Welcome from the Director of Diversity

As Dalton celebrates its 85th anniversary of leadership in progressive education, I extend a heartfelt welcome to you all. An intentionally diverse community, Dalton's focus on diversifying the student body dates back over fifty years. Concerted effort on the part of Admissions has met with excellent outcomes within the past ten years. At present, Dalton is considered to be one of the most diverse independent schools in New York City. The school's mission of educating the whole child is fully realized in its commitment to diversity, a term defined broadly as the understanding and respect for difference in all of its facets - race, class, gender, ethnicity, sexual identity, religion, geography, family unit, and learning style.

It is the Dalton School's intention that students develop their knowledge of an inclusive, democratic community from direct experience. Diversity efforts at the school are multifaceted and bear a deliberate focus on the partnership between school and home. This focus is reflected in the policy and procedures of Dalton's Board of Trustees, the education of administration, parents, faculty, and students on diversity issues, initiatives to recruit and retain faculty of color, the development of inclusive curricula, and the scope of supports offered to students and families present in our community in underrepresented numbers.

As the fourth Director of Diversity in the history of the Dalton School, I have had the unique honor and privilege of working with each of my three predecessors, as well as with faculty, staff, administration, parents and students to help move the agenda forward.

As we refine the vision in the months and years to come, it is my hope that through collaboration, dialogue and engagement we can embrace the task of building a truly diverse, democratic learning community, one in which we both model and cultivate leadership that moves beyond tolerance of difference to demonstrate respect, understanding and empathy for diversity in all of its forms.

Sage Sevilla
Director of Diversity