RIVER SCHOOL (THE)

www.ps281.org

499 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

The River School (officially designated as P.S. 281) is a highly regarded public elementary school located in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan. Serving students from Pre-K through 5th grade, the school is well-known for its modern, purpose-built facility and its focus on fostering a tight-knit, inclusive community. As a school that emphasizes the integration of academics and social-emotional learning, it has become a sought-after institution for families in the District 2 area, often praised for its active parent involvement and dedicated teaching staff.

The school’s curriculum is designed to encourage critical thinking and creativity, utilizing the unique urban environment of New York City as an extension of the classroom. Because of its location in a rapidly developing residential area, The River School maintains a strong emphasis on community connection and collaborative learning. While it is a part of the New York City Department of Education’s public school system, it consistently maintains high performance metrics and a positive reputation for providing a nurturing, high-quality educational experience for its diverse student body.

499

Total Students

32.0

Full-Time Teachers

15.6

Student/Teacher Ratio

22.0%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for RIVER SCHOOL (THE)
Demographic	Student Count
White	179
Hispanic	82
Black	36
Asian	177
Two or More	20
American Indian	4
Pacific Islander	1

White
179 (35.9%)
Asian
177 (35.5%)
Hispanic
82 (16.4%)
Black
36 (7.2%)
Two or More
20 (4.0%)
American Indian
4 (0.8%)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2
Phone:	(212)251-6640
Website:	http://www.ps281.org
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	499
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	32.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	15.6
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	110
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 65

Kindergarten 88

Grade 1 80

Grade 2 74

Grade 3 58

Grade 4 72

Grade 5 62