Poly Prep Country Day School | Poly Prep

Since 1854, a Legacy of Service & Success

Since 1854, Poly has graduated thousands of alumni who have become some of the nation’s leaders in the arts, athletics, business, science, medicine, law, government, education, philanthropy, and helping others.

Poly’s mission is to prepare and inspire the next diverse generation of leaders and global citizens to act with intelligence, imagination and—above all—character.


Audrius Barzdukas, P'20, Head of School

Poly Offers Outstanding Faculty & Global Learning

Our students join Poly’s outstanding faculty—most with advanced degrees and all deeply committed to teaching—in an intellectually challenging, yet nurturing learning community.

Imbued with humility and the ability to listen, Poly students engage with teachers and peers—from very different ethnicities and backgrounds, and with many different talents and interests—in order to study, take risks, and grow.

A cross-section of New York City’s best and brightest, Poly offers global learning to train leaders for the 21^st century where many nations and cultures must work together.

Poly Provides a Secure Urban Oasis for Growth

Poly is one school with two beautiful campuses that each provide an urban oasis in Brooklyn, New York. Poly’s Middle & Upper School (Dyker Heights)—together with our Lower School (Park Slope)—educate students from Nursery through 12^th grade. Our environmentally friendly campuses also foster ecological awareness.

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Poly Builds Character

In our Upper School (9^th-12^th grade), our students must complete a community service “curriculum,” including freshmen classes in volunteering and service learning, the completion of at least 40 hours of service with a charity or non-profit before graduation (many go far beyond our minimum requirement and complete hundreds of hours); and a “reflection project” (such as an essay, Power Point presentation, or diary) in which students write about, analyze and evaluate the impact of their service on themselves and those they sought to help.

In addition, many Poly students also organize fundraising drives for specific charities or causes. Last year, school-wide (Nursery-12^th grade), Poly students raised $42,000 for hundreds of NYC-area charities while Upper School students collectively volunteered thousands of hours of community service, locally and abroad.

Poly Educates the Whole Student

Poly educates the whole student: mind, body, and—above all—character.

Through mentoring, formal advising programs, ethical education, health and wellness curricula, and nurturing student-teacher engagement, Poly take a holistic approach to growth and development of each Poly student in mind, body, and—above all—character.

Poly Fosters Academic Excellence

Through Poly's progressive liberal arts curriculum and an enriching co-curricular program featuring the visual and performing arts, athletics, student clubs and organizations, and community service, Poly students experience excellence across multiple disciplines and in many ways: intellectually, physically, and morally.

Poly fosters a culture of excellence that encourages each student to grow, take risks within a supportive learning community, and go "above and beyond" to reach his or her fullest potential.

Poly Fosters Lifelong Success & Friendships

Before they launch professional careers, our graduates attend many of the best and most highly selective colleges and universities in the nation.

Academically primed for college, our students have also acquired the intellectual tools, character, self-discipline and supportive network they need to thrive and make a difference.

Our alumni association, founded in the 19th century and active nationwide, offers professional networking well beyond graduation. For those who choose it, the Poly experience lasts a lifetime.

Long after they graduate, our alumni share comradeship and the Poly experience with their fellow graduates. Many alumni continue to count Poly graduates among their closest friends.