Commencement 2024

LIVESTREAM EVENT Commencement was Friday, June 14

Poly Prep’s 167th Commencement Ceremony

Celebrating the Class of 2024

Friday, June 14 at 9:30 AM

Steinberg Athletic Complex (football field)
Dyker Heights Campus

>> Watch the livestream of the Class of 2024 Commencement ceremony.

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

Arrow pattern blue

Printable Processional Schedule

Post Commencement: An email with the links to the professional photos and video will be sent to the Class of 2024 graduates and families in the last week of June.

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

View our visitor policy.

Commencement 2023 from above

Graduates

  • ARRIVAL TIME: 8:00 AM 
  • ARRIVAL LOCATION: Novogratz Gym, 3rd Floor. Breakfast, robing, lining up all happens in the Novogratz.
  • CAPS: Caps may be decorated. If you decide to do this, you MUST bring your cap for vetting during rehearsal practices either on Thursday, May 30 or June 12, 2024.
  • CLASS OF 2024 GROUP PHOTO: 9:15 AM. Assemble on turf outside Novogratz for Class of 2024 photo. If rain, assemble in 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).
  • ATTIRE: Commencement is a formal occasion. Please choose attire that is apropos for the importance of this milestone event. Avoid denim, flip-flops, shorts, or other overly casual clothes.
  • 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.

Class of 2023
Families at Commencement

Families

 

  • DROP OFF GRADUATES: 8:00 AM 
  • PARKING: Angled parking along 7th Avenue as directed by Security team.
  • ENTER: 8:45 AM through pedestrian gate by Steinberg Athletic Complex (football field).  Look for balloons marking 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.
  • 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: For persons with limited mobility or if other guest assistance is needed, please contact Amy Schlansky ’83, P’22 by 4:00 PM on Monday, June 10, 2024.
  • RAIN OR SHINE: Dress for the weather! Ponchos will be available for all guests as needed. See below for additional information.
  • NUMBER OF GUESTS: If ceremony is held outdoors as planned, there are unlimited family guests who may attend. 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.
  • 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 are keeping a close eye on the weather and will send detailed updates if the ceremony moves indoors.

Student Processional Class of 2023 Commencement
Faculty & Staff Commencement

Faculty

 

  • ARRIVAL TIME: 8:30 AM
  • ARRIVAL LOCATION: Legacy Gym, 3rd Floor. Breakfast and lining up all happens in the Legacy Gym. Lineup is by order of appointment at Poly, beginning with the longest serving faculty. Robing for those noted below also happens in the Legacy.
  • ROBES: The following faculty members will wear robes: Assistant Head of School, Academics, Head of Lower School, Head of Middle School, Head of Upper School, Head of Arts, Dean of Faculty, Director of DEIB, Faculty Announcer.
  • PARKING: Park at the front of the campusthe 92nd Street gate will be open.
  • 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 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: Apart from those noted above, faculty members will not be robed. Faculty members 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! Rain may be a factor. Please keep that in mind for headgear and footwear. Ponchos will be available if needed.

Student Procession at commencement
Commencement 2023 Staff

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: Park at the front of the campus the 92nd Street gate will be open.
  • RECEPTION: Reception to immediately follow the Commencement Ceremony. Light refreshments will be served. If Commencement moves indoors, the Reception will be canceled.

Commencement Selfie
Commencement Trustees

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 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 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.

Commencement hug
Commencement set-up

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
  • Board Chair, Trustees, John Rankin, Michal Hershkovitz P’16, ’18, Division Heads, Erika Freeman P’24, ’26, ’28, ’32, Michael Robinson, Andrea Del Valle P’29, ’33, Class of 2024 faculty/staff parents assemble in Novogratz lobby (dais seating)
  • Students – 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 John Rankin, 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.

Click for Printable Processional Schedule

Close