Riverdale Country School

Infobox Secondary school
name = Riverdale Country School
native_name =

motto = It is the spirit that quickeneth.
established = 1907
city = Bronx
state = New York
province =
country = United States
campus = Suburban
type = Private
affiliation =
affiliations =
president =
principal =
headmaster = Dominic A. A. Randolph
rector =
dean =
founder = Frank S. Hackett
chaplain =
chairman =
head_label =
head =
faculty =
students =
enrollment = approx. 1,060
enrolment =
grades =Pre-K through 12
address = 5250 Fieldston Road
district =
oversight =
accreditation =
mascot = Falcon
colors = Maroon and White
colours =
newspaper = The Riverdale Review
yearbook = The Riverdalian
free_label_1 =
free_1 =
free_label_2 =
free_2 =
free_label_3 =
free_3 =
website = [http://www.riverdale.edu www.riverdale.edu]
footnotes =
picture =

Riverdale Country School is a co-educational, independent, college-preparatory day school in New York City. One of the most competitive private schools in the nation [http://www.collegeboundnews.com/03-04issues/may04.html#anchor514965] and most expensive private school in both New York City and the nation [http://gawker.com/news/the-rich/really-the-most-expensive-private-schools-in-new-york-266842.php] , it is located on two campuses covering more than 27 acres in the Riverdale section of The Bronx, New York.

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 their common 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.ref|history

chool dynamics

Riverdale has the largest overall school campus in the New York City area (27.5 acres: 19.5 for the Hill Campus; 8 for the River Campus).ref|stats

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, overlooking Van Cortlandt Park, received its name from its location as well.

Riverdale currently has an enrollment of approximately 1060 students (River Campus - 375, Hill Campus - 685), who come from all parts of the surrounding region.ref|stats Dominic A.A. Randolph, formerly Assistant Headmaster of the Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, N.J., was appointed the sixth Headmaster in 2007.

Riverdale is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and is accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools.ref|stats

Athletics

Riverdale Country School places a strong emphasis on balancing a student's academic, arts, and athletic careers. The Middle School supports 14 girls' and boys' athletic teams in 10 sports, fall, winter, and spring, while the Upper School is enlivened by 23 girls' teams in 13 sports, and 22 boys' teams in 12 sports. The Riverdale Boys' Cross-Country team won the NYSAIS State Championship in 1999, and the Baseball team won the State Championship in 2000. The Riverdale Boys' Soccer team won back-to-back Ivy Prep School League titles in 1998 and 1999, and in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Their undefeated season in 1999 led to a NYSAIS State Championship, which they won again in 2006. The Boys' Soccer team also went on to win the Regional Championships in 2007. The Riverdale Girls' Basketball team won the NYSAIS State Championship in 1996, 1998, and again in 2000, while the Girls' Softball team won the State Championship in 2000. The Girls' Soccer team has equalled the boys' varsity in excellence, winning the NYSAIS State Championship in both 2003 and 2007. Riverdale's Swim team, the Guambo, also sports an impressive record, having won either a boys' or girls' championship every year since 2002. Graduated from Riverdale's strong fencing program, alumnus Tim Morehouse competed in the Summer 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and was a member of the US saber team that won the silver medal.

Arts and Activities ref|arts

Riverdale has an extensive arts program, offering courses in music theory, acting technique, studio art, and film analysis. At least 3 arts credits are required for graduation. Upper School students mount one musical and one play each year in the Jeslo Harris theatre. Studio art classes take place in the Lindenbaum Arts Center, and are often taught by visiting artists. Riverdale students participate in the jazz and concert bands, orchestra, chamber music ensembles, chorus, and the a cappella singing group. Riverdale also supports an extensive offering of clubs and activities, which enable the students to: form student-government organizations; produce school newspapers, arts magazines, and political publications; perform service to the community; and provide a meeting place for like-minded students, interested in a host of current topics, to meet, compete with other schools, air their views, and organize events important to school life.

Academicsref|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 curriculum is a coherent sequence, co-ordinated with the Middle School program. It features numerous elective courses for juniors and seniors, including honors courses in language and mathematics and 19 Advanced Placement courses in all disciplines. Innovative courses are required of all juniors and seniors: juniors are required to take a co-taught, combined American history/literature course called "Constructing America"; seniors take a multi-taught course, "Integrated Liberal Studies", with readings and assignments covering Western culture, surveying classical philosophy as well as the history of science, and featuring literature, religion and arts components.

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 3 in the arts. Seniors must also earn 1 credit in Integrated Liberal Studies, and meet various requirements in health, technology, and physical education. Each Grade 6-12 has a Dean of Students who coordinates academic programs and serves as a liaison among students, parents and the school. Students in Grades 6–12 must complete from 10 to 18 hours of community service yearly, depending on age, with two-thirds of the requirement to be fulfilled off-campus. Most students exceed these academic requirements, and go on to a diverse selection of nationally-ranked universities and colleges. Among the most popular destinations in recent years have been: Yale, Brown, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Cornell, Bowdoin, Washington University, and Oberlin.

Notable Riverdale alumni

*Bradley Abelow, State Treasurer of New Jersey
*Dan Abrams, General Manager of MSNBC
*Sean D. Altman, founder of Rockapella
*Josh Applebaum, writer, producer of October Road
*Richard Blumenthal, Attorney General of Connecticut
*Jack Carpenter, actor
*Neal Conan, NPR radio journalist
*Richard Engel, author and reporter for NBC News
*Varian Fry, journalist
*James Gleick, science writer, author of
*Leopold Godowsky, Jr., musician, inventor of Kodachrome
*Calvin Hill, former NFL player
*Jeffrey Hollender, President and CEO of Seventh Generation Inc.
*John Kao, author, strategic advisor
* Bill Konigsberg, openly gay sports writer for ESPN.com and the Associated Press
*Robert Krulwich, broadcast journalist
*John Lahr, theater critic
*Leopold Mannes, musician, inventor of Kodachrome
*Nick McDonell, author
*Lee MacPhail, Major League Baseball executive
*Tim Morehouse, Olympic fencer [Wolfer, Sondra. [http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2008/07/21/2008-07-21_olympic_fencer_tim_morehouse_takes_his_s.html "Olympic fencer Tim Morehouse takes his stab at being the best"] , "New York Daily News", July 21, 2008. Accessed August 5, 2008. "As a young teen, Tim Morehouse took up fencing at the Riverdale Country School as an excuse to get out of gym class."]
*Erik Lee Preminger, writer, actor
*Philip Proctor, actor
*Ed Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania
*Cesar Romero, actor
*Tracee Ellis Ross, actor
*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, while Francis Fukuyama attended the Middle School.
Vincent Price and Nathan M. Pusey taught at Riverdale Country School, as did Peter Schickele, as a substitute teacher in the early 1960s.

chool leadership

Current Headmaster: Dominic A.A. Randolph

Current Head of Upper School: Kent J. Kildahl

Current Head of Middle School: Milton J. Sipp

Current Head of Lower School: Sandy S. Shaller

Associations

Riverdale is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League and the New York State Association of Independent Schools.ref|nysais

The "Hill Schools": Riverdale Country School, The Fieldston School, and Horace Mann School together are known as the "Hill Schools", as all three are located within two miles (3 km) of each other in the village of Riverdale on a hilly area above Van Cortlandt Park.

ee also

* Official Website: [http://www.riverdale.edu www.riverdale.edu]
*Education in New York City
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11766002/| MSNBC Article about Riverdale's Tuition Cost]

References

# [https://www.buntingandlyon.com/detail.asp?id=774&search=&bhcp=1 Bunting & Lyon] Bunting & Lyon profile: Riverdale Country School
# [http://www.riverdale.edu/about/facts/default.asp?L3=5 Riverdale Statistics]
# [http://www.riverdale.edu/about/facts/default.asp?L3=5 Riverdale Statistics]
# [http://www.riverdale.edu/about/facts/default.asp?L3=5 Riverdale Statistics]
# [https://www.buntingandlyon.com/detail.asp?id=774&search=&bhcp=1 Bunting & Lyon] Bunting & Lyon profile: Riverdale Country School
# [http://www.nysais.org/page.cfm?p=213 New York State Association of Independent Schools]