Before coming to D-E, History Department Chair, Arika “Ari” Easley-Houser taught at Rutgers Prep and several colleges and universities, including Montclair State University and New York University. A socio-cultural historian focused on United States history, she received her Ph.D. from Rutgers University and a certificate in school management from the Harvard Business School. She was recently selected for a National Association of Independent Schools Fellowship for Aspiring School Heads. Now in her third year of heading the department, Easley-Houser speaks to the importance of historical inquiry for students and how the history curriculum must reflect and respond to the diversity of students. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
4.21.26 MS Interim Grades / Checklists Now Available
4.23.26 8th Grade Parent Forum
D-E Hosts the 2026 Student Summit on AI
The D-E Student Committee on Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), advised by Chief Innovation Officer Diana Gross, recently hosted the Student Summit on AI in the STEM Building. The event brought together students from schools such as Newark Academy and Kent Place “to...
Congrats to Cum Laude Society 2026 Honorees
Seniors from the Class of 2026 were recently honored for their academic achievements and community leadership in co-curricular endeavors, service, and other activities, at the D-E Cum Laude Society Induction Ceremony in Hajjar Auditorium. D-E Head of School Dr....
Calliope Wins Gold!
Kudos to Calliope 2025 for receiving national recognition by earning its 1st Gold Crown Award in 43 years! This is the highest award given by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) to arts-literary magazines. “This has been the most incredible news,” said...
Art in Action Paints Windows for Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day
In what has become a D-E tradition for Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day, members of the student organization Art in Action, advised by Art & Design Faculty Rachel Brusky, wielded window-painting markers for a vibrant spring refresh of the Campus Center windows. These...
Service-Learning Initiatives Inspire 7th Graders
Seventh Graders recently learned about service learning first-hand from organization founders and high school students who started their own community programs. Students gathered in the 7th Grade Porch to listen to a panel, moderated by Ms. Patel and Ms. Butterman,...
MS Assembly Recognizes Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
During a recent Middle School (MS) assembly, students were incredibly privileged to hear directly from Nana Lawton, a Holocaust survivor and great grandmother of Brian G. ‘31, in recognition of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). The assembly started with Justin...
Lower School Celebrates Community, Earth Day
Sporting their Spirit Day athletic team jerseys and T-shirts, Lower School students entered the gym for this week’s LS Assembly as the iconic song “We Are the World” played in the background. The song, as the fifth-grade presenters described, “is about being kind and...
2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Recipients
Announcing D-E’s 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is an opportunity for creative teens in grades 7-12 to submit their artwork or written work for a chance to receive...