River Ridge Academy, 3050 River Ridge Drive: pre-K to grade 8, 1,134 students in 2024-25, rated Good on the state report card.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Sources: the school’s website; the Beaufort County School District’s attendance zone maps, 2026-27 academic calendar and school choice page; the S.C. Department of Education’s 2024-25 report card and report card data files; and the federal NCES school directory.
River Ridge Academy is a Beaufort County School District school for pre-K through eighth grade at 3050 River Ridge Drive. Because it covers both elementary and middle grades, the state rates it twice: Good for its elementary grades and Good for its middle grades on the 2024-25 report card. The school’s mission, its website says, is “to prepare children for a successful future by providing an environment that supports whole-child development.”
Who to call
- Front office: 843-836-4600, 3050 River Ridge Drive
- School website: rra.beaufortschools.net
- Enrolling a new student: register through the zoned school; the district’s registration page explains the steps. District office: 843-322-2300
- Which school is my address zoned for? the district’s attendance zone maps
- Buses: the district’s Bluffton area transportation supervisor, 843-706-8402, on the transportation page
| Address | 3050 River Ridge Drive, Bluffton, SC 29910 |
| Phone | 843-836-4600 |
| Grades | Pre-K to 8 |
| District | Beaufort County School District |
| School hours | 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. |
| State school ID | 0701038 |
Principal
Principal Brian R. Ryman, according to the school’s administration page.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: 1,134 students in the 2024-25 school year, according to the state’s report card.
- Federal count: 1,138 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 89 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 13 students per teacher.
State report card
South Carolina rates every public school each year as Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average or Unsatisfactory. An Excellent rating means “school performance substantially exceeds the criteria to ensure all students meet the Profile of the SC Graduate,” according to the state’s report card site. The overall rating is built from indicators such as academic achievement, preparing for success, student progress, English learners’ progress and school climate, with graduation rate and college and career readiness added for high schools.
2024-25 rating (elementary grades): Good, 57 points. On the state’s elementary school scale, Excellent 61 to 100, Good 53 to 60, Average 42 to 52, Below Average 34 to 41 and Unsatisfactory 33 and below.
| Indicator | 2024-25 rating |
|---|---|
| Academic achievement | Excellent |
| Preparing for success | Average |
| Student progress | Average |
| School climate | Average |
On the spring 2025 SC READY tests in grades 3 to 5, 76.7% of students met or exceeded expectations in English language arts and 69.5% in math; on the state science test, 61% did, according to the state’s report card data. Across the district, in grades 3 to 8, the figures were 60.5% in English, 46.4% in math and 49.7% in science.
2024-25 rating (middle grades): Good, 54 points. On the state’s middle school scale, Excellent 56 to 100, Good 48 to 55, Average 36 to 47, Below Average 29 to 35 and Unsatisfactory 28 and below.
| Indicator | 2024-25 rating |
|---|---|
| Academic achievement | Good |
| Preparing for success | Good |
| Student progress | Good |
| School climate | Good |
On the spring 2025 SC READY tests in grades 6 to 8, 67.2% of students met or exceeded expectations in English language arts and 45.2% in math; on the state science test, 67.7% did, according to the state’s report card data. Across the district, in grades 3 to 8, the figures were 60.5% in English, 46.4% in math and 49.7% in science.
The full report card, with test results by group, teacher data, school safety and spending, is on the state’s SC School Report Cards site. The state publishes new ratings each fall.
Attendance zone
River Ridge Academy has its own zone on both the district’s elementary and middle school maps. On the district’s 2024-25 maps, the whole River Ridge zone lies in the May River High zone; check the high school map.
The district says its maps are for reference only: Bluffton is growing fast, newer streets may not yet appear, and families should always confirm with the school. We did not find a published feeder list on the district’s site, so the pairings above come from laying the district’s elementary, middle and high school zone maps over each other.
Calendar and school hours
River Ridge Academy follows the district’s 2026-27 calendar. Coming dates from the academic calendar (PDF):
- Tuesday, Oct. 13: end of the first quarter
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day, no school
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day, no school
- Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 23 to Jan. 5: winter break; students return Wednesday, Jan. 6
School hours: 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. for both the elementary and middle grades, according to the school’s visiting page. Students may be dropped off from 8:15 a.m., the front office is open 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and there are no early dismissals after 3:15 p.m.
Programs
The district lists Montessori and Project Lead the Way as River Ridge’s choice programs for kindergarten to fifth grade; its Montessori program for grades 6 to 8 is open only to students zoned for River Ridge. Pre-K is offered at every district elementary school, according to the registration page. BCSD Choice programs let county families apply to a program at a school outside their zone; for 2026-27, applications were due Jan. 15, 2026, a lottery decides when a program has more applicants than seats, and the district does not provide buses to an out-of-zone choice school, according to the school choice page.
More
- The school’s own website and the district’s project page for the school’s buildings
- Every public school in Bluffton, with zones and report cards
- Our Bluffton schools guide for the district calendar, enrollment and the school board
Frequently asked questions
What grades does River Ridge Academy serve?
River Ridge Academy serves pre-K through eighth grade.
What is River Ridge Academy’s school rating?
River Ridge Academy was rated Good (57 points) for its elementary grades and Good (54 points) for its middle grades on South Carolina’s 2024-25 school report card, the latest the state has published.
Which high school does River Ridge Academy feed into?
On the district’s 2024-25 zone maps, the River Ridge Academy zone lies entirely in the May River High zone.
What time does River Ridge Academy start?
The school day runs 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., according to the school’s visiting page.
How do I know if my address is zoned for River Ridge Academy?
Check the Beaufort County School District’s attendance zone maps, then confirm with the school at 843-836-4600. The district says newer streets may not yet appear on the maps.
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