Something I love about my fellow Packer students is how kind we are to each other. No matter what grade you are in or where you may be, there is always the feeling of respect and inclusivity.
Why Packer
Learn what makes Packer different, directly from the people who know best: our students and faculty.
Our Community
My colleagues are some of the hardest working and passionate people I know. I am continuously awed by their brilliance, creativity, thoughtfulness, and openness to learning. They inspire me to do my very best to help them achieve whatever goals they set for themselves.
It's very easy to get to know the adults and teachers in this school. Whether it be administrators, your dean, your academic teachers, or your coaches, the adults really care about you.
What I love about the teachers at Packer is that they pay so much attention to you. They’re all kind. You actually feel loved.
I have been deeply inspired by how much this learning community means to each member. The commitment and joy that students, faculty and staff, and parents articulate here is astounding.
From the sense of warmth you'll feel as soon as you walk in, to the relationships that take root here, to the events and traditions that we are passionate about, here are some of the reasons we think our community is pretty special.
Student Experience
Students here are super collaborative. Whether in the library or out in the halls, you'll find students working together on different assignments, helping each other, editing each other's essays, even if they're not in the same class.
The teachers here think not just about your schoolwork, but also about you — what you like, what you think.
There's something so empowering about being in a room with people who are passionate about the same things you are and working towards a common goal.
The teachers support you. They make sure you’re learning as much as you can and you’re doing what you love.
What I love about Packer is that it simultaneously prioritizes academics and community. I felt like I don’t have to sacrifice one for the other and I can have it all.
We provide the kind of opportunities and support that allow students to achieve more than they think they are capable of, in and out of the classroom.
Our Diversity and Equity Work
I am happy to see the collaboration of the student body and the administration to make Packer a more inclusive and anti-racist space.
There are a lot of things we do, like Lower School Assemblies, to make sure everyone treats everyone fairly.
My favorite thing about Packer is the diversity in the faculty and student body. Packer offers a wealth of opportunities for students to explore a variety of languages and cultures.
I am motivated when I watch our student leaders take a topic and bring their ideas to it, and then witness their readiness to explore challenging questions.
I have discovered a passion for activism during my time in Middle School. Packer values its students' voices and teachers encourage students to speak up for what they believe in.
Diversity and Equity are guiding principles at Packer. We are committed to building and sustaining a community that reflects the great diversity of our city.
Global Learning
Math teachers have just as a great a responsibility as humanities teachers to promote global literacy in the classroom. Mathematics is a universal language that can be used to effect positive social change.
One of my favorite classes at Packer is Mandarin. I love being able to learn about a culture and a language so different from my own.
It’s good to learn about not just our country but other countries, studying the people there, what their traditions are, what their religions are, what they do.
An element of global learning is taking trips, but it’s also about coming to an understanding of who we are in relation to our various communities.
In Eleventh Grade, the whole grade travels internationally. We split into four separate groups— two going to Greece and two going to Peru. On these trips, one thing that's emphasized is cultural immersion.
Our students learn that the world is a complex and dynamic place — one that we are all members of and where constructive change is always possible.
Our Campus
I love that Packer manages to be a very urban campus while simultaneously maintaining some green space with the Garden.
I love the window into the Middle School, just past the Shen Gallery. It perfectly captures the spirit of the Packer mission statement — “Grounded in rich traditions while embracing the future.”
I love our Neo-Gothic building and still enjoy finding odd corners and hidden spots I didn't know existed.
It’s nice having one main campus because I have made connections with everyone: kids I've been in classes with and in other grades, even teachers.
I like the Garden because I get to go around with my friends and play on the tire swing.
Packer's beautiful and historic campus is at the crossroads of Downtown Brooklyn and the Heights. Our soaring 19th-century architecture and generous outdoor space are the perfect complements to our 21st-century academic program.