City and Country School

City and Country School is a private day school in New York's Greenwich Village, founded in 1914 by Caroline Pratt. It enrolls between 300 and 500 children, ages 2 through 13, across preschool, elementary, and middle school. The program has no religious affiliation. Spanish is the school's world language.

What sets teaching here apart is the progressive lineage. Pratt built the program around the idea that learning is social. Children study the city around them and run a working post office, store, and print shop as part of class. Block building anchors the early years. Teachers work beside students, asking questions and guiding projects that cross subjects. If you prefer to hand down a fixed curriculum, this faculty culture will feel foreign.

The school's finances are steady. City and Country reported about $22 million in revenue and $32.5 million in net assets in 2023, with fundraising up near 1.9 percent. That stability supports long teacher tenures, which the methodology depends on. Manhattan independent day schools generally pair competitive salaries with strong health and retirement benefits, though housing is not part of the package.

Faculty openings usually include lead and assistant teachers for each age group, plus specialists in Spanish, shop, library, music, and art. Administrative, admissions, and after-school roles also turn over each year. Candidates with progressive, constructivist, or Reggio-influenced training tend to settle in quickly at City and Country School.