The school was founded in 1957, by John C. Alford, and graduated its first senior class in 1960. Saddle River Day School is composed of three divisions: the Lower Division, the Middle Division and the Upper Division. In 1966 it received accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, which expires in May 2021. The school is also accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education and is a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools and the National Association of Independent Schools.