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Inspired Groundbreaking

History

Founded in 1984, by a group of parents and teachers working with Marty and Tom Clark. This group’s motivation was to provide an enhanced opportunity for educational growth and personal development, with emphasis on the whole child. From the beginning, we pioneered innovative educational approaches such as personalized instruction, an integrated curriculum, multi-age classrooms, and collaborative learning.

Riverfield first opened its doors in a remodeled post office with 40 children from three months old to second grade. The five-year plan included a country campus with outdoor learning to accommodate 100 students. However, enrollment reached 80 in five months and plans were accelerated to move across the Arkansas River in a field, thus the name Riverfield Country Day School.

In 1991, Riverfield moved to its current location. The Middle School opened in 1994, bringing enrollment to more than 400 students. Two donations of property and a school-funded purchase brought the total acreage to 90. Riverfield began a new era in August 2002, with the addition of a freshman class. After a capital campaign, which was successful in large part because of Tulsa philanthropist Genave Rogers, the Clark Gymnasium and Genave Rogers building were dedicated in fall 2004. Another generous gift by Ms. Rogers in 2006 helped bring the campus to 120 total acres. The Langerak Academic Center was added in 2008, the Martha S. Clark Field was dedicated in 2010, later four tennis courts opened in 2011. Founding Head of School Marty Clark announced her retirement in 2011; Head of Institutional Advancement and longtime parent Jerry Bates succeeded her and continues to serve as Head. Fall 2012 saw the opening of an expanded multi-purpose room, also called the Green Gym. A dedicated building for Upper School opened in 2013, just before we reached our current enrollment of 600 students. Mrs. Clark passed away in 2020; funds given in her memory were used to build two additional tennis courts, the Tom and Marty Clark Memorial Tennis Courts, completed in 2021.  

Riverfield’s mission is to provide an excellent education in a family-oriented atmosphere. Students are motivated and encouraged to learn, develop, and mature in a respectful, secure, and diverse environment. The overall philosophy of the school is to provide a student-centered approach to education with an innovative program of authentic, experiential learning in which individuality is valued and the needs of the whole child are honored. In the Pre-School and Lower School, interdisciplinary curriculum combined with engaging learning environments encourage each student to grow and develop with teacher support. In the Middle and Upper Schools, interdisciplinary projects foster the same growth. Proficiency of fundamental skills serves as a foundation for life-long learning. Beyond mastering facts, students are encouraged to be strong readers, problem-solvers, and independent critical thinkers.

The school’s philosophy and its teachers are not bound by a single theory. The Pre-School and Lower School are Reggio–inspired and the student-centered approach continues as students progress through each Division. Teachers continually use many of today’s best practices in education including, but not limited to, active learning, collaborative activities, and differentiated instruction.