Shael Polakow-Suransky

Shael Polakow-Suransky became the eighth president of Bank Street College of Education on July 1, 2014. Prior to this role, he was the second-in-command at the New York City Department of Education, serving as Chief Academic Officer and Senior Deputy Chancellor. In the nation’s largest school system, Shael oversaw teaching and learning across more than 1,600 district schools and was a strong advocate for teacher and principal autonomy, balanced accountability, and reforms designed to improve learning experiences for the City’s most vulnerable students.

Earlier in his career, Shael worked as a teacher and founding principal of Bronx International High School. He holds a BA from Brown University, where Ted Sizer was his mentor, and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Bank Street. He is the first alum to serve as Bank Street’s president.