E. Rivers Elementary School, located at the corner of Peachtree Battle Avenue and Peachtree Road, has the distinction of being one of Atlanta's oldest public schools.
Originally called Peachtree Heights School it opened its doors in 1917 as a two-grade school house on the current site. The land was donated by Eretus Rivers, the developer of Peachtree Heights. Enrollment and faculty grew steadily through the first decade.
In 1926, the school was renamed for Mr. Rivers as a tribute to his outstanding service on the Board of Education and in the community at large. In 1948 the original stone structure burned to the ground in a furnace fire accidentally caused by a maintenance worker in an attempt to destroy a wasp nest. While planning and construction for the new building were underway, classes were held at The Temple, Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, and Garden Hills Elementary. When the new structure opened for class in 1950, it received an architectural award for excellence in design and was featured in Time Magazine. The architects were Stevens and Wilkinson.
In addition to the Haynes Manor and Peachtree Heights East neighborhoods, E. Rivers draws students from Brookwood Hills, Peachtree Hills, Collier Hills, Loring Heights, Berkeley Park and Underwood Hills. As enrollment grew in the early 2000's, it became apparent that a new, larger facility would be needed to allow for future growth and to provide students with access to the latest technology. In 2013, construction began on the 112,000 square foot, state-of-the-art complex organized into 56 classroom learning environments and designed to accommodate up to 900 students. Designed by Collins Cooper Carusi, the facility was completed in 2014, images below.
Prospective Parent Information
Parents can visit the E. Rivers campus, observe classes in session, and learn more about the curriculum, policies, and extracurricular activities. Tours are generally offered on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 9:30 am.
