We are pleased to announce our incoming Associate Head of School Dr. Cyndy Jean whose tenure begins on July 1, 2026. 

Jean brings nearly two decades of experience from Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY, where she has served in many roles. Originally a Lower School teaching fellow, she went on to become an English teacher and fifth grade dean and eventually advanced to director of the Middle School. From there, she served as assistant head of school for community and inclusivity, and most recently as associate head of school where she acts as chief strategic partner to the head of school, overseeing directors across mission-critical programs, and leading institutional strategy, faculty hiring, equity training, and evaluation. She has also served as lead instructor for the FORGE Leadership Program at Columbia University’s Teachers College, mentoring emerging school leaders nationwide.

“Cyndy made an extraordinary impression on our community,” said Head of School Noni Thomas López. “She is a rare leader whose warmth, clarity, and steady presence are matched by a deep understanding of how schools work at every level. From her colleagues at Hackley, we heard again and again about her ability to build trust, to listen with care, and to communicate in ways that bring people along rather than divide them. She is both strategic and deeply relational: a teacher at heart who sees people clearly and builds the systems that allow them to thrive. Cyndy brings not only remarkable experience in academic leadership, but also a spirit of joy, curiosity, and purpose that aligns beautifully with who we are at Poly. I am thrilled to welcome her to the senior leadership team as a partner in this work and confident that she will help us continue to grow as a community grounded in mind, body, and character.”

Jean earned a Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College and a Master’s in Elementary Education and Special Education from Fordham University, where she was inducted into both the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. At Columbia University’s Teachers College, Jean received a Master’s in Private School Leadership. She holds a Doctor of Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, which she earned with double distinction in 2023.

Jean has built programs and systems that strengthened the school community at every level and across constituencies. She launched student-led conferences in the Middle School, giving students a greater voice in their own learning and deepening family engagement. She designed a cohesive K-12 student leadership framework, creating clear pathways for students to grow as leaders. On the faculty side, she streamlined hiring, onboarding, and evaluation systems that improved retention and brought more diverse educators into the classroom. She implemented schoolwide professional development to strengthen teaching and equity practices. And she developed K-12 community programming that created common points of reference across divisions and brought students, faculty, and families together around shared values.

Working in education wasn’t Jean’s original plan. As a pre-med student in college, she was invited by chance to an information session about a teaching fellowship at Hackley and arrived on campus expecting to find an elementary school, only to discover something that looked like a college. What kept her was simple: mentors who met every idea with enthusiasm. “What a magical place,” she recalls, “to be able to share the things I love with children.” Nearly two decades and several leadership roles later, that sense of magic hasn’t faded. Jean describes schools as sacred spaces where no two moments are ever quite the same, and where the work of creating those moments, of supporting others to create those moments, is among the most meaningful a person can do.

Jean is looking forward to getting to know the Poly community—in the classroom, at forums and events, and in the places where members gather to do what they love. After 19 years at one school, leaving wasn’t a decision Jean took lightly. But Poly felt less like a departure and more like a destination. In every conversation throughout the search process with students, teachers, parents, and staff, she encountered compassion, sincerity, and a genuine excitement about Poly’s future. “I walked away thinking these are my people,” she says. “The warmth, the generosity … I came out of those interviews thinking this feels like home.”

Outside of school, Jean is a passionate traveler, a devoted history enthusiast, and lover of period dramas. She is currently teaching herself American Sign Language alongside her son. She has two children, Zadie (9) and Zion (almost 8), who are, she says, best friends, “even if they won’t admit it.”

We are thrilled to welcome the Jean family into the Poly community.