During their recent Lower School Assembly, the LS community celebrated Black History Month with storytelling, personal anecdotes, poetry, and a dance performance! The assembly began with a video featuring a reading of “That Swingin’ Sound,” a story about the musical friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, by author Rekha Rajan. Students were subsequently asked to identify how moments in the book were representative of D-E’s core values. Next, students shared about the beauty of their culture, fifth graders presented on the many achievements of Black people, and the LS Dance Troupe, choreographed by LS Teacher Ms. Watson, showed off their moves with a joyful routine. The assembly concluded with students reciting powerful poems titled “Dear Black Girl” and “Dear Black Boy,” penned by Ms. “Lo” Sojourner, and a group sing-along to Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” Here’s to amplifying Black voices in our community and beyond!

CHEERS to D-E’s All-School Math Problem, a long-time tradition and cross-divisional activity! This year’s problem focused on symmetry, with a theme apropos for the lead-up to Valentine’s Day—cutting out (and folding) paper hearts! Ms. Patti Barrett, Chair of Mathematics & Computer Science, facilitated the initiative, for which students solved puzzles at varying levels of difficulty and Upper School “Big Kids” visited our Lower School “Little Kids” to assist them with folding the paper hearts along their mirror lines. Meanwhile, Middle School students tackled the challenge in their classes independently. Ms. Barrett explained that the problem was inspired by a lesson that won the 2023 Rosenthal Prize for Innovation and Inspiration in Math Teaching by the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath).  “It was challenging, but it was fun… I really liked teaming up with the high schoolers,” said Phineas C. ’35, whose third-grade class partnered with Mr. Fontaine’s Multi-Variable Calculus class of 11th and 12th graders. Her classmate, Quinn L., said she, too, enjoyed working with the Upper School students and making something for her buddy, Student Body President Max Koppelman ’26. Of the problem, Quinn said, “I liked how we had to persevere and had to try and try again until we got it.” We heart the connections made through this all-school activity!

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, Feb. 9, at 7 PM in Hajjar Auditorium (2nd Floor, D-E Campus Center). Admission is FREE and D-E families of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend! To our D-Etermined student performers and ensemble directors: keep up the great work!