Our Mission

The Dalton School has flourished and grown in ways only imagined in 1919 when it was founded by Helen Parkhurst. Today it is an international model for progressive education based upon a rigorous and challenging academic curriculum.

With a unique educational philosophy, emphasizing the individual, Dalton fosters excitement and joy in the ongoing process of learning. The special relationship between Dalton students and faculty is the key to the intellectual liveliness and curiosity that thrives in the classrooms and beyond. Nurturing the children’s natural inquisitiveness, inculcating self-confidence in their intelligence and in their ability to succeed, Dalton enables its students to become responsible and independent learners and thinkers. From kindergarten through twelfth grade, the school offers its students a breadth of innovative programs. It encourages its faculty to develop new teaching methodologies, curricula, and materials. Dalton continues to stand at the forefront of developing the educational potential of modern technology. The world outside Dalton is an intrinsic element of the school’s educational process. The diverse cultural population within Dalton is a reflection of the extended urban community. Respect for others and an emphasis on each individual’s responsibility to the group form the basis for interaction in resolving problems inherent in any grouping. An active exploration of equity in all its forms is part of daily life at Dalton.

Dalton in the twenty-first century remains firmly committed to Helen Parkhurst’s pragmatic approach to education. Priorities change with the times. What time does not alter, however, is the need for independent thinkers whose knowledge and understanding are rooted in the real world, who are conversant with different cultures, and who are confident, eager, and self-motivated learners.

These were and continue to be the cornerstones of a Dalton education.