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.
School Life Highlights
Thanks to daily campus events, seasonal traditions, and the activities of our student-led clubs and activities, student life @ D-E remains as dynamic as ever! Our youngest Lower School (LS) learners have been enthusiastically engaged in D-E Chess Team and LS Chorus...
D-E Athletics Update: Building Culture Through Core Values
In January 2025, D-E’s Athletic Department, led by Athletic Director JD Sand (above left) and Associate AD Dat Phan (above right), together with Assistant AD Ryan Vettoso, Administrative Assistant Nicole Bellmay and Athletic Trainers Anthony Bufi and Kimberly Vivian,...
Innovation in Action: An Interview with Diana Gross, Chief Innovation Officer
Entering the office of Chief Innovation Officer Diana Gross in Leggett Hall, you can expect to be greeted by a warm smile and, quite often, jazz standards playing softly in the background. As Ms. Gross is in the midst of her seventh month at D-E, we sat down with her...
Amplifying the Power of the Arts: A Conversation with Adam Slee, Dean of the Performing Arts
Adam Slee, D-E’s new Dean of the Performing Arts, joined the School earlier this year.. He brings with him more than 16 years of experience in teaching arts education and being a leader in theater pedagogy. He’s already making his mark on D-E Performing Arts, which...
The D-E Community Honors Black History Month
February is Black History Month, and D-E celebrated with a series of events—from Upper School (US) Assembly performances—to a BHM Exhibit in Hajjar Auditorium for Lower School and Middle School (LS/MS) students. The exhibit featured 15 different sections that highlighted Black contributions in the arts, entrepreneurship, architecture, and more. In the Lower School, students participated in activities including drawing their favorite Black heroes throughout history. In addition, during the MS Assembly this morning, students listened intently to portions of “A Ballerina’s Tale,” a documentary on Misty Copeland’s historic achievement as the first Black principal dancer of a major ballet company. “We celebrate all the people who worked incredibly hard to achieve success when the odds are against them,” explained DEIB Assistant Director Simone Henry Agblonon. “The takeaway is to get to know people as individuals.” Fourth grader Camryn T. ’33, who attentively walked around the LS/MS exhibit, said she loved seeing the poster boards featuring Black people represented in so many different categories. She exclaimed, “Black people can change the world!”
VDay 2025 Highlights
VDay at D-E Inspires Women and Allies to ‘Rise’ VDay is an annual tradition and fundraiser at D-E, based on a national global movement that aims to end violence against women and girls. This year’s event, held in Hajjar Auditorium last week, featured spoken-word...
Mean Girls – The US Musical; Reserve Tickets Today!
It's almost here! D-E Performing Arts' premiere of the Upper School production of “Mean Girls: High School Version” is tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 27! There will be four performances (two per cast), with "Cast Fetch" on stage on...
Grade 10 Honors English Classes Compare Notes on Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon
D-E’s Grade 10 Honors English classes gathered in Hajjar Auditorium to analyze Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, a coming-of-age novel about a Black man that blends elements of fantasy and reality. The activity was led by Grade 10 Dean Stephanie “Tuc” Tucker, English...
Critical Mass US Robotics Team Now Headed to State
On Sunday, our Upper School (US) Robotics Teams, Critical Mass (Varsity) and Absolute Zero (JV), competed in the Bergen County League Tournament in Emerson, NJ. According to US Robotics Coach Chris Fleischl, in qualification matches, Critical Mass held a record of 4-1...
D-E Students Exemplify ‘Innovation in Action’ During the Engineering Challenge
Last week, the Upper School’s 3D-Engineering (3D-E) Club and the Imperatore Library co-hosted the annual Science Buddies Engineering Challenge at D-E in recognition of National Engineers Week. US/MS students participated in the project, which consisted of building a landing pad for a paper rocket, meant to emulate the design of a “rocket catcher” in the real world. Jackson Chang ’25, a 3D-E student leader, said this project “gives people–in a kid-friendly way–the opportunity to dabble in engineering design.”
Innovation Coordinator Colleen Larionoff, who facilitated the challenge for the MS students, remarked that these activities are a great example of “innovation in action” because they aren’t tied to a class, and this gives students more freedom to explore and make mistakes. Seventh grader Ken Escobar ’30, said he participated in the challenge because “I feel like it’s an opportunity for collaboration… and now that I’m immersed in it, it seems fun.”