Kari Ostrem P’28,’34
Head of School
From the Head of School:
Although it can sometimes go unnoticed, most years hold a great amount of change, especially at a school. Students gain independence and skills as they complete a grade, faculty modify their curriculum to match their evolving fields, and new community members are welcomed into the mix of adults who steward the student experience — we reconsider and adjust to make space for what greets us each September.
Even in periods of great change, so much holds true against the passage of time, especially at Riverdale. For more than a hundred years, Riverdale has been growing and evolving, using Frank S. Hackett’s original mission and values as our guidepost. Hackett believed that change was not only inevitable, it was our responsibility to improve upon ourselves and to help others do the same. My family and I feel so fortunate to have been welcomed into such a strong and vibrant Riverdale community and look forward to the next steps in our growth.
I am grateful to our philanthropic community, who help us bridge the gap between tuition and the cost to run our school. Annual Fund support allows us to hire dedicated faculty who bring unique passions and deep talents to our students; develop outstanding experiences that bring our students outside our campus gates into the broader community; maintain a generous financial aid budget that gives every student access to all of Riverdale; cultivate belonging with community engagement initiatives; and provide so many more programs that make Riverdale special.
Your gifts help us innovate and grow while staying true to our roots, finding new ways to reinforce the school’s evergreen values, goals, and mission. Thank you for your partnership and support of Riverdale.
In gratitude,
Kari Ostrem
Daniel Rosen ’92; P’22,’24
Chair, Riverdale Board of Trustees
From the Board of Trustees:
Friends,
I am delighted to share Riverdale’s 2022-2023 Annual Report, which recognizes the parents and guardians, alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends who donated to the school during the 2022-2023 academic and fiscal year (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023).
We made Riverdale history this year with a record $6.52 million in donations to our Annual Fund, from over 1,800 supporters. The commitment of support at all levels is impressive and heartening, and on behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend our deepest thanks to our very generous community.
Additionally, thanks to your contributions, we have surpassed our goal and are thrilled to establish The Kris and Dominic A.A. Randolph Scholarship, in recognition of their tenure here and of Dominic’s leadership over the past sixteen years. This scholarship will not only provide necessary funding to ensure a qualified applicant with demonstrated need will attend – it also serves as a symbol of our appreciation for all Kris and Dominic have given to the Riverdale community.
As we look to the future, we are thrilled to have our seventh head of school, Kari Ostrem, now at the helm. We have already seen Kari’s strong leadership, collaborative spirit, and passion for education in action, and we look forward to her first full year at Riverdale.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, please accept our sincere gratitude for your commitment and generosity to our school and our students.
With appreciation,
Daniel Rosen