In this issue, Michelle Carstens-Potts, Chair of the Health and Wellness Department; Dr. Danny Carragher, Chair of the Human Development Department; and Lisa Wittner, Director of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), discuss their roles and the programs they implement.
In our next issue, Part II of this series will feature conversations with members of our Student Support Leadership Team, including Dr. Deirdre O’Malley, Director of Counseling Services, and Marc Gladstone, Lead Learning Specialist. Interviews have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
D-E Students Prep for the US Lunar New Year Assembly
D-E student performers are hard at work preparing for our Lunar New Year Assembly programs later this week in Schenck Auditorium! Hosted by the East Asian Affinity group, along with the Chinese and Korean Culture clubs, this event will feature choreographed dancing...
D-E 360°’s Fencing Program Provides Opportunities for Advancement
En garde! Earlier this year D-E 360°’s Afterschool Programming Team (ACE) hosted a fencing demo in the Lower School, which was a big hit with our youngest Bulldogs. D-E partners with the Manhattan Fencing Center to offer classes in the LS gym. Registration for the 2024-2025 academic year began this month for students in grades 1-8; however, admission is rolling, so it isn’t too late to register. Student fencers practice on Tuesdays (Beginner, from 4 PM to 5 PM; and Advanced, from 5 PM to 6 PM). “[Fencing] is a gateway to personal growth, new experiences, and lifelong friendships,” says Ms. Julia Gelman, Executive Director for Manhattan Fencing. “Through this program, children can travel to competitions, challenge themselves in exciting new ways, and achieve their fitness, academic, and athletic goals.” Our current students’ enthusiasm for the activity is a testament to this mission. “This is awesome–I love this!” says Cedrick K. ’36, a first grader in the program.
LS Robotics Teams Deep See, Ocean Animals Achieve Inaugural Success!
This weekend, the D-E360° FIRST LEGO League Explore robotics teams showcased their work at the Teki Explore Festival along with 30 teams from across the state. The season's theme was "Submerged," and students were challenged to identify a real-world problem related...
PsychD-E Club Conducts a Phantom Limb Experiment
The brain is a powerful thing! The PsychD-E club, advised by Human Development Chair Dr. Daniel Carragher, held a psychology experiment in the STEM Center, based on the phantom limb theory, the sensation and perception of amputees that their missing limb is still...
BRAVO! A D-Elightful “Shaking It Up With Shakespeare”Concert
A full house was on hand for “Shaking It Up with Shakespeare”, a D-Elightful live concert featuring our Lower School Chorus and Middle School Chorus and Show Choir ensembles. From sonnet snippets and songs based on Shakespeare’s tragedies, comedies, and history-based...
The Spirit of Dr. King Inspires Community and Acts of Service at D-E
All divisions at D-E came together the week of Jan. 20 to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As an act of service, students enrolled in D-E 360°’s ACE program wrote letters of gratitude to U.S. service men and women, veterans, and first responders as part of Operation Gratitude. In addition, the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, respectively, held assemblies dedicated to honoring MLK. LS students shared what they learned from the book Say Something! by Peter H. Reynolds and what they did to make the world a bit better. Meanwhile, US students enjoyed two performances by renowned jazz violinist Kersten Stevens and heard from local artist Philip Smallwood, whose painting “A Life of Service” was on display. The work celebrates the life and contributions of Bergen County resident Dr. Theodora Lacey, a friend of Dr. King and a Civil Rights activist in her own right. Mr. Smallwood gave parting words to students that “Everybody possesses greatness… I believe in you.”
LEAD Students Visit Cooper Hewitt’s ‘Home’ Exhibit
In January, D-E Upper School students took two trips to the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in Manhattan, as part of the LEAD (Leaders for Equity & Diversity) program, which provides opportunities for them to learn leadership skills and explore the world and its different cultures. The trip centered on an exhibition titled “Making Home,” focused on Black and Native American expressions of place, home, and belonging. “The purpose of the trip was to connect our November collage project’s theme of ‘home’ to real-world artists investigating that idea,” says Joel Lee ’17, US Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging. In addition to getting a tour of parts of the museum, students were able to use their own creativity to make prototypes of homes designed for biomes such as tropical, arid, and tundra. Great job to our LEAD students for their thoughtful work!
2nd Semester Kick-Off Highlights
Thanks to the efforts of our D-E Parents’ Association volunteers, Middle/Upper School students celebrated the recent start of 2nd semester in a fun way. Snacks, balloon displays, signs, and a special gift for our Class of 2025 greeted students on the official 1st day...
Reminder: Lower/Middle School Chorus Concert on 1/23 – Shake It Up With Shakespeare
Rehearsals continue in earnest and our vocalists can’t wait to share the results of all their efforts! Don’t miss tomorrow’s Shakespeare-themed Lower/Middle School Chorus Concert! D-E Performing Arts presents “Shake It Up With...
Snow Much Fun! Annual US Ski Trip to Smuggler’s Notch
The annual Upper School ski trip to Smuggler’s Notch held up to D-E tradition once again this year! 45 students from Grades 9-12 and 4 chaperones (Mr. Joe Iwanski, Mr. Fred Fontaine, Mr. Paul Edwards, and Mrs. Eileen Feikens)...
