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!”
Professional Development That ‘Meets the Challenges of a Changing World’
D-E’s Profile of a Teacher states that “We continue to grow as professionals, deepening our knowledge and improving our practice at a pace consistent with our changing world.” To this end, in February D-E faculty and staff participated in a Professional Development...
Reflections from Preeti Fibiger P ’24
Dear D-E Families and Friends, I’m writing during these last few weeks in my role serving as Interim Head of School, which ends on June 30. This latest issue of D-E Today comes to you while our campus is markedly serene after a busy, happily buzzing series of...
D-E Lower School Chess Players Win 1st at Bryant Park Tri-State Chess Championship
CHEERS to D-E Chess! D-E came in first at the recent Bryant Park Tri-State Chess Championship! Congratulations to Easton M. ‘37, Nicolai D. ‘37, and Kabir G. ‘37, for this wonderful achievement! D-E 360° Director Dr. Brown noted, “A huge shoutout to [D-E Chess Team]...
String Society 2025 Grand Finale Concert Highlights
WOW & BRAVO!!! Our String Society 2025 program, presented by D-E 360° Summer, ended on a high note with a wonderful Grand Finale Concert. The concert, performed to a standing room-only audience in Hajjar Auditorium, was the culmination of a week-long, intensive...
Give to the Annual Fund Before the Fiscal Year Closes
Now that our 2024-2025 school year is in the books, we want to thank all of our incredible alumni for their continued connection and support! We’re especially excited to welcome the Class of 2025 into the alumni community, to celebrate the arrival of our incoming Head...
Faculty & Staff Luncheon Celebrates End of Academic Year
D-E celebrated its teachers and staff recently, during the annual Faculty & Staff Lunch under the big tent on Leggett Field. D-E 360° campers kicked off the festivities with a drumming performance, led by Middle School Music Teacher Jean-Marie Collatin, ahead of...
8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony Highlights
On the evening of Friday, June 6, D-E eighth graders, dressed in summer white, gathered under a tent on Leggett Field for the Eighth Grade Moving Up Ceremony. Middle School (MS) Principal Jonathan Davis opened with farewell remarks in his signature jocular style. He...
D-E Celebrates Lower School Fifth Graders Moving Up to Middle School
Fifth graders completed their era as members of the Lower School (LS) on the morning of Friday, June 6, during the Fifth Grade Moving Up Ceremony on Leggett Field. As LS faculty/staff, family members, and friends were seated beneath a tent, the Processional began with...
MS “Field Day” Celebrates Final Day of School
School’s out for summer! On the last day of classes, D-E’s Middle School enjoyed a fun-filled Field Day, which included karaoke in Schenck Auditorium, a trivia game in Hajjar Auditorium, and sports, inflatable slides, and other activities in the Myrna B. Sherman Gym....
D-E Celebrates Pride Month
In the final days of the school year, D-E celebrated Pride Month with community-wide efforts to decorate the campus with Pride flags, banners, window decals, and a giant rainbow paper chain stretching from the Lower School (LS) and past the Upper School (US) to the...
