Go Forth Unafraid
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Go forth unafraid A Welcome to Dalton 2 Our Mission 4 Our History 5 The Dalton Plan 7 Our Focus on Values 9 The Dalton Technology Plan 12 The First Program 14 The Middle School 24 The High School 34 Our Faculty 48 Admissions Procedures and Financial Aid 56 Opportunities for Involvement 59 Welcome to The As both an alumna and The Dalton School played an important role in twentieth- century American educational history and continues to be the Head of School, I am a model emulated in schools around the world. Through the vision of its founder, Helen Parkhurst, Dalton is delighted that you are fortunate to have a unique and clearly articulated philosophy of learning that continues to guide the school’s interested in The Dalton educational practices today. True to our motto, Go Forth School. The purpose of Unafraid, we have fearlessly embraced the new challenges of educating students in the constantly changing world this catalog and the entire of the twenty-first century. While continuing to use Parkhurst’s philosophy as our basic framework, we admissions process is to regularly re-evaluate the knowledge and skills our students must possess in order to be enlightened, socially conscious, help you understand what and skilled young people. is distinctive about our Dalton is alive with a dedicated, highly trained faculty and an inquisitive and talented student body. A stimulating school so that you can curriculum and extensive service learning and extra- make an informed decision curricular opportunities continually expand Dalton students’ understanding of their world and empower in finding the optimal them as global citizens, a major goal of our school. Dalton’s academic program is rigorous and challenging, with a educational environment strong emphasis on developing intellectually curious and open-minded young people. We teach with a commitment for your child. to deep understanding rather than rote learning. Students are expected to participate actively in an extensive curriculum as well as in the school community. The 2 Dalton School demanding academic program is complemented by a Not only does Dalton provide a balanced educational dynamic performing and fine arts curriculum and by a environment of males and females, but it also recognizes comprehensive physical education and athletic program. the enrichment that is provided by a community of various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Over Dalton’s three physical facilities are located in close the past several years Dalton has evolved into a K–12 proximity to each other. The main building at 108 East community that clearly reflects the diversity to which the 89th Street is home to the Middle and High Schools. school is strongly committed. If our children are truly to Additions to the building include the Cafeteria and understand global and interdisciplinary perspectives they Student Center, the Abby and Mitch Leigh Fine Arts Center, must achieve cultural fluency through the direct and the Norma and Gordon H. Smith Science Center, and a enriching experience of a diverse, inclusive, and equitable state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center that augments community. At Dalton we firmly believe that character, the other arts facilities for the use of both Middle and ethical decision-making, and leadership are built from a High School students. The First Program, our lower school value for, not a tolerance of, difference. We believe that that includes grades K–3, is located in three adjacent such an educational environment, which acknowledges townhouses at 53 East 91st Street. We recently purchased and celebrates our differences as well as our similarities, a contiguous townhouse that is connected to the existing best prepares young people for the world in which they ones. This new addition is handicap-accessible and will live. enables us to improve and enlarge our programs in art and science. The third facility houses our physical education In a recently approved Strategic Plan, we reaffirm program and is located at 200 East 87th Street. the Dalton Plan as the cornerstone of our educational approach while promoting thoughtful innovation, With approximately ninety to one hundred and ten enhancing global perspectives, and actively instilling students in each grade, many consider Dalton a large good values. Our Dalton Technology Plan continues to school. This size allows Dalton to support a breadth and develop and access cutting-edge technologies, under the depth in its programming of academics, the arts, and rubric of the Dalton Plan, to further open our world and athletics that smaller schools have difficulty in achieving. expand resources for learning. This program has received At the same time, our student/faculty ratio of seven-to- enthusiastic endorsement from a range of educational one facilitates the individualization of each student’s evaluators, assuring us that we are achieving our education and helps provide the special student-teacher traditional goals through these new means. relationships often associated with a small school. Additionally, Dalton as a large K–12 school enables our The pages that follow describe the history, philosophy, students to interact with a wide variety of children current embodiment of the Dalton Plan, and vision for with whom to foster and sustain friendships over their our school – a school that I have seen evolve in so many thirteen-year school experience. ways from the days when I was a young Dalton student. Words and pictures are inadequate to communicate the Beyond the size of its population, Dalton has the added excitement for learning that has always existed at Dalton dimension of a coeducational student body. We believe and that continues to be essential to our school today. that a coed learning environment is best for children, since We welcome your visit to see for yourself the learning life itself is coeducational. In the past decades, a body of community that I found so enjoyable as a child and that research has pointed to some gender differences in continues to be so enriching to students and adults alike. learning styles and approaches to schooling between boys and girls. However, the most recent scientifically controlled research confirms the theory that boys and girls learn in similar ways and whatever differences do exist between the sexes are extremely small compared to the Ellen C. Stein differences among individuals, be they girls or boys. Some Head of School of this research does provide valuable insights to help us better educate all children, and we incorporate such findings into our educational programs to create a highly sensitized coeducational setting. 3 Our leading role in education he Dalton School has inquisitiveness, inculcating self- responsibility to the group form flourished and grown confidence in their intelligence and the basis for interaction in resolving in ways only imagined in their ability to succeed, Dalton problems inherent in any grouping. in 1919 when it was enables its students to become An active exploration of equity founded by Helen responsible and independent in all its forms is part of daily life Parkhurst. Today it is recognized as learners and thinkers. at Dalton. a national and international model T From kindergarten through twelfth Dalton in the twenty-first century of progressive education based grade, the school offers its students remains firmly committed to Helen upon a rigorous and challenging a breadth of innovative programs. Parkhurst’s pragmatic approach academic curriculum. It encourages its faculty to develop to education. Priorities change With a unique educational new teaching methodologies, with the times. What time does philosophy that is based upon curricula, and materials. Dalton not alter, however, is the need for individualized learning, Dalton continues to stand at the forefront independent thinkers whose fosters excitement and joy in of developing the educational knowledge and understanding the ongoing process of learning. potential of modern technology. are rooted in the real world, who The special relationship between are conversant with their culture, The world outside Dalton is an Dalton students and faculty is the and who are confident, eager, and intrinsic element of the school’s key to the intellectual liveliness self-motivated learners. educational process. The diverse and curiosity that thrives in cultural population within Dalton These were and continue to be the the classrooms and beyond. is a reflection of the extended urban cornerstones of a Dalton education. Nurturing the children’s natural community. Respect for others and an emphasis on each individual’s 4 It started with a vision The founder of The Dalton School, Helen Parkhurst in the High School of Dalton, Natasha Trethewey, award-winning Massachusetts, in 1916. From this poet; and David Macaulay, beginning, the Laboratory Plan and celebrated author and illustrator. The Dalton School eventually took Over the years, Dalton has gained their names and their mission. international recognition for its In 1919, Helen Parkhurst relocated academic excellence. Schools in the to New York City, where she opened Netherlands, Australia, England, her first school on West 74th Street. Korea, the Czech Republic, Larger facilities soon became Taiwan, and Chile have adopted necessary; the Lower School was the Dalton Plan. Today there are moved to West 72nd Street and the two schools founded on the Dalton he Dalton School, High School opened in the autumn Plan in Japan. Leading educators originally called the of 1929 in the current building from universities and public and Children’s University at 108 East 89th Street. Eleanor independent schools around the School, was founded by Roosevelt admired the work of United States and abroad visit Helen Parkhurst in 1919. Helen Parkhurst and played an Dalton on a regular basis to It was a time marked by educational important role in expanding the observe its system of education and Treform. Philosophers, teachers, and population and resources of the to learn more about the school’s child psychologists identified as school by promoting a merger recognized achievements in the area “progressives” began to question between the Todhunter School of technology.