Commencement 2026

WATCH LIVESTREAM EVENT June 5, 2026

Poly Prep’s 169th Commencement Ceremony

Celebrating the Class of 2026

Friday, June 5 at 9:30 AM

Steinberg Athletic Complex (football field)
Dyker Heights Campus

>> The Class of 2026 Commencement ceremony livestream will be available shortly before event begins.

Graduates, Families, Faculty, Staff, and Trustees
See below for more details on what you need to know, schedules, and more.

View Printable Processional Schedule

Post Commencement: An email with the links to the professional photos and video will be sent to the Class of 2026 graduates and families during the last week of June.

We’ll be updating this page as more information becomes available so check back often!

View our visitor policy.

Graduates

ARRIVAL TIME: 8:00 AM
ARRIVAL LOCATION: Novogratz Gym, 3rd Floor. Breakfast, robing, and lining up all happens in the Novogratz.
CAPS: Caps may be decorated. If you decide to do this, you MUST bring your fully-decorated cap for vetting during rehearsal practice on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
CLASS OF 2026 GROUP PHOTO: 9:15 AM. The processional line goes on turf outside Novogratz for Class of 2026 group photo. After the photo, please return to stay in your assigned spot in the line up. If rain, assemble in the Student Center.
PROCESSION: Graduates will process in pairs from the Novogratz Gym, through the building, out to the walkway between the baseball and softball fields, to the Steinberg Athletic Complex (football field). Graduates will follow faculty in the procession order.
ATTIRE: Commencement is a formal occasion. Please choose attire that is appropriate for the importance of this milestone event. Avoid denim, flip-flops, shorts, or other overly casual clothes. Please also choose footwear with awareness that you will be walking on turf and standing at length.
RECEPTION: Reception to immediately follow the Commencement Ceremony. Light refreshments will be served. If Commencement moves indoors, the Reception will be canceled.
RAIN: Rain may be a factor. Please keep that in mind for headgear and footwear. Poly will provide ponchos for you to wear over your gowns in the event of rain.

Families

DROP OFF GRADUATES: 8:00 AM
PARKING: Parking on site is EXTREMELY limited. Street parking is available. We encourage public transportation or rideshares to campus.
ENTER: 8:45 AM through pedestrian gate by Steinberg Athletic Complex (football field). Look for balloons marking the entrance.
SEATING: The graduation procession begins at 9:40 AM. You must be seated prior to this time. No one will be allowed to enter the seating area while the procession is taking place. Please make sure you’re seated by 9:30 AM. There is no bleacher seating at Commencement. There is seating provided on the turf.
CEREMONY: Begins at 10:00 AM
RECEPTION: Reception to immediately follow the Commencement Ceremony. Light refreshments will be served. If Commencement moves indoors, the Reception will be canceled.
ACCESSIBILITY: Guests on the field will utilize folding chairs for seating (not bleacher seating, see photo below to illustrate set-up). For persons with limited mobility or if other guest assistance is needed, please contact Amy Schlansky ’83, P’22 by 4:00 PM on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
RAIN OR SHINE: Dress for the weather! Sunscreen and hats may be helpful for a bright day. To ensure every family has a clear view of the ceremony, we kindly ask that umbrellas and parasols not be used in the sun. Ponchos will be available for all guests as needed. See below for additional information.
NUMBER OF GUESTS: If ceremony is held outdoors as planned, each graduate may invite unlimited family guests. If thunderstorms are in the forecast and we need to pivot to an indoor ceremony, due to space limitations, families will be allowed 4 ticketed guests only.
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO: A professional photographer and videographer will be capturing this important day. We ask that everyone remain seated once Commencement begins. Photos will be made available to families during the last week of June.
LIVESTREAM: Families and friends may stream the event remotely. Link will be live shortly before ceremony begins.

NOTE: In case of thunderstorms, we will move the event indoors to the Chapel; each family will be allowed 4 ticketed guests. Tickets will be issued digitally. We keep a close eye on the weather and will send detailed updates if the ceremony moves indoors.

Poly grads getting ready for commencement 2025

Faculty

ARRIVAL TIME: 8:30 AM
ARRIVAL LOCATION: Legacy Gym. Breakfast and lining up all happens in the Legacy Gym. Lineup is by order of appointment at Poly, beginning with the longest serving faculty. List will be posted. Robing for those noted below also happens in the Legacy.
ROBES: The following members of administration will wear robes: Head of School, trustees, academic leadership team, faculty announcer and those conferring diplomas.
PARKING: Parking on site will be limited to families of graduates and trustees. Street parking is available. We encourage public transportation, carpooling, or rideshares to campus. Details on employee transportation support to come.
BREAKFAST: Light refreshments will be provided.
LINE UP: 9:30 AM— Faculty lead the procession led by Michael Junsch ’71, P’94, ’95. Line up according to seniority (list will be posted) to prepare for the procession.
PROCESSION: You’ll process from the Legacy Gym, through the Novogratz building, out to the walkway between the baseball and softball fields, to the Steinberg Athletic Complex (football field).
RECEPTION: Reception to immediately follow the Commencement Ceremony. Light refreshments will be served. If Commencement moves indoors, the Reception will be canceled.
DRESS: Faculty members will not be robed and should dress in professional attire suitable for the solemnity and importance of the ceremony honoring our graduates. (Please refrain from wearing shorts, denim, flip-flops, and similar casual attire.) When planning your footwear, please keep in mind the weather, the walk, and the stairs.
RAIN OR SHINE: Dress for the weather! Wear sunscreen if a bright day. Rain may be a factor. Please keep that in mind for headgear and footwear. Ponchos will be available if needed.

Staff

WELCOME: Staff in attendance are invited to join our families in the general seating area as well as at the reception following the ceremony.
PARKING: Parking on site will be limited to families of graduates and trustees. Street parking is available. We encourage public transportation, carpooling, or rideshares to campus. Details on employee transportation support to come.
RECEPTION: Reception to immediately follow the Commencement Ceremony. Light refreshments will be served. If Commencement moves indoors, the Reception will be canceled.

Poly Prep trustee and grad at Commencement 2025

Trustees

ARRIVAL TIME: 8:30 AM
ARRIVAL LOCATION: Legacy Gym will be your base for breakfast, robing, and lining up.
BREAKFAST: Breakfast will be provided.
VIP PARKING: Parking placards for on-campus parking will be provided.
LINE UP: 9:30 AM— Trustees and Board Chair follow faculty.
PROCESSION: You’ll process from the Legacy Gym, through the Novogratz building, out to the walkway between the baseball and softball fields, to the Steinberg Athletic Complex (football field).
DRESS: Robes will be provided for the executive board and those conferring diplomas only. Trustees should dress in professional attire suitable for the solemnity and importance of the ceremony. When planning your footwear, please keep in mind the weather, the walk, and the stairs.
RAIN OR SHINE: Dress for the weather! Rain may be a factor. Please keep that in mind for headgear and footwear. Ponchos will be available if needed.
RECEPTION: Reception to immediately follow the Commencement Ceremony. Light refreshments will be served. If Commencement moves indoors, the Reception will be canceled.

Students in Poly Prep commencement processional

Processional Schedule

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Arrival and breakfast

8:45 AM – 9:15 AM Robe up (graduates)

9:15 AM – 9:40 AM Formation of processional line, head of the line at the connecting door to the Novogratz building, in order of appointment. Lists will be posted to aid in lining up.

Procession lineup order/locations:

- Sr. Faculty Member (Michael Junsch ’71, P’94, ’95)
- Faculty – assemble in pairs in the Legacy gym to Novogratz lobby
- Administration – assemble in pairs as follows:
  - First Row of Dais:
    - Noni Thomas López, Sarah Bates
    - Laurie T. Rosenblatt P’23, ’26, Daniel Doughty
    - Jennifer Powers P’26, ’28, Francis Yasharian, Ed.L.D. P’36
    - Kareem Raymond P’31, ’33, Michal Hershkovitz P’16, ’18
    - John D. McPheters P’33
  - Second Row of Dais:
    - John P. Foley P’26, ’30, Michael S. Robinson
    - Yolonda Marshall P’24, ’26, Susie Brandmeyer P’26, ’29
    - Lou Candel, Danielle Cochran P’26, ’29, ’34
    - Andrea Del Valle P’29, P’33, Laura Beiles Coppola ’95, P’29
    - Erika Freeman P’24, ’26, ’28, ’32, Kristin Robb P’24, ’26
    - Juliet Moretti, LaTasha Richards P’26, ’29, ’31, ’33

- Students – Class of 2026 assemble in Novogratz Gym (supervised by deans)

9:40 AM Procession begins – Through the Novogratz lobby, out to and through the walkway between the baseball and softball fields to the Steinberg Athletic Complex field. (football field).

Procession is by pairs. Faculty seating flanks the left and right sides of the dais, facing out to the graduates. At the field, you’ll go up the center aisle and split, with those on the left going to the left section and those on the right to the right section of seats

Faculty/Staff/Trustee parents with grads are invited to join Noni Thomas López, trustees, and administrators onstage to step forward at the appropriate time to hand off their graduate’s diploma. In terms of lineup, you and other faculty/staff/parents of graduates will line up alphabetically behind the division heads, and follow the group to the dais seating.

Printable Processional Schedule