Amy Lucero joined the upper school dean team this past June, according to the Poly Prep website, bringing her knowledge across the country from New Mexico. Lucero’s goal is to help Poly high school students with guidance, their schedules, and especially college applications. Lucero has earned praise for her character and her ability to connect with her students, particularly through her unofficial ‘open door policy’.
Amy Lucero was raised in New Mexico and had been previously working at the Bosque School as the Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management, according to their website. During her time at the Bosque school, Lucero also taught a “Feminism and Gender class,” having earned a bachelor’s in women and gender studies, according to the Bosque School Instagram.
As spontaneous as it may sound, Lucero’s move from New Mexico to New York was not unplanned. “I mean, it was crazy, it was chaotic, but it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time, so it was a very intentional move…my goal was to be in the New York City area, but I didn’t want to do it until the right school came along.”
Lucero’s open door is visible from the middle of the dean’s hallway, clearly indicating her intention to create a sense of close community and form relationships with her cohort. When asked how she would describe Lucero, Abena Akyen ’26, a member of Lucero’s cohort, said, “welcoming — because she allows everybody and anybody to talk to her…it’s only been a few weeks and she’s already been able to help me and my friends with every question asked.” Akyen ’26 emphasized that her “open door makes it easy to go there and just ask questions,” which was especially helpful while she was deciding which classes to take.
When asked about her feelings toward the college application process with a new dean, Akyen said that “originally, I was worried it would be harder,” but she soon realized that Francesca Walker, Lucero’s predecessor, had already gone out of her way to write recommendation letters for every student in her cohort. Akyen highlighted that Lucero “seems happy to help and learn more about everybody,” making it easier for students like herself to adjust to this change. Lucero said that she still maintains contact with Francesca Walker, making Lucero’s feedback extremely supportive as she is better able to understand her students with Walker’s notes. Lucero puts in the effort to ensure every student receives the appropriate materials and guidance for the application process.
When applying to the upper school dean position at Poly, Lucero was immediately drawn to the unique sense of community and connection that existed between the students, teachers, and campus. She knew she wanted to move out of New Mexico, but she expressed her desire to “end up at [a place] that I felt at home at. I wanted it to be long-term.” For this reason, Lucero was ecstatic after her first visit to the Poly campus: “I was really impressed with how welcoming everyone was… with Poly, it felt like the right place at the right time, the right fit for me,” Lucero said.
Chair of the Upper School Deans Emily Gardiner spoke highly of Lucero, discussing how she was immediately impressed with her character during the hiring process. “I want somebody who seems really excited about the kind of school we are,” said Gardiner. She saw that excitement upon meeting Lucero for the first time in person; “she exudes like a really warm competence and an incredibly high EQ (emotional quotient),” observed Gardiner, saying also that she was “asking all the questions that you would kind of hope they would ask…I have a few questions I ask every [interview], and every answer she gave me made me feel like she was in this work for all the right reasons.”
Gardiner highlighted her belief that “Lucero is somebody who really loves people,” saying that if Lucero were to have 15 people in a room, she would easily be able to love and appreciate “something wonderful” in every single one of them; Lucero appreciates every person and their voice. Being a member of the Poly Prep community means that you take the steps to understand other perspectives and opinions, making you an exceptional fit to join Poly.
Lucero describes herself as “driven and resilient…I like to joke around that my life motto is I get what I want…but it’s because I work really hard for what I want.” Upon hearing that, fellow Dean Everett Nelor said she’s “no nonsense but fun,” Lucero smiled, saying that she’s glad to exude the seriousness she does while also maintaining a casual, fun spirit in her work. Nelor also commented that she has “infectious energy. She has hit the ground running” as the newest member of the upper school dean team.
Lucero is excited to be joining the Poly community and looks forward to gaining “lasting relationships” with her students that go beyond just high school connections.
