The River School

The River School in Washington, DC serves approximately 250 students from 18 months through fifth grade. It is a day school, which means faculty teach during school hours and return home each afternoon—no residential duties, no weekend dorm coverage. The school focuses on core academics like reading and math while building social cognition, independence, communication, creativity, and problem-solving in ways that match how young children actually develop.

The work has real immediacy. A teacher watches a toddler move from parallel play into collaboration. A first-grader who struggled with phonics reads aloud with fluency. These shifts happen fast and close enough to witness directly. That visibility into student growth sustains early childhood educators through the physical and emotional demands of the work.

Day school structure creates predictable lifestyle rhythm. You teach full-time in a classroom, then leave. Compensation includes competitive salary, health insurance, and retirement contributions. The River School maintains strong financial stability—net assets of over $15 million and consistent enrollment—which supports benefit promises reliably over time.

The River School hires classroom teachers for preschool and elementary grades in both lead and assistant roles. The school also recruits specialists in art, music, and physical education. Administrative and operations positions open seasonally. Spring is the busiest window for faculty recruitment.

For teachers and staff seeking day school roles in DC's early childhood and elementary sector, The River School offers focused work in a financially stable community where student progress is visible and tangible.