About Bank Street

Message from Our President

It is my pleasure to welcome you to Bank Street College. As president, alumnus of the Graduate School of Education, and parent of a student in our Family Center, I can proudly say that Bank Street College has had an extraordinary impact on my journey as an educator.

As you explore our website, I hope that you will discover how our rich history and our dedication to helping students thrive have shaped the lives of progressive educators and leaders across the country. Every day, our faculty, staff, and graduates work to make sure that all students are given the support they need to realize their unique potential and develop the creativity and resilience that will lead to success in life.

When you come to visit our campus, you will see classrooms alive with purpose. Through conversation, collaboration, and hands-on engagement with materials, ideas, and people, Bank Street students of all ages learn how to make meaning of the world around them, build the courage and confidence to think independently, and become thoughtful problem-solvers who work respectfully with others.

Now, more than ever, the job of teaching and learning is of vital importance in our society. New advances in neuroscience are showing that progressive approaches to education like Bank Street’s are critical to healthy development and learning. Our success is rooted in a deep understanding of how children and adults learn best, the strength of the relationships we form with each other, and the abiding commitment that this inspires across our community to help transform the lives of all young learners.

In the words of Bank Street founder Lucy Sprague Mitchell, “we see in education the opportunity to build a better society.”

I hope you’ll join us.

Shael Polakow-Suransky, GSE ’00
President, Bank Street College