Dwight School Celebrates 140 Years of Igniting the "Spark of Genius" in Every Child

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dwight School, alma mater to countless thousands of graduates, including Walter Lippmann, Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Truman Capote, Roy Lichtenstein, and Hal Prince, marks its 140^th year, making it one of the most enduring independent schools in New York City.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dwight-school-celebrates-140-years-of-igniting-the-spark-of-genius-in-every-child-169385076.html

Since its founding as the Sachs Collegiate Institute in 1872 by Dr. Julius Sachs, a member of the Sachs family that established Goldman Sachs, Dwight has built a reputation for educational advances. The School was named in honor of Dr. Timothy Dwight, the Younger, former president of Yale University, who emphasized the importance of math and science in the preparatory curriculum of another Dwight precursor school in 1888.  

Dwight has continued this commitment to innovation by customizing the educational experience for each student based on individual strengths and interests through personalized learning. Personalized learning is one of three School pillars, along with community and global vision.

Dwight School has also been dedicated to international education. Located on Manhattan's Upper West Side, it's the flagship campus in a global network that includes Dwight School London, Dwight School Canada, Dwight School Seoul, and the Dwight Capital Normal High School Program in Beijing. At all five campuses, Dwight students benefit from a wide range of international curricular exchanges and collaborations. Foreign language instruction begins in preschool.

Unique Educational Philosophy                                                                 

"At Dwight, we're dedicated to educating open-minded, risk-taking leaders who can thrive anywhere in the world and who can make a real difference," said Stephen Spahn, Chancellor of the Dwight Schools worldwide and the longest-serving head of school in New York City. "We believe that every child has a 'spark of genius' and it is our job as educators to find and ignite that spark. This philosophy drives our personalized learning approach, which have proven to be successful at each one of our global campuses, and it began right here in New York City."

Dwight School Firsts

Over its 140-year history, Dwight has distinguished itself in many ways, including:

Leadership in IB Education

• The rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum is widely recognized as the "gold standard" in education worldwide, and The Dwight Schools are widely respected as pioneers in IB education. 
• Dwight was the first school in the U.S. to offer the comprehensive IB curriculum (Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Programs) from preschool through the twelfth grade.
• Dwight was the first school in New York City to offer the IB Primary Years Program.
• Founder of the Guild of IB Schools of the Northeast, Dwight School has more than a dozen leaders in IB curriculum development and teaching on its world-class faculty.

Leadership in Global Outreach

• Dwight was the first school in the U.S. to establish an international affiliate in 1972 in London.
• Based on its reputation as an IB leader, Dwight School Canada was selected in 2009 by the Seoul Municipal Government from among 120 IB Schools to open the city's first model IB School.
• Dwight graduates join an already large and growing global network of alumni leaders reaching around the world.

"We've built tremendous momentum at Dwight New York. Our unique personalized learning approach has created one of the most successful educational environments in which young people thrive and are well-prepared to succeed in college and in life as responsible and thoughtful global citizens and leaders," said Dianne Drew, Head of Dwight School. "We're proud that Dwight graduates attend some of the world's leading colleges and universities, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Oxford, McGill, and the University of Edinburgh. Yet we're most proud of how well they excel at forging their own paths and projects that feed their 'spark of genius' here at Dwight."

Dwight School will celebrate its 140-year history with events for the Dwight community of students, parents, faculty, and alumni.

More About Dwight School

Dwight (www.dwight.edu) is an IB World School for students from preschool-grade 12. To apply, email [email protected] or call 212-724-7524.

Contact: Laurie Silbersweig
212-724-6360 x463
[email protected]

Related Link
Dwight

SOURCE Dwight School