Where do you go if you need a little help with a history writing assignment, advice on crafting a short story, or composing your college application essay? At Poly, we have just the place.

Director of Student Support Juliet Moretti welcomed seventh graders Savannah P. ’28, Esteban M. ’28, and Owen B. ’28 to the Grand Opening of Poly’s new Writing Center located in what was formerly known as the Reading Room in the Joseph Dana Allen Library. Moretti shared Writing Center notebooks, pencils, and other swag with the students. Also arriving at the center was Jon B. ’29, who declared, “I love writing stories!”

Another young author, Kiana F. ’28, was excited about the center and an opportunity to write about animals, especially creatures that are endangered by climate change.

Honing Writing Skills

Moretti, who is also Department Chair, Learning Support & Enrichment, explained that the goal of the center, which is available to students in Grades 5-12, is to support and enrich all student writing and to “celebrate writers.” Right now, students, who would like writing help, are encouraged to make an appointment with a member of the Writing Center staff which also includes English teacher Carmelo Larose and Susan Beiles P’88, ‘90, ‘95, who recently retired from 43 years of teaching history at Poly.

Beiles said, “My particular role will focus on helping seniors with their college essays. As students are assigned more writing tasks, I’ll be available to work with them and their teachers on various components of writing.”

“The new and improved Writing Center will be the site of one-to-one sessions with our center staff, but also feature guest writers from our own faculty and NYC broadly who will help and inspire our emerging writers, as well as writing ‘events’ that will engage our students in targeted writing exercises.”

Michal Hershkovitz P’16, ’18,  Assistant Head of School, Academics

Advancing the Artistry of Writing

Moretti said that Michal Hershkovitz P’16, ’18,  Assistant Head of School, Academics, was instrumental in the grand opening of the Writing Center. “As educators,” Hershkovitz said,  “we are all keenly aware of how important strong writing skills are, in every field and endeavor of life, at all ages. In the past, our Writing Center successfully supported our students in completing their writing assignments, but as we began to plan for this new year, we were inspired to re-imagine what an even more vibrant and well-staffed Writing Center could offer our students. The new and improved Writing Center will be the site of one-to-one sessions with our center staff, but also feature guest writers from our own faculty and NYC broadly who will help and inspire our emerging writers, as well as writing ‘events’ that will engage our students in targeted writing exercises. We are excited to feature excellent writing and to promote our students’ capacity and appreciation for the artistry that it requires.”

Inspiration Through Workshops and Visiting Authors

The Writing Center staff will liaise with department chairs and teachers to find out which students might benefit from individual writing help. But they will also work together to develop writing workshops focused on specific topics. Moretti said she would also love to have guest writers come to speak with our young authors. These might include a sci/fi presentation or a poetry slam.

Writing should be a joyful experience, Moretti said, and become a “habit of mind.” That might be how the Writing Center notebooks that students such as Trevor M. ’28 picked up at the Grand Opening will come in handy—to jot down ideas for a creative writing piece to work on in the Writing Center.

If you are a Poly student who is interested in improving your writing skills, needs feedback on a creative writing assignment, or need advice about a writing project, please contact the Writing Center.