona Beach. He works as a paraprofessional at the school. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview student Tanari Smith (center) hangs out at the We Care Celebration held at his school. Photo by Michele Meyers
Zone 2 Daytona Beach City Commissioner Ken Strickland (left) and Riverview Learning Center Principal Thomas Soli speak at the We Care Celebration held at the center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview students Trent Wynn (center) and Edward Turcotte (right) race at the We Care Celebration in Daytona Beach as Cody Vullamparthi (left) watches. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview Learning Center Principal Thomas Soli speaks to the group attending the We Care Celebration at the school in Daytona Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Fred Nolan(left) works as a paraprofessional at Riverview Learning Center and is also an assistant football coach at Mainland High School. Leroyal Cohen (right) is a student at the center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze neighorhood watch member and "We Care Celebration" organizer, Bradford Gonzalez, speaks to Riverview facutly, staff and students during the event held at the school in Daytona Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview Learning Center students listen to speakers during the "We Care Celebration" in Daytona Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview Learning Center students Chris Mouser, Weston Turner and Carson Spradley with school paraprofessional Fred Nolan (back) listen to speakers during the "We Care Celebration" in Daytona Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze neighorhood watch member and "We Care Celebration" organizer, Bradford Gonzalez, speaks to Riverview facutly, staff and students during the event held at the school in Daytona Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview Learning Center paraprofessional Rose Zerra (left) and social worker Verena Coes grab some shade while they listen to the speakers at the "We Care Celebration" held at the school in Daytona Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview student Chris Mouser (left), Principal Thomas Soli, paraprofessional Greg Stokes and teacher Ms. Stephens untangle the tug-of-war rope during the "We Care Celebration". Photo by Michele Meyers
Stephon Jenkins (left), Devon Robinson (center) and students play basketball during the "We Care Celebration" at the Riverview Learning Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview student Tanari Smith goes up for the shot as Stephon Jenkins (right) guards him in a pick-up game at the Riverview Learning Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze-University Group Neighborhood Watch chair Emily Nice (right) thanks the Riverview Leaning Center faculty, staff and students for being good neighbors at the "We Care Celebration". Photo by Michele Meyers
The Riverview Learning Center faculty, staff and students, the Seabreeze-University Group Neighborhood Watch, city commissioners, guests, police and firefighters gather for a photo at the "We Care Celebration". Photo by Michele Meyers
The Riverview Learning Center and the Seabreeze-University Group Neighborhood Watch collaborate to hold the "We Care Celebration". Photo by Michele Meyers
The Riverview Learning Center and the Seabreeze-University Group Neighborhood Watch collaborate to hold the "We Care Celebration". Photo by Michele Meyers
Tracey Remark (left) and Brenno Carillo (right) fish for some ice cream during the "We Care Celebration" at the River Learning Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach Zone 1 City Commissioner Monica Paris (center) and Riverview Learning Center Principal Thomas Soli (left) discovered they were both raised in the same neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York during the "We Care Celebration". Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview Learning Center faculty, staff and guests dance at the "We Care Celebration". Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach fire fighters Anthony Manousakis, Antwan Lewis and Tim Will were invited to the "We Care Celebration" to hang out and answer any questions the students might have about their jobs. Photo by Michele Meyers
Karen Kunar and Dennis De Rosia man the hot dog station during the "We Care Celebration" at the Riverview Learning Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riverview Learning Center faculty, staff and guests dance at the "We Care Celebration". Photo by Michele Meyers
Ryan Grutza grills hamburgers and hot dogs during the "We Care Celebration" at the Riverview Learning Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Music and laughter permeated the air surrounding the Riverview Learning Center as Principal Thomas Soli grabbed the microphone to address everyone attending the “We Care Celebration” on Wednesday, May 29.
The event came to fruition following the Volusia County School Board’s decision on Feb. 27 to relocate the program to the old Osceola Elementary School property in Ormond Beach. The transfer will allow all of Riverview’s students to be housed in one campus. The move was also spurred on by current building conditions.
“We wanted to have a community event to show that schools, specifically Riverview, and the Seabreeze-University volunteer group … have such a good relationship,” Soli said. “Thank you to all for making everything happen for the kids, teachers and also the community.”
Soli said Bradford Gonzalez, who lives across the street from the school and is a member of the Seabreeze-University Group Neighborhood Watch, approached him about organizing an event for the faculty, staff and students. Gonzalez said he hoped to let them know that the school was wanted in the neighborhood after reading newspaper articles about the board’s decision and attending one of the public meetings.
In March, about 80 people attended a contentious community information meeting at Osceola. Concerns included neighborhood safety and lack of transparency regarding the transfer of Riverview.
Soli suggested combining the annual “thank you barbecue” with the idea of a community event. They came up with the “We Care Celebration”.
“Really, it (the celebration) was to reinforce that the school and community can work together to care for the students, neighborhood and families we serve,” Soli said.
Gonzalez invited community members and officials from the Daytona Beach area while Soli contacted the Volusia County School District. In attendance were Monica Paris, Daytona Beach Zone 2 City Commissioner, and Ken Strickland, Daytona Beach Zone 1 City Commissioner. Riverview is in his zone. They were joined by Daytona Beach Police Department Capt. Jeremy Nikolow and three firefighters from the Daytona Beach Fire Department — Anthony Manousakis, Antwan Lewis and Tim Will.
Really, it (the event) was to reinforce that the school and community can work together to care for the students, neighborhood and families we serve - THOMAS SOLI, Riverview Learning Center Principal
During the event, Paris said she and Soli discovered they were raised in the same neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. She moved to the area in 2016, got involved in politics in 2021 and was elected as the Zone 1 commissioner in November 2022. She said when she was campaigning and door-knocking, she thought she was lucky to have the greatest neighbors who get along with one another.
“Then when I was going a couple blocks away, I found out there were other groups like this,” she said. “It’s very neighborhood-oriented and people do watch out for each other. People chose to move here.”
Tracy Remark, city of Daytona Beach Historic Preservation Board Chair and local resident, said Riverview was built in 1926 and is one of the oldest schools in Volusia County.
“We are going to miss you,” Remark said. “I am saying that for the neighborhood and saying it from my heart. This (the Riverview Learning Center) has been the best neighbor ever.”
Soli has been the principal at Riverview since 2022 and been in education for 28 years. He believes the school is a success due to his staff and the relationships they have built with the community.
“We change students lives for the better and get them back on track for success,” he said. “All our staff members really care about our kids and they are the number one reason for our success.”
Dr. Maggie Cotto has been with Riverview since 2001. It was her first full-time teaching job. She said she never thought teaching would be a calling because she did not like school as a kid.
“I love working with this particular community of students,” she said. “I have loved it all these years. Now I have students whose parents I’ve taught. That’s how long I’ve been here.”
Cotto said what works at Riverview that could work at other schools is the small student population, small class size and the low ratio of students to teachers.
Gregory Stokes retired from the Ormond Beach Police Department on Aug. 1, 2023 and started work as a paraprofessional at Riverview on Sept. 19, 2023. He was previously the school resource officer at Ormond Beach Middle School, with a population of close to 1000 students.
“Believe it or not, it’s less hectic than Ormond Middle,” he said. “It’s nice here. There are less than 200 kids here at any one time. They’re on their best behavior because they are trying to get back to their schools.”
According to the Volusia County Schools website, Riverview provides an alternative educational platform with focus on modifying behavior and social skills for students ranging from sixth through twelfth grades. Cotto said oftentimes students that come to their facility may not have had the behavioral skillset to be successful at a bigger school; therefore, developed negative relationships with the adults there.
Part of the hook for Cotto is the desire to convince the students that there are adults who care and want them to succeed.
“We don’t want you to fail or feel bad about yourself,” she said about the Riverview students. “Part of it is convincing them that school is okay and it’s okay to be smart. You don’t have to act like you’re not smart to be cool. I feel like it is a lot of changing their perspective.”
Cotto said the move to the Osceola property is bittersweet.
“We love it here,” she said. “We love the neighbors. They are so good to us. They all wave when we come to work. The cookie lady bakes cookies for us. The kids make giant Christmas cards for them. We get along so well here with everybody. I’m sure it will be fine there, it’s just the unknown.”
Soli said he would like to think that the move is a stepping stone to stronger relationships in both communities.
“As we move to the Ormond Beach location, we still will serve the students in Daytona Beach,” he said. “It would be great to have the support of both communities as we look for volunteers, role models and mentors for our students.”
