Harley’s Approach to College Counseling
“Club Rush” is an afternoon every fall in the Upper School when students have the chance to sign up for clubs for the year, and each year it is very different because new clubs are created based on student initiative and enthusiasm.
Each and every year, students at The Harley School participate in HAC Athletics, and their success continues to be impressive, both as students and athletes. Our athletic program is an integral part of Harley, teaching student-athletes invaluable lessons about teamwork, time management, persistence, and competition. Our program allows them to develop physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally as they represent their school on and off the field. They grow, mature, and work hard to be the best teammate they can, while creating lifelong memories with teammates who often remain friends for life. 
Our Upper School is filled with formal and informal opportunities for students to take on leadership roles. Whether following passions or learning new skills, student-driven opportunities take many shapes.
Unlike this class, death is not an elective. Although it is one of two universal human experiences, our culture often ignores, denies, or misconstrues the true nature of death and dying. What happens when we bear witness to this natural process in the cycle of life and develop our ability to be fully present with others when they need us more than ever? It has the potential to change us deeply and fundamentally while shining a brilliant light on the path of our own lives.
This program utilizes environmentally-focused approaches to education and hands-on learning in order to foster the next generation of leaders through a lens of sustainability and problem-solving.
At Harley, our students learn how to evaluate social systems in order to identify complex problems in society through a lens of social justice. They take a hands-on approach to working for a fair, equitable society by researching, exploring and evaluating different perspectives, and offering solutions—both theoretical and practical.
Students may create independent studies with supervising teachers throughout their Upper School experience or, during Grade 12, they can design Capstone projects—intensive collaborations with Harley faculty and off-campus mentors—involving rigorous academic study and culminating in public presentations. 
Visual Arts
Enhancing the Skill of Articulating Ideas
The opportunity and ability for each student to articulate their ideas through visual art is a vital part of an education at the Harley School. We value the practice of art making as an ongoing creative process to be developed and explored. This perspective views the visual arts as a way to deepen student desire to develop their skills, be resourceful in challenges, and confident in expressing their vision.
In our spacious facilities, students engage in exciting and thought-provoking classes that help cultivate a lifelong relationship with the creative process. As artists and teachers, we understand making is not a talent or gift but a disciplined curiosity. We support this development with access to sound technical instruction and the freedom for students to express their unique ideas.
Lower School
In a curricular sense, this journey begins in the Lower School where students interact in a combined experience of Art and Mindfulness. The practice of tapping into your emotions and senses allows for a deeper, more creative, and fulfilling art making. Students are introduced to a myriad of media and techniques, principles of design, and art history while simultaneously learning tactics to focus the mind and energy for a productive practice. Through this experience students learn to value the creative process of art making, risk taking, and problem solving through process-based exploration of media and ideas.
Middle School
Middle School students have the opportunity to further develop these concepts where they are introduced to more advanced techniques, tools, and digital technology. This work builds the individual student’s proficiency in media as well as their confidence to use them. The introduction of digital technology extends the breadth of their toolbox and the conversation about visibility in a visually complex culture.
Upper School
The Upper School is not considered a culmination, but rather a place where we hope to cement a lifelong relationship and confidence in creativity. We recognize that individual expression may differ significantly from student-to-student. Our goal is to ensure they are articulating ideas in a manner that feels authentic and successful. Students are able to explore a wide range of media including: glasswork, painting, drawing, sculpture, filmmaking, digital photography, and graphic design.
Visual Arts
The Visual Arts at Harley are opportunity for students to exercise their creative practice, develop skills, build confidence, and take risks. It allows the imagination to become tangible. Students in all divisions are encouraged to display their work in the Gallery and Centrum where dynamic conversations take place across departments, divisions, and the greater Harley community. Art making at Harley is a memorable experience where student ideas are embraced as a crucial part of a vibrant curriculum.
Visual Arts Sample Courses
Dimensional Design
Digital Media
Documentary Film
Glassworking
Marketing and Graphic Design
AP Art Offerings
Studio Art—Drawing
Art Portfolio Preparation
Studio Art 3D
Studio Art 2D
Art History
Our Faculty
Katie Kindelan
Upper School Visual Arts
Rebecca Tracey
MS & US Visual Arts, Art Department Chair
Work Gallery
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