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!”
Stage Band/ Jazz Workshop & Chorus Collab Concert on Monday, Feb 9
Our student musicians are getting ready to perform Gershwin (“Prelude 2”), Garner (“Misty”), “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, and more, when D-E Performing Arts presents their annual, collaborative Stage Band / Jazz Workshop and Chorus Concert. The concert is Monday,...
3rd Grade FLL Robotics Teams Shine at Explore Event
Congratulations to our incredible 3rd Grade First LEGO League (FLL) Robotics Teams, who shined at the recent FLL Explore event at Princeton Day School! “We couldn’t be prouder of our students,” said Ms. Li, Lower School (LS) STEM teacher, who coaches the LS Robotics...
MS “Anatomy of a Human” Consortium Highlights
To launch its Anatomy of a Human Project, 7th grade faculty recently facilitated an Anatomy of Human Consortium, during which several D-E parents graciously took time out of their busy days in the medical field to visit the Middle School and share about their medical...
D-E Community Shines During Annual Cultural Showcase 2026
“Inviting Peace” was the theme of “Our World House: A Cultural Showcase,” a now-annual School event organized by the Department for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB), for which students from the Lower School (LS), Middle School (MS), and Upper School...
D-E Performing Arts Proudly Presents MS & LS Choral Concert Thursday, Feb. 5
Rehearsals are underway for D-E Performing Arts’ next upcoming live concert! The Middle & Lower School Choral Concert is this Thursday, Feb. 5, at 7 PM in Hajjar Auditorium (2nd Floor, D-E Campus Center). Look forward to hearing toe-tapping, intriguingly-titled...
PA Hosts LS/MS Book Fair & PJ Party
Paws for reading! Our Lower & Middle School Book Fair, hosted by our incredibly D-Edicated Parents’ Association, kicked off in grand fashion. On Saturday, Lower School (LS) students wore their comfy clothes for a PJ Party in Hajjar Auditorium, where Head of School...
US BLADE Club Hosts Annual Career Assembly
The Business Leaders at Dwight-Englewood (BLADE) student organization hosted its annual Career Assembly this week for the entire Upper School. Building on feedback from last year’s event, which included a single panel of guests from a variety of professions in Schenck...
Sixth Grade Identity Unit Culminates With Food Festival
In a culmination of the Sixth Grade Food & Identity Unit that began two weeks ago, students recently presented their hard work across their MESH (Math, English, Science, and History) classes to D-E families in Hajjar Auditorium. The presentations were followed by...
Swartley Gallery Presents the “AP Art Gallery Wall”
The Swartley Gallery Series’ latest exhibit is the traditional “AP Art Gallery Wall,” featuring the work of AP Studio Art students, on view now through Thursday, Feb. 5. A variety of mediums are represented from Emma Baumgarten ’26, Lily Berger ’26, Celia Binn ’26,...
MS Show Choir Concert “Workshops” Edgar Allen Poe
Families and friends of our Middle School (MS) Show Choir recently experienced a workshop-style live concert centered on the works of famed writer Edgar Allan Poe. Director Olivia Lionetti shared with the audience that the performance, titled "The Tales & Tunes of...
