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Editor, Connections
The Dalton School 108 East 89th Street New York NY 10128-1599 www.dalton.org
Bravo to the Middle School cast and crew of As You Like It—a musical twist on Shakespeare’s classic comedy.
Alumni “Go Forth Unafraid,” Then Return to Dalton to
Their Stories 10 Community Parents of Alumni Explore the Frick Collection and its Historic Gilded Age Mansion Grownups Experience Dalton at the PA’s Annual GXD Event
From the First Program The Museum Program: Learning to Think Like Historians
From the Middle School Civics in Action: How Fourth Grade Brings Democratic Learning to Life at Dalton
From the High School From Mythology to Exotic Legends: The Deep Rewards of Studying Latin
Letter from the Head of School
by José M. De Jesús, Head of School
With June approaching, my thoughts turn to our high school Seniors who will soon walk through the Arch one last time. I feel a special connection to the Class of 2026, who began their high school journey four years ago when I arrived at Dalton. Together we learned to navigate a new environment and make our way.
A favorite part of my job is interacting with students— from impromptu catch-ups in the hallway, on the sidelines at games, during intermission at performances, or in more structured settings. Before spring break, I joined high school students in the Teaching Kitchen for a hands-on, multi-sensory lesson on preparing mangú for their Spanish class curriculum. In-depth conversations with students for my podcast series, “José Makes a Lab,” are always a highlight. A recent discussion focused on the Dalton Science Research Program (DSRP), where students gain hands-on experience working at professional research labs. In other illuminating podcast sessions, students talked about working on the Daltonian newspaper, participating in Dalton theater productions, and competing in Model Congress conferences. These podcasts are a “two-fer”: it’s fascinating to gain insight into what motivates students to engage with these activities while learning more about their values and priorities. After students become alumni, I have the privilege of hearing about their post-Dalton accomplishments. Alums speak fondly of their Dalton teachers’ influence and enduring friendships with classmates, and many choose to give back to our community. Along with providing internships and supporting fundraising efforts, Alums also share their expertise. Earlier this year,
Luyen Chou ’85 spoke to faculty and staff about the growing role of AI in education. As a former Dalton student and teacher, and now a technology leader, he expressed his affirming view that the Dalton Plan, with its focus on collaboration, compassion, and critical thinking, provides excellent preparation for AI’s increasing impact.
Broader initiatives continue to propel our school community forward. Dalton’s Helen Parkhurst Institute, our faculty mentoring program, trains teachers on effectively implementing the Dalton Plan in their classrooms. In a recent gathering, “Uncorking New Ideas,” faculty and staff discussed creative approaches to cultivating deeper learning with innovative Assignments.
At the annual Dalton Conference, I welcomed 24 independent schools that explored the theme “Whole Child, Whole School: An Ecological Approach to Wellness.” This is one of the many steps we’re taking to implement the Mental Health & Wellness Task Force’s recommendations.
A new, innovative student program we’ve been rolling out this year is the Unafraid Student Advisory Council (USAC). Twenty-two 10th-12th grade students have been working with Assistant Head of School/ Interim High School Director Dr. Shira Kohn and our partner organization, Viewpoints Project, on building skills of active listening and creating generous arguments. I was fortunate to attend a training session where students were learning to “disagree curiously.” To share their training, students from the USAC have led high school House activities and a middle school assembly focusing on learning how to disagree respectfully with peers on political and social issues. I’m proud of all they’ve accomplished, impressed with their emerging skill set, and looking forward to developing this program further.
After more than a year of intensive school-wide preparation, the NYSAIS accreditation committee visited Dalton in April, part of an in-depth process— including self-study and peer review—to assess independent schools every 10 years. We will hear their feedback soon.
I continue to be fueled by the irrepressible spirit of our school community. While I look forward to the summer for time to read and reflect, I can’t wait to walk back through the doors of 89th Street and welcome our students, faculty and staff for another full, engaging academic year.
High School Symposium Engages Future Voters
By High School History Teacher and Symposium Planner David Davidson and High School Program Coordinator Melissa Soleimani
Under the auspices of the Unafraid Project, a Strategic Plan priority that seeks to promote dialogue across ideological differences, Dalton’s 2025 High School Symposium in late-fall addressed the relevance of the United States Constitution for young people.
After a dynamic keynote address by former US Congressman Max Rose, students engaged in panel discussions and breakout sessions related to the overarching question of why someone who cannot yet legally vote should care about the Constitution and its principles.
Topics included the Supreme Court, the First Amendment, the role of the United States military within our constitutional structure, criminal procedure, the role of the Constitution in middle and high school education, and the role of municipal government within our national framework. Guest speakers included journalists, elected officials, attorneys, educators, judges, current and former military, and political scientists, with several Dalton alums and parents among them.
Students had an opportunity to interact with three recent graduates in different aspects of government and policy work. The young alum panelists (photo, left) were (r to l): Alexandra Lehman ’19, Sara Solomon ’18, and Lulu Saghie ’19 with student moderators: Sophie Kim-Yatter ’26 and Shreyas Rajaram ’26.
Students who participated in experiential learning trips spent the afternoon exploring real-world civic engagement at three partner organizations: the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Citizens’ Committee for Children, and the New York Common Pantry.
At the ACLU, lawyers led a dynamic conversation on civil liberties in the digital age and shared pathways for young people to get involved in advocacy and civic action. At the Citizens’ Committee for Children, facilitators guided students through activities that helped them examine advocacy in their own communities, culminating in applying their learning to real-world policymaking and outreach to elected officials. A third group headed to the New York Common Pantry, where students assembled more than 500 utensil packages before they toured the facility and learned about the organization’s vital role in addressing food insecurity across the city.
The afternoon gave students firsthand experience in how organizations create impact, how they, too, can be active participants in shaping change, and why they should care about the Constitution.
Senior Year Reflections
By Shreya Ranjan ’26
Shreya Ranjan ’26 passing through the Arch in Kindergarten with classmate Katherine Gumina ’26
As I look back on my years at Dalton, one question sticks out to me. For 13 years, I have come to understand Dalton as a community, one that I am forever grateful to be a part of. Yet as I leave, I find myself wondering what precisely defines the Dalton community, and how will I be a part of it even when I graduate from this school?
According to the dictionary, community has three definitions. Firstly, a group of people living in the same place. This definition is easily applied: living together is spending eight hours a day with your fellow students. Living together is the Class of 2026 growing up from Kindergarten naptime to 3rd Grade zombie-tag on Upper Roof to 5th Grade trashketball during Playstreet to Senior Lounge Minecraft and GeoGuesser during Interval. As a senior, I’ve come to think of my grade as my family, with this school as our House. And I am confident that even when I no longer go through those doors on 89th between Park and Lex every single day, a part of me will still live in this building where I grew up.
The second definition of community is a feeling of fellowship with others; a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. Perhaps on paper it would be hard to identify such commonalities shared by such a diverse community, but I think attending one Homecoming or Warren Hines game would easily dispel that notion. I have never experienced any shared interest quite like the feeling of cheering on our incredible girls’ volleyball team as they hit an unreturnable serve at Homecoming, or screaming and jumping to my feet when a particularly impressive shot is made in the Warren Hines basketball games. Admittedly, I have no idea what the rules of basketball are, but the reason these games feel so special isn’t truly the sports. It is the community we share as we embrace our shared desires (for a resounding victory over Trinity), and our identity as proud Daltonians. And I know that this community, those experiences, will not leave my mind any time soon.
The final definition of community is a group of interdependent species growing or living together in a specified habitat. And this is truly, in my mind, the right definition of our community at Dalton. Because in my experience, the thing that unites us at Dalton is that we help each other grow. Community is the generosity, kindness, and bravery that each and every Daltonian displays, characteristics that never leave us, but instead prepare us and join us as we Go Forth Unafraid. Wherever I go, I could not be prouder to be bringing the Dalton community with me.
Alumni Spotlight
Alumni “Go Forth Unafraid,” Then Return to Dalton to Share
Their Stories
Dalton Alums “go forth unafraid” after graduation, but, fortunately they return to share their stories and expertise with students, faculty and staff. This semester, Dalton welcomed Luyen Chou ’85, Wyna Liu ’01, and Kwame S. Brathwaite ’92 to events in the Martin Theater.
Luyen Chou ’85—educator, entrepreneur, and a technology leader—spoke to faculty and staff in January about the growing role of artificial intelligence in education. A former member of the Dalton History Department and New Lab founding member, Luyen’s visit offered Dalton’s educators an opportunity to reflect on the school’s values in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.
Drawing on his experiences as a Dalton student, classroom teacher, founder of several K-12 schools in New York City, and CEO and founder of DeweyLearn, Inc., Luyen emphasized a human-centered approach focused on curiosity, conversation, collaboration, creativity, compassion, and critical thinking as AI use increases.
Luyen’s insights reinforced the enduring relevance of the Dalton Plan and Dalton’s mission to challenge each student to develop intellectual independence, creativity, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility toward others. Luyen’s thoughtful dialogue was inspiring as educators consider how to support our students’ learning at Dalton—as AI becomes more dominant— now and in the years ahead.
Wyna Liu ’01, creator and editor of the popular New York Times game Connections, presented at a High School assembly in January. She began by asking students to solve the next day’s (i.e., not yet released) puzzle collaboratively; students enthusiastically jumped at this opportunity and successfully completed it with alacrity.
Wyna said she began constructing crosswords in 2018 and had her first puzzle published in the American Values Club Crossword in January 2019. She joined The New York Times as an associate puzzle editor in 2020.
Wyna explained how the idea for Connections originated, shared behind-the-scenes tips, and referenced experiences (and favorite TV shows) that shaped some of her puzzles. She closed the assembly with words of advice for students interested in puzzlemaking. Wyna credits Dalton with teaching her to think critically and providing her with a strong education and outlets for creativity. She shared Dalton-related anecdotes and said she is grateful for the friends she made at Dalton.
As part of Black History Month, Kwame S. Brathwaite ’92 , the featured speaker at a High School Assembly in February, introduced students to the work of his father, Kwame Brathwaite (January 1, 1938–April 1, 2023). Brathwaite was an influential photographer who documented the intersection of music, fashion, and activism for six decades, aiming his lens on musicians, athletes, political figures, everyday Harlem scenes, and more.
At this assembly, Kwame screened excerpts from the documentary, “Black is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story,” and spoke about the Archive he established for preservation, education, and elevation. He said that “it’s important to protect work and teach from it…with an eye to the next generation of creators.” Kwame told students that an important part of his stewardship is “to engage people dynamically.” He explained that artists are inspired by Brathwaite’s photography, and exhibits around the world help keep his work in the conversation and considered through a contemporary lens.
Kwame said his father helped change the way people saw Black culture. Through his photography, Brathwaite helped increase awareness and shift the mindset toward an appreciation of Black culture and promote the slogan, “Black is Beautiful.”
Looking out at the audience, Kwame commented that being back at Dalton in the Martin Theater was “really a full circle moment.”
Community
Parents of Alumni
Explore the Frick Collection and its Historic Gilded Age Mansion
For one afternoon, Dalton Parents of Alumni were transported back to the Gilded Age as they explored the beautiful Frick Collection in early February. They enjoyed learning about the art (including portraiture and landscapes), decorative objects, furnishings, and the Frick family—within view of the historic mansion’s peaceful, snow-covered gardens and Central Park.
Our tour guide, April Kim Tonin ’88, P’22, who was, at the time, the Frick’s Head of Education and Public Engagement, shared her extensive expertise and reflected on how Dalton profoundly influenced her journey to becoming an artist and art educator. Her inspiring words reminded us how fortunate our children were to receive an exceptional Dalton education.
Grownups Experience Dalton at
the PA’s Annual GXD Event
More than 275 parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty, and staff gathered together at 89th Street to mingle, learn, and engage in classes taught by Dalton’s esteemed faculty and staff at the Parents Association’s (PA) annual Grownups Experience Dalton (GXD).
Classes ranged from stress management, puzzles, poetry, and Puerto Rican music, all the way to carving chopsticks and improv! This yearly event gave our community a chance to gather together and be inspired. Excited comments and words of gratitude filled the stairwells and lobby. It was an enriching and memorable experience thanks to our unparalleled faculty and staff.
The Dalton Journal
At the Annual Dalton Conference 2026, Attendees
Explore the Theme— Whole Child, Whole School: An Ecological Approach to Wellness
The Dalton Conference brought 24 New York independent schools to our 89th Street building in February for a day of education, professional development, and reflection.
With representation from across school constituencies—students, faculty, staff, heads of school, parents, trustees, alumni, and administrators— participants engaged in conversation about this year’s theme, “Whole Child, Whole School: An Ecological Approach to Wellness.”
Using the Dalton Plan’s structure of House, Assignment, and Lab, the day included a keynote panel, Labs organized by common constituencies (e.g., administrators), a moderated student panel, and ended with Labs organized by school. Through insightful, engaged discussions, participants explored both the challenges schools face today and effective practices for deepening intentional inclusion in our communities.
Big Dalton Students Serve as Mentors at Little Dalton During a Week of Creative Coding
By Technology Integrators Julia Henderson and Jack Mansager, and K-3 Science Teacher Hope Donovan
At Code Lab ’25—a collaboration with the New Lab, Science, Computer Science, and Engineering departments—270 8th–12th graders mentored First Program students to program drones, robots, and build a marble-powered computer. With each Assignment, students learned computational ideas such as variables and conditions, shared problem-solving strategies, persevered when encountering unexpected challenges, and developed cross-divisional connections.
Big Dalton students enjoyed tinkering and learning alongside First Programmers, while the youngest Daltonians enjoyed problem-solving when they hit inevitable coding bugs.
First Program’s “Gotitas del Saber” Podcast
Celebrates 100 Episode Milestone
By Second Grade Spanish Teacher and Podcast Director Nivia Marrero
Since its creation, 246 First Program students have proudly hosted the podcast, showcasing their talents and growing confidence in Spanish. Through each episode, students demonstrate their ability to speak Spanish, interview adults, share information, and practice an important value: giving credit where credit is due. The podcast has become a meaningful platform for student voice, leadership, and learning. Around 80 community members—teachers, administrators, kitchen and maintenance staff—have participated as guests. Students have felt empowered to ask thoughtful questions, engage with adults, and see themselves as capable communicators.
To mark the occasion, Pequeño Dalton joined in the celebration. Students listened to past episodes, shared which ones they had hosted, and reflected on new things they learned along the way.
The podcast celebrates student accomplishments while highlighting the contributions of the Latino and Hispanic community and the importance of the Spanish language. Gotitas del Saber has done more than build language skills—it has brought the community together. Reaching 100 episodes is a powerful reminder of what happens when we center student voices, celebrate languages, and come together to learn from one another.
Fifth graders took a close look at sculpture, paintings, and ancient Mesopotamian cylinder seals—one of the best-known collections in the world—during this immersive field trip.
Bringing Ancient Mesopotamia to Life at the Morgan Library
Dalton Celebrates Warren Hines ’88 With Varsity Sweep
Dalton’s students, parents, alums, teachers and staff packed the Athletics Center on January 30 for Warren Hines ’88 Night. This annual event recognizes this standout student and athlete, remembered for his bright smile and positive spirit.
The night began with Boys JV basketball facing Fieldston and Girls JV basketball taking on Marymount. Community members of all ages filled the stands with blue, with many First Program and Middle School students coming out to show their support.
Girls Varsity basketball followed with a decisive 46–28 win over Fieldston. “We played better once we saw the ball go in a few times,” Head Coach Sam Bergen said. “We got a couple of stops in the second quarter, and the pressure picked up defensively.” Senior Astou Toure led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Varsity Wrestling outlasted Long Island Lutheran 42–39. The Tigers trailed before senior Stephan Leathers won the deciding bout late in the dual. Junior Chris Brown and seniors Johji Nakada and Will Safranek also delivered victories, while three Tigers picked up wins by forfeit.
To cap the night, Boys Varsity basketball, playing Fieldston, claimed sole possession of first place in the Ivy League with an 82–68 victory. The Tigers led 23–21 after the first quarter and 43–34 at halftime before senior Noah Khalid ignited the crowd with a four-point play to open the third quarter.
“It was really fun,” Khalid said. “We always look forward to this night. We came out ready and pumped up. That first quarter, we got a little bit of a lead and held on to it throughout the game. We’re really excited right now.”
“I’m always amazed by how much spirit there is at Dalton,” said Director of Athletics Teddy Frischling ’89. “I’m not surprised, because I’ve seen it before, but each Warren Hines ’88 Night seems better than the last. The school and alumni love to rally behind it.”
Fourth Graders Explore Early Immigration and Learn About Culinary Traditions in Dalton’s Teaching Kitchen
By Fourth Grade House Advisor Aissa Quezada
As 4th graders learn about why early immigrants made their way to the United States, they’re discovering that immigrants also brought their traditions, culture, and cuisine. During visits to Dalton’s Teaching Kitchen throughout the year, 4th grade students learn to prepare and enjoy culinary creations from around the world.
Guided by Chef Jaz, Dalton’s Teaching Kitchen Coordinator, 4th graders have made blinis, cheesy Irish potatoes, black-eyed peas, vegetarian fried rice, and pasta with red sauce. They also learned about knife safety and kitchen etiquette. What better way to celebrate the culmination of a Social Studies Assignment than by tasting culture and history itself?
At its first outing of the year, the High School’s Venturing Crew braved a windy day in Cold Spring, New York, where they hiked to the steep summit of Bull Hill and were rewarded with gorgeous views. Along the way, they learned about nature, historical ruins, and map-reading.
In this innovative Assignment, First graders in House 46 sold stamps and cards, then collected, stamped, sorted, and delivered mail to First Program recipients. What a creative way to practice reading, writing, and math skills—while connecting the Dalton community one postcard at a time! This year, students processed 2,935 pieces of mail.
Venturing Crew Climbs Bull Hill
Little Dalton’s Annual Post Office Delivers!
8th Graders Head South to Learn About the Civil Rights Movement
Eleven 8th graders traveled to the American South in February as part of the Dalton Global Initiatives (DGI) program to learn about the Civil Rights Movement.
With an eye on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., students began their travels in Atlanta, Georgia, before heading to Alabama. Based in Montgomery for the week, students traveled to Selma, Birmingham, and Tuskegee, and in each place met with people who had lived through and given their hopes and energy to the movement. The eighth graders met with notable changemakers including a foot soldier who spoke of the three attempts to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge to Montgomery;
Thomas Wilder, current minister of the Bethel Baptist Church where Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth instituted the Alabama Christian Movement after the city of Birmingham outlawed the NAACP; and a lawyer from the Equal Justice Initiative, who is actively working to bring equity and justice to incarcerated people.
They also visited historical landmarks, including the childhood home of Valda Harris Montgomery, daughter of Dr. Richard Harris, whose family provided sanctuary for the freedom riders assaulted in Montgomery; The Legacy Museum; the spot where Rosa Parks boarded the bus; the sculpture garden adjacent to the Alabama River; and finally the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, acknowledging the lives taken through lynching throughout the nation.
Students engaged in conversation, history, and art, and they ate and prepared delicious food. During this immersive experience, students found answers to many questions—while raising others.
(clockwise from center left)
Fig. 1. First graders studying the Impressionists at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of Camille Ehrenberg.
Fig. 2. Third graders excavating a dig site at First Program with Neil Goldberg.
Fig. 3. Third graders studying Medieval art at the Cloisters with Michelle
The Museum Program: Learning to Think Like Historians
By Michelle Marcus, Dalton’s Art History and Museum Programs
5. Armorer Jeff Wasson demonstrating metalsmithing techniques to the 3rd graders.
Marcus.
Photo courtesy of Charlotte Todd.
Fig. 4. Third graders in the Islamic Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of Philip Scaringi.
Fig.
For the past 40 years, Dalton’s Museum Program has been fulfilling the school’s ongoing commitment to use the city’s rich resources as a Lab for teaching and learning. Most recently, the Program has supported more than 100 annual museum visits and related classroom experiences!
This year alone—with support from our Museum Coordinator Kris Santos—students in grades K-12 have visited numerous museums and cultural institutions in and around the city, among these: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters, the Morgan Library, the Wykoff House, the Hudson River Museum, Fort Lee Historic Park, the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of the Moving Image, the American Museum of Natural History, New York Historical Society, El Museo del Barrio, and the Museum of the City of New York.
The mission of Dalton’s Museum Program is to collaborate with classroom teachers to enhance the K-12 curriculum by leading tours of relevant museum exhibits, teaching related lessons in classroom settings, supporting tours by classroom teachers and museum staff, hiring outside experts to work with students in museum and classroom settings, and managing a teaching collection of raw materials and artifacts.
At the same time, our Museum Program aims to scaffold art history and visual thinking skills across the curriculum. For example, students learn how to look at art and artifacts; how to describe and interpret works of art; how to use visual materials to build an understanding of the past; and to see how public art can inform the way people think and behave.
In the earliest grades, our goal is to introduce students to looking at visual materials in museum settings while supporting the curriculum. A Kindergarten unit about homes, for example, might find us visiting various period rooms at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to talk about the relationship between interiors and patterns of cultural behavior; or a 1st grade curriculum on artist biographies might find us in the Impressionist galleries at the Met talking about the nature of artistic style (Fig 1).
The Program is especially well-integrated into the 3rd grade archaeology and social studies curriculum, which is wrapped around excavations of simulated archaeological sites that Archaeology Teacher Neil Goldberg builds in meter-square boxes in the backyard at the First Program. Each site is designed to address issues of global exchange during the Age of Commercial Expansion, ca 1000–1700 CE (Fig 2).
Museum visits and related classroom lessons provide the students with the visual tools and resources they need to determine the date, place of origin, and historical context of the artifacts they uncover. To this end, the 3rd graders may find themselves looking for comparative finds at any number of cultural institutions (Figs 3, 4). For example, to bring their study of the Silk Road to life, 3rd graders visited the Chinese, Islamic, and European galleries at the Met to understand the attributes of the artifacts from these regions. Back at school, applying what they learned from the trip, students identified and contextualized the artifacts they discovered at their own dig site.
The Museum Program is also responsible for supporting experiential learning in the classroom. Third graders, for example, get to handle the sorts of objects and raw materials that were exchanged between cultural groups during the time they are studying. An armorer brings in his portable forge to demonstrate the art of blacksmithing. And, a teaching artist helps students grind pigments from lapis lazuli, malachite, and other materials to make illuminated manuscripts like those that would have been contemporary with their archaeological sites (Fig. 5).
This seamless integration between the excavated finds, local museum holdings, and hands-on learning experiences helps motivate these young students to think like historians as they try to reconstruct the past from primary visual sources.
Civics in Action: How Fourth Grade Brings Democratic Learning to Life at Dalton
By Avani Tandon and Andrew Preston, 4th Grade House Advisors
For the past two years, Dalton fourth grade students have been engaging in a newly designed Civics curriculum that reflects a broader institutional commitment to helping students understand not only how society functions, but also how they themselves can participate thoughtfully and responsibly within it.
Developed in response to a growing recognition that civic literacy must begin early, the curriculum integrates social studies content seamlessly into Language Arts instruction, ensuring that civic learning is both developmentally appropriate and intellectually rigorous.
Rather than approaching civics as a discrete set of facts about government, the curriculum was intentionally designed around big ideas that students can connect to their own lives: values, community, citizenship, democracy, justice, and agency. Faculty collaborated across disciplines to build a sequence that emphasizes reflection, discussion, and authentic application, allowing students to revisit these concepts repeatedly and with increasing sophistication throughout the unit.
The anchor text for the curriculum, From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks, provides a powerful narrative lens through which students explore issues of fairness, racial bias, and the justice system. As students analyze Zoe’s determination to advocate for her father, they simultaneously strengthen close-reading skills, engage in evidence-based discussion, and wrestle with essential civic questions: What does it mean to act ethically? Who holds power in a community? And what responsibilities come with belonging?
Fourth graders hear from an individual who was wrongfully imprisoned for over 30 years, as well as a policy advocate from the Innocence Project. These guest speakers talk with students about the inequities and biases that exist in our justice system. These sessions, along with early lessons, invite students to reflect on their own values and the communities they are part of, from their classrooms and school houses to their neighborhoods and teams. These reflections lead naturally into discussions of norms, rules, and laws, helping students distinguish between personal ethics and systems of governance. As the unit progresses, students examine real-world examples of youth activism and persuasive writing, studying how young people use their voices to influence change.
The culminating project brings the curriculum full circle. Each student identifies an area of growth within a community they care about and writes a persuasive letter to a relevant stakeholder, applying research, rhetorical strategies, and a clear sense of audience. The result is work that feels both academically meaningful and civically purposeful.
The rollout of the curriculum has been met with notable student engagement. As one fourth grader reflected, “I used to think civics was just about government, but now I see it’s also about noticing problems and believing you can do something about them . . . even as a kid.”
By embedding civics within Language Arts, Dalton’s fourth grade curriculum demonstrates that democratic participation is not an abstract ideal, but a practiced skill, one that students begin developing through careful reading, thoughtful writing, respectful dialogue, and a growing sense of responsibility to their own communities.
From Mythology to Exotic Legends: The Deep Rewards of Studying Latin
By Johanna Braff, Middle and High School Latin Teacher
Dalton students who study spoken languages such as French, Mandarin, or Spanish may one day be able to converse in a second language, and yet many students’ number one language choice is Latin, a so-called “dead” language. In fact, 5th grade Latin enrollment this year was our best yet, with 21 students, and many high school students added Latin to their course load.
Students decide to study Latin for a variety of reasons. Some are motivated by a love of mythology and Ancient history. Others find Latin appealing because the language requires less of an oral component; the class is led in English, and while students will be asked to read the Latin out loud, they are not expected to speak and hold conversations in Latin. Students sometimes choose Latin because it is the basis for the Romance languages and makes learning other languages easier.
Our rigorous, intensive Latin program takes a grammar-based approach, and students who start Latin in 5th grade are able to read authentic Latin texts by 9th grade. Our high school students read Caesar’s De Bello Gallico, Cicero’s In Catilinam and Pro Caelio, Vergil’s Aeneid, and selections from the Lyric poets—Catullus, Horace, Propertius, Martial, among others. The students learn to analyze the literature critically while also placing it within the context of the time period of the Romans.
As students’ Latin proficiency develops, they find that translating highly inflectional Latin (i.e., relying on changing word endings rather than word order to express grammatical function) is like decoding puzzles, and they enjoy the wordplay and the critical thinking required to work through a phrase or sentence. In addition, studying the Roman narrative, its histories, exotic legends, romances, and dramas is intriguing, intellectually stimulating, and involves analytical reasoning and higher-order thinking skills.
The benefits of studying Latin—which is filled with a depth of nuance, history, and culture—are numerous: Working intensively with Latin syntax and grammar, classical rhetoric and poetry helps sharpen students’ critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. From studying Latin words and their etymologies, students broaden their English vocabulary and word choices. Learning Latin helps provide a richer and more nuanced perspective on Western cultures and their roots in antiquity. In addition, the multidisciplinary study of Latin touches on the histories, philosophies, political institutions, art, and literature of the Romans—all of which helped to shape Western civilization as we know it today—and is a sound basis for many college courses. Additionally, Dalton’s Greek program is experiencing a Renaissance. When Greek was brought to an end at the end of the 2015–2016 school year, some students shifted to studying Greek every year as an independent study. Now, students are beginning Greek while others have done intensive programs over the summer and are reading authentic Greek texts by authors such as Plato and Aristophanes.
After many requests from students and the Latin department, we reinstated the Ancient Greek program in September 2025. This two-year program for high school students offers Greek 1 in the first year and Greek 2 the next year. Upon completion, students participate in an independent study of reading authentic Greek literature. This year’s Greek program has 11 students ranging from Sophomores to Seniors. The students have gone beyond the introduction to Greek and are now able to translate complex Greek sentences. We are also supplementing the course with translations of ancient Greek literature to introduce students to Greek philosophy. Currently, the students are reading Plato’s Apology
We also offer enrichment opportunities outside the classroom. This spring, for the first time, our Classics program will sponsor a “Classics Colloquium” with a prominent guest speaker. We will invite faculty from other schools, high school Classics students, and university professors to an evening talk with Professor Candida Moss entitled, “Invisible Hands: The Hidden Labor Behind Ancient Roman Writing.” This colloquium will bring together Classics scholars and students from around the tristate area to share in learning about this important topic, followed by drinks and snacks, and an opportunity to connect and continue the conversations.
Last April, some Latin students went on a Dalton Global Initiatives (DGI) trip to Greece for an immersive, experiential trip. Thirteen students and three chaperones traveled around the mainland Peloponnese for ten days. Students visited the sites of the Acropolis in Athens, the temple of the Delphic Oracle at Delphi, the ancient ruins of Mycenae, the ancient theater at Epidaurus, and the race track at Olympus. The plan is to take a DGI Classics trip every two years (e.g., Rome, Herculaneum, and Pompeii).
Discovering and sharing Latin with like-minded peers in a collegial setting is collectively engaging, personally rewarding, and great preparation for all that lies ahead for our Classics students who “go forth unafraid” prepared for the challenges ahead.
Chase Blumenfeld ’27 “I chose to take Latin in 5th grade because my Grandma told me it would make my vocabulary better for the SAT. Unfortunately, that section of the test has since been removed, prompting my peers in other languages to ask, “Why take Latin in the first place?”
Angelina Chu ’26 “My skills from Latin have strengthened my thinking in multiple disciplines, especially in my writing. Studying Latin has given me a deeper understanding and appreciation of grammar, allowing me to close-read with greater precision and attention to detail. I’m able to analyze sentence structures with nuance I certainly would not see without my Latin knowledge. Going on the DGI Greece trip was also transformative for me, allowing me to immerse myself in the history we learn about and appreciate the stories we read.”
Spencer Chaisanguanthum ’27
“I added Greek as an elective class at the start of my junior year. I was curious about how Greek culture, civilization, and philosophy influenced the Roman world and, in turn, authors like Vergil. [Additionally,] so much of English vocabulary, literature, science, and philosophy traces back to the ancient world.
My experience in both classes has been collaborative and engaging. We work through translations together; discuss mythology, history, and culture; and sometimes debate how a particular passage, sentence, or grammatical construction should be interpreted. Having been in two prose and one poetry class, it is remarkable to see how authors presented themselves on the page thousands of years ago—whether it be Cicero carefully building a persuasive argument against his opponent or Vergil’s epic narrative about the founding of Rome skilfully grounded in dactylic hexameter.”
The question seems ridiculous to me. In my years with Dalton Classics, I have found a love for a language and culture that I had previously known nothing about. In Latin, I challenge myself in grammar, syntax, mythology, and rhetoric as I learn about the society and writing that formed the foundations of Western civilization. This year, I’ve had the privilege of taking Greek, something not usually offered at the high school level, and in this class, I have expanded my knowledge to a new Ancient civilization, wildly influential on art and philosophy, while equipping myself with the skills to eventually translate history’s foremost thinkers like Plato and Aristotle.
Ultimately, the best part of Classics at Dalton for me is the community. Latin and Greek comprise a few sections of dedicated, curious, and intelligent peers with whom I’ve bonded through our shared love of Ancient Rome and Greece. Further, Ms. Braff, Ms. Norris, and Ms. Pincus are all incredible and passionate teachers who have had a profound effect on my peers and me in teaching us these subjects with expertise and thoughtfulness.”
Max Foa ’27 “It is difficult to encapsulate the marvelous character of the Classical Languages program and its illustrious teachers in a single quote. Latin is a language of very complex grammar, especially for middle schoolers, and Greek is even more so, but the Latin teachers do an incredible job of building skills and fostering enjoyment. They also put a lot of effort into helping us connect with the culture and civilization of the long-dead Romans. In my time with the Latin department, we have gone to the Met, seen Oedipus on Broadway, and visited ancient sites in Greece. Greek is an exciting new endeavor for those of us who have long enjoyed Latin, and Ms. Braff has done excellent work in constructing a curriculum for us to dive into this elegant, if difficult, language.”
Sophie Yang ’30 “I took Latin because it was sold as a great base language to have for grammar and other languages. I think it’s important because it teaches about the roots of our language and how we get our grammar rules. And for people hoping to follow a career in archeology or deciphering ancient texts, Latin and Greek would be imperative to learn. One thing I really love is learning new grammar; it’s extremely satisfying to feel something click into place in your head and completely understand it. It’s also very relaxed and fun in the first years of learning. Even better, you make new friends (I met many of my best and closest friends in Latin).”
Simon Smith ’26 “I chose Latin as a language pretty early, but what kept me involved was the relationships with the teachers as well as the broad cross-departmental connections. I’ve found what we’ve learned about in Latin and Greek highly applicable to so many other interests of mine, like politics and history. The Dalton Classics department has left an indelible mark on my high school career.”
Evelyn Yang ’30: “I chose to take Latin because I had heard it would strengthen my English. Since English is my second language, I was still trying to fill in certain gaps in grammar, and Latin forced me to really understand how sentences are built instead of just relying on what “sounds right.” It made me more precise and more aware of structure, which helped my writing in ways I didn’t expect.
As a pianist, Latin has mattered to me in another way, too. So much of the music I play is marked in French, German, or Italian. To really understand a piece, I often have to translate directions, titles, and even poems that inspired the music. Studying Latin has made those languages feel less intimidating and has saved a lot of time. I could recognize roots, patterns, and connections. It feels like I’m not just memorizing words, but actually understanding where they come from and what kind of meaning they carry.
Latin definitely takes time and patience. You cannot skim it. It requires understanding. But that depth is what makes it important. It trains you to pay attention, to think carefully, and to approach language with respect. For me, it has shaped the way I read, write, and even interpret music.”
Sajan Shah ’27 “When I began Latin in 5th grade, I saw it simply as a language requirement to fulfill. I often had friends ask me what the value of learning a ‘dead’ language was, and at first, I agreed. However, I’ve come to realize that the Classics is about so much more than the study of ancient languages. It is a lens through which we can analyze, understand, and learn from the ancient world. By studying the Classics, I have gained insight and connection to other fields such as history, politics, and even psychology. When we discuss the speeches of Cicero, or the propaganda in De Bello Gallico or the Aeneid, we are exploring the ways leaders and political figures employ rhetoric to manipulate outcomes and sway citizens—discussions which are directly applicable to today. I think the reason that many dismiss the Classics is because they see it only as grammar and vocabulary rather than an opportunity to explore the ancient world and its lasting influence, but to me, that is the most special part about the Classics and our curriculum here at Dalton.”
Giving Highlights
Go Forth & Give Back!
Dalton’s Annual Fund Closes on June 30, 2026
Whether you’ve supported the school’s Annual Fund for decades or are making your first contribution, we’re grateful to you and other Dalton community members who invest in our students’ transformative education.
Good news: there’s still time to participate in this important initiative! If you make a philanthropic gift to Dalton by June 30, 2026, we’ll include your name in our printed Fall Giving Report, which we’ll mail to homes. You can contribute online at www.dalton.org/give or scan the QR code below.
Outreach by more than 100 volunteers helps us achieve our fundraising and participation goals, and we can’t thank them enough. A special shoutout to Annual Fund Parent Chairs Nicole Sambur, Kas Sanandaji, and Angeli Saijwani for their leadership. And thank you to Alumni Council Annual Fund Committee members David Cremin ’78, Abbe Gluck ’92, Lizzie Sacks ’08, and Jillian Williams ’11 for helping to increase Alumni engagement.
If you have any questions or would like more information about making your gift, please contact Dalton’s Director of the Annual Fund Brigid Berger, bberger@dalton.org, 212-423-5458.
High School Senior Class Families: Please Help Us Reach 100% Participation for the Senior Class Gift by June 30!
Dalton Seniors are quickly approaching the end of their Dalton educational journey. In the fall, they selected the Class of 2026 Endowed Financial Aid Fund for the College Application Process as their legacy gift to help future Dalton Seniors with college-related costs (i.e., attending yield events, application fees).
Thank you to our Senior Class families who have already contributed to the Senior Class Gift. If you haven’t already, we hope you will support this initiative— gifts of all sizes truly make a difference! To contribute online, visit www.dalton.org/seniorgift or scan the QR code below. You can also mail a check (made out to The Dalton School) to The Dalton School, 108 East 89th Street, New York, NY 10128, Attn: Advancement Office, or call Brigid Berger at 212-423-5458.
Alumni Giving Day 2026 is a Resounding Success
Thanks to the enthusiasm, partnership, and generosity of alumni from 65 different classes, ranging from 1952–2025, we surpassed our ambitious Alumni Giving Day goal, reaching 538 donors to support Dalton’s Annual Fund on 2/25/26!
A special thank you to our volunteers whose leadership inspired their classmates and to Alumni who offered energizing matches and challenges. Their collaborative effort helped us achieve this historic outcome.
Congratulations to our top leaderboard winners, who are invited to a celebratory happy hour on Thursday, June 25 at a midtown location. Invites were sent via email.
Class of 1994 (1st Place)
Class of 1978 (2nd Place) Class of 2006 (3rd Place) Class of 2007 (4th Place) Classes of 1992 & 2005 (Tie for 5th Place)
Volunteers at the Annual Fund Phonathon
Alumni Notebook
A SciFan Reunion to Celebrate 20 Years
Since it began in the 2005-2006 academic year— 20 years ago—the Science Fiction and Fantasy Club, also known as SciFan, has hosted weekly meetings, movie outings, board game nights, a yearly sleepover, and other fun activities. This vibrant and inclusive community has been a defining part of the Dalton experience for many students.
In early February, SciFan celebrated its storied history (and faculty advisor extraordinaire Roxanne Feldman, as she approaches her retirement this June) in the High School Library. The three current student heads of the club spoke about their goals and initiatives to 60 alumni attendees from the classes of 2008 through 2025—and they expressed gratitude for the lasting importance of the club.
High School Librarian Roxanne Feldman P’17 and Celena Kopinski ’10 helped organize this memorable event with vision and dedication, and we’re considering how other clubs can follow suit.
Seattle Alumni Gathering
A huge shout-out to Jon Weintraub ’81 and Susan Feeney for hosting a Seattle-based group of Daltonians at their home in January. It was a wonderful opportunity for alumni spanning four decades to connect almost 3,000 miles from 89th Street.
SciFan attendees
Reunion Kick-Off Meetings
We had an enthusiastic in-person and Zoom turnout at our Reunion 2026 kickoff meetings. We are grateful to everyone on the planning committee who joined us from near and far (New York, New Jersey, Michigan, California, and even London).
Before discussing logistics and other reunionrelated topics, alums shared fond Dalton memories, including Lab, Playstreet, Multicultural Festival, Field Days, House Advisors, and beloved teachers such as Aaron Kurzen and Warren Johnson. This spring, we’re excited to celebrate Alumni whose class years end “1” and “6.”
Alumni Volunteers Fill Holmes Tower Fridge
A group of alumni and their families from the Classes of 1974–2018 gathered in February at Dalton’s cafeteria to assemble meals for Holmes Tower Fridge. They prepared over 500 sandwiches and assembled bags of candy. Alumni reminisced about their Dalton days and showed their children the importance of giving back to the community.
A big thanks to Jon Stein ’02, the Alumni Council Events committee member, and Melissa Soleimani, High School Program Coordinator, for putting this event together. Also, we greatly appreciate Jane Meyerson Moskowitz ’08 and her family for delivering the food to Holmes Tower Fridge.
Alums Enjoy an Immersive After-Hours Tour at the MoMA to see “Helen Frankenthaler: A Grand Sweep”
The Dalton Alumni Office hosted an exclusive, after-hours, private tour of the “Helen Frankenthaler: A Grand Sweep” exhibition and the Collection Galleries 1950s–1970s at the Museum of Modern Art in early January.
Nearly 30 alumni, representing over five decades of Dalton history (Classes of 1968–2019), attended. Tickets sold out within 95 minutes, and we then added another block of tickets to accommodate those on the waiting list.
Two expert docents shared insights regarding the groundbreaking work of Helen Frankenthaler ’45 and her contemporaries, including Jasper Johns, Jackson Pollock, Joel Shapiro, Louise Nevelson, Mark Rothko, and others, discussing artistic connections and influences.
Having the museum to ourselves, a rare treat, made for a memorable evening of art, connection, and community. Among the attendees were Alumni Council members David Cremin ’78, Ayla Jeddy ’19, Marisa Kefalidis ’08, and Patricia Braun Silvers ’68, who joined us along with three pairs of Alumni sisters, and Ellen M. Iseman ’72, who is Helen Frankenthaler’s niece.
A Fun and Festive Alumni Hanukkah Party
The Alumni Office and Alumni Council Events Committee hosted a fun-filled Hanukkah Party for all alumni and their families in December, with close to 90 people attending from the Classes of 1959–2018— along with family members.
Guests enjoyed an array of spectacular food, some of which we prepared in-house. Many alumni were impressed to see the 14th floor Teaching Kitchen in action for the first time, and Keith Glickman ’06, Partner at Golden Goat Caviar, generously provided a special caviar and smoked salmon tasting.
Thanks to Alumni Council President Wynter Appel-Lastarria ’11 and other Alumni Council members who joined the festivities: Abbe Gluck ’92, Jennifer Glickel ’04, Zachary Goldstein ’01, Maxime Glass Harnik ’05, Marisa Kefalidis ’08, Alfred (Fred) Lewyn ’74, Marco Paz-Solano ’18, Emma Rothberg ’11, Marjorie Cohen Scharfspitz ’59, and Jon Stein ’02.
Charlie Forster Stewert, High School Assistant Director for Operations, along with three students, Anna Knoff ’31, Sasha Madover ’28, and Cooper Mandell ’28, led a potato latke and sufganiyot (donut) making extravaganza—with fresh apple sauce and a fruit filling. Alumni and their children had fun helping to shred potatoes, peel apples, and fry latkes and donuts. Children also enjoyed a paint-your-own dreidel station, a seasonal word search, and other activities.
Annual
Thanksgiving Basketball Game Brings Alumni to the Court
By Eric Duick ’11
The annual Dalton Alumni Thanksgiving Basketball Game drew graduates to the 87th Street gym on Thanksgiving weekend. On-court participants spanned five decades, from the Class of ’82 through the Class of ’25. Spectators included an alumna from the 1950s.
The “Vets” squad covered an impressive range with graduates from the 80s, 90s, 00s, and the Class of ’14. The bulk of the “Youngsters” roster graduated between 2018 and 2025.
The Youngsters won 89–76 in an entertaining affair with several highlights for both teams. Scoring was balanced, but the young legs built an early lead thanks in part to 2017–18 captains Peter Gardner ’18 and Ryan Kotin ’18. The old legs refused to quit, though. Down 16 early in the second half, the Vets cut the deficit to 10 on multiple occasions. Julian Pavlin ’10 and David Leigh ’06 sparked significant runs for the older group.
On the younger side, 2025 Scholar-Athlete recipients Ollie Feder ’25 and Ryan Feder ’25 displayed their 3-point touch in sealing the contest.
“It’s a longstanding tradition,” noted Director of Athletics Teddy Frischling ’89. “It’s fun that everybody knows on Saturday of Thanksgiving at 4:00 PM, there will always be people coming back. Everyone is together, whether you played basketball or not, and it happens organically.”
Frischling, Jared Leake ’91, and Jesse Rosenfeld ’92 supported in the crowd. All scored 1,000 points, are members of the Dalton Athletics Hall of Fame, and played collegiately. Rosenfeld helped Princeton to two NCAA Tournament appearances. Fellow Dalton Hall of Famers Roy Samuelsen ’73 and Michael Keden ’83 attended. Keden suited up for the veteran team.
“It was nice to see 30-plus alumni come back,” Frischling said. “If you’re ever around Saturday of Thanksgiving, there will be a group of people playing, whether you want to play or watch.” In their new “Dalton Basketball” shirts, alums enjoyed a postgame pizza celebration.
Special shout-out to Jane Levenson, Class of 1957, (center) for coming out to cheer for the Dalton Tigers!
Successful Dalton Alumni Night of Networking
The Dalton Alumni Council Connects Committee hosted its annual Night of Networking in late fall at Le Coin, The Gansevoort Hotel, Meatpacking. Over 50 alumni from the Classes of 1965–2021 enjoyed a lively evening of socializing and networking with fellow alumni who work in the Arts, Education, Finance, Law, Media, Medicine, Real Estate, and Technology.
President of the Alumni Council and Dalton HS English Teacher Wynter Appel-Lastarria ’11 and Director of Alumni Relations Nicholas Lechich ’06 welcomed and thanked all attendees for making the event a success. Head of School José M. De Jesús, along with Vice President of the Alumni Council Arun Yang ’06, Dalton Connects Committee Chairs Jennifer Glickel ’04 and Parijat Samant ’09, Events Committee Chair Marco Paz-Solano ’18, and Annual Fund Committee member Jillian Williams ’11, also joined the group.
Additionally, High School Program Coordinator Melissa Soleimani connected with alumni interested in offering internships. Please email internships@dalton.org if you have any questions about the program or if you would like to get involved.
A Visit to “Friday Arts,” an Alumni-Owned Art Gallery
The Dalton Alumni Office and Alumni Council Connects Committee hosted an event at the alumni-owned gallery, Friday Arts, on March 16. Laura Kleger ’94 and her husband, Justin Schwarz, founded this gallery to showcase contemporary works in a way that feels personal and meaningful.
The program included an in-depth tour of the exhibition Vernal. It opened with short films Justin made about two of the featured artists and transitioned to a discussion about the concept of the exhibition, i.e., “return[ing] to the natural world as a site where memory, meaning, and material change converge,” and how each piece connects to it.
The gallery proved to be an ideal refuge from the pouring rain! We are so grateful to Laura and Justin for their hospitality, and thanks to all who braved the elements to enjoy this evening of art.
Alumni Council Announces New Leadership
We are grateful to Wynter Appel-Lastarria ’11 for her dedicated service and leadership as Alumni Council president. Wynter stepped down this spring to welcome her baby boy (see page 49 for the baby announcement); Arun Yang ’06 is now president, and Maxime Glass Harnik ’05 was appointed vice president.
Candlelighting 2025
In honor of their Reunion years, Ronnie Abrams ’86, Matthew Amsterdam ’06, Wynter Appel-Lastarria ’11, and Diana Sheng Hsu ’91 returned to the Martin Theater on December 19 to light a candle at Dalton’s Annual Candlelighting ceremony. Melanie Kefalidis Kantor ’99 lit a candle on behalf of Dalton’s Parents Association.
Passing the baton! Wynter Appel-Lastarria ’11 (center) stepped down as Alumni Council President. Arun Yang ’06 (second from left) is now President and Maxie Glass Harnik ’05 (second from right) is Vice President. Director of Alumni Relations Nicholas Lechich ’06 (far left) and Former Alumni Council President Joe Franken ’03 (far right).
1953
Class Notes
We hope you enjoy the following updates gathered throughout 2025–2026.
Ann Salfeld Lewyn annslewyn@aol.com
1957
Bonnie Kilstein Ring : After 25 years living on the coast, I craved sunshine and moved to Marbella Independent Living in Redwood City. Published my first children’s book in English and Spanish: Mary Magdalene, a Disciple and Friend of Jesus. It’s the only children’s book on Mary Magdalene.
1958
Whitman Knapp wknapp@gtbinsights.com
1959
Marjorie Cohen Scharfspitz marjorol@hotmail.com
1960
Edwin Stern ehs111@aol.com
1961
Holly Shulman , who is editor of The Dolley Madison Digital Edition, received an award from the First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE). The Lewis L. Gould Award is for contributions to the field of First Lady research and education, and aims to recognize exceptional scholarship, public-facing work, and teaching that meet high standards of quality, academic rigor, and influence. Holly also received the David M. Rubenstein Fellowship from the Center for White House History in 2024 and, in 2023, the Herbert L. Poole Award for Scholarship relating to Southern Quaker History.
Holly’s article appeared in The Forward, “A New York Jewish Childhood at the Dalton School where Privilege Met Progressivism,” where she recounts her experience growing up on the Upper East Side and attending Dalton. You can read it here: bit.ly/3QxNYks.
J. Peter Riva : Getting older, time becomes compressed, and yet projects sometimes seem to multiply beyond available schedules. Nevertheless, I’m actively working on two films and a documentary on my grandmother Marlene Dietrich, helping move the Dietrich archive in Berlin into a new museum home, co-producing a documentary on space exploration based on a Knopf book, Open Space, two film/TV projects on a children’s series “The Little Vampire” for Warner TV, and, not least, helping 30+ authors place and maintain their presence in the print, audio, and eBook markets. The remarkable chances I have had, the moments being at the vanguard of global projects’ possibilities like the new age of space exploration and endeavor to expand humanity’s future—all
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these moments thrust me on, require a discipline of desire that cannot waive—age or not. Of particular pleasure is being able to assist in providing evidence of the ethos and achievement my grandmother evidenced as a guiding light to new generations, especially in these times, fighting global trends, revisiting fascism in all its ugliness and prejudice. Marlene, were she with us today, would lead No Kings marches with her stoic bravery, as must we all to preserve our nation as the national democratic example we always used to hold up as a beacon of hope and prosperity. In that spirit, every endeavor I will attempt will keep that goal in mind, as we all should—examples of the finest America I shared at Dalton in the ’50s and early ’60s.
1969
Wendy Weingarten Miller wmiller528@aol.com
Annette Miller annettemiller@comcast.net
Carol Flaxman Richter carol.t.richter@icloud.com
Katherine Burger : My husband Randy and I, and our two cats, live in a house in the woods outside of Woodstock, New York. I’ve had several arts administration jobs over the years—including child wrangler at the Metropolitan Opera; Program Director of the Arts Residency Program at the Byrdcliffe Art Colony; and House/Stage Manager at The Maverick Concert Hall—but am now happily retired. I’m lucky enough to have a writing studio and an art studio. I presented a concert version of my Gothic spoof musical comedy, The Curse of Batvia, at the Next Step Theatre Festival in NYC last spring, along with a one-person show, Dismantling Otis World, about cleaning out my mother’s West Village townhouse after her death (at age 97!). I’m working on several other plays and musicals (with different composers), and looking, as always, for production opportunities. I performed a new monologue at the March 28
Monologue Madness Festival at the Rhinecliff, New York Library. My illustrated novella, The Bildungsroman of Mr. Bob—the coming of age story of a cat—was published by Dr. Cicero Press. I sell my collages as greeting cards and prints, along with my books, on my website bobcatbooksandcards.com and donate all profits to environmental, social justice, and animal protection organizations.
1972
Ellen M. Iseman emitqo@aol.com
Jonathan Miller jonathan.david.miller@verizon.net
1973
Gita Mehta gmehta1148@gmail.com
1974
Sita Sarna princesssita@me.com
1975
Dana Miller Ervin dana_ervin@fastmail.net
Thank you to Dana Miller Ervin for gathering the following notes.
Dana Miller Ervin : I’m still living in North Carolina and working on films for FRONTLINE. Our film on Hurricane Helene received an Emmy nomination. My most recent film, on PFAS contamination, aired on February 3. For the curious . . . it can be viewed by Googling “Frontline and Contaminated.”
Matthew Evins was interviewed by Jane Pauley for a “CBS Sunday Morning” segment (https://bit.ly/4sEViIa) on health insurance approvals of needed medical care.
Van Gosse has retired from Franklin & Marshall College and lives in New York, other than when he visits his granddaughter Edythe in London or his partner Sarah in Chicago. He is working on Battling for Democracy: An Activist’s Guide to American Politics, and is Co-Chair of Historians for Peace and Democracy (van.gosse@fandm.edu).
Matt Guerreiro : I’ve got some great news to share. Our oldest daughter, Nicky, was accepted by Brown’s medical school and starts in August. She had been living in LA and writing for TV and film (including a show for Netflix) and decided two
years ago to try to become a doctor. My wife and I are very excited for her.
Liz Feldman : I’m grateful to be retired and enjoying grandparenthood, yoga, guitar, voice lessons, singing circles, and travel. Staying in touch with my Dalton friends Susan Cohn , Leona Jaglom , and Margot Landman ’74 is very important to me! I recently connected— serendipitously—with Florence Hutner ’77 due to our shared interest and work in Jewish end-of-life spaces. We are each part of our local progressive “Chevra Kadisha”—the sacred society that prepares people’s bodies after death. I’m in Chicago, Florence is in Park Slope. Educating modern liberal Jewish communities about this powerful, comforting ancient ritual is very meaningful to me, which is why I am on the board of a non-profit, Kavod V’nichum (Honor and Comfort), which supports this work throughout North America. I am happy to be in touch with any fellow Daltonians involved with Chevra Kadisha work.
Lisa Marin : Currently, volunteering takes up a lot of my time. I serve on the governing board for the Colby College Art Museum, Waterville, Maine, as well as the board of trustees for the Portland Museum of Art, Portland, Maine. I am the Chair of the Washington County Democratic Committee, part of the Maine Democratic Party. As one can well imagine, this position and its responsibilities take up most of my time. I’m also the Director of The John Marin Foundation, a foundation whose goal is to promote the legacy and career of the artist John Marin. The foundation also supports the work of the Modernist artists within the Stieglitz circle. I live in Jonesport with my husband Arnie Smith and our two Cairn Terriers, Daisy and Skye.
Emily Talbot : It’s been a while since I connected with anyone from Dalton . . . . I am reorganizing my life now, after my mother passed last September, and I’m currently working on the archives of my late father, a film distribution operator and theater owner, in order to start writing a book about growing up in the film world!
Lisa Wager : I’m still enjoying my work at FIT/ SUNY as director of Government and Community Relations, and still enjoy living within three blocks of Cathy Grad , Melissa Brown , and Erica Lansner ’76 . Beyond the bubble of family, friends, and work, the world is on fire.
Ed Hunter : Life has been pretty good since I saw many of you at the reunion. Our son is now in college at the University of Oregon, so we’re
experiencing the “joys” of being empty nesters. I continue with my second career of designing lights for various theatrical productions and teaching a little bit of lighting design to high school students. This keeps me busy with six shows under my belt so far this year. Next up is Disney’s Frozen, which should be a lot of fun, followed by In the Heights. My wife Michelle and I are starting to plan travel and hope to take a cruise to Alaska later this year. As a lot of people say about retirement, we’re busier now than when we were working.
Arthur Rosenfeld/Monk : During the last 15 years, I’ve taken my fascination with Chinese philosophy and martial arts to new levels. In 2012, I was ordained a Daoist monk by leave of the Chinese government in Guangzhou. I’ve continued my literary career as best I can, and some of that story is in my memoir, The Monk of Park Avenue, and some of my conscious conclusions about society and culture (catalyzed by watching the rise of Trump) are in my book Mad Monk Manifesto. All this time, I should say, fiction has remained my primary passion, with Daoist ideas as my touchstone. I rendered the Daoist sage, Laozi, through a love story in Love Becomes Her and first engaged the subject of artificial intelligence with a story of a child of jade and gold constructed for Kublai Khan by a disciple of the Muslim Leonardo DaVinci, al-Jazari, in The Jade Boy. Most recently, I engaged the UFO and AI phenomenon again in The Revelation, which was just released. In Turtle Planet, I explored the destruction of the natural world through the lens of my lifelong passion for turtles. I work with some critically endangered and even extinct species here in my home in Tucson, Arizona, having learned much while working at both the San Diego Zoo and the Bronx Zoo. This is my monk “compassion” work. I explain the “why” of tai chi in Tai Chi—The Perfect Exercise and have had hundreds of students around the world.
In 2019, I moved to Tucson with the intention of building a Daoist temple in the Catalina foothills of Southern Arizona. After just a year here, I contracted an extremely rare and fatal illness. Valley Fever (one fungal disease among many that are burgeoning in tropicopolitan fashion thanks to climate change) that is spreading across the US. What is NOT common is for the disease to enter the brain. I had the misfortune to have this happen and was given a short time to live and placed on an experimental form of chemotherapy. In the time since the 2020 diagnosis, I have been physically destroyed but am also termed a medical miracle and have lived longer than perhaps anyone else ever with the disease.
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I just released The Revelation, a novel of alien arrival and human evolution, have just finished writing Thumbprints On The Moon, a “version” of Laozi’s Daodejing, and am about 20K words into an as-yet-untitled follow-up to The Revelation I still manage to teach tai chi a few times a week and to practice in an admittedly diminished fashion. No more jumping around with a 35 lb sword and dropping into splits for me, but I soldier on in whatever time I have left. I was very sorry to miss you all at the 50th reunion, but travel wasn’t possible in my condition. I continue to gratefully receive the loving care of Janelle, my wife of 36 years, without whom I’d never have lasted so long. I watch my amazing son, Tasman, in his career as an evolutionary biologist (Yale, Harvard, and Washington University in St. Louis) with love and admiration. I’d love to hear from any of you at yunrou@icloud.com.
1976
Maude Bryt mmbe@bcn.net
1978
David Cremin david@frontiervc.com
Linda Saxl Minton purpleny@verizon.net
Ivy Abrams Silverman ivysilverman2@gmail.com
Karin Williams : Karin is still enjoying the wide variety of activities she is involved in at Westernacher Consulting. Even though she reached the official retirement age this year (what a milestone!), she continues to work because it’s fun! Karin is also mentoring up-andcoming young leaders in a variety of different career fields pro bono in her free time. The experience is especially rewarding, as she both learns from her mentees and helps them tackle a range of challenges.
This year Karin was elected Skåne Chapter Chair for Democrats Abroad in Sweden (DAS). In that capacity, she has worked hard to bring the members of DAS together through community meetings. In addition, she has arranged three protests, two No Kings rallies (in Sweden, No Dictators), as well as one march for the Labor Day protests. This is the first time Karin has ever protested, and it has been quite an experience. All the protests made it into national news, as well as some US papers such as the Boston Globe via the Swedish newswire service TT. Some people ask what the protests hope to achieve, as we are
an ocean away. The response: to show support for our friends, family, and coworkers in the US, provide a gathering place for those who support democracy regardless of political affiliation, and bring attention to those outside of the US that we are not ok with what is happening. It has been quite a learning curve, but meeting veterans, students, Swedish spouses, and supporters and hearing their stories has been a true honor.
Karin’s son Lars-Belvin is now halfway through his senior year at Holy Cross. He has received awards for high academic performance both in his capacity as a student (Dean’s List) as well as a student athlete. He continues working on his double major in International Studies and Political Science. Currently, he is applying to Spring Term internships aligned with his interests. We were happy to see him back in Sweden for Thanksgiving again. This year, he will stay in the US for Christmas, and Karin will travel over to keep him company during the break.
In the Berkshires, Karin Williams ’78 , Maude Bryt ’76 , Linda Zelenko ’78 , Amber Chubb ’79 and my father, E. Belvin Williams (93) who was on the Board of Trustees when Barbro and I attended Dalton. Unfortunately, Richard Malenky and Nancy were not able to join this time.
In Manhattan, you see: Desirée Pilgrim-Hunter ’75 , Bob Hunter ’76, Victor Irving ’78 , Lars-Belvin, me (Karin Williams ’78), and Timothy Thom ’78
Karin Williams ’78 and her son Lars-Belvin at Dalton
1979
Kenneth Lane kglane@mac.com
1980
Stephen Hermanos stevehermanos@yahoo.com
Christopher Lee chrisleedalton888@gmail.com
Kathy Dicks McNicoll km1@dalton.org
Leslie Weingarten Singer lsinger@bhsusa.com
1981
Jonathan Weintraub weintraubjonathan@gmail.com
1982
Lisa Beth Podos lpodos@yahoo.com
David Silver jdcsilver@gmail.com
Sahaja Douglass (aka Caroline Marcus) lives in Topanga Canyon, CA and has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2001 (www.SahajaPsychotherapy. com). Her specializations include working with neurodivergent clients, grief and anxiety. Sahaja leads Nervous System Regulation Workshops in schools and corporations around the country. Sahaja is married and has two sons; her eldest, Liam, is a football agent and getting married at the end of May and Viśwa, her youngest, is graduating from USC in 3 weeks and heading to NYC for a job at Sotheby’s Art Auction House. Sahaja spends free time hiking, meditating and teaching meditation, practicing yoga, swimming and volunteering for Arson Watch in her community.
Nick Gottlieb (Nicky to my Dalton classmates): I’m living in the West Village with my husband of almost 34 years, Macky Alston, documentary filmmaker and about-to-be-ordained UCC Minister! Our older daughter Alice graduated from GW last May and is working her way up the ladder in retail, while considering going back to grad school in Computer Science. Younger daughter, Penelope, is pre-med at Brandeis, where she was recruited to play soccer as a keeper (she’s an Arsenal fan). I’ve got a small psychotherapy
practice—and I’m living out my passion for politics as Campaign Manager for Nina Schwalbe (daughter of our beloved Mary Anne Schwalbe), who is running to represent our district (NY12) in Congress. Long story. Nina is a fighter, a scientist, and a mom—who’s given her life to advancing public health around the world. She’s a dark horse in a crowded field of celebrities, broligarchs, and career pols. But she’s the real deal. Check her out at ninafornyc.com!
Reeve Miner Washburn has lived in Seattle since the 90s, working in brand strategy and design. In 2020, she faced her fears and began an abstract art practice. She’s now a working artist, showing regularly in Seattle and in galleries around the state. She’s inspired by Asian and midcentury modern aesthetics and works primarily in monoprint collage: www. reevewashburn.art. Her husband Mark and she love that their kids live nearby, and they all still come east every summer for a family reunion.
1983
Peter Buttenwieser petermsa@hotmail.com
Marci Kenon coachmarcinyc@gmail.com
1984
Melissa Dunst Lipman melissa.dunst@cnn.com
Alan Pardee alanpardee123@gmail.com
Abigail Scheuer abigailscheuer@gmail.com
Charles Simon charlesasimon@mac.com
1985
Joshua Olesker joshua.olesker@gmail.com
Luyen Chou visited Dalton in January to speak with Dalton Faculty and Staff on AI in Education. See page 8.
Log in to dalton.org for photos, upcoming events, alumni news & more!
1986
Jeffrey Bernstein jeff@simplysports.net
Jimmy Frischling jimmy@brandedstrategic.com
1987
Gabrielle Zaklad Levene
40 W 67th St Apt 3D New York, NY 10023-6231
Evan Spingarn : A group of friends from the Dalton Class of ’87 has had a text thread going for years, celebrating birthdays, joking around, updating each other’s lives, and planning visits to each other’s hometowns. In an unlikely convergence of travel plans and availability over MLK, Jr. weekend this year, they all got together with close friends and spouses to have dinner and watch Rob Reiner movies at the Brooklyn apartment of Evan Spingarn They came from such far-flung places as San Francisco, Traverse City, Boston, Washington, DC, New Jersey, and all over New York City. In the picture, Evan is holding a commemorative bottle of 1987 Colheita Port, which everyone enjoyed at the evening’s end.
1989
Michael Shuman michael@4f.io
Lili Rosenberg Siegelson lili@siegelson.com
1990
Wah Lee : Reflecting on our Dalton days, I’m humbled by how deeply our lives remain intertwined. We naturally share in each other’s sorrows and rejoice in one another’s triumphs— even when words are not spoken. The passing years teach us to treasure community more.
Over a decade ago, when embarking on a journey to better understand our global community and how to contribute positively, I founded the Asian Heritage Museum. The intent is to share aspects of human heritage that originate from the region designated as Asia, the benefit being for all of us.
Our first formal exhibit is called Bonesetter Bonesetters are healers, without formal medical education, who fix musculoskeletal injuries. The majority of bonesetters in southern China learned their bone-setting skills through their Kung Fu lineage. It is fascinating that the bonesetter would embody the seemingly divergent ideas of protection, destruction, and healing. Mister Miyagi in The Karate Kid (1984) demonstrated bone-setting when he fixed Daniel’s leg. Karate was transmitted to the Ryukyu Kingdom (now Okinawa after annexation) from Fujian White Crane Kung Fu practitioners during the Ming dynasty.
Wah Lee ’90 and his family visited Dalton
Deme Navab : I started a company called Greek Goddess Gourmet two years ago after I became an empty nester. It’s a love letter to my Mom and my Greek heritage. Greek Goddess Gourmet is built around the idea of making granola with clean, simple ingredients with a Mediterranean twist. We use extra virgin olive oil instead of seed
Candlelighting 2025: Ronnie Abrams ’86 lit a candle in honor of her 40th Reunion.
Spontaneous reunion for Class of 1987 (l to r): Jeff Rabkin ’87, Doug Hsieh ’87, Evan Spingarn ’87, Adam (Russell) Morganstern ’87, Danny Stiebel ’87, Jon Gold ’87, Karen Flood ’87, Samantha Atkins ’87, and Bart Stone ’87
oils, premium nuts, gluten-free oats, and natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup. What began as an idea in my kitchen has grown quickly. Today, our granola is sold in more than 220 stores across the United States, including the grocery chain Lidl, as well as online on Amazon and specialty retailers. We have four unique flavors, including Harvest, Maple Oat, Baklava Bliss, and Cardamom Citrus. Be sure to check us out on our website www.greekgoddessgourmet.com.
As part of February’s Black History month, Kwame S. Brathwaite introduced students to the work of his father, Kwame Brathwaite (January 1, 1938–April 1, 2023) at a Dalton High School assembly. See page 9.
1993
Andrew Fabian andrew.b.fabian@gmail.com
Wei-Li Tjong announced his candidacy for New York State Assembly in the 65th Assembly District (voteweili.com), covering the Lower East Side, Chinatown, NoLiTa, Two Bridges, and parts of the Financial District, and East Village. A veteran of Skadden Arps and AllianceBernstein,
he is also co-founder of 15-year-old Tjong & Hsia LLP. He has practiced law for 25 years, about the same amount of time he has led the Seward Park Cooperative on the Lower East Side, an evolving and diverse community of 5,000 residents. As the current Democratic Party’s State Committeeman from his district, he stands up for consideration as an Assemblyman to put his combination of skills, education, and aptitude to work for his community, and ours. (And, also, in hopes of staving off potential end-oflife regrets!) It’s at once the most exciting and fearsome thing to which he has committed himself—and asks the Dalton community for their encouragement and support! Get in touch at weilie@voteweili.com.
1994
Nicholas Silvers nicholassilvers@hotmail.com
Elizabeth Topp liztopp@gmail.com
1995
Lauren Rosenberg Gershell lauren@gershell.com
Simon Gluck simonarigluck@gmail.com
Lauren Katz lkatz737@aol.com
David Kleinhandler david.kleinhandler@cbre.com
1997
Jonathan Lewis jlewis2k7@gmail.com
Rachel Altfest Maimin rachelmaimin@gmail.com
Stefanie Hirschtritt Ruch stefanie.ruch@corcoran.com
Jennifer Kops Stemkowski jennik3379@gmail.com
1998
Ethan Bregman ethanbregman@gmail.com
Alexandra Certilman Kay alexandrackay@gmail.com
Candlelighting 2025: Diana Sheng Hsu ’91 lit a candle in honor of her 35th Reunion
Log in to dalton.org for photos, upcoming events, alumni news & more!
Jessica Levitas jlevitas@gmail.com
Andrew Martin mistermartin@gmail.com
Richard Rothfeld rothfeld@gmail.com
Michael Stillman mstillman@qualitybranded.com
1999 Anne-Carmène Almonord annecarmene@gmail.com
Sarah Mohr Fabian smohr80@gmail.com
Morissa Falk-Freedman morissa@gmail.com
George Suttles george.suttles@gmail.com
2000
David Alexander davidtalexander@gmail.com
Alexis Feldman Olinsky alexis.feldman@gmail.com
2001
Jeremy Barr jerbarr@gmail.com
Ariana Cooper Berry ariana.cooper@gmail.com
Zachary Goldstein zachary.n.goldstein@gmail.com
Daniel Haykin dchaykin@gmail.com
Malcolm Hochenberg mhochenberg@proskauer.com
Lauren Jupiter Weiss laurentjupiter@gmail.com
Na ’eema Thompson naeema.thompson@gmail.com
2002
Jennifer Neff Davidson jenniferneffdavidson@gmail.com
Sophia Hutson sophie.hutson@gmail.com
Jonathan Stein jonathanastein@gmail.com
Wyna Liu , creator and editor of the popular New York Times game Connections, presented at a High School assembly in January. See page 9.
Wyatt Kahn : I am on my way to San Francisco for the opening of a group exhibition including Elizabeth Murray, Jennifer Bartlett, and myself. Elizabeth and Jennifer both had daughters who were a class behind me at Dalton, and in the Spring of my senior year, they offered me the opportunity to intern for a few months at each of their studios. That internship actually became the connection for my inclusion in this show.
Coincidentally, recently I also emailed with Emerson Burnovski ’27, coordinating her internship at my own studio this coming summer. For the past 15 years, I have exhibited my art internationally and have made a living from the sale of my paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings. This will be my second summer with a Dalton intern; last summer Daphne Leibowitz ’25 spent six weeks at my studio.
During my communication with Emerson I flashed back to the spring of 2002, a few months away from my final Arch Day, and when I was about to begin my own internship at Elizabeth’s and Jennifer’s studios. I remember focusing on every detail at their workplace, soaking up every aspect of the experience with the confidence that I would also have a successful art career, and that all this stored information would be useful later on. I had no idea how or when it would happen, but I had no doubts that it would. I smiled when I saw the same traits first in Daphne and now in Emerson, who showed up at my exhibition on the Upper East Side with Director of Alumni Relations Nicholas Lechich ’06 , full of questions about my work and career. I saw her storing the information for later, her own confidence and certainty that it would be useful when the time comes. I hope that I can present a similar opportunity to the one that Elizabeth and Jennifer gave me. And perhaps, one day, have both Emerson’s and Daphne’s artwork in an exhibition alongside mine.
Art by Wyatt Kahn ’02
2003
Michael Cooper mcooper@jd10.law.harvard.edu
Lindsey Counts lindsey.counts@gmail.com
Joseph Franken joseph.franken@gmail.com
Erik Lindman erik.lindman@gmail.com
Kyle Koeppel Mann kylekoeppel@gmail.com
Samuel Shikiar s.shikiar@gmail.com
Ava Rutchik (daughter of Jamie Bass Rutchik ’03) and Charlotte Xu Cohen (daughter of Chenni Xu ’04) met serendipitously in Delray Beach, Florida, over the holiday break!
2004
Amanda Soled Blechman amanda.soled@gmail.com
Christopher Cameron chriscameronx@gmail.com
Jennifer Glickel jglickel@gmail.com
Matthew Mittenthal mattmittenthal@gmail.com
Stacy Mohr Walder stacymohr7@gmail.com
Julianna Wilson julianna.n.wilson@gmail.com
2005
Benjamin Cirlin benjamin.cirlin@gmail.com
Maxime Glass Harnik maximeglass@gmail.com
Julia Pilcer Lichtenstein juliaplichtenstein@gmail.com
Patrick Corbett : I’m thrilled to bring Cafe Commerce to the Upper East Side alongside Chef Harold Moore. Like its West Village predecessor, our neighborhood bistro elevates comfort classics into the unforgettable—roast chicken with foie gras stuffing, sweet potato tortelloni, and the famous towering coconut cake—along with fresh daily specials for our UES neighborhood. With the original mural by David Joel relocated above the bar, Cafe Commerce brings back the warm, communitydriven spirit of Commerce in this cozy, intimate space. We hope old friends and new fans will feel right at home.”
Patrick Corbett ’05 with Chef Harold Moore and colleague Charles Pouchot
Maxie Glass Harnik : It was very special to join my daughter Rose’s Third Grade class for their Archaeology demonstration led by Dalton’s legendary educator and archaeologist, Neil Goldberg. While the students now use iPads to document and research their artifacts, so much of the process remains the same as it did when we experienced it 30 years ago. One of the most unique and memorable moments of the Dalton experience!
Log in to dalton.org for
2006 Mallory Factor malloryfactorii@gmail.com
Julie Stein julie.r.stein@gmail.com
Doug Berns : Combining his passion for basketball with his musical talents, Doug Berns, aka @DugLust, has garnered headlines and a growing social media following through his viral musical recaps of New York Knicks games. On April 15, he took to the stage at Brooklyn Bowl with his live band to celebrate the Knicks’ 2025–26 season and build excitement for the playoffs. All proceeds benefited the Food Bank For New York City.
Candlelighting 2025: Matthew Amsterdam ’06 lit a candle in honor of his 20th Reunion.
Doug Berns ’06 at Brooklyn Bowl. Photo credit: Matt Serrano
Dalton Benefit 2026 attendees were treated to a Golden Goat caviar tasting generously donated by Keith Glickman ’06 (left) with Director of Alumni Relations (and classmate) Nicholas Lechich ’06 Keith is pleased to extend a private 20% offer exclusively for Dalton community members to enjoy at home or wherever summer takes you. Use code: DALTON26 at checkout (valid through September 1, 2026).
Dalton’s former Head of School Ellen C. Stein ran into David Foulquier ’08 at his restaurant Fooq’s in Miami.
2009
Tanvir Gopal tanvirg@gmail.com
Melissa Urfirer Gottesman mugottesman@gmail.com
Isabella Hiigel ihiigel@gmail.com
Parijat Samant parijatrsamant@gmail.com
2010
Lily Freedman lilymirabellefreedman@gmail.com
Stephen Rutman stephen.rutman@gmail.com
Matthew Schorr matthew.l.schorr@gmail.com
Stephanie Lechich : My work as a clinical psychologist focuses on perfectionism, performance challenges, and life transitions. I share resources and writing through my website, www.stephanielechichphd.com, including my recent article, “When to Announce Your Pregnancy: What the Research Says,” published in Psychology Today. See Babies section on page 49 for Stephanie’s baby announcement!
2011
Samuel Browne sambrowne17@gmail.com
David Hamburger dsh4318@gmail.com
Erika Mitsui erikakmitsui@gmail.com
2012
Taylor Hemenway taylorhemenway@gmail.com
Allison Swaap Paskoff allisonswaap@gmail.com
2013
Blair Duncan, Jr. blair.duncan.jr@gmail.com
Grant Goldman grantdgoldman@gmail.com
2014
Tejashree Gopal tejashreesg@gmail.com
Colette Midulla cmidulla@gmail.com
Charles Dunst: I serve as Senior Advisor for Foreign Policy & National Security to U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado who sits on the Intelligence and Finance committees. In this role, I serve as the principal advisor to the Senator on foreign policy and national security, focusing on supporting Ukraine and NATO’s eastern flank, strengthening Indo-Pacific deterrence, defense, space, and economic security. I helped pass into law legislation bolstering Indo-Pacific multilateral defense coordination, military support for Ukraine, U.S.Taiwan space and diplomatic cooperation, the AUKUS partnership, and the Baltic Security Initiative, as well as restricting U.S. investment in China’s advanced technologies. I am also the author of Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023), a Financial Times Best Book of the Week. I was previously Deputy Director of Research at The Asia Group, a strategic advisory firm, and an Adjunct Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. I started my career as a foreign correspondent in Southeast Asia, reporting for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and the Los Angeles Times, among other outlets. I’m glad to connect with Dalton alums working or interested in this space, so please reach out at charlesdunst@gmail.com.
2015
Zachary Buttenwieser zbutten@gmail.com
Andrew Eaddy andrewjames.eaddy@gmail.com
Candlelighting 2026: Former President of the Alumni Council Wynter Appel-Lastarria ’11 lit a candle in honor of her 15th Reunion.
Log in to dalton.org for photos, upcoming events, alumni news & more!
2016 Karina Shah karinamshah@gmail.com
2017 Julia Martin martj17@hotmail.com
Josephine Shapiro josephineshapiro@mac.com
2018
Ryan McCormack ryan.mccormack2000@gmail.com
Gabrielle Niederhoffer gabriellemay.n@gmail.com
Marco Paz-Solano pazsolano.marco@gmail.com
Piper Williams pipersplaces@gmail.com
Oliver Neubauer : This season, I performed several exciting and meaningful concerts, including my recital debuts at Carnegie Hall and the Morgan Library. For my Carnegie debut, I presented an all-French program featuring a unique collaboration between violin and contemporary dance, pairing movement with Pierre Boulez’s Anthèmes I. At the Morgan, it was especially meaningful to give my first world premiere: an incredible solo violin work, Unwinding, by the young composer Hannah Ishizaki.
It has been a joy to reconnect with former Dalton teachers at many of my New York performances, including these two debuts. I performed in a concert on April 17 at Carnegie’s Weill Hall, featuring two Haydn piano trios and vocal works as part of the Musicians from Marlboro tour. I’m also thrilled to perform two duo recitals with my sister Clara (Dalton alum 2019) next January in Philadelphia and at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. Here is the link to my website: www.oliverneubauer.com
I carry so many fond memories of the Dalton community and am always happy to connect with anyone if they’re interested in attending a classical music concert!
2019 Emi Carpenter emicarpenter2023@gmail.com
Ryan Chen ryanxchen@gmail.com
2020 Phoebe Cahill cahillphoebe8@gmail.com
2023 Eli Kronenberg eli.kronenberg@gmail.com
2024 Annika Jha annika.jha@gmail.com
2025 Arjun Kalbag arjunkalbag07@gmail.com
Oliver Putzer Oputzer@icloud.com
Oliver Neubauer ’18 performing
Weddings
Amelia Bienstock ’07 to Jon Krampel
November 9, 2025
Tanvir Gopal ’09 to Mitali Jahagirdar
December 20, 2025
Katherine Kornman ’09 to Joseph Muscari
May 25, 2025
Steve Pierre-Jean ’10 to Marissa Vick
January 17, 2026
Matthew Schorr ’10 to Wendi Oppenheim
August 23, 2025
Jamie Bigman ’14 to Bryan Godel
October 18, 2025
Bevan Cohen ’16 to Ryan Boesky ’16
January 17, 2026
Babies
Cole Harris Lexton
January 26, 2026 to Samantha Greenblatt Lexton ’07 and Scott Lexton ’07
Benjamin Alexander Chan
November 2025 to William Chan ’08 and Briana Lau
Hudson Grey Walla
July 26, 2025 to Lily Brynes Walla ’09 and Samson Walla
William Ryan Holmes
January 13, 2026 to Bonnie Cecil Holmes ’10 and Ryan Holmes
and Big Sister Cecilia
Damian Anthony Fulton
March 16, 2026 to Stephanie Lechich ’10 and Tobin Fulton
Phoenix Amaru Appel-Lastarria
March 20, 2026 to Wynter Appel-Lastarria ’11 (Faculty) and Alex Appel-Lastarria (Faculty)
Hallie Zev Browne
November 22, 2025 to Sam Browne ’11 and Alana Stein Browne
Akemi-Rose Campbell Bonilla
December 31, 2025 to Dayna Campbell ’13 and Dennis Bonilla
Elliot Goldman
December 2, 2025 to Grant Goldman ’13 and Lauren Farfel
Faculty & Staff
Juniper (Juni) Mila Josephs Cagaanan
February 5, 2026 to Molly Josephs (Faculty) and Alain Cagaanan
Lucy Spark Cohen
October 3, 2025 to Zach Cohen (Staff) and Jessica Palmer
Pars Gural Preston
February 4, 2026 to Andrew Preston (Faculty) and Nil Gural
William
In Memoriam
Alumni
Phyllis Schwalbe Levin ’37
November 27, 2025
Sister of Marjory Schwalbe Berkowitz ’40
Barbara Beller Seligmann ’43 March 13, 2026
Georgeanne Aldrich Heller ’49 March 23, 2026
Rena Glazier Bransten ’50 February 25, 2026
Letty Lang Coykendall ’50
August 17, 2025
Sister of Janet Lang Lane ’62 and Nancy Lang Hamilton ’53*
Jane Siegel Hermann ’50
January 15, 2026
April Hodges Herbert ’51
September 13, 2025
Daughter of Nora Hodges* (Former Faculty)
Miranda Kao Linne ’51
December 24, 2025
Marylin Blauner Levitt ’52
April 4, 2026
Mother of Lauri Levitt Friedland ’77
Ilene Paul Silverman ’52 February 11, 2024
Mary Helen Douglas ’56
April 13, 2025
Harriet Hurwitz Shohet ’57
February 3, 2026
George Woolley ’61
October 6, 2025
Brother of Margot Woolley ’64 and Lawrence Woolley ’67*
Abigail Hourwich ’63
September 6, 2025
Sister of Andria Hourwich ’52*
Samuel Chapin ’68
April 1, 2026
Son of Elizabeth Steinway Chapin ’41*
Brother of Henry Chapin ’66 , Theodore Chapin ’68 , and Miles Chapin ’72
David Nelson ’71
September 24, 2025
Tilden Montant ’74
January 10, 2026
Brother of Townsend Montant ’72
Judith Shapiro ’82
December 19, 2025
Louis Ekaireb ’75
March 19, 2026
Brother of Jason Ekaireb ’74
Zoe Huntington Davidson ’19
March 18, 2026
Former Board Member
Joan Kaplan
Current Grandparent, Parent of Alumni, Former President Board of Trustees, (1983–1987), and Honorary Trustee
Mother of Joseph Kaplan ’92 , Nathan Kaplan ’85 , and Edward Kaplan ’87
Grandparent of Richard Kaplan ’31 and Max Kaplan ’33
Former Faculty and Staff
Ann Moskowitz
(Former Director of Alumni Relations)
February 14, 2026
Stacy Pies
(Former English Teacher)
November 7, 2025
Stay connected with your classmates through Class News
New job? Getting married? New baby?
New grandchildren? Getting together with fellow alums? Globe-trotting? Retirement plans? Just checking in? Send us your photos (a high-resolution jpg is best)! Email alumni@dalton.org and we’ll include your news in Connections magazine’s next issue.
Classes without Class Officers may send their news to: Debbie Freeman, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
The Dalton School 108 East 89th Street New York NY 10128 dfreeman@dalton.org
Follow Dalton on Instagram and join us on Facebook and LinkedIn: @daltonschoolalumni
Dalton School Alumni Group
Dalton School Alumni Association
* deceased
Connections makes every effort to verify names, dates and other information in Class Notes. We apologize for any inaccuracies.
Our Middle School Civil Rights trip, part of the Dalton Global Initiatives (DGI) program, traveled to Atlanta, retracing MLK, Jr.’s steps and visiting the Center for Civil and Human Rights.
Support Dalton’s 2025–2026
Annual Fund Today
Go Forth & Give Back
Our inspiring faculty, grounded in the progressive principles of the Dalton Plan—House, Lab, Assignment—create an individualized curriculum that best meets our students’ evolving educational needs and interests.
Your tax-deductible contributions to the Annual Fund, at whatever level is meaningful for you, supports these efforts and helps the school to innovate and expand programming.
To make your gift online, please scan this QR code or use the enclosed postage paid envelope.
Thank you to all community members who strengthen our school by making Dalton a philanthropic priority and volunteering their time and talents!
For more information about the Annual Fund, contact Director of the Annual Fund Brigid Berger, 212–423–5458, bberger@dalton.org.
Thank you!
Cover: 100th Day of School—Each year, Dalton Kindergartners celebrate the 100th Day of School while working on their counting skills. To mark this milestone, our youngest students work with their teachers to figure out creative ways to count to 100, including stringing 100 fruit loops on necklaces, constructing a building out of 100 marshmallows, and doing 10 reps of 10 different exercises. Here, the entire grade, teachers, and administrators pose outside the First Program on 91st Street.
Board of Trustees
2025–2026
Erica Klein
President
Alex Robinson
Treasurer
Bruce Menin
Secretary
Ronnie Abrams ’86
Anne-Carmène Almonord ’99
Michelle Awuku-Tatum
Mark Chan
Sheree Chiou
Ariela Dubler
Tom Ellis
Jon Gelb
Maha Khawaja
Becka Vargus Katz
Joon Kim
Jon Korngold
Alison Nathan
Justin Richardson
David Sambur
Sarina Sassoon Sanandaji ’96
Lori Schreiber
Rahul Sharma
Susan Sholinsky
James Simmons
Rob Speyer ’87
Deirdre Stanley
Pam Wasserstein ’96
Alicin Williamson
José M. De Jesús Head of School
Arun Yang ’06
Wynter Appel-Lastarria ’11 (September–February)
Alumni Council Chair
Keri Larkin
Dalton Council Chair
Amanda Hemenway Thiemann ’08
Andrew Preston
Faculty Representative Chairs
Sheila Paloni
PA President
Jason Joseph ’26
Student Government President
Chase Blumenfeld ’27
Student Government VP
Honorary Trustees
Susan Ravitch Buksbaum ’56*
Lawrence Buttenwieser ’49
Cheryl Cohen Effron ’83
Aly Jeddy
Joan Kaplan*
Robert Kasdin
Alan Klein
Robert Menschel*
Nancy Fuld Neff ’72
Richard Ravitch*
Robert Rifkind*
David Rudnick ’58
John M. Shapiro
Stanley Shuman
Gordon H. Smith
Jerry I. Speyer
Michael Steinhardt
Roy Swan
Merryl Tisch
James Block
Ellen C. Stein Head of School Emerita
* deceased
Dalton Alumni Council 2025–2026
September through February
Wynter Appel-Lastarria ’11
President & Trustee Representative
Arun Yang ’06 Vice President
March through June
Arun Yang ’06
President & Trustee Representative
Maxime Glass Harnik ’05 Vice President
Gabrielle Nesmith ’13 Secretary
Delegates
Dayna Campbell ’13
Alex Cook ’16
David Cremin ’78
Jimmy Frischling ’86
Jennifer Glickel ’04
Abbe Gluck ’92
Zach Goldstein ’01
Ayla Jeddy ’19
Marisa Kefalidis ’08
Melissa Frey Levine ’00
Alfred Lewyn ’74
Deshaun Mars ’04
Marco Paz-Solano ’18
Elizabeth Sacks ’08
Parijat Samant ’09
Marjorie Cohen Scharfspitz ’59
Patricia Braun Silver ’68
Jon Stein ’02
Jillian Williams ’11
Emma Rothberg ’11
Faculty Representative
Samantha Levine Archer ’06
PA Representative
Wongail Awoke ’27
Emerson Burnovski ’27
Sajan Shah ’27
Student Representatives
The Dalton School 108 East 89th Street
New York, NY 10128-1599
www.dalton.org
Address Service Requested
Parents of Alumni
If your child no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office with the correct mailing address: 212-423-5307 or dfreeman@dalton.org
