The Dalton School

A beloved Dalton tradition, this year’s production of Dance Theater Workshop featured original pieces inspired by the seven deadly sins, as well as the theme of virtue.

Through movement, our talented High School performers and student choreographers explored and interpreted these vices with creativity and artistry. This year’s performance also included a piece danced by nine Middle School boys, as well as two eighth grade girls who joined the dance “Pride”. Congratulations to the cast and crew!

Dalton’s fourth graders and ninth grade Biology students recently visited Black Rock Forest where they investigated stream ecosystems and water quality through hands-on fieldwork. Both groups of students collected data on macroinvertebrates — organisms that serve as bioindicators of stream health — while also measuring pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and temperature. Fourth graders shared the data they collected with the ninth grade students, creating a meaningful cross-grade collaboration. Ninth graders will incorporate the shared data into a larger study comparing present-day ecosystems with a projected 2076 scenario. Data collected by the students will also be shared with Black Rock Forest and reported to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as part of the Forest’s ongoing environmental monitoring efforts.

Thank you to the Dalton Parents Association who spent all of last week celebrating our faculty & staff! From soda and seltzer to cookies and ice cream, their efforts made the week extra sweet for everyone who works at Dalton.

Today, our kindergarteners eagerly welcomed their special guests to First Program for a beloved Dalton tradition: Grandfriends Day.

Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other special friends got a sneak peek into their students’ school lives as they visited classrooms, enjoyed a musical performance, and learned what it means to be a Dalton kindergartener.

This week, our fourth graders visited the Teaching Kitchen to make Red Red, a beloved West African dish made with beans, plantains, and rich tomato stew, alongside crispy tostones made from fried plantains.

As part of their study of enslavement and the transatlantic slave trade, students are exploring the ways African cultures, traditions, and knowledge endured, adapted, and continue to shape communities around the world today.

Making both Red Red and tostones also helped students trace the movement of ingredients, culinary traditions, and cultural influences across the African diaspora and the Americas.

For the 6th year in a row, the Dalton Creative Writing Program and the High School Library are thrilled to bring a guest author to 89th Street to celebrate all things literature. Join us on Tuesday, May 5 as we welcome N. K. Jemisin, author of the Broken Earth trilogy, to Dalton! Arrive at 5:00 PM and celebrate the launch of this year’s “Blue Flag” publication with readings from students. Refreshments will be provided and books will be available for sale and signing.

Last night, more than 500 community members attended our annual Spring Benefit at Guastavino’s. Those who joined us at Camp Dalton — answering the call “Adventure Awaits!” — had the opportunity to experience South Camp with fishing, archery, classic camp-inspired fare such as s’mores, and North Camp with the dining hall, friendship bracelet making, and dancing. Thank you to our talented and enthusiastic students who gathered around a “campfire” to sing and tell ghost stories.

In a beloved First Program tradition, Dalton’s first graders once again took their learning beyond the classroom this Earth Day. Students wrote and illustrated their own Earth Day tips on reusable shopping bags and personally delivered them to shoppers at their neighborhood store.

A small act of service with a big impact on the community. 

Last week, 40 teams of Middle School girls participated in an all-girls group math competition through GAIM: Girls Adventures in Math. In the first round, teams worked together to solve problems about historical women in math, and in the second round, they were tasked with decoding alphanumerics. Each team worked collaboratively to persevere and problem-solve their way through each round.

Dalton’s Spring Benefit 2026 Silent Auction is now open for bidding! Be sure to check your email for the link to buy event and raffle tickets as well as view all of the amazing auction items.