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.
Celebrating Black History Month
Black History Month celebrations continued this week in the Middle and Upper Schools with assemblies in Schenck Auditorium facilitated by the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Department. For the US Assembly, members of the Black Affinity student...
2.11.26 February Dean’s Memo
2.13.26 A Message from the Upper School Dean – February Update
2.20.26 February Dean Update
2.20.26 Quick Update: February/March 2026
Author Visits Help Enrich MS Literary Units
Authors recently visited our Middle School (MS) to enrich current units of study. Seventh graders hosted a Q&A session with award-winning author Reyna Grande, whose memoir, “The Distance Between Us,” is central to their cross-curricular Anatomy of a Human Project. The...
D-E Celebrates Lunar New Year!
D-E rang in the Lunar New Year with dynamic assembly performances and a jubilant celebration in the Wharton Lessin Dining Hall, graciously facilitated by our Asian American, Chinese, and Korean Parent Affinity Groups. Festivities began in the Lower School (LS) with...
Kindergarten & 1st Grade Valentine’s Concerts 2026
In a beloved D-E tradition, this week our Lower School (LS) Kindergarten and 1st Grade students tugged at heartstrings during their Valentine’s Chorus Concerts for families. Hajjar Auditorium was decked with red, pink, and white balloon displays and paper hearts with...
D-E 360° Chess Team Competes at Scholastic Grand Prix
The D-E 360° Chess Team continues its winning streak with a fantastic showing at the recent Scholastic (K-9) Grand Prix, hosted in the D-E STEM Center. Players came from a wide range of schools across New Jersey and New York, and 28 students from D-E participated....
Celebrating a Century of Black History: Commemorations
As the Lower School continues to celebrate Black History Month, please have a look at the attached resource about local happenings that has been curated by D-E’s Black Parent Affinity Group