dharman@polyprep.org 9216 Seventh Avenue Brooklyn NY 11228-3698 www.polyprep.org p 718.836.9800 f 718.836.0590

DAVID B. HARMAN Headmaster September 1, 2015 Dear Poly Prep Parents: I am writing to share some important news, which is that I have made the decision that this year, 2015-16, will be my last at Poly. My tenure here will have spanned 16 years, which is a great run by any standard and well exceeds the national average for independent school leadership. By next summer, I will be pushing 68, and after much reflection and many conversations with my wife Kristin, my family and others, I have concluded that it is the right time for me and for the school to make this change. I am ready to start a new direction in my life and am confident this is the best time for Poly to transition to a new leader who can take the school forward to even greater success. With mixed emotions, I came to this decision just recently and informed the Board of Trustees and senior administrative team last week and the faculty and staff at our opening meeting today. I will talk with the Middle and Upper School students at our opening Chapel next Wednesday. Poly begins an exciting new school year with the second highest enrollment ever and many wonderfully talented students joining us next week. New students always bring a marvelous infusion of excitement, enthusiasm, and energy to their classrooms. Similarly, we will welcome exceptionally qualified new teachers and staff to join our outstanding team. I am delighted to work with Brian Filiatraut, Poly’s first Director of Sustainability. His role emanated directly from our strategic plan calling for discrete and clear leadership in this area. Brian will teach two courses in our science department and be a guiding force for all of us as we work towards our mission to lead a “greener” and more sustainable life as responsible global citizens. The teaching and learning at Poly has never been better. A senior’s mother spoke with me a couple of weeks after graduation and commented that her daughter had attended several fine independent schools due to her husband’s work-related moves, but that “Poly was the first and only school where teachers genuinely cared about my daughter, in and out of the classroom.” This was a wonderful affirmation of what to me has always been Poly’s greatest strength—the relationships between teachers and students and the tremendous positive influence of our faculty in shaping the lives of our children. I can attest to this directly as Headmaster, as well as a past Poly parent. The parent satisfaction survey we conducted last June at the conclusion of the most significant transitional years at Poly—grades 4, 8, and 12—focused on Poly’s academic program. The result: very high marks in virtually every department and constructive criticism in areas to review and improve. Overall, the parents who completed the survey were very satisfied with the teaching and learning of the students in these three grades. Thank you to those who responded. Your comments will provide us with clear direction as we move forward. Looking ahead to next spring, Poly will have its evaluation by the New York State Association of

Independent Schools (NYSAIS), a school-wide process that all independent schools undertake. It promotes self-assessment and helps schools to think strategically about their future. From my experience chairing several NYSAIS committees for other schools, this is an invaluable and meaningful experience that results in a robust report on the school with commendations and helpful recommendations. I will give Poly my all this year and intend to leave our school in the strongest possible shape for my successor, just as it was for me when Bill Williams retired and I began my role in July of 2000. I remember as if it were yesterday, my late, great first Board Chair, Donald Carswell, in his inimitable way put his arm around me and said: “You are taking over a great school. I want a smooth handoff between you and Bill and don’t (mild expletive deleted) it up!” The school is in great shape, the current lawsuit notwithstanding, but I have always said to the students and faculty that all of us can be better than we were, and I aspire to model that mantra personally and for Poly again this year. To this end, Tom Hudnut, a highly effective and experienced former head of independent schools, most recently Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles, will be assessing and providing advice and support to me and the Board throughout this year to guide and assist us in applying best practices for independent school governance and leadership at Poly. This work already has begun, and I am looking forward to more collaboration in the months ahead. You will be hearing from me frequently and in greater detail this year in meetings organized by our revitalized Parent Association, and in our weekly parent newsletter, The Pulse. As always, you are welcome to meet with me or email (or text) me with questions, comments, or suggestions. (No Twitter please—not there yet.) As a career teacher and educator, like my father and grandfather before me, I have appreciated and even marveled at the uniqueness of the academic calendar and its distinctive cycle. I have welcomed the summer weeks each year to reflect, set goals, and plan thoughtfully for the year ahead. This summer has been no different. One of my favorite writers, Graham Greene, posited that:

A story has no beginning or end; arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or which to look ahead.

I chose my moment this summer, resulting in my decision. I have looked back on 15 years at Poly with great appreciation. These years have been ripe with opportunities and challenges, with speed bumps along the way to be sure, but mostly the sheer joy and amazement at watching children develop into capable and compassionate young adults ready for college and life beyond, and observing faculty create the art of superb teaching. What an awesome responsibility and privilege it has been and to be the head of this unique and special school. With September now here, I look forward with great anticipation to another exciting and rewarding school year for all of us. Best wishes, David B. Harman P'04, '06 Headmaster

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September 1, 2015 Dear Poly Prep Community: On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we have received and accepted the letter from David Harman announcing his intention to retire and step down as Headmaster at the end of this academic year. We know he did not come to this decision lightly or without great thought. As David told the Board, over this past summer when he reflected on the next decades and opportunities in his life, he decided that it was the right time for him personally and professionally to step aside for new leadership at the school. He plans to leave us for well-deserved time in Maine with his friends and family. The Board is deeply grateful for David’s leadership, energy, and devotion to the school and all that he has accomplished for Poly Prep over the past 15 years. As a teacher and educator, he has timed his departure for when he knows we will be prepared to make a smooth transition into the next chapter of our exciting future as a school and community. During his tenure, David has accomplished significant organizational and institutional goals. In the capable hands of Poly’s talented and dedicated teachers and administrators, the academic level of excellence has never been higher and development of well-rounded students is the highest priority. We are a strong community of diverse families with a shared goal for our children’s educational and life opportunities, and demand for enrollment at Poly is very high. The academic and extra-curricular programs implemented over the past decade and a half at Poly include the Center for Learning Enrichment and Support, a STEM curriculum for all students, enhanced world language instruction, increased study abroad programming as well as community service opportunities, and a nationally recognized debate program. Our young graduates and alumni are flourishing in colleges and universities around the country, and as leaders, good global citizens, and caring parents. During this time, we also have seen completion of many capital projects, including the JDA Library renovation and expansion, the renovation and expansion of the Lower School, which won the Lucy Moses Preservation Award and was the city’s first LEED-certified school and the first LEED-certified primary school in the state, the renovation of the Perry Theatre, the Greenhouse, Art Studio, Alumni House, Legacy Gym, and numerous classrooms. Financially, the school’s position is strong and continues to be prudently managed, with good fiscal stewardship and the support of parents, alumni, and other friends of Poly, for which we are extremely grateful. We have increased our endowment substantially, are continuing to improve the campus infrastructure to accommodate new ways of teaching and learning, and are taking all steps we can to ensure that Poly continues to evolve as a great institution.

 

As a result of these achievements, and countless others, Poly is well positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities of the coming decades. We are grateful to David for his leadership in bringing us to this point and ensuring that we are energized for the years ahead. As always, there is important work to do to continue to ensure a strong and secure future for Poly. In July, we engaged Tom Hudnut, a well-known independent school consultant with more than 36 years of experience, to help assess our leadership, governance and management, and make specific recommendations for improvement. Tom has served on the Boards of six independent schools and a private college, and as President of the Headmasters’ Association, the Country Day School Headmasters' Association, and the California Association of Independent Schools. Tom already has reviewed our written policies and procedures and interviewed members of the Poly community. His work continues and over the next few months, he will be making recommendations as to best practices to both the Board and the Administration. Finally, we appreciate that selecting a new Head of School is the most important responsibility of a Board of Trustees. Be assured that we are committed to a thoughtful and robust process to identify the best new individual to continue to evolve Poly and lead its growth and planning for future success consistent with our school’s mission. The Board is forming a search committee comprising current parents, alumni, trustees, faculty, and respected educators who will work together with a proven educational search consultant to identify candidates, evaluate them, and ultimately select a new Head of Poly. As part of this process, we will be seeking and value the input from the Poly community on the important characteristics and qualifications in a new Headmaster. We will be providing further details toward the end of this month about that process, and the steps we and David are taking together to ensure a smooth and successful transition. We would like to extend our warmest welcome to those of you returning to the Poly campus for the new school year and remain open to hearing the ideas and suggestions of our broader community. We are prepared and enthusiastic about meeting the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead.

Very truly yours,

Susanna Furfaro, M.D. P'13, '15 and Robert Sabbagh '87, P'27 Interim Co-Chairs, Board of Trustees