Letter from the Director

Welcome to the Dalton High School. As you read through the pages devoted to the High School, we hope you will get a feeling for the excitement and deep intellectual engagement that are present from ninth through twelfth grade. However, the only way to truly appreciate the Dalton High School experience is to visit our classrooms, witness the creativity that is present in our arts offerings, and observe our athletic teams and other extra-curricular activities.

The structured freedom that exists at Dalton is designed to give students increasing opportunities for shaping their own educational experience. The High School helps students take responsibility for themselves, by further developing skills of decision-making, self-evaluation, and "proportioning effort to attainment" as Helen Parkhurst describes. In pursuing the courses they select, students are encouraged to draw upon the many resources that are provided to fully develop their interests and abilities.

The Dalton Plan, which consists of House, Assignment, and Lab, is the essential framework of the entire school, including the High School. The daily classroom experience consists of lively discussion, active experimentation, and creative participation in the arts and physical activity. The daily schedule provides time for academic Labs and relaxation.

Students assume leadership roles, not only in leading classroom discussions and accepting responsibility for their learning, but also for participating in a multitude of clubs and committees and in government. Many of the clubs and committees were created by students who work with a faculty advisor in order to achieve their stated goals. Students have the opportunity to create new clubs if they have an interest that is not met by an existing club.

Government is the combined meeting of all of the High School students and their House advisors. Resolutions are proposed and debated. Finally, a vote is taken; each student and each faculty member has one vote. Successful resolutions are given to the High School Director and the Head of School who have the option of vetoing resolutions. Rarely does this happen.

Sports are an important part of the High School experience for most Dalton students. Dalton offers a wide array of athletic teams and, as a result of student interest, has recently started a co-ed swim team, co-ed cross-country, and girls' lacrosse team. Dalton is the only independent High School in Manhattan which fields a football team. Almost all of the teams have a "no-cut" policy, and the teams are able to accommodate a wide range of ability levels and still win many games.

The High School is made up of students who are different from each other in many wonderful ways but who all share a passion for learning. We believe that our differences increase our ability to learn from a variety of experiences and make each of us stronger. Our goal is to create lifelong learners who are able to appreciate and form relationships with a wide range of people and who understand that we have responsibilities as members of a democratic society. However, no description of the Dalton High School can adequately convey its reality. I invite you to read the rest of the High School web site and, more importantly, visit the High School in order to more fully understand the excitement that is omnipresent.

Lisa Waller
High School Director