Riverdale Country School
Website: https://www.riverdale.eduLocation: Bronx, New York City, NY (5250 Fieldston Road, Bronx, NY 10471) School Type: Private Grades Served: Pre-K to 12
School Profile
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Annual Tuition | $69,300 (2025-26 total educational costs) |
| Enrollment | ~1,300 students |
| Endowment / Total Funding | Total assets $256M (2024); net assets ~$155M; ~132 named endowment funds; financial aid budget $12M |
| Notable Donors / Investors | David Kabiller, families establishing scholarships (e.g., Berkowitz, Falk, Hamamoto, Simon/Goldman Sachs); Annual Fund donors up to Head of School circle $75K+ |
Why They Stand Out for Tech Innovation
Top-ranked US private K-12 school (#1 Niche 2025); hands-on makerspaces, required CS with advanced AI/ML/robotics courses from intro to capstone projects; experiential learning blending CS/engineering/history; experimental campuses emphasizing making/thinking; strong facilities on 27.5 acres supporting innovation
Technology and Innovation Programs
Comprehensive STEM integration; Maker 8 program; Design Lab (sewing, welding, laser cutter, CNC); Freight Farm hydroponics; Everyone Can Code after-school robotics/coding (grades 1-5); Capstone Developer Project for social entrepreneurship via CS; summer innovation programs
Maker Spaces and Innovation Labs
Freestanding maker space on Hill Campus for design/construction; Jan Falk ’71 Carpenter Science/Tech Center; environmental science lab; discipline-specific science labs
AI, Robotics, and Computer Science
CS requirement; courses: Intro CS Robotics (Vex EXP), Advanced Robotics, CS I Game Design (C# Unity), CS I OOP (Java), iOS App Dev (Swift), Adv CS Data Structures/Algorithms (Python), Adv CS III AI/Machine Learning; Visual Coding Web Dev (HTML/CSS/JS p5.js)
Key Partnerships
Proximity to NYC tech/innovation sites (e.g., Hudson Yards, High Line for field trips); no specific tech company/university partnerships noted
Leadership and Contacts
| Role | Name / Contact |
|---|---|
| Head of School / CEO | Kari Ostrem |
| Technology / Innovation Director | Jonathan King (Director of Technology/Chief Information & Tech Officer); Andrew Abate (Computer Science Department Chair) |
| Admissions Email | admission@riverdale.edu |
| Main Phone | (718) 519-2768 |
Sources
Riverdale.edu, Niche, Wikipedia, ProPublica 990, Upper School Curriculum, Campus, Leadership, GreatSchools, Financial Aid