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!”
TEDxDwight-Englewood School
The inaugural TEDxDwight-Englewood School event, held recently in Hajjar Auditorium, was a D-Efinitive success! Chief Innovation Officer Diana Gross gave opening remarks, along with student leaders and event co-facilitators Soham Bafana ’25 and Georgia Unger ’25,...
D-E 360° Discovery Day Trip to Liberty Science Center
Lower School (LS) students enjoyed exploring the Liberty Science Center, thanks to another Discovery Day from D-E 360° AfterCare & Enrichment (ACE)! Director of D-E 360° Dr. Sherronda Brown shared, “We enjoyed an amazing Discovery Day at Liberty Science Center!...
Arts & Design Assembly Showcases How the Magic Happens
The arts scene at D-E is blooming! Last week, the Upper School Assembly featured the Biannual Art & Design Showcase, which highlights the hard work of our AP Studio Art students and the many steps that go into creating the art. “Process is so important, sometimes more important than the final product,” said Marisol Diaz, Chair of the Art & Design Department. “The magic happens in the process!”
The assembly included slideshows and a series of videos capturing students working on their 2D and 3D art—drawings, paintings, printmaking, ceramics, digital and film photography, and more. Meanwhile, backstage, US Art & Design Teacher Paul Edwards facilitated a Live Art Battle for which student artists were asked to paint, draw, or sculpt what they think the soul of D-E looks like. The winner, by anonymous vote, was Lilah Carroll ’27 and second place went to Maleah Liao ’27.
Throughout the assembly, several of our young artists made brief presentations on the inspiration behind their lines of inquiry (LOI), which they use as the basis of their final portfolios. We congratulate all our talented artists who’ve made an incredible mark at D-E and continue to do so!
To read more about the showcase, please click the link in the bio.
Eid al-Fitr Faculty/Staff Appreciation Lunch Highlights
We’re so grateful to our Middle Eastern Parent Affinity Group, who generously hosted a D-Electable Eid al-Fitr Faculty/Staff Appreciation Lunch recently in Hajjar Auditorium! Members of the D-E community sampled a variety of Mezza dishes such as spinach and meat pies,...
TEDx Student Presenters Share Their Passions With the D-E Community
The inaugural TEDxDwight-Englewood School event, held on April 3, 2025, in Hajjar Auditorium, is in the books! Chief Innovation Officer Diana Gross gave opening remarks, along with student leaders and event co-facilitators Soham Bafana ’25 and Georgia Unger ’25, ahead of thoughtful presentations on a range of topics. “Our first TEDx event was a powerful reminder of the importance of giving students a platform to share their voices,” said Ms. Gross. “Their talks were inspiring, showcasing incredible talent and a deep commitment to our mission—applying skills, values, and courage to tackle real-world challenges and make a meaningful difference. They aren’t waiting to change the world—they’re already doing it!”
HOPE “Whimsical Fairytale” Fashion Show on Saturday, April 5
Final preparations for D-E’s “Whimsical Fairytale” HOPE Fashion Show & Fundraiser are well underway—so be sure to join us for the big event this Saturday, April 5! VIP guests will enjoy a pre-show Tea Party at 5 PM in the Imperatore Library ahead of general...
TEDxDwight-Englewood School Is Thursday, April 3!
Our TEDx student participants, from the production crew to our speakers, have been hard at work with help from very D-Edicated faculty/staff members, and are ready to go! We’re thrilled to present TEDxDwight-Englewood School in Hajjar Auditorium (2nd Floor, Campus...
D-E 360° 8th Grade Peru Trip 2025 Highlights
Another successful D-E 360° 8th Grade Spring Break Trip is in the books! Of the 8-day trip to Peru, Middle School Math Teacher and Chaperone Jon Egan, who has organized trips to the South American country since 2011, said this was “one of the best trips I’ve had with...
Odyssey of the Mind Tournament Highlights
D-E’s Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) teams recently competed at the Skylands Regional Tournament at Hillsborough Middle School, accompanied by Coach Colleen Larionoff, Innovation Coordinator, and D-E 360° Director Sherronda Brown. Our Upper School (US) team placed first...
PAW 2025 Includes Innovative Ways to Engage US Students in Lessons Learned
Last week, D-E’s Upper School (US) students were immersed in our annual Projects & Assessments Week (PAW). “Over the course of the week, students engaged in a mixture of traditional exams and less traditional, but equally important, projects and workshops,” said US Principal Kim Lalli. “The goal is for students to have a variety of experiences that reflect the dynamic nature of our curriculum and give them a chance to demonstrate just how much they have learned so far this year.” Those experiences included going on trips to a DNA lab and the iFLY indoor skydiving facility. There were also some cross-divisional and cross-disciplinary opportunities for students to engage in. For example, students in Science Department Chair & Physics Teacher Tara Weinstein’s Honors Physics class worked with 3rd and 6th graders to design age-appropriate games as part of their PAW project. In addition, Paul Edwards, an Art & Design faculty member, gave a lecture on artistic influences during the Harlem Renaissance to the History class taught by Diane Christian. All in all, it was a stimulating week for our US students ahead of the spring break!
