2026-27 Admission Deadline Dates
January 9
Admission Application Due
January 16
Recommendations / Supporting Materials Due
January 16
Tuition Assistance Application Due
February 27
Decision Notification Via Email
March 13
Enrollment Contract & Deposit Due
May 1, 4:00 pm
Enrollment Contract Binding Date
Welcome to The River School!
We’re thrilled you’re interested in learning more about The River School!
As you explore our website, visit campus and connect with River families, you’ll quickly see what makes our community so special. Our innovative, child-centered program is led by an extraordinary faculty (the most highly-educated in the region) and features small class sizes that ensure every child is known and nurtured.
At the heart of all we do are our Pillars, our core values that shape every experience at River and guide how children grow, learn and discover their own potential.
We invite you to explore all the ways to get to know River—and look forward to getting to know you.
Why River?
Discover the Magic of The River School!
We Are Experts in Childhood Development
Our focus on children in 18 months through Grade 5 at our private school in Washington, DC allows us to work with children from the very beginning to develop language, literacy and social skills that will serve them for their lifetime. Our children learn to work and play collaboratively, preparing them to be tolerant, thoughtful and engaged members of society.
We Are a Small School for Young Children
Small schools ensure individualized attention. In our Preschool and Elementary programs, we maintain the most favorable class sizes and student-to teacher ratios in the region. Your child will be known, celebrated, challenged, and supported. They will quickly feel a part of a warm and engaging community and secure enough to take risks, explore new ideas and build lasting friendships. From that sense of comfort and connection, confidence blooms—and learning comes naturally.
We Are Pioneers in Childhood Development, Research and Practice
Our faculty are passionate experts in how young children learn and grow—an overwhelming majority of them hold master’s degrees or higher. They don’t just teach; they study, research and share their knowledge with others, presenting at national conferences and mentoring the next generation of educators. We specialize in early childhood education—we study how children develop language, literacy, social and academic skills and use that knowledge to develop new ways to help each and every child thrive.
2026-27 Admission Deadline Dates
January 9
Admission Application Due
January 16
Recommendations / Supporting Materials Due
January 16
Tuition Assistance Application Due
February 27
Decision Notification Via Email
March 13
Enrollment Contract & Deposit Due
May 1, 4:00 pm
Enrollment Contract Binding Date
The River School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious affiliation, gender, ethnic or national origin in the administration of its admission, financial aid and other school-administered programs.