History

Historical records indicate that the first school house in Wading River dates back to approximately 1813. This school house was located on North Country Road. In the late 1800's, another school was built further east on North Wading River Road. This school house was located in the Wildwood State Park area. These early school houses were referred to as the "upstreet" and "downstreet" school houses. From the 1930's until the construction of our present school in 1963, students were taught in a three room wooden school house (which was located on the present site of Wading River School). This school housed students in grades K through 8.

When the Riverhead schools centralized in the 1950's, the Wildwood area children were included in the Riverhead Central School District and have attended schools in that district ever since. To make way for the present elementary school, which was built in 1963, the three room school house was torn down and the present school built. Additions to our present school were made in 1967, 1975, 1982, 1987, and 2000.

Of the five Shoreham-Wading River Schools, the Wading River School is the only school located in the town of Riverhead. The present Wading River School is a one level building with 28 classrooms on 9.6 acres. Currently, the school houses grades 1 through 5, with a student enrollment of over 400. For many years, the building consisted of grades K through 8. With the opening of the Middle School in 1972, grades 6 through 8 were relocated to the Al Prodell Middle School in Shoreham. Due to increased enrollment in Wading River, kindergarten students were redistricted to the Briarcliff School in Shoreham in September 2001, creating our current configuration of grades 1 through 5. Our school includes state-of-the-art computer/technology lab, Internet access in all classrooms, a Library Media Center with over 20,000 volumes, a full-size elementary gymnasium, an all-purpose room, an Art room, and two music rooms.

The Wading-River School has a strong tradition of parent involvement, both with our PTA and with parents visiting our school to volunteer for many school activities. Some of these activities might include Book Fairs, Arts in Education programs, Science Fairs, PARP (Parents As Reading Partners), the Reflections program, T.V. Turnoff Week, Blood Drives, and many other school/community related programs. Our students are taught in a child-centered atmosphere, which promotes life-long learning and reading. Our teachers incorporate many different instructional modalities in an effort to challenge and support all types of learners. The Wading River School staff truly believes that all students should be able to learn in a safe, caring, and supportive environment, which is rewarding and fun for our students.