Dalton by Design is grounded in the principles of Schooling/Understanding by Design by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins, leading voices in curricular design. The aim is to ensure that our teaching is reflective of our mission, progressive in nature, and academically challenging through purposeful K-12 articulation, alignment, and benchmarks. Department members across divisions work together to develop a singular K-12th grade Mission Statement that states both what student learning looks like in their respective department and what students will be able to do independently with that learning when they leave Dalton.

The day began with sessions tailored to the specific needs of each department. In the afternoon, attendees chose between two options: an opportunity for increased discussions around Dalton by Design pertaining to the Dalton Plan or free time for teams to connect on curriculum and planning. Tuesday’s programming concluded with a social gathering in the 89th Street Library.