From its humble beginnings in Bon Air, Virginia, in 1974, Riverside School has had one focus: to help children with learning disabilities. Riverside School was conceived in Pat DeOrio's basement where she tutored children from all over Richmond who were “falling through the cracks” academically. The parents of one of her students owned some property and asked if she would be interested in starting a school for learning disabled children there. The property included the original two-room Bon Air school built in the early 1900's.

Thanks to the success of the school's first capital campaign in 1989, the school grew to accommodate 5 classrooms, fourteen tutoring rooms, a kitchen, commons area, central office and other staff offices.

On the eve of the school's 30th anniversary in 2004, Riverside launched a campaign to fund transforming improvements to the campus. 2007 marked the end of this campaign, which surpassed its goal, raising more than $2 million to provide for significant expansion and facilities upgrades, and an expanded Teacher Training Program and funding for student scholarships.

Today, Riverside's campus includes a gymnatorium, 7 classrooms, 17 tuturing rooms, and an Expressive Arts studio. Now serving as Director Emeritus, Patricia Wolf DeOrio continues to shape an environment of unsurpassed excellence with principal Julie D. Wingfield.