During one of the deepest recessions in U.S. history, the private school raises $2.1 million to build a 21st century facility.

BY BETHANN STEWART - bstewart@idahostatesman.com

Copyright: © 2010 Idaho Statesman,  Published: 04/22/10

While the split-level angles of the new school’s roof cut across rainy skies in East Boise on Wednesday, the parents, teachers and students on the ground couldn’t have been happier.

“I like the X shape and the slanted roof. It looks futuristic,” said Atanasio Atanasio, 16 and a junior.

Riverstone International School offers International Baccalaureate programs for all grades K-12.

Now, the 165 elementary students will be in one place, instead of spread out in the trailers that had to be used when enrollment expanded beyond the original school’s capacity.

The new building sits on Warm Springs Avenue across the street from the new East Junior High.

“It’s fantastic,” said Will Madland, whose son is in kindergarten. “It’s big and open and has a sense of freedom. It’s warm without being too ornate.”

At a ceremony to mark the opening on Wednesday, Boise School District Superintendent Stan Olson congratulated the crowd on a job well done, calling the new building a model for every educational institution. Boise Mayor David Bieter applauded leaders for building one of the greenest schools in the city, in one of the showcase areas of town.

The 25,000-square-foot school building was designed to meet Idaho Power Co.’s “cool roof principles.” The concrete walls provide extra insulation.

Todd Schultz, energy efficiency program leader at Idaho Power, presented Riverstone leaders with a $16,639 incentive check for the building’s smart design. The school will likely save about $6,000 a year on energy, he said.

One wing of the school has been dedicated to the Boise company Keynetics, which helped fund the project. Eileen Barber, Keynetics founder and board member, has a son in middle school at Riverstone. “We just believe in the school and its teachers,” she said.