The Riverdale Partnership

Why This Partnership Changes Everything for Your Family

The confidence every parent wants: Your child walks into any classroom in the world feeling ready. Not because they've memorized facts, but because they know how to learn anything, adapt to any teaching style, and succeed in any school system.

RD American School partners exclusively with Riverdale Country School—America's#1 private school according to Niche.com. This means your child learns using the same proven methods that have prepared students for success for over 117 years.

What "Ready for Anywhere" Really Means

For your child

They make friends easily because they understand different cultures. They handle new schools like champions because they've learned that change brings exciting opportunities, not obstacles.

For your family

Whether you stay in Singapore for years or move next year, your child's education travels with them. No gaps, no catching up—just continued growth.

Proof It Works: Where Riverdale Students Go Next

This level of success is the result of Riverdale’s consistent focus on whole-child development and academic mastery—an approach now available to RDAS students.”

220 students accepted to Ivy League universities
58 students to Cornell University
46 students to University of Pennsylvania
20 students each to Harvard and Yale
18 students to Stanford

Source: Riverdale Country School's Higher Ed Enrollment 2019-2024

What this means for your family: These results don't happen by accident. They come from teaching methods that build confident, capable learners from elementary school onward—exactly what your child needs whether they're with us for two years or twelve.

The Riverdale partnership provides the proven foundation. Our innovations prepare them for tomorrow. Your child gets both timeless educational excellence and cutting-edge preparation for their future.

That's our promise.

That's what "Growing confident learners ready for anywhere" really means.

Frequently Asked Questions

About our RDAS and RCS Partnership

The Riverdale Country School Partnership

What exactly is this partnership with Riverdale Country School?

Think of it as your child getting the same world-class education as students at America's #1 ranked private school, but right here in Singapore.

RDAS isn't just inspired by Riverdale—we're officially partnered with them. This means:

Tested curriculum that consistently produces results
Proven teaching methods refined over a century
Teachers trained by the same experts who train Riverdale's faculty
The confidence that comes from a world-renowned institution standing behind their education

Why would America's top school want to partner with a new school?

Because Riverdale believes in being first, not just best.

Riverdale has been a top school for multiple decades precisely because they don't wait for other schools to innovate—they lead. By partnering with us, they can:

Pioneer the next generation of learning environments designed for AI and emerging technologies
Test and refine new approaches that will benefit students at both schools
Create something revolutionary from the ground up, rather than retrofitting old buildings and systems

For your child, this means: They're not just getting aproven education—they're getting the future of education, designed specifically for their generation.

What does "carrying the Riverdale brand" actually mean for my child?

It means Riverdale is putting their 100+ year reputation behind your child's education.

When a school allows another institution to carry their name, they're essentially saying: "We guarantee this education meets our standards." For Riverdale—ranked #1 nationally—this is not a decision they make lightly.

How do I know this isn't just using Riverdale's name without their real involvement?

Because Dr. Kevin Mattingly, who trains teachers at Riverdale, personally trains our teachers too.

Dr. Mattingly is Riverdale's Director of Co-Curriculum and a professor at Columbia University. He doesn't just engage with us occasionally—he's our Academic Advisor for Professional Training, deeply involved in:

Training every teacher before they enter the classroom
Advising on our curriculum and teaching approaches
Ensuring our standards earn the Riverdale brand
Strategic ongoing professional development throughout the year

This means: Your child's teachers receive the same world-class training as teachers at America's top school.

What makes Riverdale's approach so special that we should want it here?

Riverdale doesn't just prepare students for tests—they prepare them for life.

While other elite schools focus primarily on academics, Riverdale develops the whole child through:

Academic Excellence:

Project-based learning that develops critical thinking
Interdisciplinary courses that show how subjects connect
Inquiry-based methods that teach students to ask the right questions

Character Development:

Leadership opportunities integrated into daily learning
Ethical reasoning woven throughout the curriculum
Community service that creates genuine global citizens

Future-Ready Skills:

Collaboration and communication abilities employers seek
Innovation and creativity for an changing world
Emotional intelligence that predicts success better than IQ

The result: Riverdale graduates don't just get into top colleges—they thrive there and become leaders in their fields.

Will there be actual exchange between the schools?

We're exploring exciting possibilities for student exchanges as our partnership deepens, particularly for middle and high school students.

Programs under consideration include:

Student exchanges where older students could spend time at the Riverdale campus in New York
Collaborative academic projects between students at both schools
Joint virtual learning experiences that connect classrooms across continents

What's confirmed: Faculty exchanges that bring Riverdale teachers to Singapore and send our teachers to New York, ensuring continuous collaboration and knowledge sharing between both institutions.

For your child, this means: Access to educational opportunities and global connections that extend far beyond what any single school can offer, with the potential for direct experience at America's #1 private school as our partnership evolves.

How do we know this partnership will actually benefit our children?

Because both schools have everything to gain and everything to lose.

For Riverdale: Their reputation depends on our success. If RDAS students don't excel, it reflects poorly on their methods and brand.

For RDAS: We've invested everything in this partnership. Our success depends entirely on delivering the Riverdale standard of education.

Most importantly: This partnership is being tested in real-time. Some of the approaches we develop together will likely be implemented at both schools, creating a feedback loop that continuously improves your child's education.

How does this partnership help with university admissions?

Elite universities already know and respect Riverdale's approach to education.

Admissions officers at top universities have seen Riverdale graduates succeed for decades. When they see the Riverdale partnership in our college perspectus, they know what to expect:

Students who think critically, not just memorize
Young people with genuine leadership experience
Applicants who can articulate their passions and purpose
Candidates prepared for the rigor and collaboration of elite universities

Is this partnership permanent, or could it end?

Both schools are deeply invested in making this work long-term.

This isn't a casual licensing agreement—it's a true partnership where both institutions benefit. Riverdale gains insights into the future of education, and we gain their expertise and reputation.

However, the best guarantee is results: If our students don't achieve at Riverdale's level, the partnership doesn't serve either school's interests.

The bottom line: This partnership gives your child access to an education that has been proven at the highest levels, adapted for your family's context, and continuously improved through collaboration between two institutions committed to excellence.

Your child is learning through the same methods and values that have made Riverdale one of the most respected schools in the United States.