About the role
Riverdale Country School, a Pre-K through Grade 12 independent all-gender school in New York City, is dedicated to inspiring students to live meaningful and purpose-driven lives. The school achieves this by fostering a culture of academic excellence, critical thinking, and curiosity, supported by a diverse and inclusive community. Riverdale emphasizes both high challenge and high support in its approach to education, encouraging students to engage deeply in interdisciplinary learning, research, and experiential education, both inside and outside the classroom and beyond our campuses. This holistic approach aims to develop well-rounded individuals who are prepared to make a positive impact on the world.
At Riverdale, we strive to reflect the diversity of the New York metropolitan area in our students, faculty, and staff. We believe that a diverse and inclusive community enriches the educational experience and is integral to our mission. With a student body of approximately 1,300 students from 117 different zip codes, Riverdale is a vibrant community where 48% of our students identify as students of color.
We seek to employ educators and leaders who bring a student-centered approach, passion for their work, a commitment to DEIB, and a desire to contribute to the growth and development of our entire school community.
We are a small, private facility for the young children of teachers and staff at Riverdale Country School, Fieldston and Horace Mann. We have a staff of 6 and care for up to 15 children, ages 3 -35 months old. We divide the children loosely by age into two groups, but much of the day we are truly a mixed-age setting. The number and ages of children vary slightly from year to year. We pride ourselves in adapting our program to fit the needs of each group and the individual children in it.
General Job Description
- Build trusting relationships with the children; provide comfort and a sense of security. Caregivers help teach and reinforce appropriate communication skills and behavior.
- Share responsibility with co-teachers and Director tending to all aspects of care of the children – physical, social/emotional, and cognitive.
- Help develop and implement emergent curriculum. Discuss children’s health, needs, and development on a regular basis with parents, colleagues, and Director.
Duties include
- Working and playing with children individually or in small groups;
- Organizing and leading developmentally appropriate activities;
- Serving lunch and snacks;
- Toileting and diaper changing;
- Organizing and supervising nap time;
- Taking children on walks in the local neighborhood (with the group) and supervising the playground; sharing housekeeping chores;
- Keeping daily records.
Requirements
- High School diploma and some coursework in Early Childhood Education.
- AA in Early Childhood Education or CDA preferred.
- Experience with infants and toddlers in mixed-age grouping.
- Must be patient, love children, and have a great sense of humor.
- An up to date physical and vaccination record
- Successful Background and Fingerprint Checks
- Job Type: Per Diem Substitute Teaching
To apply for this position, please click on the red “Apply for this Job” button. Please submit a resume and cover letter. If there are pronouns we should use in potential future communications, we invite you to share that information with us. For information about this position and all open positions, please visit the Careers page of Riverdale’s website.
Benefits of Full Time Work at Riverdale Country School
Working at Riverdale Country School is a purposeful and meaningful career choice that comes with many benefits including:
Transportation: Shuttle service is available to/from the 242nd St / Broadway subway station. Limited stops are also available near transit hubs in Manhattan including the Metro North Harlem Station and subway lines – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, A, B, C, and D. If there is need in the community, we can also run a shuttle from the Henry Hudson Parkway / 246th St bus stop which connects to the #7, #10, and Express Buses to/from Manhattan.
Professional Development: A generous professional-development budget provides for conferences, skills training, and onsite training in areas such as mindfulness, coaching, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Grants and Stipends: All employees are eligible for Frankel Fellow grants, known as “passion grants,” which pay for enrichment activities. More than 120 grants have been made to faculty and staff since the program started in 2014. Stipends are available for coaching, affinity group facilitation, advising clubs with significant out-of-school time, and chaperoning trips (including global trips!).
Sabbatical: Full time teaching faculty are eligible for a sabbatical after 10 years of employment.
Health Benefits: Riverdale offers and subsidizes health, dental, and vision insurance. In addition, the school offers a flexible spending account through which employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses.
Retirement: Employees are eligible to join our Defined Contribution retirement plan through TIAA. The school contributes 7% of an employee's annual salary to their retirement account.
Vacation: Riverdale Country School has a generous time-off policy for staff in addition to vacations afforded by the school calendar.