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Mrs. Rhonda Matson Elementary/Middle School Principal

Welcome

Thank you for stopping by to see what Riverside Christian School is all about. My name is Rhonda Matson. As the Elementary-Middle School Principal of Riverside, I appreciate the opportunity to share my love for the school and its people – faculty, staff, parents and students. Riverside is a family-like community, where we work together to provide an excellent education from a biblical worldview. It’s Christ-centered, which means we look at our academics through the lens of scripture, striving to be sure all we do is for the good of our students and for God’s glory.

Riverside’s teachers love the Lord and they love their students. Teachers not only pray for their students daily, they pray for direction from the Holy Spirit to meet each individual student need, spiritual or academic. They are the living curriculum, walking out a life of faith as they challenge their students with academic curriculum that is designed to grow students in problem solving, discipline and a love of learning.

You may have noticed “Teaching and Equipping Tomorrow’s Christian Leaders” in our logo. We take leadership seriously. Our students are given opportunities to develop Christ-like leadership skills in many ways including, but not limited to, sitting on school-wide committees, peer leading classroom project-groups and participating in prayer-partners, in which an older student mentors a younger student. Christ-like leadership involves serving and putting others first. We are pleased that our students have many opportunities to serve our greater Grand Forks/East Grand Forks community.

If you would like to find out more about Riverside, please feel free to give us a call or stop in. We would love to give you a tour and answer any questions you may have.

 

 

Our Mission

Riverside Christian School exists to provide a Bible-based education, centered on Christ, equipping students for a lifetime of learning, leadership, service and worship.

Vision Statement

Riverside Christian School will be an accredited Pre-K through Grade 12 school, providing the finest academic programs and co-curricular activities to the greater Grand Forks area.

Our Foundation

Faith Statement

"and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. " 2 Timothy 3:15

"For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:21

  • “and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” II Timothy 3:15“

 

  • "For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” II Peter 1:21
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  • “and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” II Timothy 3:15“

 

  • "For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” II Peter 1:21
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  • “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

 

  • “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19

 

  • “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30

 

  • “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” John 5:28-29

 

  • “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:9

 

  • “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” I Corinthians 12:12-13

 

  • “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26-28

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. " Acts 3:19-21

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:9-10

"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

  • “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. John 3:16-19

 

  • “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from to life.” John 5:24

 

  • “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

 

  • ”But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! Romans 5:8-9

 

  • “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10

 

  • “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” Titus 3:5

  • For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:13-14

 

  • “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” I Corinthians 3:16

 

  • “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” I Corinthians 6:19-20

 

  • “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

 

  • “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18

"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one or the Lord our God is one Lord Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31

 

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:31

 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

""You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

 

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,”

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

 

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, Or How amazing are your thoughts concerning me God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand--when I awake, I am still with you.

If only you, God, would slay the wicked!

Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!

They speak of you with evil intent;

your adversaries misuse your name.

Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,

and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?

I have nothing but hatred for them;

I count them my enemies.

Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139

"Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

 

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:26-27

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:27-28

 

"The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”" Genesis 2:18

 

"So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs Or took part of the man’s side and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib Or part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." Genesis 2:21-24

 

"“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 19:4-6

 

"“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, Some early manuscripts do not have and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh." Mark 10:5-8

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." Hebrews 13:4

“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death." Exodus 22:19

“‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord. Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her. Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that would dishonor your father. Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere. Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you. Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister. Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative. Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s close relative. Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt. Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her. Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would dishonor your brother. Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness. Do not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living. Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period. Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife and defile yourself with her. Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molek, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable. Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion. “ Leviticus 18:6-23

 

“‘If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he is to be put to death, and you must kill the animal. If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be publicly removed from their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible. If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her monthly period, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them are to be cut off from their people. Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible.” Leviticus 20:15-19

 

“While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods.” Numbers 25:1-2

 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28

 

“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.” Romans 1:26-27

 

“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.” 1 Corinthians 5:1

 

“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:18

 

“But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband” 1 Corinthians 7:2

 

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5

 

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Hebrews 13:4

 

“For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.” 1 Peter 4:3

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

 

"If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. " Philippians 2:1-16
 
"Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22

FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MATTERS OF BELIEF AND CONDUCT The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For matters of faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline at Riverside, our Board of Directors is the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.  

The history of Riverside Christian School is one that has taken many turns. We walk faithfully with God to see all that He has blessed Riverside with. We are thankful and give praises to the one and only sovereign Lord for the blessings He has given this school. 

  • 1982 - Shema Christian School was started

    A group of parents wanting a Christian education for their children came together and created Shema Christian School in 1982. Shema Christian School begins with only 1 teacher and 5 students in grades 1-3.

  • 1983 - January

    A kindergarten teacher is added, and three more students enroll.

  • 1984 - Growth

    As additional grades are added, the school moves to a bigger space in Grace Baptist Church.

  • 1989 - Middle School

    A second location is needed to house the growing enrollment, so grades 5-8 moves into space in Immanuel Lutheran Church, just a few blocks away.

  • 1993 - Name Change

    The name of the school is officially changed to Grand Forks Christian School. Enrollment continues to increase!

  • 1995 - Land

    Mr. and Mrs. Burt and Betty Johnson donate 10 acres of land at the south end of Grand Forks in hopes to build a school at this new location.

  • 1996 - New plans

    Enrollment is at an all time high of 127. Plans are drawn up for a new school building.

  • 1997 - Flood

    A massive flood devastates the city of Grand Forks in April. Both churches sustain heavy damage. The school loses everything in its library, kindergarten room, and main office. After a summer of frantic clean-up and rebuilding, school starts on time in August. The main school office and grades K-4 are back in Grace Baptist Church. The library, now located in a small modular building set up outside Grace Baptist Church, is filled with dozens of boxes containing hundreds of books donated from all across the country--a momentous cataloging job awaits our part-time librarian and her army of volunteers! Grades 5-8 are now in a temporary modular building at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Enrollment drops to 110, but compared to the drop in the public schools, we are retaining a better percentage of out students.

  • 1998 - Moving Forward

    Plans are made to break ground on the new building in the fall. Enrollment drops only slightly to 103 for the '98-'99 school year, so the school goes ahead with the ground breaking on the new building on September 4, 1998.

  • 1999 - Progress

    Progress on the building is slow and it will not be ready for the '99-'00 school year. Grades 5-8 are moved from the temporary modular building to more permanent space at Faith Evangelical Free Church in the Fall. Enrollment drops again to '93.

  • 2000 - Building Project Halted

    Enrollment drops again to 85 and special assessments on the new building and land come in much higher than expected. With the building fund depleted and donation dropping off, the school puts further work on the new building on hold.

  • 2001 - Enrollment Increases Again

    Enrollment finally begins to increase again to '92.

  • 2002 - A New Opportunity

    A former elementary school building (Valley Elementary) goes up for bid in East Grand Forks. The building, used as a school for grades K-6 until 1997, had been home to the EGF City Hall and some law offices for several years following the flood (which had devastated much of East Grand Forks as well). Now, with the new city hall completed and the other tenants moved out, EGF decided to sell the building. After much prayer and research, the school board decides that relocating to the Valley Elementary building is considerably more economically feasible than continuing construction on the new building on the south end of Grand Forks. After receiving permission from the Johnson estate to sell the land and partially constructed building at the south end of Grand Forks, the school tenders an offer to EGF. After the first round of bidding in January, the city does not award the building to anyone. After the second round of bidding in May, the city finally awards the building to the school in June. The school takes possession of the building on July 19, and families and teachers begin the process of returning the building to its original purpose. Remodeling work goes at a frantic pace. Moving day for the K-4 rooms is August 8th. Moving day for the 5-8 rooms follows soon after. The office moves in last and school begins on time, August 29, 2002. Along with the new location comes a new name. Grand Forks Christian School is renamed Riverside Christian School.

  • 2003 - Preschool Program Begins

    Riverside Preschool opens its doors to 4 and 5 year olds to provide an opportunity for children to grow, explore,and learn.

  • 2006 - Prek-3 Class Developed

    After a successful year, a 3 year old class is added to the Riverside Preschool Program.

  • 2011 - Establishment of PTO

    Riverside Parents form a PTO to enhance and support the educational experience and the spiritual growth of all the children at RCS.

  • 2018 - Winging it to Washington

    Riverside 7th and 8th grades embark on a trip to the Nation's Capitol after a year of intense fundraising. Students have the opportunity to explore and learn the rich history of our country with a biblical worldview.

  • 2019 -Riverside Represents MN in the National Christmas Tree Celebration in Washington DC

    Riverside Christian School is selected to represent the state of Minnesota in the National Christmas Tree Celebration in Washington D.C. Every year, one school is selected from each state to create handcrafted ornaments that will adorn smaller trees to represent each state, district, and/or territory that surrounds the National Christmas Tree. The Riverside Christian School middle school students (23 students) diligently create unique ornaments with art teacher Eva Branvold for the Minnesota tree.

  • 2020 - Riverside Christian High School Opens Its Doors

    Riverside Christian School announces the opening of their high school beginning in August 2020 led by High School Principal, Tiffaney Primeau. Offering over 200 classes, Riverside Christian High School's personalized education approach tailors instruction through online and on-sight classes offering flexibility that caters to each student's needs and strengths.

Cindy Waind

Principal

Cindy Waind has served has the principal of Riverside Christian School for the past 5 years.  She leads our team with 15 years of prior teaching experience as a 1st grade teacher.  Her love of Jesus shines through as an effective and admired leader by the faculty and staff of the school.  

Her daily morning routine is to walk the halls of Riverside to pray for each and every student and teacher.  

The school is blessed to have a caring, compassionate, and faithful principal like Cindy Waind.