We challenge our students in each of our divisions, from Pre-K–12th Graders, with an innovative, student-centered program, preparing them to become lifelong passionate learners, critical thinkers, and ethical leaders. Ethical Culture is located in a historic building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, while Fieldston Lower, Fieldston Middle, and Fieldston Upper share an 18-acre campus in the Bronx’s Riverdale neighborhood.
Elementary Schools
Academic programming in our elementary school divisions is driven by students’ needs. We embrace a student-centered approach across all subjects, empowering students with agency and involving them in decision-making in age-appropriate ways. Through hands-on experiences, we ignite their curiosity and engage their senses, hearts, and minds as they explore, learn, and play.
Our youngest learners enjoy daily outdoor time and frequent physical education classes. We recognize the importance of nurturing intellectual, cultural, and artistic abilities, offering special subjects such as Spanish, art, music, woodshop, innovation, and science to enrich their educational journey.
Ethical Culture
(Pre-K–5th Grade in Manhattan)
Ethical Culture centers education around students, creating opportunities for them to follow their passions, ask questions, and find answers. Our curriculum emphasizes collaboration, problem-solving, and creativity, combining challenging academics with respect for all perspectives and universal critical thinking. Students use Manhattan as their laboratory, taking advantage of the campus’s proximity to Central Park.
Fieldston Lower
(Pre-K–5th Grade in the Bronx)
Fieldston Lower’s curriculum engages every aspect of a child’s development — intellectual, creative, artistic, physical, emotional, and social. Teachers utilize the Riverdale campus’s outdoor spaces as well as New York City’s resources to create a diverse learning community. These experiences equip students with the skills to learn collaboratively both inside and outside of school.
Middle and Upper Schools
Fieldston Middle and Fieldston Upper are rooted in progressive, multicultural pedagogies and inquiry-based learning. Student-centered classes focus on mastering concepts and skills through various methods. Students engage in project-based learning, collaboration, research projects, writing, journaling, and discussions. These experiences encourage risk-taking, curiosity, and critical thinking.
Both divisions foster a safe, inclusive environment where students can learn from mistakes through responsive teaching, independent projects, and social-emotional learning. Teachers maintain constant dialogue with each other and students, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to meet student needs and concerns.
Fieldston Middle
(6th–8th Grade in the Bronx)
Drawing inspiration from New York City, Fieldston Middle’s rigorous academic program embraces forward-thinking and diverse practices, responding to the nuances of adolescence. Teachers collaborate to integrate curriculum across subjects, focusing on inclusion, ethics, and equity. Students further develop critical-thinking skills, social-emotional capacities, and a joy of learning while growing as active community leaders.
Fieldston Upper
(9th–12th Grade in the Bronx)
Choice is central to a student’s life at Fieldston Upper where interdisciplinary, experiential, and self-directed education thrive. Students are encouraged to take intellectual risks. Teachers focus on developing the whole student, cultivating leadership, ethical learning, independent thinking, and mindfulness. Student life is fostered in weekly assemblies and daily advisory groups with our skilled educators. In addition to a well-rounded experience including arts, athletics, and community service, students may also take advanced electives in English, history, math, language, science, and ethics.
