Why Riley?

The Riley School provides children with a unique learning environment where intellectual fulfillment, self-esteem, and responsibility for self are continually nurtured.  Each child is supported in expanding his or her creative, intellectual world through a series of coordinated, meaningful, and challenging experiences that lead to academic success.

While there are many reasons that Riley may be the right place for your child, many people point to the below as key reasons that make the school right for them:

  • A 5 to 1 child-to-facilitator ratio

    • Small classes ensure every child gets the attention, individualized programming, and support they need.

  • A self-paced learning environment

    • We believe every child has an innate ability to learn, and that the most valuable learning happens when the child is ready, and on their own schedule.

  • An individualized learning experience

    • Every Riley child’s experience is unique to them. Riley offers a stimulating environment where children are encouraged to learn in the way and manner that excites and motivates them.

  • There are no grades

    • Riley children do not “pass” or “fail”. They do not get letter or number scores, and they are not ranked. Every attempt is celebrated, and outcomes are seen as part of the learning process. Our experience, and ever-growing volumes of educational research, show us that education is a process, not a product.

  • Multi-age classrooms

    • Children learn from other children. At Riley it is common to see younger and older children interacting and working on projects together.

  • Our facilitators genuinely know Riley children

    • Our intentionally small school ensures that every Riley facilitator knows and cares for our children deeply. Your child will not be “just another kid” in the crowd at Riley.

  • Riley children use the entire campus as a classroom

    • Our 21-acre campus is used fully. Children are outside every day, and classes are often held outside. The natural environment is one of our most important “classrooms”; understanding and appreciating our environment is a key component of the Riley experience.

  • Children learn how to learn

    • The Riley program encourages the development of each child’s innate, and individual, learning process. Riley children don’t just learn the facts, they learn how to question, analyze, and come to their own logical conclusions.

  • Over 50 years of success

    • For over 50 years the Riley School has successfully prepared children for high school and beyond. Riley graduates have gone on to some of the most prestigious schools in the country, and the majority of Riley graduates go on to be honor-roll students. Riley graduates are artists, lawyers, bankers, entrepreneurs, actors, and nearly every other profession you can think of!