The genesis of “Beyond Empire” comes from a personal place. As a first-generation American of Trinidadian immigrants, who came to the US amidst Trinidad’s independence from the UK, Stephen Bailey finds that it is imperative to trace these stories. The central questions of the course ask, “What is it to move beyond empire? How do people understand themselves in a new context? How do you reacquire or reinvent yourself?” What underlies the curriculum is the belief that through investing in the literary worlds of other cultures, students can be world scholars and compassionate readers.
Stephen emphasizes reading a breadth of literary styles like poetry, fiction, non-fiction, etc. to think critically about how language is used. With challenging material from authors and playwrights like Tayeb Salih and Lynn Nottage, Stephen asks for courage from both his students and himself; the courage to ask hard questions and to listen to different voices and opinions. “That is where true inquiry begins!”
Amanda Burnett – Middle School English Teacher
Amanda Burnett is an English Language Arts educator in her sixth year of teaching. She has dedicated her career to empowering students and has taught in Harlem and the Bronx, where she cultivated a deep appreciation for diverse voices and perspectives in literature....
Dylan Bryant – Grade 9 (Class of 2028) Dean
Dylan Bryant joins D-E as the Dean for the Class of 2028. For the past seven years, he served as the Head Chemistry Teacher at the Churchill School and Center, a K-12 day school in New York dedicated to supporting students with language-based learning disabilities....
Jason Dargan – Assistant Director for Student Life
Jason Dargan takes on the role of Assistant Director for Student Life. He is a proud alumnus from the D-E Class of 2015. After graduating, Jason attended Syracuse University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion. Following his studies, he served as a student...
Zamin Khan – Maintenance Technician
Zamin Khan is a Maintenance Technician with more than 20 years of experience in the field. Zamin says he is always willing to take on new challenges and assist with any projects, and he enjoys interacting with people.
Anthony Martorell – Upper School Science Teacher
Anthony Martorell is a neuroscientist specializing in Alzheimer's disease therapeutics and joins Dwight-Englewood's Upper School to teach Integrated Biology and Chemistry II. This will be his fifth year teaching high school science. Anthony says he is passionate about...
Meghna Mathur – Kindergarten Co-Teacher
Meghna Mathur is a Kindergarten Co-Teacher with a decade of experience in early childhood education. She holds a degree in Child Psychology from Southern Methodist University. Meghna's professional journey includes teaching at Stevens Cooperative School in Hoboken,...
Scott Murphy – Middle/Upper School Science Teacher
Scott Murphy will teach Physics and AP Physics at D-E. He previously taught Physics and Math in China, New York City, and Philadelphia. Scott will also be an Assistant Coach for the Varsity Girls Volleyball team. Scott earned his Bachelor of Science in Physics and his...
Joshua Paik – HVAC Technician
Joshua Paik joins the Maintenance staff as an HVAC Technician. Josh says he's looking forward to meeting his new colleagues on campus and assisting the D-E community in any way he can.
Amanda Carstens-Potts – Office Assistant/Upper School Attendance
Amanda Carstens-Potts is the new Upper School Attendance Officer and a D-E parent ('37). She has more than 19 years' experience in Administration and Management, during which she was tasked with inspiring, motivating, and training highly successful teams of employees....
Lambratu “Bree” Rahaman – Lower School Teaching Assistant
Lambratu "Bree" Rahaman is a new Lower School Teaching Assistant. Bree says she enjoys being a lifelong learner and is pursuing her Master's degree in Education at Saint Peter's University. She was previously a Substitute Teacher in D-E's Lower School before working...
