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!”
Darby Lee-Stack ’23, D-EcoNews
Amidst a busy hybrid year, rising Junior, Darby-Lee Stack ’23 saw an opportunity when she joined the Upper School Environmental club. Inspired by other established student publications like Parnassus and Calliope, Darby learned from ground-zero how to publish a...
Meredith Garcia, “Apocalyptic Lit”, “Globalization, Literature, & Film”
Meredith (“Mimi”) Garcia had the unique challenge of teaching “Apocalyptic Lit” amidst the COVID-19 hybrid year. Still, the central questions of the course remained, “Will the apocalypse bring total annihilation, transcendence, bloodthirsty zombies, or all of the...
“Throw your precious opinions out the window!”
That philosophy guides the Ethics Department Chair, Sr. Joseph Murphy, for his first-time tenth grade students. Sr. Murphy explains that, “they [students] think of opinions somehow like it's property that they ‘own it’ somehow, but they really don't own it fully until...
Richard Blanco, Poet A D-E Middle & Upper School Assembly April 7, 2021 In Recognition of National Poetry Month
English Department Electives “Up Close”
With dedication and care, the English department faculty strive to expand students’ worlds through literature. Literature is a point of genesis and inspiration. Faculty members Stephen Bailey and Meredith Garcia speak on their excitement for this year’s electives.
A Conversation with Lisa Quirk
What has been your primary focus as English Department Chair, and what does the department hope students will gain from their learning experiences? I sort of have my own mission statement for the English Department. I believe that our goal should be to help students...
To enjoy the Zoom recording of Dr. De Jarnett’s D-E MIddle / Upper School Assembly with Ozan Varol
Think Like a Rocket Scientist!
This fall, Head of School Dr. Rodney De Jarnett hosted a special Zoom assembly presentation for Middle and Upper School students with the best-selling author Ozan Varol (Think Like a Rocket Scientist). All parents/guardians of D-E students were also invited and...
In the words of Dr. D:
"You have read or heard me describe that the ‘why’ we are together as a community is our Mission. Our Mission lies at the foundation of ‘why’ we are all here. The ‘what’ we do at school (the program, content, skills, activities) continues to change as we help prepare...
Head of School Dr. De Jarnett June 2023 Retirement Announcement
In September 2021, Dr. Rodney V. De Jarnett announced his plans for retiring in June 2023 after having served for more than 16 years as Head of School for Dwight-Englewood (D-E). Dr. De Jarnett’s leadership during his tenure has been exceptional; his legacy — in the...
