People

When we talk about “community,” we refer to the relationships that can be seen in every facet of the school’s life.

Riverdale educators traveled to the Adirondack mountains to engage in expansive learning about sustainable farming, land stewardship, and community collaboration.

Belonging: The Key to Learning

Learning is a result of student thriving. At Riverdale, we embrace the challenge to create a community where every member feels valued, seen, and supported. We strive to be inclusive, practicing an ethos of care, even while pursuing an active program of campus discourse. This contributes to an atmosphere of thriving. Developing the mind, building character, and creating community are the foundational elements of the Riverdale Learning Experiences.


Group photo in front of the Riverdale Friendly Fridge.
7th graders ran a drive to collect items for the Friendly Fridge, a community fridge in Riverdale that helps to fight food insecurity by providing fresh produce and healthy foods for community members to take daily. 
Three students stand in front of a river.
Lower School students participated in Riverkeeper Sweep: day of service where they were assigned a portion of the JFK Marina in Yonkers, and the kids were able to remove 372 pounds of trash from a small area along the Hudson.

It wasn’t until I got to high school that I realized the reason I could answer questions of math and critical thinking was precisely because I had been taught how to ask the questions of belonging.

Kari Ostrem, Head of School

Read more about the importance of belonging as a prerequisite for learning from Head of School Kari Ostrem here.


The Riverdale community reaches across generations, continents, cultures, and life experiences. Our youngest members can be found at the Infant and Toddler Center on campus. Our most senior members can still remember Frank S. Hackett, the first head of school (1907-1949). Our ranks include a U.S. senator, a governor, an Olympic medalist, scientists, writers, actors, composers, movie directors, entrepreneurs, songwriters, artists, journalists, and so many others.


Stories

View All