Welcome to Dalton today and tomorrow Planning is in Dalton 's DNA. We we re founded on a progressive plan. We are always looking for ways to thoughtfully pursue new ideas , new possib ilities and new ways to be the best version of ourselves.
The plan you see before you was developed at an important moment in our societal and institutional history. Our society is experienc ing rap id change. There are daily revo lutions in techno logy and commun icat ion; major advances in the way we unders tand how peop le learn, grow and adapt; seism ic shif ts in the social, po litical, economic and env ironmen tal landscape, loca lly and g loba lly.
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Our school is changing as well. We're expanding and re-stacking Big Dalton the largest single investment in the School's history -
presenting opportunities for growth
and innovation. We are pursuing progressive and inclusive practices, adopting new methodo logies and offering wider perspectives to broaden and deepen our curricu lum. We are advancing a successful capital campa ign.
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Dalton is in a position of tremendous strength. We have reached record numbers in Admissions applications, our endowment is historically high, our student body is historically diverse and our teachers are continually inspired and inspiring. We are guided by an enduring ethos of engaging in responsible innovation, of exploring possibilities and of saying yes to smart, strategic opportunities.
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STRATEGIC PLAN /7
Our response to this moment is not revolution - it is evolution. We are not overhauling Dalton's mission; we are making it sustainable. We go forth with open minds and open hearts. We go forth with a commitment to new ideas, and fresh perspectives and the willingness to execute them. We go forth empowered by Helen Parkhurst's directive: to change with the changing world.
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Our Bri ght Tomorrow Choices, Assumptions and Ambitions: an Intrduction to the Strategic Plan
At Dalton, a strategic plan is never a rote
exercise. We put our hearts and souls into
it, because it is, after all, the horizon we set
for ourselves.
Every plan is in some sense a set of strategic
choices. The choices we are making in the plan are worth setting out here: •
Instead of narrowing the school's focus,
The process of developing this plan has
we are choosing to commit ourselves to
by conducting quantitative surveys
- Dalton experience. And instead of
constituency in the Dalton community.
choosing to explore inclusivity in its
and structure at every stage of revision
the wide range of human experience.
been intensive and inclusive. We began
the comprehensive - and sustainable
and qualitative focus groups with every
making Dalton feel exclusive, we are
Our Board provided feedback, guidance
and re-imagining. The following pages are
the result of more than a year of listening
broadest, deepest sense, considering
•
We are choosing to embrace the power
to the people of Dalton - their hopes and
of place -to engage in tangible,
their ambitions and aspirations.
our campus, our city and the global
dreams, their concerns and critiques,
possibly transformative ways with
educational community.
•
We are choosing to behave in specific
Second, we are re-committing to the
decisions informed by research and
we are modeling the affirmative, inclusive
their stories, to formalize and extend our
inspires our students to "go forth unafraid"
ways as an institution - to make
data, to listen intently to our people and shared willingness to experiment, test,
adjust and advance.
concept of citizenship. As a community,
and responsible leadership that we believe
while they are at Dalton and as they take
next steps in life.
Every plan also contains certain institutional
Third, we are embracing the willingness
advocate of transparency, so I will name
We are encouraging innovative ideas and
work in the plan.
in bold, informed, sustainable ways.
assumptions, implicit or explicit. I am an
three assumptions that I feel sure are at
of spirit that characterizes our community. pledging to carry out ambitious endeavors
First, we are advancing our dynamic
This process has been enlightening and
our programs, resources and practices
We see our horizon. Now, together, we go
mission. We are purposefully aligning
with our core values and more effectively
utilizing The Dalton Plan (House, Lab,
energizing. And it is only the beginning.
forth unafraid.
Assignment) to meet the evolving needs
of our students. 10 / THE DALTON SCHOOL
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Dalton: Going Forth FIVE
PRIORITIES
T HE DA LTO N ST UD ENT
THE DALTON TEACHER
T HE DA LTO N CITIZE N
THE DALTON TRAJECTORY
Supportingand challengmg students to be ready to engage with the world
Inspiring prog ressive faculty ,
Cultivatingethical purposeful citizensaf a diverse community
Stewarding our
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experienced mentors and contemporary scho lars
resources in visionary, pragmatic ways
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THE DALTONSTUDENT
GOALS
Supporting
Improve and enhance our range of exceptional offerings to meet the interests
Ensure a consistent, equitable student
and needs of students while maintaining
and creat ivity in our curriculum .
andchallenging
our high degree of academic rigor and
students to be
readyto engage withtheworld
bringing multiple voices and stories into the conversation.
experience while maintaining flexibility
Find additional ways to balance the emotional, physica l and intellectual well-being of students.
Create more opportunities for students to understand risk and failure as part of the learning process while pursuing and deepening their passions.
ACTION ITEMS Adjust practice and pedagogy, in line
Refine and amend Dalton's K-12 Health
with The Dalton Plan, to create more
& Wellness mission and program to help
opportun ities for students to experime nt,
students navigate today's comp lex world,
explore, create, test and take intellectual
and develop a compan ion curriculum for
risks. Promote a broad array of assessment
Dalton's faculty, staff and parents t o deepen
tools that allow students multiple ways
their understanding of the challenges Dalton
to demonstrate knowledge, skills and
students face.
progress. Offer students enhanced acade mic, cultural , Survey students and alumni to assess
service and internship opt ions throughout
the variety, quality and content of current
the calendar year for enrichment,
course offerings, consider strengths
experimentat ion and intellect ual risk-taking.
and challenges of our curriculum, reflect on equity and inclusion efforts, and
Examine structures, encourage practices
gather suggest ions on how to make our curricu lar and co-curricular programs most
and set cond itions that allow students to
meaningful and relevant in today 's dynamic environment.
and take full advantage of The Dalton Plan.
pursue passions, reflect on their learning
STR ATEGIC P LAN / 15
GOALS
THE DALTON TEACHER
Provide time and resources for faculty
Encourage and enable teachers to test and
to pursue professional development
apply new pedagogies and curricula -
opportunities and col laborative ventures
including transdisciplinary approaches to
with peers with in and beyond Dalton .
contemporary problems-
in measured,
inclusive, mission-consistent ways. Support faculty by mak ing informed decisions, offering clear career paths ,
Use state-of-the -art technologies to pursue
cultivating leadership opportunities ,
curricular innovations and max imize teach-
promo ting equity efforts and providing
ing efficacy.
additiona l occasions for professiona l growth.
ACTION ITEMS Create addit ional faculty leadership opportu -
Establish and build the Ellen C. Stein Faculty
nities by reviewing and revising current roles,
Fund, in addition to other faculty and staff
responsibilities , structu res and terms.
support Initiatives, to attract and retain teachers as well as to cultivate and advance
Establish a department review cycle focused
innovative ideas that prepare students to
on the development of departmental mission
thrive in a diverse, dynamic world .
statements and student learning goals to inform K-12 curriculum , assessment ,
Align The Professional Review and faculty
programs and pract ices.
professional development to encourage best practices , advance teachers ' passions ,
Conduct annual surveys and develop
support inclusivity and promote innovation
addit ional assessment tools that gauge
in concert with the School's mission and
teache r satisfact ion, cult ivate creativity and
strateg ic priorities.
strengt hen mission alignment. Encourage faculty participation in the development
Develop a process and procedu re to
and implementation of innovative ideas that
ensure that faculty compensat ion remains
improve teacher experiences and promote
competitive wit h comparable peer institu -
professional growth .
tions in New York City.
16 / THE DALTON SCHOO L
Inspiring progressivefaculty, experienced mentors and contemporary scholars
GOALS
Cultivating ethical,purposeful citizensof a diverse •
community
Set and reinforce expectations of what
Expand the number of opportunities
it means to be a Dalton citizen -
and spaces in which all community
as
a student or alum, a faculty member or
members can engage with a broad range
staff member, an adm inistrator or parent
of respectful views as we increase our
-
understanding of responsible citizenship
bui lding on a foundation of character,
kindness, inclusivity and empa thy.
at Dalton and beyond.
Curate new oppor tunities to engage with our city, our country and our world, including an enhanced and innovative service learning program.
ACTION ITEMS Define and communicate Dalton 's
Partner wit h studen ts, facu lty, staff , board
commun ity norms and values for all
membe rs, parents and alumni to ensure
constituenc ies.
that issues of communi ty, citizensh ip, equity and inclusion remain top strateg ic prior ities
Provide orientation opportunities for all
for t he School.
commun ity members at important school ent ry points to align stude nts, teachers,
Plan and host confere nces for internal
parents and othe rs with t he School's core
and external audiences tha t establis h
values , The Dalton Plan, and essential school practices and structures.
Dalton as a beaco n of equity practices locally, nationally and internationall y. Use these experiences to explore challenging
Create a K-12 Service Learning program
societal issues, promote civil discourse
that emphas izes service in New York City
and reinforce core values of the Dalton
and beyond as an essential part of the Dalton exper ience and priorit izes t ime
commun ity.
for reflect ion on issues of ethics , equity, inclus ion and soc ial justice.
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THE DALTONENVIRONMENT
GOALS Ensure that our facilities, methodologies
Bring departments and disc iplines
and actions align with and enhance the depth and quality of our offerings and our
physica lly closer, increasing opportunities for peer-to -peer collaboration, serendip -
progressive, inclusive and creative ethos.
itous interaction and community-building experiences.
Create inviting and accessible spaces for all community members that accommodate growth in our current programs and meet the potential demand for new programs.
ACTION ITEMS Complete the 89th Street Building
encourage reflection, embrace a diverse
Expansion project, bringing to life the School 's vision for a space that facilitates
community and provide opportunities for school -wide community building .
new, more collaborative ways of learning and inspires creativity , inclusion and
Continue to gathe r data from students ,
excellence among all commu nity members .
faculty , staff, parents and alumni through surveys, focus groups and ot her measures
Launch a master planning process for
to better appreciate school culture and
all Dalton facilities to ensure that capita l
determ ine mission alignment. Use th is data
investments are well managed , that the
to inform decision making , build community
school's phys ical resources support innova-
and support an inspired and inspiring
tive teac hing and learning, and that spaces
Dalton environment.
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Creating spaces andestablishing practices that reflect our mission
THE DALTON TRAJECTORY
e
Stwarding our resowces 1n • • v1s1onary, pragmatic ways
GOALS Ensure that our resource allocation reflects
our priorities; create flexibility to adapt our budget to our evolving needs.
Optimize current resource use based
on qualitative and quantitative metrics;
track outcomes; use that information to
Research, test and develop initiatives
that ensure that the Dalton experience is
accessible to students from all socioeco
nomic backgrounds - and that the Dalton
community acknowledges, embraces and protects this broad diversity.
help determine new priorities and new
revenue sources .
ACTION ITEMS Create an actionable, measurable and prudent financial roadmap for each Strategic Plan initiative, understand the implications of initiatives on current and future operating budgets, and develop new sources of revenue and/or identify offsets to achieve strategic objectives.
Continue to support and enhance Dalton's socioeconomic diversity by researching and implementing best practices that create an environment where all students, regardless of financial means, can participate equitably in all school activities.
Develop a comprehensive budgeting process that audits and enhances core programs while allowing for the sustainable creation of new initiatives.
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Where We are Going Moving forward together This is a five-year plan- long enough to
Our generosity gives us the resources to live
establish a vision, short enough to put it into practice. It is a plan that assumes a
out our enduring vision : meeting the needs and ambitions of our students .
constant process of re-examination and re-invigoration. It should leave Dalton
Our environment reflects our values:
nimble, refreshed and well-resourced
collaboration, community, innovation .
in 2023 . Our behaviors align with our convictions : As we move forward, we will use Dalton's
equity and inclusivity, wellness and
founding principles as a touchstone for
balanced living, support for student and faculty creativity and exploration.
our priorities, initiatives and actions . As we bring the plan to life, we want to make sure that:
Dalton School: created in collaboration with GenerationBranding and Communication 24 · THE DALTON SCHOO ~
Photography by Julie Golclstone
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The Dalton School 108 East 89th Street New York, NY 10128 giving@dalton.org