Beyond the Classroom
There have been so many opportunities over the past few months for our students, faculty/staff, and families to enjoy learning experiences far beyond the confines of the classroom. This is all thanks to robust, exciting student life and community service initiatives. From our youngest students involved in Affinity Group-led diversity awareness assembly programs and being mentored in hands-on STEM workshops… to Middle and Upper School student leaders of clubs that are focused on the arts, identity, community service and specific interest areas … our mission is fully in action through D-E’s co-curricular offerings.
The D-E Garden Club, Jazz Rock, INSPIRE ( Introducing New Solutions to Promote Integrity & Respect Everywhere), WISE (Women in STEM Education), JADE (Jewish Awareness at D-E); GSA (Gender & Sexuality Awareness) and Spoonies ( a club dedicated to raising awareness about Chronic Illness) are just a few examples of clubs that have made a wonderful, positive impact on the School over the past few months.
The photos here provide just a sampling of these activities; please see the following pages for more specific examples of our students doing their part to ‘make it better’ through fundraising programs including V-Day 2023 and Art in Action, and affinity group activities celebrating differences.
D-E Hosts the 2026 Student Summit on AI
The D-E Student Committee on Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), advised by Chief Innovation Officer Diana Gross, recently hosted the Student Summit on AI in the STEM Building. The event brought together students from schools such as Newark Academy and Kent Place “to...
Congrats to Cum Laude Society 2026 Honorees
Seniors from the Class of 2026 were recently honored for their academic achievements and community leadership in co-curricular endeavors, service, and other activities, at the D-E Cum Laude Society Induction Ceremony in Hajjar Auditorium. D-E Head of School Dr....
Calliope Wins Gold!
Kudos to Calliope 2025 for receiving national recognition by earning its 1st Gold Crown Award in 43 years! This is the highest award given by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) to arts-literary magazines. “This has been the most incredible news,” said...
Art in Action Paints Windows for Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day
In what has become a D-E tradition for Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day, members of the student organization Art in Action, advised by Art & Design Faculty Rachel Brusky, wielded window-painting markers for a vibrant spring refresh of the Campus Center windows. These...
Service-Learning Initiatives Inspire 7th Graders
Seventh Graders recently learned about service learning first-hand from organization founders and high school students who started their own community programs. Students gathered in the 7th Grade Porch to listen to a panel, moderated by Ms. Patel and Ms. Butterman,...
MS Assembly Recognizes Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
During a recent Middle School (MS) assembly, students were incredibly privileged to hear directly from Nana Lawton, a Holocaust survivor and great grandmother of Brian G. ‘31, in recognition of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). The assembly started with Justin...
Lower School Celebrates Community, Earth Day
Sporting their Spirit Day athletic team jerseys and T-shirts, Lower School students entered the gym for this week’s LS Assembly as the iconic song “We Are the World” played in the background. The song, as the fifth-grade presenters described, “is about being kind and...
2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Recipients
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is an opportunity for creative teens in grades 7-12 to submit their artwork or written work for a chance to receive opportunities for recognition, exhibition, and scholarships....
MS Student-Led Assembly Recognizes Womens’ History Month, Showcases “Rhythm & Grooves” Discovery Class
A recent Middle School (MS) Assembly recognized Women’s History Month and featured a live performance from the “Rhythm & Grooves” MS Discovery Class, showcasing our MS students’ initiative in the process. First, a group of MS students shared how they initiated,...
Developing ‘Whole-Souled Citizens’: A Conversation with US Dean Emily Sclafani
Ms. Emily Sclafani, Dean of the Class of 2026, has been actively involved in helping to develop a strategic plan for D-E that applies, as she wrote last summer, “our founders’ wisdom to the challenges of a changing world.” This work, articulated here, is based on an...