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.
Highlights From Spirit Week Day 4: D-E Spirit Day
On the fourth day of Spirit Week—D-E Spirit Day—Bulldogs from every division wore their blue, gold, and white proudly! The Upper School’s Spirit Day Assembly kicked off with a lively pep rally and competitive volleyball tournament in the Myrna B. Sherman Gym. Juniors...
MS Robotics Team Hosts Pumpkin-Decorating Competition
As part of Spirit Week, and another chance to earn points for their grade, our 8th-grade Middle School (MS) Robotics Team planned a cross-divisional maker competition. MS and Upper School students used their creativity to decorate pumpkins in the Makerspace as one of...
Spirit Week Day 3 – Highlights from Wild West Wednesday
Howdy, partners! Halfway through Spirit Week, D-E students and faculty/staff celebrated Wild West Wednesday yesterday by sporting their cowboy hats and boots, overalls, bandanas, vests, and flannel shirts. In the raucous final lunchtime soccer game, which came down to...
A Monster Calls: A Fall Play About the Human Experience
The annual D-E Fall Play for the 2025-2026 school year is A Monster Calls, based on the young adult novel by Patrick Ness and an original idea by Siobhan Dowd, about a boy burdened by a recurring nightmare in which a “monster” tells him a series of tales. Performances...
Highlights From Tacky Tourist Day 2, Spirit Week 2025
For Day 2 of Spirit Week, our Upper School (US) students (and faculty/staff) dressed as “tacky tourists”— and 11th graders defeated 9th graders during the lunchtime soccer game PLUS won the halftime game, during which players hilariously stuffed their mouths with...
Upper School Discusses Immigration in America
Emily Sclafani, Dean for the Class of 2026 and Faculty Advisor for the D-E Political Discussions (D-EPD) Club, recently held an informational session in Hajjar Auditorium on immigration policy in America, attended by Upper School students and D-E faculty/staff. Ms....
Quick Update 10/27/25
D-E Spirit Week Kicks Off
In the run-up to Spirit Week, D-E’s Upper School (US) students showed their school spirit by gathering at the Senior Lot to march together to Solomon Field for the Boys Varsity Soccer game ahead of Homecoming 2025. The theme was Pink Out, in honor of Breast Cancer...
October Dean’s Memo – Spirit Week and More!
Legacy Families Breakfast Highlights
This past weekend, which was dedicated to Reunion 2025, officially kicked-off with a beloved D-E tradition: the annual Legacy Families Breakfast. Legacy families are those D-E alumni families with children currently attending the School. This year D-E has more than...