Holley Riva

Holley Riva joined Renbrook in 2025 as a Junior Kindergarten Partner Teacher, bringing warmth, enthusiasm, and a deep love of early childhood education to the Beginning School. After graduating from Berkshire School in 2019, Holley attended Elmira College, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Childhood Education with a concentration in English as well as her Master’s degree in Education. She also completed Orton Gillingham training and has spent the past four summers tutoring students with dyslexia one-on-one, strengthening her commitment to meeting each learner where they are.

Holley teaches children ages four and five, embracing what she describes as a time when students are learning how to learn. In her classroom, children build foundational literacy skills, including the alphabet and the early stages of writing, while also developing cognitive abilities and fine motor strength. Just as importantly, Holley prioritizes emotional regulation, teamwork, problem-solving, and kindness. She reminds students that big feelings are normal and that learning how to navigate them is part of growing up.
What Holley loves most about teaching is the moment a child solves something independently. Seeing their faces light up with pride and confidence is, for her, what education is all about. She believes deeply that there is more to a child than academics and makes it a point to learn about each student’s personal interests and how they best receive support and encouragement.

Holley was immediately drawn to Renbrook’s strong sense of community, describing it as a place where everyone feels like family and where people show up for one another. In addition to her classroom role, she will be coaching softball this spring and brings her lifelong love of ice hockey, which she played growing up and continues to coach, into her active lifestyle. She also enjoys the beach, hiking, reading, family time, and lifelong learning. Born in Boulder, Colorado, Holley now shares her home with her Golden Retriever puppy. She lives by the quote, “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new,” encouraging her students to take risks and embrace learning with courage and joy.