Riverbend Classroom Upgrade! #Neurodiversity!

Riverbend Community School is an independent school located on 99 Church street in Moncton, New Brunswick. We are a school for neurodiverse students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD as well as gifted students or students just looking for a different learning experience! We have been in operation for 6 years. This year was difficult for our school and we made the heartbreaking decision to shut down just a few months ago. However, due to an outpouring of support and encouragement from the community and parents, we were able to off-set a few costs of the building and have decided to stay open! The kids have been through many ups and downs this year wondering if their school was going to close and fearful for their future after finally being successful here at Riverbend for the first time in their lives! 

I am Rebecca Halliday and I am the founder, director and teacher at Riverbend. Although we have managed to keep the school open, I am on a mission to give the kiddos who are returning to Riverbend this September a completely renovated and upgraded classroom! I want these kids to walk into their classroom and have it be the most inspiring, calming, engaging and exciting place they have ever learned in. 

Most times, the students who come here arrive having had a really negative learning experience and they feel pretty badly about themselves and their ability to learn. Kids with learning disabilities and ADHD require a unique classroom environment and special tools to support their learning. These are things like spark bikes, fidget tools, SMART board, flexible furniture, noise cancelling headphones, etc.

So far, we have received no outside funding from government or private sources. Every penny that we received is rolled right back into the operation of the building and program costs. Extras are just not something we can afford. But these kiddos really deserve the tools, furniture and environment necessary to help them thrive and learn in a way that works with their brains!

Investing in this mission will directly impact real kids who can be and WILL be our community's entrepreneurs, thought leaders, trade workers, academic scholars, you name it! But they CANNOT do it without the right environment and support. I am trying my best with what I have, but I'm hoping with your generous support, it could an amazing experience for these VERY DESERVING, differently wired students. 

The campaign will stay open longer than the 30th, but I'd like to reach my goal of $9000 soon so I can order the following items in time for the September reveal! 

S.M.A.R.T Boart - aprox $4000.00
SPARK Bike - $900
Flexible Ikea Furniture - $1500-$2000
Class Laptop - $1200.00 
Paint - $500
Class Set of headphones - $300
Lighting - $200

Thank you so much for considering donating to this project. Any contributors who donate will be acknowledge during the reveal in September. We will host an open house in September for all those who would like to come and visit the space!

Warmly,

Rebecca Halliday and the Riverbend Team!