RIVERDALE COUNTRY SCHOOL

'Riverdale Country School' is a co-educational college preparatory day school in New York City. It is one of the most expensive and competitive private schools in the United States. It is located on two campuses covering more than 27 acres in the Riverdale section of The Bronx, New York.

Contents

History

School Dynamics

Athletics

Academics

Distinguished Riverdale Alumni

School Leadership

Associations

See also

References

History

Founded in 1907 by Frank S. Hackett (Riverdale's Hackett Hall is named after him), Riverdale is one of the oldest country day schools in the United States.
The present-day institution traces its origins to The Riverdale School for Boys, which was established in 1907 by Frank Sutliff Hackett. In 1920, the Neighborhood Elementary School was founded, followed in 1933 by the Riverdale Girls School. In 1972, the three schools combined to form a single educational community shaped by these same goals and ideals. Riverdale Country School aims to cultivate the unique talents of its students and to nurture their intellectual, creative, physical, moral, emotional, and social development.

School Dynamics

Riverdale has the largest overall school campus in the New York City area (27.5 acres: 19.5 for the Upper School, 8 for the Lower School).
Riverdale houses two campus areas, the River Campus (grades Pre-K - 5 known as the Lower School) and the Hill Campus (grades 6 - 8 known as the Middle School and 9 - 12 known as the Upper School). The River Campus received its name because of its location beside the Hudson River and the Hill Campus received its name from its location as well.
Riverdale currently has an enrollment of approximately 1060 students (Lower School = 435, Upper School = 625).
Riverdale is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and is accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools.

Athletics

Riverdale Country School puts a large emphasis on both a student's academic and athletic careers. Riverdale's Soccer Team won back to back New York High School Ivy League titles in 1998 and 1999. Their undefeated season in 1999 led to a New York State Championship. The Soccer Team also went on to win the Regional Championships in 2007, as well as the New York High School Ivy League. Riverdale's Swim Team, the Riverdale Guambo, also sports an impressive record, having won either a boys or girls championship every year since 2002.

Academics

Riverdale founder Dr. Frank S. Hackett shared a deep commitment to "scholarly, intimate teaching; rigorous, uncompromising academic standards; abundant play in the open; and a care for the best influences".
The curriculum in the early childhood program is designed to develop basic academic concepts and social skills.
In Grades 1-5, a strong, sequential approach to skill development in reading and math is balanced with literature, writing, and math problem solving.
The Middle School is housed in the fully renovated Frank S. Hackett Hall, but students use arts, science, athletic, and dining facilities in common with upper schoolers, and the schedules of the two divisions permit teachers to teach classes in both.
The Upper School features numerous elective courses for juniors and seniors, including honors courses in language and mathematics and Advanced Placement courses in all disciplines.
To earn a high school diploma, students in Grades 9-12 must complete 4 credits in English; 3 credits in a single foreign language or 2 credits in each of two languages; 3 in history; 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 in mathematics; 2 in science; and 1 1/2 in the arts. Seniors must also earn 1 credit in Integrated Liberal Studies, which features social philosophy, literature, history of science, and arts components. Each grade has a Dean of Students who coordinates academic programs and serves as a liaison between parents and school. Students in Grades 6–12 must complete from 10 to 18 hours of community service, yearly, depending on age.

Distinguished Riverdale Alumni

★ Bradley Abelow, State Treasurer of New Jersey

★ Dan Abrams, General Manager of MSNBC

★ Sean D. Altman, founder of Rockapella

★ Richard Blumenthal, Attorney General of Connecticut

★ Neal Conan, NPR radio journalist

★ Richard Engel, author and reporter for NBC News

★ James Gleick, science writer, author of

★ Calvin Hill, former NFL player

★ Bill Konigsberg, openly gay sports writer for ESPN.com and the Associated Press

★ Robert Krulwich, broadcast journalist

★ John Lahr, theater critic

★ Dany Levy, writer and founder of Daily Candy website

★ Megan McArdle, writer for The Economist and blogger (under the name "Jane Galt")

★ Nick McDonell, author

★ Lee MacPhail, Major League Baseball executive

★ Philip Proctor, actor

★ Ed Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania

★ Tracee Ellis Ross, actress

★ Tim Morehouse, Top US Men's Sabre Fencer and Olympian in the 2004 Olympics in Athens

★ Carly Simon, musician

★ Scott Snyder, author

★ Jordana Spiro, actor, star of TBS series My Boys

★ Joss Whedon, writer, director, and executive producer; creator of several television series (''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', ''Angel'', ''Firefly'', ''Serenity'')

★ Tim Zagat, restaurant critic

★ Michael Zakarin, guitarist for The Bravery
Chevy Chase attended the upper school. John F. Kennedy attended Riverdale's Lower School. Francis Fukuyama attended the Middle School.
Bud Collins and Nathan M. Pusey taught at Riverdale Country School, as did Peter Schickele, as a substitute teacher in the early 1960s.
Tim Morehouse, Top US Men's Sabre Fencer and Olympian in the 2004 Olympics in Athens

School Leadership

Current Headmaster: Dominic A.A. Randolph
Current Head of Upper School: Mr. Kent J. Kildahl
Current Head of Middle School: Mr. Milton J. Sipp
Current Head of Lower School: Mr. Sandy S. Shaller

Associations

Riverdale is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League and the New York State Association of Independent Schools.
'The "Hill" Schools': Riverdale, The Fieldston School, and Horace Mann School together are known as the "hill schools", as all three are located within two miles of each other in Riverdale on a hilly area above Van Cortlandt Park.

See also

★ Official Website: www.riverdale.edu

★ Education in New York City

★ MSNBC Article about Riverdale's Tuition Cost

★ Riverdale Guambo

References

# Bunting & Lyon Bunting & Lyon profile: Riverdale Country School
# Riverdale Statistics
# Riverdale Statistics
# Riverdale Statistics
# Bunting & Lyon Bunting & Lyon profile: Riverdale Country School
# New York State Association of Independent Schools