Learning

High School

Deepening Knowledge and Preparing for the Future

Welcome
The Dalton Plan
Character & Community
Curriculum
Dalton Plan in Action
Beyond the Classroom

Welcome from Loryn Croot
High School Director

"Learning isn’t just about what happens in a classroom; it’s also about the everyday moments in our community that shape who we are and who we aspire to be."

Take a moment to hear from Loryn Croot as she shares insights into the student experience in High School.

The Dalton Plan
in High School

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House

A key component of Dalton’s High School is House, a close-knit group of 16 to 25 students from all four High School grades, guided by two House Advisors.

These Houses serve as a critical social and academic support system, with House Advisors playing an essential role as both advocates and guides. The relationship between the Advisor and advisee typically spans four years, fostering a deep understanding of each student’s academic, emotional, and social well-being.

Every day, Houses gather for short meetings, during which attendance is taken, announcements are made, and Advisors check in with students, offering personalized guidance. Longer meetings, called Long House, focus on team-building activities, discussions on personal growth, and community-building efforts, often including service projects.

Houses provide students with a consistent, supportive space to thrive, both individually and as part of a collective group. Advisors serve as the primary source of connection between students, the school, and families.

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Assignment

The Assignment shapes the classroom experience by guiding students through a structured learning journey.

Typically spanning four to six weeks, assignments within Assignments offer students the freedom to explore topics in their own way, presenting opportunities to showcase their understanding through various forms. At its core, the Assignment is both a starting point and a roadmap for deeper learning.

Central to the High School pedagogy, the Assignment is a document that introduces students to new topics within the course curriculum. It outlines learning paths, tasks, and responsibilities, allowing students to personalize their approach while also teaching them essential skills like time management and organization. Through this process, students gain a broader understanding of both the subject matter and the cognitive skills needed to master it.

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Lab

Labs provide a unique space for students to tailor and extend their learning experiences.

Through one-on-one or small group sessions with teachers, students receive personalized attention to review projects, seek clarification, plan independent study projects, or dive deeper into their studies.

Though teachers may require a Lab period, students more often choose when and why to attend, allowing them to take ownership of their learning. This flexibility is key to the High School experience, giving students the chance to enrich or accelerate their studies in ways that match their individual needs and interests.

Cultivating Character and Community
Building a Culture Led by Integrity and Purpose that Extends Beyond Dalton

High School at Dalton is more than a chapter of academic life—it’s a culminating, deeply personal journey. It’s a time when curiosity turns inwards as much as outwards, as students begin to ask not just what they are learning, but why it matters and how it connects to the world they aspire to shape.

Within this environment, rooted in Dalton’s core values and brought to life through the Dalton Plan, students are empowered to take ownership of their growth. Over a course of four years, students come to see that integrity is alignment between values and actions and that purpose isn’t given but discovered through effort, reflection, and meaningful relationships. Along the way, they build confidence to speak with clarity, listen with empathy, and lead with intention.

By the time they graduate, students leave with a sense of self that can anchor them wherever they go – ready to shape communities with authenticity and purpose.

Curriculum
An academic journey aligned with student interests and purposeful learning

Dalton’s academically rigorous approach to learning and distinctive curriculum offer a balance between structure and flexibility. Students complete core requirements in academics, arts, and physical education while exploring a wide range of electives. With guidance from House Advisors, students make thoughtful decisions about their academic journey, aligning their choices with their passions and interests and creating a purposeful learning experience.

Designed to foster connections across disciplines, the High School program encourages inquiry, experimentation, research, and analysis – preparing students to navigate and contribute meaningfully to an increasingly complex, technological, and interconnected world.

Dalton High School is committed to ensuring that every student feels supported and empowered to reach their full potential. A team of Learning Support Specialists, who are trained to meet students where they are in their learning journey, provide academic guidance in addition to skills in time management, organization, and effective study strategies to students who would like further scaffolding. The Specialists help students understand their learning profiles, build confidence, and develop self-advocacy skills that ultimately foster academic independence. Specialists, available throughout the school day for scheduled one-on-one meetings and drop-in sessions, collaborate with teachers to enhance teaching strategies and keep faculty informed of student progress. This integrated, optional service ensures a comprehensive and supportive learning environment where every student can thrive.

Please read below for department overviews. For detailed curricular information, please refer to the High School course catalog.

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Computer Science

The Computer Science program offers students a broad introduction to the field through various Assignments, programming languages, and professional software development tools. Beyond the two introductory courses, students can explore advanced electives such as Data Structures and Algorithms, Relational Databases, Math and Physics Simulations, Web Engineering, Python, and Interface Design. In addition, the Computer Science Team competes in several regional and national competitions, including the American Computer Science League and Linguistics competitions.
Dance

The High School Dance program introduces students to dance as both a physical discipline and a creative, performing art, welcoming dancers, athletes, actors, and anyone interested in exploring the world of dance. Through technical training, creative exploration, and enriching experiences with guest artists, workshops, and New York’s vibrant dance scene, the program inspires students at all skill levels to appreciate and integrate dance into their lives. For those seeking deeper engagement with dance, the program offers opportunities such as participation in the Dance Theater Workshop (DTW) and support in preparing to apply to professional dance schools.

To learn more about the dance program, please visit the Dance page.
Engineering

Students have the opportunity to hone their engineering skills through Dalton’s robotics courses and competitions. Dalton competes in the FIRST Tech Challenge, an international competition in which mixed-age groups design, build, and program a robot. Students practice fabrication techniques like 3D printing, laser cutting, milling, and traditional machining. The Dalton Robotics Team has placed in the top one percent and advanced to the World Championship for several consecutive years.
English

The High School English program offers students a rich and immersive study of literature through extensive reading, writing, and analysis. Students assess the power, aesthetics, and ethics of the texts they read and write, gaining the agency to express their observations and questions through writing and speech. By exploring literature from a diverse and inclusive array of genres, time periods, and cultural contexts, students broaden their perspectives and cultivate curiosity and understanding.

In addition, the English Department offers a Creative Writing Program, a series of classes designed to mentor and develop young writers across all grades, and culminating in a senior elective, Creative Writing Thesis Workshop.
Global Online Academy

The Global Online Academy (GOA) is a nonprofit, international learning organization that connects students, teachers, and educators globally. Since 2011, Dalton has proudly partnered with GOA as a founding member. GOA offers unique classes and professional development courses not typically available at Dalton allowing students and faculty to explore their passions and interests with educators worldwide.
History and Social Science

The history curriculum is designed to cultivate excellence in reading, writing, critical thinking, and class discussion while introducing students to the stories of various global civilizations. The required courses aim to expose students to the history of religions, political traditions, patterns of economic development, social and cultural trends, and numerous forms of artistic expression. The electives offer students the opportunity to pursue individual interests once they have mastered the fundamentals of history in the 9th through 11th grades. The curriculum also connects to current events, encouraging students to engage with the world around them by reading the newspaper, viewing news programs, listening to podcasts, visiting local museums, and watching documentaries.
Mathematics

The Math Department strives to cultivate intellectual independence, creativity, and community collaboration through the study of Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, and in advanced courses beyond the standard high school curriculum. Courses provide a balance between preparation for college-level mathematics, exploration of relevant and illuminating mathematical concepts, and application of math in real-world contexts.

The Math Department aims to support Dalton students, each with various interest levels, abilities, and needs, in finding a math course that sparks interest and joy while providing an appropriate level of challenge.

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Music
The High School Music program offers a range of courses in performance, composition, and music theory, allowing students to explore everything from conducted and self-directed music ensembles to academic music study to senior Capstone Project. The music faculty works closely with students to help them develop their unique musical talents across diverse genres, encouraging them to become performers, listeners, and creators who integrate music into their lives.

Beyond school performances, all students benefit from:
- Access to instruments
- Guest artists performing and coaching our musicians
- Performance and adjudication opportunities outside of school
- Field trips to hear performances
- Commissioned works by guest composers
To learn more about the Music program, visit the Music page.
Museum Program

The Museum Program supports Dalton’s mission to promote interactive teaching and learning, a hallmark of progressive education. Our in-house museum educators weave their academic training into custom-designed experiences with objects and images in grades K to 12. Close collaboration with classroom teachers and other experts inside and outside the school ensures that every museum and related classroom opportunity is in sync with the academic curriculum, the age and interests of the students, and new technologies. Students and teachers have unique access to collections and curators at a wide range of cultural institutions, especially the American Museum of Natural History and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. At the same time, the program reinforces observational and inferential skills across the school.

To learn more about the Museum program, check out the Museum Program page.
Physical Education

Dalton offers various Physical Education (PE) courses, ranging from dance to strength training to yoga. Classes are offered by semester and High School students are required to participate during the semesters unless they are concurrently playing on a Dalton sports team.
Science

Science is taught through an inquiry-based approach, focusing on skills like experimental design, critical thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, scientific literacy, and collaboration that equip students with the tools to think critically. When possible, students explore real-world connections, linking lessons to historic and current events, as well as the world at large, making science feel relevant and encouraging students to apply their knowledge beyond the classroom.
Theater

The Dalton Theater department, open to students with a wide range of abilities and interests, builds a collaborative and creative community of theater artists through classes, productions, and independent projects. Students engage in all aspects of theater — acting, directing, stagecraft, design, and writing — developing skills through projects and habits of observation, self-study, and a lively theatrical imagination. The program empowers students to create original theater pieces in a variety of styles, with both faculty and student-directed productions. Through a broad range of dramatic literature, students actively contribute to the technical and artistic aspects of each show.

The Senior Projects, performed annually in May, mark the culmination of advanced students’ Dalton theater journeys and offer a chance to direct, design, act, or write a production.

To learn more about the Theater program, read the Theater Arts page.
Visual Arts

The High School Visual Arts program offers an expansive range of courses in two-dimensional, three-dimensional, digital, and multimedia art, providing every student with a platform to develop their artistic voice while engaging in the creative process with purpose, rigor, and dedication. The program is further enriched by a genuine studio experience where students collaborate closely with teachers to navigate the creative process, refine their visual perception, strengthen aesthetic judgment, and master technical skills.

Students who may be interested in pursuing art and architecture schools or integrating art into a broader liberal arts education receive dedicated faculty support and guidance in preparing art portfolios.

To learn more about the Visual Arts program, please visit the Visual Arts page.
World and Classical Languages

The High School World and Classical Languages program offers students the opportunity to explore or continue exploring Latin, French, Spanish, and Mandarin, each designed to develop essential skills and broaden cultural understanding.

Latin sharpens analytical thinking, attention to detail, and rhetorical skills while providing insight into Roman culture and its enduring influence. The world languages foster listening, reading, speaking, and writing abilities while immersing students in diverse cultures: French highlights francophone voices and global diplomacy; Spanish enriches students with Hispanic traditions; and Mandarin offers a unique opportunity to engage with one of the world’s oldest civilizations, cultivating global awareness and cross-cultural competency through its distinctive tonal phonetics and character-based writing system.

Each program equips students with language proficiency and cultural insight, preparing them for success in an interconnected world.

Dalton Plan in Action

Independent Studies

Independent Studies are opportunities for students to design their own study along with the guidance of a faculty member. Typically, students pursue passions ignited in one of their classes or Labs. Students and faculty meet weekly, delve deeply, and explore a topic from any part of the curriculum for a full semester.
Capstones

Capstone courses, available in English, history, and music classes, allow students to pursue a sustained project grounded in original primary-source research during their senior year.
Science Research Program

The Dalton Science Research Program provides students with authentic research opportunities to prepare them for a future in research science. Students develop their research skills, deepen their analytical thinking, and increase their understanding of cutting-edge science.
Senior Projects in Theater

In this year-long, deep dive into acting, directing, and design, students prepare to produce and direct a short play. Visiting theater artists, designers, and members of the Theater Department provide practical insights into the directing process, including script analysis, costume and set design process, and rehearsal techniques.