Kara Locke, Executive Director, Riviera Schools

In an interview with Invest:, Kara Locke, executive director of Riviera Schools, discussed its commitment to balancing academic rigor with student well-being, fostering cultural awareness, integrating technology and expanding experiential learning opportunities, including a structured internship program to prepare students for an evolving world.

What have been the most significant milestones for Riviera Schools over the past year?

At Riviera Schools, our vision is to continue being the school of choice for South Florida families by inspiring, challenging, and supporting our students to achieve personal success, act with integrity, and serve others. Grounded in a legacy of distinction, our campuses blend tradition with innovation, and our faculty and staff remain dedicated to a culture of excellence, growth, and care.

Riviera Schools will celebrate its 75th anniversary this year, marking a significant milestone in our history. Founded in 1950, this occasion is a testament to our enduring legacy, rich traditions, and the deep pride we take in our past. As we prepare to commemorate this remarkable achievement, we are focused on capturing the stories and successes of our exceptional graduates and the industries they shape.

We are living in an era of rapid change, where young people face increasingly complex challenges at earlier stages of their lives. Schools must remain grounded in their core mission and identity while adapting to the evolving needs of their students. Since joining Riviera, I have been continually impressed by our team’s ability to honor our foundational values while meeting the shifting needs of students, parents, teachers, and the changing landscape of colleges and universities.

Today’s students are presented with opportunities and challenges unlike those of previous generations. Our responsibility is to preserve what makes Riviera unique while ensuring our programs evolve to meet the dynamic needs of our learners. Over the past year, we have cultivated additional opportunities for student learning, assessment, and care, and opened new and engaging opportunities for our parents to partner with us as we foster a community of excellence.

How do you balance academic rigor with student well-being and extracurricular opportunities?

Balancing academic rigor with student well-being and extracurricular opportunities is a priority that I am passionate about. At Riviera Schools, we understand that academic excellence is essential, but success is measured beyond grades alone. To truly prepare students for college and the workforce, we must focus on their physical and mental health, as well as on developing critical life skills. Without this holistic approach, students are not fully equipped to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

In recent years, we’ve made student well-being a central focus. We recognize that it is part of our role as educators to provide comprehensive support to students. To that end, we’ve expanded our extracurricular and athletic offerings. Rather than simply offering programs we assume students might enjoy, we actively seek feedback from both students and parents about what they want to experience on our campuses. This ensures that our offerings resonate with their interests and provide students with the opportunity to engage in meaningful ways.

Additionally, we’ve broadened our extracurricular offerings by partnering with local businesses and organizations, bringing in industry experts to lead after-school programs. This approach not only provides students with exposure to new perspectives but also fosters mutually beneficial relationships with the community. On our Day School campus, we now collaborate with community partners specializing in chess, architecture, dance, STEM, and acting offering students a deeper and more engaging afterschool learning experience.

Beyond extracurriculars, we’ve also strengthened our student support services. This year, we added two mental health counselors — one at the elementary school and one at the prep school — to provide more comprehensive support for students. We’ve also introduced a structured life skills curriculum to ensure that students have the tools they need to succeed beyond academics. For younger students, this includes hands-on activities that promote skills such as cooperating with others and effective communication. For older students, we focus on building skills in self-advocacy, self-reflection, and resilience. This holistic approach ensures that students not only excel academically but also develop the emotional intelligence and life skills they need to navigate their futures confidently and successfully.

How does Riviera prepare students for success in higher education, especially as college admissions become more competitive?

At Riviera Schools, we are deeply committed to preparing students for success in higher education, especially as college admissions become more competitive. We ensure our academic offerings are both rigorous and continually evolving. For being a relatively small school, Riviera offers an impressive range of courses, including AP classes and specialized programs in business, biomedical sciences, engineering, and architecture — all essential components of a college preparatory education.

However, academic rigor alone is not enough. College readiness extends beyond just classroom content. We emphasize experiential learning, encouraging students to engage with the world beyond textbooks and standardized tests. Last November, we invited local nonprofit leaders to campus so that students could learn about these organizations, and explore volunteer opportunities. One ninth-grader, in an impressive display of self-advocacy, asked whether his nonprofit could also be included in the line-up. This led us to discover that many students at Riviera have launched their own organizations, prompting us to expand the event to include student-run nonprofits alongside external ones. This experience exemplified the confidence and initiative we strive to cultivate in our students and highlights the impressive accomplishments and drive that they embody.

In addition to academic rigor and experiential learning, we constantly assess how we can help students develop transferable skills — the business and college-ready skills that will serve them as industries evolve. As the world changes rapidly, students must learn how to apply knowledge in a variety of contexts. We focus not only on content mastery but also on adaptability and problem-solving, ensuring that students are prepared to thrive in a dynamic future.

A key element of our approach is fostering agency within students. We’ve created a school culture where students feel empowered to respectfully challenge ideas and confidently present their own. The fact that a ninth-grader felt comfortable advocating for his nonprofit illustrates the supportive, engaging environment we’ve built, where every student is encouraged to take ownership of their learning and future.

In this way, Riviera ensures that our students are not only academically prepared but also equipped with the skills and confidence to succeed in the highly competitive college admissions landscape and beyond.

How is Riviera incorporating technology and innovation into learning?

Technology offers both immense opportunities and complexities in today’s educational settings. One of the most exciting opportunities technology brings to education today is the ability to rethink student assessment and personalize learning in ways that were never before possible. While we’ve always known that students learn at different paces and in various styles, technology now provides the tools to tailor education to each individual’s needs.

Emerging technologies enable students to engage in hands-on experiences, such as virtual dissections or interactive learning modules, rather than relying solely on traditional assessments. These innovations empower students to explore and learn in more dynamic, engaging ways that enhance understanding and retention of knowledge.

This shift also requires us to rethink how we approach teacher training. Many technologies now transforming education did not exist when today’s educators were initially trained. As a result, we are prioritizing professional development to ensure that our teachers are equipped to integrate these new tools into their classrooms effectively. Next year, we will offer structured training opportunities to provide continuous education on the latest advancements and best practices in technology integration.

One of the most significant challenges we face is creating a safe space for teachers to embrace their learning. It can be difficult for seasoned educators to step into a new learning curve, but adapting is no longer optional — it’s essential for meeting the evolving needs of our students. The good news is that our faculty has been incredibly receptive to this journey, demonstrating a shared commitment to growth and a willingness to embrace change to provide the best possible education for our students.

By fostering a culture of continuous learning for both students and teachers, we are ensuring that technology serves as a powerful tool for enhancing education and preparing students for the future.

How is Riviera adapting to students’ evolving schedules and learning needs?

One area where we’re driving innovation is in creating flexibility in learning. Today’s student schedules are vastly different from those of previous generations. Many young athletes, for example, specialize in a single sport at an early age, playing on school, travel, and club teams year-round. These demanding schedules often lead families to seek more flexibility in their children’s education. While Riviera maintains a structured academic environment, we recognize the need for alternative learning models that accommodate the diverse needs of our students.

One of our students recently secured an internship at Baptist Health that started in the middle of the school day. Instead of viewing this as a conflict, we saw it as an opportunity to adapt. We asked ourselves, “How can we make this work?” This hands-on experience was invaluable for his future and underscored the importance of providing flexible learning pathways that support real-world opportunities.

Technology plays a critical role in enabling these flexible learning opportunities. By leveraging digital platforms and innovative scheduling, we’re able to create personalized learning pathways that allow students to balance academics with their extracurricular passions. Ultimately, our goal is to prepare students not just for college but for the dynamic and ever-evolving world that awaits them beyond it.

What are your top priorities for Riviera Schools over the next few years?

At Riviera, our priorities are focused and forward-thinking: continuously strengthening academic rigor and relevance of learning, expanding student leadership forums, and formalizing experiential learning opportunities. While career exposure has always been a hallmark of our school, we are advancing this work by establishing partnerships with local businesses, and providing students with hands-on experiences that bridge classroom learning with real-world careers. This priority not only enhances academic growth but also offers students valuable insights into various industries, empowering them to make informed decisions about their futures.

Equally important is our commitment to attracting and retaining top-tier educators. As Riviera grows, we must ensure our teachers are valued, supported, developed, and fulfilled in their roles. This means providing ongoing professional learning opportunities, fostering a strong sense of community, and prioritizing their well-being. I firmly believe that when educators thrive, students directly benefit. In a city like Miami, where the cost of living poses a challenge to teacher recruitment and retention, this commitment becomes even more critical. The education sector as a whole faces this issue, and we are dedicated to creating an environment where faculty feel supported not just professionally, but personally as well. When we take care of our teachers, they are better equipped to care for our students, and that is a responsibility we take with the utmost seriousness.