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Feature Friday: Shaping futures, one middle schooler at a time

Middle school is when everything changes. When friendships shift overnight. When a student discovers they're good at something they never knew existed. It's messy, electric and full of possibility.

Feature Friday: Four leaders, four lenses, one unshakable belief in students

Ask four school directors what leadership means in 2025, and you won't get the same answer twice. But spend time in their schools, watch how they move through hallways, listen to how they talk about students, notice what they celebrate and you'll start to see something deeper than words can capture.

Feature Friday: These high school leaders are building excellence, one day at a time

There's a kind of leadership that doesn't announce itself with fanfare. It shows up early, stays late, and finds joy in the small, steady work of making schools better, one conversation, one decision, one percent at a time. At four of DSST's high schools, that's exactly the kind of leadership you'll find.

The power of teacher longevity at DSST

There's a moment that happens in classrooms across DSST, a moment that can't be scripted or manufactured. It's when a teacher anticipates exactly where a student will stumble before they do. When they reference a lesson from two years ago that connects perfectly to today's challenge. When they know not just the student sitting in front of them, but their older sibling, their cousin, and the family story that shapes how they show up to learn.

Feature Friday: Three middle school leaders building communities where every student thrives

This week, for National Principals Month, we are spotlighting three middle school leaders who show up every day to build learning communities where students can grow, where they can belong, where they can thrive.

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Feature Friday: Kicking off National Principals Month with two inspiring new leaders

October is National Principals Month. Throughout the month, we will be celebrating our school directors in our Feature Fridays, and we are kicking it off by highlighting our two incredible leaders who are new to DSST but already making a lasting impact: Emily Felsenthal, School Director at DSST: Elevate Northeast High School, and Dr. James Clark, School Director at DSST: Cole Middle School. Although their journeys to DSST are different, both share a commitment to equity, excellence, and joy, and their leadership is already shaping the future of their schools.

Feature Friday: Alex Haserodt finds meaning in the blend between STEM and human connection

Engineering teacher Alex Haserodt is the kind of educator who makes you feel seen, supported and inspired whether you’re a student navigating middle school or a colleague growing in your craft. At DSST: College View Middle School, Alex’s work as a STEM teacher, house leader and curriculum designer is grounded in deep purpose and relentless curiosity.

DSST: College View senior is proving that Latine voices belong in every space

At the heart of DSST College View’s Pre-Med Club is a story of resilience, representation, and radical hope. Jimena Jimenez, a College View student leader with a dream of becoming a physician, has transformed a simple idea into a thriving community, one that uplifts, educates and empowers students to imagine themselves in scrubs, lab coats and leadership roles.

Feature Friday: Tyler Randolph models what it means to grow with purpose

At DSST: Cole Middle School, Tyler Randolph is the kind of educator who makes you say, “I hope I get to work with him forever.” Now in his seventh year at Cole, Tyler continues to grow, evolve, and inspire, all while keeping things grounded with his signature steady and mature presence.