Our Staff

Administration

Nicole Simon and Mark Smith

Mark Smith and Nicole Simon are the Executive Directors and Co-Heads of Riverday School. Their unique talents and dedication to the mission and philosophy of the school brings the school to life and benefits each family who walks through the doors. Mark and Nicole divide their time as teachers and administrators. Riverday School is fortunate to have them in the leadership position.

Teachers

Nicole Simon

2nd & 3rd Grade Teacher
If you would have asked me as a child what I wanted to be when I grew up, Teacher would have been the furthest from my mind. I struggled as a student both academically and behaviorally and did not particularly like teachers. When I was in fourth grade I had a wonderful teacher that simply “liked” me. For the first time in my life I thought of myself as a capable learner. Even though my future teachers didn’t find me as “likable;” I knew that I could learn, just not the way they were teaching.

I graduated in 2003 with my Masters in Teaching from Washington State University. My lofty goal was to be my fourth grade teacher and change the way students thought of school and themselves. I got my first job at a local independent private school, and found what I was destined to do.

I have found that my experience as a student has made me a better educator. I can identify with being frustrated and misunderstood. Being part of a Positive Discipline school has made me better aware of why kids do what they do, and how I can facilitate them as they navigate through their education.

I have two kids of my own that went through the private school experience and I am very proud of what great teenagers they are today. I am a strong believer in that the journey is more important than the destination.

Mark Smith

4th & 5th & 6th Grade Teacher
I believe that your experiences growing up influence the important life choices you make as an adult. I had many amazing teachers growing up that made me realize that I was a very capable person. They allowed me to be who I was and appreciated the way that I did things. When I was a senior in high school, it clicked that the teachers that I respected were passionate about their jobs. I wanted to have a career that I was passionate about. More importantly, I wanted to have the opportunity to make an impact on people’s lives in a positive way. I decided then that I wanted to teach.

I have been teaching for almost twenty years and it still feels as exciting as the first day of student teaching (but without the nervous vomiting before going to work). My favorite days are the ones when we are all learning, even me, for when we stop learning we stop growing as people.

I love that I get to make a difference every day. As a teacher I believe that I have high standards for my students and I strive to make sure that they know that I will be here to help them meet those standards. I also work at making sure that my students know that I care about them as if they were my own kids.