Riverstone and Golden Valley USD: A Winning Combination

June 16, 2018

For more and more of today’s homebuyers, education is a determining factor in the selection of a new-home community. A top-notch education in a safe, nurturing environment has always been top of mind for the developers of Madera County’s 2,000-acre Riverstone, which is evidenced by its strong partnership with the Golden Valley Unified School District.

Liberty High School’s baseball team—the Liberty Hawks—celebrates its first Valley Championship since 2009 following the team’s 4-2 victory over the Arvin Bears in the Division V Valley Championship game at Rawhide Stadium in Visalia.

Riverstone’s future elementary school is planned to feature 21st century classrooms, a state-of-the-art Library/Media Center, a dedicated music room, outdoor learning spaces, a large outdoor amphitheater and a dynamic sports complex.

“Riverstone’s willingness and passion in supporting our students and their families is admirable,” said District Superintendent, Andy Alvarado. “Whether it’s making a sizeable donation towards the construction of Sierra View Elementary’s new playground, or helping to ensure a safe and sober Liberty High School grad night, Riverstone is truly committed to making a positive impact in the lives of our community’s youth.” An acknowledgement of Riverstone’s involvement came from the Association of California School Administrators/Mariposa-Madera County Charter, which recently recognized the community with a prestigious Golden Apple Award for its long-standing service to Golden Valley USD.

The opportunity for a quality education will soon be available within Riverstone’s Lodge District residential neighborhood with the addition of a brand-new elementary school. Belonging to the GVUSD and anticipated to open in time for the 2021 school year, the innovative campus—which will be within walking and biking distance from Riverstone’s new homes—is planned to feature tech-forward 21st century classrooms, a state-of-the-art Library/Media Center, a dedicated music room, outdoor learning spaces, a large outdoor amphitheater and a dynamic sports complex.

An award-winning school district known for its technological innovation, Golden Valley Unified comprises nine schools serving nearly 2,000 students. The district maintains an exceptional student-teacher ratio of 24:1, and was named a Silver Award recipient for Best High Schools from U.S. News & World Report.

Golden Valley Unified continues to be the standard bearer for school districts in Madera County. GVUSD students’ mark for meeting or exceeding expectation was almost 11 percent higher than the state of California and nearly 25 percent higher than the rest of Madera County. Meanwhile, the District’s mark in math was almost eight percent better than the State’s and 22 percent higher than Madera County.

The district’s Liberty High School, named a California Distinguished School, boasts a graduation rate of 96.18%, which is the highest graduation rate in the region. In 2016, 60% of Liberty High students finished above a 3.00 GPA, and traditionally, approximately 65% of its Seniors graduate UC/CSU-ready. Not to be outdone by academics alone, Liberty High School is also recognized for its strong athletics program with league, division and valley championships in various sports. Most recently, the school’s Baseball team took home the championship trophy after its exciting 4-2 victory over the Arvin Bears in the Division V Valley Championship game at Visalia’s Rawhide Stadium. The big win—which was the team’s first Valley Championship in nine long years—was the culmination of hard work not only from the players, but also from the community, high school administration and the student body. Other Liberty High teams that won League or Valley Championships include Girls Soccer, the 2017-18 NSL Champions with a 99-0-1 NSL record over the last 10 years; Girls Track & Field, the 2018 NSL Team Champions; and Boys Tennis, the 2018 Division 5 Valley Champions.

North Sequoia League Individual Champions include Angel Lugo, the 2017-18 Individual Wrestling Champion; Greyson Hoelzel, for Long Jump, High Jump and Triple Jump; Kassidy Silva, for Discus; Hannah Chase, for High Jump; Sophia Napier, for the 1600 Meters; and Mitchell Bennett, the 2018 NSL Individual Champion in Shot Put.

Situated in the heart of the region’s path of growth, Riverstone—when complete—will total approximately 6,578 single-family, attached and multi-family homes, as well as commercial and mixed-use space including office, service and retail. Amenities at Riverstone are anticipated to include walkable neighborhoods, parks and open space, multiple community clubhouses, hiking and biking trails, a dog park, a community farm, historic olive and citrus groves, a sustainable water supply, and on-site schools.

For more information about the new-home community of Riverstone and its collections of new homes from D.R. Horton, Lennar Homes and McCaffrey Homes, homebuyers are encouraged to visit the community’s website at www.RiverstoneCA.com and add their name to the Interest List.