The Dalton Journal

Dalton’s Class of 2022 Goes Forth Unafraid!

Dalton's Commencement ceremony returned to the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center to celebrate the Class of 2022 — after a virtual and outdoor celebration the previous two years.

Following the traditional “Then and Now” slideshow, Senior Class Speaker Shravya Pant ’22 said that this year’s school t-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “House, Assignment, Lab, Repeat” was her favorite Dalton apparel. Of the three Dalton Plan tenets, Shravya said that House and the community it fostered were particularly meaningful to her. Shravya said House opened her mind to her fellow students’ character and helped members of the Class of 2022 find a community within their grades.

Commencement Speaker Joe Scarborough, co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe and best-selling author, said that his daughter, Kate, who attended Dalton’s First Program, would have been in the Class of 2022 if they hadn’t relocated out of NYC. He said that Kate is a better student and person because of her time at Dalton. Joe went on to say that as a young congressman, he followed his hero Bobby Kennedy’s directive to question initial assumptions.

He encouraged the Class to try to understand others, learn about their worldviews, show intellectual grace, and find common ground. Joe also urged the Class of 2022 to be open to dialectical thinking, where two things can be true at the same time, and work to find the middle path of seemingly impossible problems.

In her remarks, Interim Head of School Ellen C. Stein acknowledged that the Class of ’22 had witnessed many defining moments including Covid, race riots, and a contentious election. And while this group of students missed out on a lot during the lockdown, she noted that they returned to school with energy and enthusiasm; they were fully engaged, both curricularly and extracurricularly, and made an impact on the community. Ellen reminded the Class of 2022 that community is more than accomplishments: A community allows its members to express opinions without being judged. She encouraged this class to listen to the other side, probe both sides of the argument, engage in multiple perspectives, and be respectful of each other.

An especially poignant moment was a beautiful student rendition of the Electric Light Orchestra’s song “Mr. Blue Sky” in memory of Armando Zimmerman ’22. After moving their tassel from right to left, singing “The Dalton School Song,” and a spirited mortarboard toss, the Class of 2022 officially became Dalton graduates.

School Spirit Abounds at Homecoming 2022

Dalton community members gathered at Randall’s Island in September for the annual Homecoming celebration. The week-long excitement began with Spirit Week as High School students, faculty and staff participated in daily dress-up activities including pajama day, individual House dress-up themes, and Dalton sportswear day.

The community was abuzz from the outset as the Tiger athletic teams competed Wednesday through Saturday. The week of competition began on Wednesday with Cross Country racing at the Ivy League Meet and featured Thursday contests for Girls’ Varsity and JV Tennis. On Friday, supporters descended on the 87th Street Gym to cheer on Varsity and JV Girls Volleyball and participate in the annual Dalton Pep Rally.

The beautiful fall weather on Saturday set the stage for the fun-filled gathering at Randall’s Island which kicked off with a DJ performance and included both Boys and Girls Soccer facing Trinity and Football taking on Horace Mann. Off the field, attendees enjoyed fun runs and coach-led games for the younger students, while noshing on catered picnic lunches and the alwayspopular ice cream truck!

In addition to the school festivities, our generous alumni restaurant owners provided special offerings for community members at NYC restaurants Isabelle’s Osteria, Mel’s Burger Bar, and Quality Eats.

Celebrating his first Dalton Homecoming, Head of School José M. De Jesús remarked on the abundance of school spirit and electric energy inside the 87th Street Gym on Friday and at Randall’s Island on Saturday.

Dalton Celebrates Kindergarten Teacher Mary DiCarlo

Dalton community members gathered in the First Program gym on May 12 to celebrate Teacher Mary DiCarlo, who taught Kindergarten at Dalton for 49 years.

A long reception line snaked out of the gym as former students and families waited to extend best wishes to Mary. Attendees shared remembrances and feelings of gratitude. One parent recalled Mary’s reassuring advice to children worried about skills not yet acquired: “I can’t read!” “You can’t read YET!” Another said that Mary taught our children, but our parents as well, recalling Mary’s advice to “Fill someone’s bucket every day.” A former associate teacher said that Mary was the reason that she became a Kindergarten teacher.

Interim Head of School Ellen C. Stein said Mary inspired generations of Dalton Alumni, and Director of Admissions, K-12 Babby Krents said that Mary truly understood the little ones who “puffed out their chests” until they were bursting with confidence. Mary told her former students that they’re the VIPs of the evening: “You’ll always be my Kindergarteners, and I’ll keep you in my heart always.” The surprise appearance of former student Anderson Cooper ’85 topped off a warm and wonderful evening.

Girls’ Basketball Standout Mary Ashley Groot ’23 Signs National Letter of Intent

In early November Dalton Girls’ Basketball Standout Mary Ashley Groot ’23 signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Purdue University.

In front of a jam-packed room full of family, friends, teammates, faculty, and staff, Mary Ashley officially announced her intention to continue her basketball career at the NCAA Division I institution.

During the ceremony, Mary Ashley thanked the Dalton community for supporting her throughout this journey. She remarked how meaningful it was to share this special moment with them and appreciated their guidance in the decision to attend Purdue.

The reigning New York State Class C Player of the Year, Mary Ashley helped lead the Tigers to consecutive NYSAIS Championships, averaging over 24 points and 10 rebounds per game her senior year. The future Boilermaker had a phenomenal season helping the Tigers go 23-3 and finishing her high school career with 2,550 points and over 1,500 rebounds. She was nominated for the prestigious Miss Basketball New York and the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year awards.

In addition, Mary Ashley earned the distinction on a short list of 25 students in the country for the 2021–2022 Naismith High School Trophy Underclassmen Girls Watch List, an award given annually to the nation’s top boys’ and girls’ high school basketball players.