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Spring Break 2020

3 Days of Harley at Home Commons curriculum 

Join Us April 6-8, 2020 for live sessions, enrichment activities, movement and games, and just plain fun for your family, it’s Harley at Home’s Commons School!

All Ages

Nursery

Lower School

Middle School 

Upper School

Full Schedule

Monday

Social Sustainability is Essential, Especially Now

Chris Hartman ’93, P’22, ’24 is an academic, farmer, and founder and president of Headwater Food Hub in Rochester. Headwater is a wholesale food distributor based in Wayne County that links regional farmers and food producers with both individual and commercial consumers.
By managing supply chain logistics, aggregation, distribution, and sales for a network of farms, Headwater can be socially and environmentally responsible, while offering top-quality food. Chris served as Harley’s Director of Social and Environmental Sustainability from 2007 to 2016.

The Bike Boom

Bicycles, used primarily for leisure and exercise, have been around for hundreds of years. Now, new developments in technology, such as bike docking/sharing stations, coupled with an increasing desire to help the environment and people’s changed habits during the COVID-19 pandemic, are making bicycles more popular than ever.

In fact, cycling has proved to be largely pandemic-proof, growing in popularity in many areas.

Working Together for a Sustainable Future

Our Upper School Sustainability Club, along with club advisors Seth O’Bryan, Lisa Barker, and Peter Hentschke collaborated with students from the University of Rochester’s “Global Sustainable Development: Policy and Practice” class to learn more about our school’s greenhouse gas footprint. These students, led by their instructor, Milena Novy-Marx P ’21, ’22, ’26, executive vice president of the Board of Trustees at Harley, worked to calculate our emissions, benchmark us against other similar schools, and provide recommendations for their class project.

Words of Change: Civilization in Crisis

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Bart White P’21, the Lower School language teacher at The Harley School. He recently finished editing a new poetry book, Civilization in Crisis, and agreed to have a socially distanced meeting with me to discuss his thought process in creating this poetic masterpiece.

Sustainability by Design: Architecture’s Unique Role

Much has been written about sustainability and sustainable architecture.

My wife, Adrian Parr, and I co-edited a book called New Directions in Sustainable Design in 2011 (ISBN 9780415780377), which addressed multidisciplinary perspectives on the future of sustainability. We sought to address the larger issue of what it means to think sustainably. People tend to look to specific ways to “be sustainable”— but sustainability, to me, refers to an approach to living and designing. Buildings are not actually “sustainable” without an intensive use of resources and ongoing maintenance. But buildings and places are essential for our society.

Driver, Writer, Activist, Explainer

John Voelcker ’77 gets paid to drive and write about cars—especially electric cars.

He’s been a journalist since 1985 and now covers auto technology, energy, and climate as a reporter and analyst. His outlets include Car and Driver, Wired, Popular Science, and ,Tech Review, and he appears on NPR’s All Things Considered.

John calls himself a mix of educator and analyst, explaining climate change and the global auto industry to multiple audiences. He spends much of his time on the road, driving more than 50 new cars a year. “It’s a pretty great gig,” he says with a grin.

Food Justice Warrior, Locally-Grown

The corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street, near the Rochester Public Market, is a lively location. First Market Farm, an urban homestead that is working to increase access to locally grown food, community growing spaces, and educational programs, occupies close to 4,500 square feet in this corner of the city. The farm uses raised gardens and a greenhouse to grow food for emergency pantries and for people living in the surrounding area. A part of the Taproot Collective, this nonprofit organization focuses on access to sustainable urban farms, dignified housing options, and educational opportunities. The farm has partnered with multiple local organizations to reclaim the land and reconnect with the way food is grown.

Tuesday

Social Sustainability is Essential, Especially Now

Chris Hartman ’93, P’22, ’24 is an academic, farmer, and founder and president of Headwater Food Hub in Rochester. Headwater is a wholesale food distributor based in Wayne County that links regional farmers and food producers with both individual and commercial consumers.
By managing supply chain logistics, aggregation, distribution, and sales for a network of farms, Headwater can be socially and environmentally responsible, while offering top-quality food. Chris served as Harley’s Director of Social and Environmental Sustainability from 2007 to 2016.

The Bike Boom

Bicycles, used primarily for leisure and exercise, have been around for hundreds of years. Now, new developments in technology, such as bike docking/sharing stations, coupled with an increasing desire to help the environment and people’s changed habits during the COVID-19 pandemic, are making bicycles more popular than ever.

In fact, cycling has proved to be largely pandemic-proof, growing in popularity in many areas.

Working Together for a Sustainable Future

Our Upper School Sustainability Club, along with club advisors Seth O’Bryan, Lisa Barker, and Peter Hentschke collaborated with students from the University of Rochester’s “Global Sustainable Development: Policy and Practice” class to learn more about our school’s greenhouse gas footprint. These students, led by their instructor, Milena Novy-Marx P ’21, ’22, ’26, executive vice president of the Board of Trustees at Harley, worked to calculate our emissions, benchmark us against other similar schools, and provide recommendations for their class project.

Words of Change: Civilization in Crisis

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Bart White P’21, the Lower School language teacher at The Harley School. He recently finished editing a new poetry book, Civilization in Crisis, and agreed to have a socially distanced meeting with me to discuss his thought process in creating this poetic masterpiece.

Sustainability by Design: Architecture’s Unique Role

Much has been written about sustainability and sustainable architecture.

My wife, Adrian Parr, and I co-edited a book called New Directions in Sustainable Design in 2011 (ISBN 9780415780377), which addressed multidisciplinary perspectives on the future of sustainability. We sought to address the larger issue of what it means to think sustainably. People tend to look to specific ways to “be sustainable”— but sustainability, to me, refers to an approach to living and designing. Buildings are not actually “sustainable” without an intensive use of resources and ongoing maintenance. But buildings and places are essential for our society.

Driver, Writer, Activist, Explainer

John Voelcker ’77 gets paid to drive and write about cars—especially electric cars.

He’s been a journalist since 1985 and now covers auto technology, energy, and climate as a reporter and analyst. His outlets include Car and Driver, Wired, Popular Science, and ,Tech Review, and he appears on NPR’s All Things Considered.

John calls himself a mix of educator and analyst, explaining climate change and the global auto industry to multiple audiences. He spends much of his time on the road, driving more than 50 new cars a year. “It’s a pretty great gig,” he says with a grin.

Food Justice Warrior, Locally-Grown

The corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street, near the Rochester Public Market, is a lively location. First Market Farm, an urban homestead that is working to increase access to locally grown food, community growing spaces, and educational programs, occupies close to 4,500 square feet in this corner of the city. The farm uses raised gardens and a greenhouse to grow food for emergency pantries and for people living in the surrounding area. A part of the Taproot Collective, this nonprofit organization focuses on access to sustainable urban farms, dignified housing options, and educational opportunities. The farm has partnered with multiple local organizations to reclaim the land and reconnect with the way food is grown.

Wednesday

Social Sustainability is Essential, Especially Now

Chris Hartman ’93, P’22, ’24 is an academic, farmer, and founder and president of Headwater Food Hub in Rochester. Headwater is a wholesale food distributor based in Wayne County that links regional farmers and food producers with both individual and commercial consumers.
By managing supply chain logistics, aggregation, distribution, and sales for a network of farms, Headwater can be socially and environmentally responsible, while offering top-quality food. Chris served as Harley’s Director of Social and Environmental Sustainability from 2007 to 2016.

The Bike Boom

Bicycles, used primarily for leisure and exercise, have been around for hundreds of years. Now, new developments in technology, such as bike docking/sharing stations, coupled with an increasing desire to help the environment and people’s changed habits during the COVID-19 pandemic, are making bicycles more popular than ever.

In fact, cycling has proved to be largely pandemic-proof, growing in popularity in many areas.

Working Together for a Sustainable Future

Our Upper School Sustainability Club, along with club advisors Seth O’Bryan, Lisa Barker, and Peter Hentschke collaborated with students from the University of Rochester’s “Global Sustainable Development: Policy and Practice” class to learn more about our school’s greenhouse gas footprint. These students, led by their instructor, Milena Novy-Marx P ’21, ’22, ’26, executive vice president of the Board of Trustees at Harley, worked to calculate our emissions, benchmark us against other similar schools, and provide recommendations for their class project.

Words of Change: Civilization in Crisis

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Bart White P’21, the Lower School language teacher at The Harley School. He recently finished editing a new poetry book, Civilization in Crisis, and agreed to have a socially distanced meeting with me to discuss his thought process in creating this poetic masterpiece.

Sustainability by Design: Architecture’s Unique Role

Much has been written about sustainability and sustainable architecture.

My wife, Adrian Parr, and I co-edited a book called New Directions in Sustainable Design in 2011 (ISBN 9780415780377), which addressed multidisciplinary perspectives on the future of sustainability. We sought to address the larger issue of what it means to think sustainably. People tend to look to specific ways to “be sustainable”— but sustainability, to me, refers to an approach to living and designing. Buildings are not actually “sustainable” without an intensive use of resources and ongoing maintenance. But buildings and places are essential for our society.

Driver, Writer, Activist, Explainer

John Voelcker ’77 gets paid to drive and write about cars—especially electric cars.

He’s been a journalist since 1985 and now covers auto technology, energy, and climate as a reporter and analyst. His outlets include Car and Driver, Wired, Popular Science, and ,Tech Review, and he appears on NPR’s All Things Considered.

John calls himself a mix of educator and analyst, explaining climate change and the global auto industry to multiple audiences. He spends much of his time on the road, driving more than 50 new cars a year. “It’s a pretty great gig,” he says with a grin.

Food Justice Warrior, Locally-Grown

The corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street, near the Rochester Public Market, is a lively location. First Market Farm, an urban homestead that is working to increase access to locally grown food, community growing spaces, and educational programs, occupies close to 4,500 square feet in this corner of the city. The farm uses raised gardens and a greenhouse to grow food for emergency pantries and for people living in the surrounding area. A part of the Taproot Collective, this nonprofit organization focuses on access to sustainable urban farms, dignified housing options, and educational opportunities. The farm has partnered with multiple local organizations to reclaim the land and reconnect with the way food is grown.

Thursday

Social Sustainability is Essential, Especially Now

Chris Hartman ’93, P’22, ’24 is an academic, farmer, and founder and president of Headwater Food Hub in Rochester. Headwater is a wholesale food distributor based in Wayne County that links regional farmers and food producers with both individual and commercial consumers.
By managing supply chain logistics, aggregation, distribution, and sales for a network of farms, Headwater can be socially and environmentally responsible, while offering top-quality food. Chris served as Harley’s Director of Social and Environmental Sustainability from 2007 to 2016.

The Bike Boom

Bicycles, used primarily for leisure and exercise, have been around for hundreds of years. Now, new developments in technology, such as bike docking/sharing stations, coupled with an increasing desire to help the environment and people’s changed habits during the COVID-19 pandemic, are making bicycles more popular than ever.

In fact, cycling has proved to be largely pandemic-proof, growing in popularity in many areas.

Working Together for a Sustainable Future

Our Upper School Sustainability Club, along with club advisors Seth O’Bryan, Lisa Barker, and Peter Hentschke collaborated with students from the University of Rochester’s “Global Sustainable Development: Policy and Practice” class to learn more about our school’s greenhouse gas footprint. These students, led by their instructor, Milena Novy-Marx P ’21, ’22, ’26, executive vice president of the Board of Trustees at Harley, worked to calculate our emissions, benchmark us against other similar schools, and provide recommendations for their class project.

Words of Change: Civilization in Crisis

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Bart White P’21, the Lower School language teacher at The Harley School. He recently finished editing a new poetry book, Civilization in Crisis, and agreed to have a socially distanced meeting with me to discuss his thought process in creating this poetic masterpiece.

Sustainability by Design: Architecture’s Unique Role

Much has been written about sustainability and sustainable architecture.

My wife, Adrian Parr, and I co-edited a book called New Directions in Sustainable Design in 2011 (ISBN 9780415780377), which addressed multidisciplinary perspectives on the future of sustainability. We sought to address the larger issue of what it means to think sustainably. People tend to look to specific ways to “be sustainable”— but sustainability, to me, refers to an approach to living and designing. Buildings are not actually “sustainable” without an intensive use of resources and ongoing maintenance. But buildings and places are essential for our society.

Driver, Writer, Activist, Explainer

John Voelcker ’77 gets paid to drive and write about cars—especially electric cars.

He’s been a journalist since 1985 and now covers auto technology, energy, and climate as a reporter and analyst. His outlets include Car and Driver, Wired, Popular Science, and ,Tech Review, and he appears on NPR’s All Things Considered.

John calls himself a mix of educator and analyst, explaining climate change and the global auto industry to multiple audiences. He spends much of his time on the road, driving more than 50 new cars a year. “It’s a pretty great gig,” he says with a grin.

Food Justice Warrior, Locally-Grown

The corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street, near the Rochester Public Market, is a lively location. First Market Farm, an urban homestead that is working to increase access to locally grown food, community growing spaces, and educational programs, occupies close to 4,500 square feet in this corner of the city. The farm uses raised gardens and a greenhouse to grow food for emergency pantries and for people living in the surrounding area. A part of the Taproot Collective, this nonprofit organization focuses on access to sustainable urban farms, dignified housing options, and educational opportunities. The farm has partnered with multiple local organizations to reclaim the land and reconnect with the way food is grown.

Anytime

Social Sustainability is Essential, Especially Now

Chris Hartman ’93, P’22, ’24 is an academic, farmer, and founder and president of Headwater Food Hub in Rochester. Headwater is a wholesale food distributor based in Wayne County that links regional farmers and food producers with both individual and commercial consumers.
By managing supply chain logistics, aggregation, distribution, and sales for a network of farms, Headwater can be socially and environmentally responsible, while offering top-quality food. Chris served as Harley’s Director of Social and Environmental Sustainability from 2007 to 2016.

The Bike Boom

Bicycles, used primarily for leisure and exercise, have been around for hundreds of years. Now, new developments in technology, such as bike docking/sharing stations, coupled with an increasing desire to help the environment and people’s changed habits during the COVID-19 pandemic, are making bicycles more popular than ever.

In fact, cycling has proved to be largely pandemic-proof, growing in popularity in many areas.

Working Together for a Sustainable Future

Our Upper School Sustainability Club, along with club advisors Seth O’Bryan, Lisa Barker, and Peter Hentschke collaborated with students from the University of Rochester’s “Global Sustainable Development: Policy and Practice” class to learn more about our school’s greenhouse gas footprint. These students, led by their instructor, Milena Novy-Marx P ’21, ’22, ’26, executive vice president of the Board of Trustees at Harley, worked to calculate our emissions, benchmark us against other similar schools, and provide recommendations for their class project.

Words of Change: Civilization in Crisis

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Bart White P’21, the Lower School language teacher at The Harley School. He recently finished editing a new poetry book, Civilization in Crisis, and agreed to have a socially distanced meeting with me to discuss his thought process in creating this poetic masterpiece.

Sustainability by Design: Architecture’s Unique Role

Much has been written about sustainability and sustainable architecture.

My wife, Adrian Parr, and I co-edited a book called New Directions in Sustainable Design in 2011 (ISBN 9780415780377), which addressed multidisciplinary perspectives on the future of sustainability. We sought to address the larger issue of what it means to think sustainably. People tend to look to specific ways to “be sustainable”— but sustainability, to me, refers to an approach to living and designing. Buildings are not actually “sustainable” without an intensive use of resources and ongoing maintenance. But buildings and places are essential for our society.

Driver, Writer, Activist, Explainer

John Voelcker ’77 gets paid to drive and write about cars—especially electric cars.

He’s been a journalist since 1985 and now covers auto technology, energy, and climate as a reporter and analyst. His outlets include Car and Driver, Wired, Popular Science, and ,Tech Review, and he appears on NPR’s All Things Considered.

John calls himself a mix of educator and analyst, explaining climate change and the global auto industry to multiple audiences. He spends much of his time on the road, driving more than 50 new cars a year. “It’s a pretty great gig,” he says with a grin.

Food Justice Warrior, Locally-Grown

The corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street, near the Rochester Public Market, is a lively location. First Market Farm, an urban homestead that is working to increase access to locally grown food, community growing spaces, and educational programs, occupies close to 4,500 square feet in this corner of the city. The farm uses raised gardens and a greenhouse to grow food for emergency pantries and for people living in the surrounding area. A part of the Taproot Collective, this nonprofit organization focuses on access to sustainable urban farms, dignified housing options, and educational opportunities. The farm has partnered with multiple local organizations to reclaim the land and reconnect with the way food is grown.

All Ages

In Memoriam: Leonard Opdycke

Above: Yearbook dedication from the Class of 1964 Leonard Opdycke, Harley English teacher and Head of Middle School from 1956-1964 passed away at the age of 93 on February 3. He lived a rich life, moving on from Harley to serve as the Head of the Poughkeepsie Day...

Alumni News: Rebekah Sherman Myntti ’09

Rebekah Sherman Myntti '09 was recently featured in Nylon.com, an organization that "celebrates emerging voices, and underground talent", about her recent film work in New York City. Her mom, Valerie Myntti P '09 (Lower School, 2001-2007, Director of Admissions,...

Alumni News: Lissa Green Eaton ’78

“Curiosity, freedom and trust—that’s what Harley means to me.” --Lissa Green Eaton ‘78 Harley’s Hospice program has been in existence for almost 20 years making empathy and wellness an educational focus. In the 1970’s, while empathy and wellness were definitely part...

Alumni News: Maddie Laitz ’12

“It’s fun to learn!” --A theme for Maddie Laitz ’12 since her days at Harley The year 2022 was a big one for Maddie Laitz ’12. Last summer she graduated with a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, married the love of her life, and landed a fantastic job...

2020s

2020sOver the holidays, the Class of 2020 got together at Radio Social! The night of commencement is usually quite the "to do" for the graduating students and the parents. In some cases, they organize an all-night party that includes bounce houses, laser tag, a...

2010s

2010sThe Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia in August were the setting for the marriage of Griffin McGregor Anderson ’12 to Vivian Grace Hagerty. Griffin and Vivian, both avid hikers, climbers, and canoers, chose a small celebration with immediate family and attendants...

2000s

2000sSybil Prince ’00 and her husband, Adam, welcomed baby Evelyn to the family this summer. Phillip Williams ’00 with little Sophia in her Harley onesie! “Harley was an immensely formative experience” –Daniel Effron ’01 Daniel with his daughters, Maya (5), Nova (3),...

1990s

1990sSara Hanna ’91, a professional photographer in Atlanta, GA, had her work recently featured in Simply Buckhead magazine. Sara's work has been featured in national magazines and she shared her expertise with the Harley community on a Zoom call in August of 2020....

1980s

1980sPeter Brown ’80, architect, planner, development consultant, author, and instructor at the University of Minnesota, recently shared on LinkedIn, "I was deeply honored to have the opportunity to speak at the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association...

1970s

1970sMembers of the Class of 1971 gathered for a fun-filled weekend in June to celebrate their 50th Reunion! Special thanks to Ann Hallick, Larry Lunt, Nancy White McGahey, and Robin Rae Vavrina for their help pulling the class together! Those monthly Zoom calls...

1950s

1950sJohn Goldman ’52 was thinking about his upcoming 70th Reunion from Harley and shared a great story. John knows how to celebrate a birthday in style! When he celebrated his 80th birthday back in 2014, he “sold” all of his party guests a copy of a book that he...

1960s

1960s(L-R) Rob Gulick ’83, Chris D'Amanda ’78, Mike Lasser (English, 1966 to ’98), Kitty Lindsay Hawks ’66, Doug Gilbert ’87, and Ron Richardson (Art, 1975 to ‘98) gathered at Kitty's home for refreshments and conversation before going to a concert by musical legend...

Alumni News: Dez Morrow ’17

It was serendipity that brought Dez Morrow ’17 to the Harley School in 2010. Dez was a student at the Urban Choice Charter School and doing just fine. One day, his mom was with one of her patients, a former head of the school, and he was telling her about Harley. The...

Alumni News: Henry Smith ’14

Henry Smith ’14 is our new Assistant to the Head of the Upper School. As a student, Henry was a superior violin player, always involved with anything music related at the school, with a boisterous, infectious laugh that could compete with John Dolan (Psychology,...

Alumni News: Andrew DeNatale ’15

Since graduating from Harley, Andrew DeNatale ‘15 has earned his undergraduate degree from Sarah Lawrence College and pursued a career in the New York City filmmaking industry as a cinematographer and camera operator. So far, his work has taken him across the United...

In Memoriam: Former staff Leah Watson

Remembering Leah Watson (1933-2022) Leah Watson P '83, '88, former Harley faculty member and Harley parent, worked at the school from 1973 to 1987. During those years she was the school's in-house specialist for students with learning challenges. She diagnosed...

In Memoriam: Frank Laimbeer

Frank Laimbeer P '77, '79, '80, '84 (Mathematics, 1960-1981) passed away on July 22, 2022. Former students and colleagues shared their sentiments about Mr. Laimbeer: "Frank lived a rich and full life."; "Delightful human being."; "I always enjoyed Frank's company and...

In Memoriam: Lou Battaglia

Written by former Head of the Upper School, Kim McDowell (2000-2022): For the past dozen or more years, Lou Battaglia has served as the Upper School's utility player. "Mr. B"--as students called him--subbed in classes across the disciplines including English, Biology,...

Alumni News: Jon Caulkins ’83

“I am really good at structuring an unstructured problem.” --Jon Caulkins ’83 The media’s focus on the legalization of marijuana in the United States has caused quite a discussion and Jon Caulkins ’83 is behind some of the research on this hot topic. Jon, a professor...

Back-to-School Recipes from Our Nutritionist

Tina Durham, our MSACN nutritional consultant, has put together a collection of recipes for our families to try at home, ranging from Chicken Parm Zucchini to Apple Nachos to Maple Sriracha Stir Fry. A .pdf of the recipes is available here.

Capoeira Camp Debuts this Summer!

Capoeira Camp Grades 5-12June 27-31 and/or August 8-12Taught by Hope Kantor and Jen CleggTry one or both weeks! Register here! Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art form which combines kicks, rhythm and movement. Capoeira is a dialog between players—a conversation...

Alumni News: John Goldman ’52

John Goldman '52 was thinking about his upcoming 70th Reunion from Harley and shared a great story.  John knows how to celebrate a birthday in style! When he celebrated his 80th birthday back in 2014, he “sold” all of his party guests a copy of a book that he wrote...

Alumni News: Alan Staehle ’59

Following winter break in Grade 11, Alan Staehle '59, along with five other boys from the class of 1959, was asked not to return to Harley after a series of "stupid stunts" earlier in the year. Though he did not graduate from Harley, he is especially thankful for the...

Alumni News: Liam Brennan-Burke ’17

When Liam Brennan-Burke ’17 first joined Harley in Grade 6, he was already thinking about invoicing. He had started his own lawn mowing business that year, “Liam’s Lawn Service,” and wanted to figure out how to easily bill his neighborhood customers and receive...

Remembering Joy Moss

The Story of Joy Moss by Karen LaFauci JOY MOSS, 1937 – 2021  Joy Moss was an extraordinary individual who left an extraordinary legacy. Talk to anyone whose life was touched by Joy and you’ll hear words of admiration and respect: Humble. Scholarly. Steadfast. A...

In Memoriam: Former staff member David Strasenburgh

David Strasenburgh, Harley's Director of Development from 1974-83, passed away in December. From A History of The Harley School: 75th Anniversary by Ruth Ewell P '66, '70 (Headmaster's Secretary and Registrar, 1960-80, College Counseling Office, 1980-86): August 6,...

Faculty News: Kristin Liotti Has Left the Building

Assistant to the Head of the Upper School, Kristin Liotti, announced she was leaving at the end of the January 2022. Kristin started in 2009 as the Harley receptionist, and has been a magnificent colleague and friend to all at The Harley School. We will miss the easy...

Faculty News: Lower School’s Marilyn Fenster Retires

Marilyn Fenster slipped quietly into retirement at the end of the last school year. Marilyn had an impressive teaching style, sharing her love for the students, past and present, as well as a huge commitment to Harley. Marilyn (along with Kim Bednarcyk P '16, Lower...

Alumni News: Coyne Lloyd ’06

In her most recent newsletter, Maggie Lloydhauser '11 shared a beautiful tribute to her brother, Coyne Lloyd '06, for his 34th birthday. Ode to Coyne My oldest brother, Coyne, is one of the people I love most on this earth. He is brilliant, and thoughtful, and...

Alumni News: Lily Beaumont ’07

Lily Beaumont ’07’s made quite a name for herself as an undergraduate at the University of Rochester. She graduated 10 years ago, but we recently heard from Harley parent Belinda Redden P ’24, a member of the Fellowship Office at the University, that several UR...

Why is play a vital part of learning?

Information provided by Dr. Terry Fonda Smith, Head of Lower School, to US News & World Report Why is play a vital part of learning? At The Harley School, play is an essential component of learning. In our Lower School, play’s role in development is crucial. To...

In Memoriam: Former Trustee William “Bill” Hosley

William "Bill" Hosley, Harley School Trustee from 1962-1970, passed away in September 2021. Bill had a long career at Eastman Kodak and used his business expertise during a major capital project at the School. During his tenure on the board, the following...

Alumni News: Luisa Barbano ’11

Luisa Barbano '11 posted this on Facebook: A decade ago, I wrote a short story for Patricia Malone's (Upper School English, 2009 to present) creative writing class...This spooky season, my Gothic horror piece has finally found a home! The Double-Goer It is said that...

In Memoriam: Brad Prozeller ’71

Brad Prozeller '71, age 68, died at home, peacefully, with his loving wife at his side on October 26, 2021. Brad was born and raised in Fairport, N.Y., the second youngest of six children. Following the path of his siblings, his parents placed him in kindergarten at...

In Memoriam: Ann Parsons ’71

Ann Parsons '71 came back to Harley in 2014-2017 to aid a student through her work with BOCES. The student had suffered from an illness that left him unable to read, write, or speak. They found, however, that he was able to read dice. Ann, being visually impaired,...

In Memoriam: Margaret Ann Kennedy ’48

Margaret Ann Kennedy '48 passed away on September 23rd at Northampton Manor in Frederick, Maryland. Born in Rochester, New York to Dr. Robert and Mrs. Rebecca Kennedy, Margaret was one of six siblings. She was educated at the Harley School and Wells College, where she...

In Memoriam: Phyllis Bentley ’45

Phyllis Bentley ’45 was the daughter to Cogswell Bentley, the husband to one of Harley’s founding mothers, Harriet Bentley. Harriet died years prior to Phyllis’ birth, but Phyllis, as a descendant to one of Harley’s founding mothers and its namesake, had strong ties...

In Memoriam: Ann Hartman ’43

Ann Hartman '43, 95, died peacefully at home on Nov. 5 surrounded by family and friends who were keeping vigil. She was a woman who lived a memorable life, full of love, loving, and adventure. At age 21, she traveled to Oregon and, with a friend, built a cabin,...

Alumni News: Daniel Effron ’01’s Formative Experience

“Harley was an immensely formative experience.”–Daniel Effron ’01 Daniel joined Harley Middle School in Grade 8; he is a graduate of Yale University, was granted his Master’s and Ph.D. from Stanford University, and is now a professor at the London Business School. He...

Social Sustainability is Essential, Especially Now

Chris Hartman ’93, P’22, ’24 is an academic, farmer, and founder and president of Headwater Food Hub in Rochester. Headwater is a wholesale food distributor based in Wayne County that links regional farmers and food producers with both individual and commercial consumers.
By managing supply chain logistics, aggregation, distribution, and sales for a network of farms, Headwater can be socially and environmentally responsible, while offering top-quality food. Chris served as Harley’s Director of Social and Environmental Sustainability from 2007 to 2016.

The Bike Boom

Bicycles, used primarily for leisure and exercise, have been around for hundreds of years. Now, new developments in technology, such as bike docking/sharing stations, coupled with an increasing desire to help the environment and people’s changed habits during the COVID-19 pandemic, are making bicycles more popular than ever.

In fact, cycling has proved to be largely pandemic-proof, growing in popularity in many areas.

Working Together for a Sustainable Future

Our Upper School Sustainability Club, along with club advisors Seth O’Bryan, Lisa Barker, and Peter Hentschke collaborated with students from the University of Rochester’s “Global Sustainable Development: Policy and Practice” class to learn more about our school’s greenhouse gas footprint. These students, led by their instructor, Milena Novy-Marx P ’21, ’22, ’26, executive vice president of the Board of Trustees at Harley, worked to calculate our emissions, benchmark us against other similar schools, and provide recommendations for their class project.

Words of Change: Civilization in Crisis

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Bart White P’21, the Lower School language teacher at The Harley School. He recently finished editing a new poetry book, Civilization in Crisis, and agreed to have a socially distanced meeting with me to discuss his thought process in creating this poetic masterpiece.

Sustainability by Design: Architecture’s Unique Role

Much has been written about sustainability and sustainable architecture.

My wife, Adrian Parr, and I co-edited a book called New Directions in Sustainable Design in 2011 (ISBN 9780415780377), which addressed multidisciplinary perspectives on the future of sustainability. We sought to address the larger issue of what it means to think sustainably. People tend to look to specific ways to “be sustainable”— but sustainability, to me, refers to an approach to living and designing. Buildings are not actually “sustainable” without an intensive use of resources and ongoing maintenance. But buildings and places are essential for our society.

Driver, Writer, Activist, Explainer

John Voelcker ’77 gets paid to drive and write about cars—especially electric cars.

He’s been a journalist since 1985 and now covers auto technology, energy, and climate as a reporter and analyst. His outlets include Car and Driver, Wired, Popular Science, and ,Tech Review, and he appears on NPR’s All Things Considered.

John calls himself a mix of educator and analyst, explaining climate change and the global auto industry to multiple audiences. He spends much of his time on the road, driving more than 50 new cars a year. “It’s a pretty great gig,” he says with a grin.

Food Justice Warrior, Locally-Grown

The corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street, near the Rochester Public Market, is a lively location. First Market Farm, an urban homestead that is working to increase access to locally grown food, community growing spaces, and educational programs, occupies close to 4,500 square feet in this corner of the city. The farm uses raised gardens and a greenhouse to grow food for emergency pantries and for people living in the surrounding area. A part of the Taproot Collective, this nonprofit organization focuses on access to sustainable urban farms, dignified housing options, and educational opportunities. The farm has partnered with multiple local organizations to reclaim the land and reconnect with the way food is grown.

Alumni News: Justin Fox ’15 Making It Happen

Justin Fox ’15 says every time he wants something, he finds a way to make it happen. That was the case when he decided to come to the Harley School. He was a Grade 10 student at Norman Howard School and knew from the time he was a young boy that he wanted to be a...

Alumni News: Connor Frame ’08

Not everything is as it appears. When I learned that Connor Frame ’08 was a lower school teacher in London, I assumed he was following in the footsteps of his mom, Kathy Kearns Frame ’73, a now retired but dedicated teacher for many years at the Pittsford Unified...

Alumni News: Noah Lee ’20

Last March, Noah Lee ’20 was enjoying his senior year at Harley. Accepted into Yale University, he was feeling relaxed, and looking forward to “senior spring” a time filled with fun and meaningful end-of-year activities like the Oak Tree Ceremony, Honors Assembly,...

Alumni News: Chloe Monson ’11

“I don’t regret it, but I wouldn’t recommend it.” This is what Chloe Monson ’11 says about her family’s decision to relocate from England to the United States when she was 16. Originally from Dublin, her family moved around a bit and when her parents decided to move...

Alumni News: Lindsay Zefting ’02

In 2020, Lindsay Zefting Vera ’02 was named one of the “40 Under 40” in the Albany Business Review for her work as a civil engineer and urban planner. Her late father was a traffic engineer and although Lindsay’s brain was geared the same way and all signs pointed to...

Alumni College Day 2021

Nowadays, having a virtual event is pretty common and this year’s Alumni College Day was no exception. The format moved from in-person to virtual, and this year we broke our day up into two separate talks, the first a requirement for Grades 9/10 and optional for...

Alumni News: Kristina Benjamin ’15

  For over a year Kristina Benjamin ’15 was the Deputy Campaign Manager for newly elected State Senator Samra Brouk and was recently hired to continue her work with Samra in her Senate office as a Community Outreach and Constituent Manager. I had the chance to talk...

Alumni News: Exchange student Chris Dwyer ’93

Chris Dwyer ’93 was a 17-year-old student living in a small English town and a member of the debate team at Colchester Royal Grammar School when he was introduced to the English-Speaking Union, an education charity for international students “working to give young...

Alumni News: Cliff Costello ’07

      Dr. Cliff Costello ’07 didn’t always want to be a doctor, but he was always interested in science. At Harley, he, along with four other determined, science-minded classmates Alex Duckles, Mac Inglis, Eric Dobson, and James Greenebaum battled their way through...

Alumni News: Exchange student Simon Williams ’88

Simon Williams '88 says when he set off for his year abroad at Harley in the late 1980s “Travel was expensive, phone calls were expensive, there was no internet—America was still a long way away.” He’d exchanged a couple of letters with the McLear's, but arrived with...

Alumni News: Talethea Best ’82

Talethea Best ’82 joined Harley in Grade 7. Although she and her sister Nicolle were doing fine at the public city school in their 19th Ward neighborhood, her parents were very education-minded people and were drawn to the idea of the smaller class sizes, the...

In Memoriam: Joseph Curtis Briggs ’48

Joseph Curtis Briggs ’48 passed away on January 22, 2021, at the age of 90.  Joe attended The Harley School until 1945 and was considered a member of the Class of 1948. He was one of a long line of Briggs family members to attend The Harley School: sisters Barbara...

Alumni News: Charly Carter ’82

Charly Carter ’82 says her work as founder and executive director of Step Up Maryland is a culmination of her 30 year career in politics. While she has never run for office (yet!), she has helped to create and encourage some change makers in the political arena in the...

Alumni News: Leslie Knox ’97

Leslie Knox ’97 seems to always follow her heart and is ready to jump at the next opportunity to better the world around her. I asked her why she joined The Harley School in 10th grade and she said, “My mom discovered I was teaching my 9th grade social studies class...

Another Wilcox in the House: Betsy Wilcox ’01

Although it seems like Betsy Wilcox '01 has always been here, she officially joined the lower school faculty at Harley this past September. Betsy is connected to Harley in so many ways. She is an alumna from the class of 2001, is a parent of Winnie in the Class of...

Entrepreneur: Edwin Dorsey ’16

Edwin Dorsey '16 has always been a self-starter and a motivated individual, so it's not surprising that as a graduate right out of Stanford University where he majored in economics, he moved to New York City and started his own business, The Bear Cave, a weekly...

Support to Youth in Crisis: Jordyn Gualdani ’14

For many, college life is the first taste of real freedom. Students work hard and play hard and the long winter break is like a beacon. But for Jordyn Gualdani '14 (formerly Alyssa Gualdani), a transgender youth, winter break freshman year at Rochester Institute of...

Teaching Assistant: Ashley Sankowski ’14

Due to COVID several of our teachers are teaching remotely; and that left our administrators in a bit of a quandary. While we don't want to compromise the health of our faculty, we also can't leave a classroom full of students on their own with no adult supervision....

Teaching Assistant: Katianna Conde ’16

Due to COVID several of our teachers are teaching remotely; and that left our administrators in a bit of a quandary. While we don't want to compromise the health of our faculty, we also can't leave a classroom full of students on their own with no adult supervision....

Music and Blockbuster Movies: Polly Gleason Sweeney ’60

 Polly Gleason Sweeney ’60 has dedicated much of her life to the violin and making beautiful music with some of the most famous conductors, composers, and musicians in the world, and her passion for music started at The Harley School. Back in the 1950’s, there was a...

Harley international student: Yitian “Hubery” Wang ’19

Yitian “Hubery” Wang ’19 joined the Harley community as an international student from China in 9th grade at the age of 15. When I asked him why he chose to come to Rochester with the vast United States as an option, he replied, “I didn’t choose Rochester, I chose...

The art of following through: John Papin ’16

The old adage "Listen to your Mother" means a lot to John Papin '16 because his mom, Mary Ellen Papin, gave her son some great advice that helped him land his dream job. Back in May, John graduated from Alfred University with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a...

WHAM 13/Fox Good Day Rochester Visits The Harley School

WHAM 13/Fox Rochester Reports Brighton, N.Y. — The new school year is less than one week away, and it's bringing unprecedented changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Michael Schwartz visited The Harley School Thursday morning to give us an inside look at the...

Joy In Learning: Episode 24, Bruce A Jacobs

Bruce A. Jacobs As an author and advocate, Bruce A. Jacobs takes apart racism and works for our shared interests against bigoted and authoritarian thought and action. His book RACE MANNERS was called “a must-read” by Los Angeles Times columnist Norine Dresser. On his...

Our Reentry Plan

Dear Parents, Our reentry plan We have been communicating with you quite a bit this summer, so I believe you already know that we have had a Reentry Task Force working since the spring, looking at all of the possible ways we might return to school. Last week, the...

Division News

Upper School Design and Engineering class explored Cold Frames. They first asked a lot of questions: Do cold frames work? Will they keep the temperature high enough during winter? What materials will work best to let in sunshine and insulate the plants from the cold?...

Nursery

In Memoriam: Leonard Opdycke

Above: Yearbook dedication from the Class of 1964 Leonard Opdycke, Harley English teacher and Head of Middle School from 1956-1964 passed away at the age of 93 on February 3. He lived a rich life, moving on from Harley to serve as the Head of the Poughkeepsie Day...

Alumni News: Rebekah Sherman Myntti ’09

Rebekah Sherman Myntti '09 was recently featured in Nylon.com, an organization that "celebrates emerging voices, and underground talent", about her recent film work in New York City. Her mom, Valerie Myntti P '09 (Lower School, 2001-2007, Director of Admissions,...

Alumni News: Lissa Green Eaton ’78

“Curiosity, freedom and trust—that’s what Harley means to me.” --Lissa Green Eaton ‘78 Harley’s Hospice program has been in existence for almost 20 years making empathy and wellness an educational focus. In the 1970’s, while empathy and wellness were definitely part...

Alumni News: Maddie Laitz ’12

“It’s fun to learn!” --A theme for Maddie Laitz ’12 since her days at Harley The year 2022 was a big one for Maddie Laitz ’12. Last summer she graduated with a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, married the love of her life, and landed a fantastic job...

2020s

2020sOver the holidays, the Class of 2020 got together at Radio Social! The night of commencement is usually quite the "to do" for the graduating students and the parents. In some cases, they organize an all-night party that includes bounce houses, laser tag, a...

2010s

2010sThe Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia in August were the setting for the marriage of Griffin McGregor Anderson ’12 to Vivian Grace Hagerty. Griffin and Vivian, both avid hikers, climbers, and canoers, chose a small celebration with immediate family and attendants...

2000s

2000sSybil Prince ’00 and her husband, Adam, welcomed baby Evelyn to the family this summer. Phillip Williams ’00 with little Sophia in her Harley onesie! “Harley was an immensely formative experience” –Daniel Effron ’01 Daniel with his daughters, Maya (5), Nova (3),...

1990s

1990sSara Hanna ’91, a professional photographer in Atlanta, GA, had her work recently featured in Simply Buckhead magazine. Sara's work has been featured in national magazines and she shared her expertise with the Harley community on a Zoom call in August of 2020....

1980s

1980sPeter Brown ’80, architect, planner, development consultant, author, and instructor at the University of Minnesota, recently shared on LinkedIn, "I was deeply honored to have the opportunity to speak at the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association...

1970s

1970sMembers of the Class of 1971 gathered for a fun-filled weekend in June to celebrate their 50th Reunion! Special thanks to Ann Hallick, Larry Lunt, Nancy White McGahey, and Robin Rae Vavrina for their help pulling the class together! Those monthly Zoom calls...

1950s

1950sJohn Goldman ’52 was thinking about his upcoming 70th Reunion from Harley and shared a great story. John knows how to celebrate a birthday in style! When he celebrated his 80th birthday back in 2014, he “sold” all of his party guests a copy of a book that he...

1960s

1960s(L-R) Rob Gulick ’83, Chris D'Amanda ’78, Mike Lasser (English, 1966 to ’98), Kitty Lindsay Hawks ’66, Doug Gilbert ’87, and Ron Richardson (Art, 1975 to ‘98) gathered at Kitty's home for refreshments and conversation before going to a concert by musical legend...

Alumni News: Dez Morrow ’17

It was serendipity that brought Dez Morrow ’17 to the Harley School in 2010. Dez was a student at the Urban Choice Charter School and doing just fine. One day, his mom was with one of her patients, a former head of the school, and he was telling her about Harley. The...

Alumni News: Henry Smith ’14

Henry Smith ’14 is our new Assistant to the Head of the Upper School. As a student, Henry was a superior violin player, always involved with anything music related at the school, with a boisterous, infectious laugh that could compete with John Dolan (Psychology,...

Alumni News: Andrew DeNatale ’15

Since graduating from Harley, Andrew DeNatale ‘15 has earned his undergraduate degree from Sarah Lawrence College and pursued a career in the New York City filmmaking industry as a cinematographer and camera operator. So far, his work has taken him across the United...

In Memoriam: Former staff Leah Watson

Remembering Leah Watson (1933-2022) Leah Watson P '83, '88, former Harley faculty member and Harley parent, worked at the school from 1973 to 1987. During those years she was the school's in-house specialist for students with learning challenges. She diagnosed...

In Memoriam: Frank Laimbeer

Frank Laimbeer P '77, '79, '80, '84 (Mathematics, 1960-1981) passed away on July 22, 2022. Former students and colleagues shared their sentiments about Mr. Laimbeer: "Frank lived a rich and full life."; "Delightful human being."; "I always enjoyed Frank's company and...

In Memoriam: Lou Battaglia

Written by former Head of the Upper School, Kim McDowell (2000-2022): For the past dozen or more years, Lou Battaglia has served as the Upper School's utility player. "Mr. B"--as students called him--subbed in classes across the disciplines including English, Biology,...

Alumni News: Jon Caulkins ’83

“I am really good at structuring an unstructured problem.” --Jon Caulkins ’83 The media’s focus on the legalization of marijuana in the United States has caused quite a discussion and Jon Caulkins ’83 is behind some of the research on this hot topic. Jon, a professor...

Back-to-School Recipes from Our Nutritionist

Tina Durham, our MSACN nutritional consultant, has put together a collection of recipes for our families to try at home, ranging from Chicken Parm Zucchini to Apple Nachos to Maple Sriracha Stir Fry. A .pdf of the recipes is available here.

Capoeira Camp Debuts this Summer!

Capoeira Camp Grades 5-12June 27-31 and/or August 8-12Taught by Hope Kantor and Jen CleggTry one or both weeks! Register here! Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art form which combines kicks, rhythm and movement. Capoeira is a dialog between players—a conversation...

Alumni News: John Goldman ’52

John Goldman '52 was thinking about his upcoming 70th Reunion from Harley and shared a great story.  John knows how to celebrate a birthday in style! When he celebrated his 80th birthday back in 2014, he “sold” all of his party guests a copy of a book that he wrote...

Alumni News: Alan Staehle ’59

Following winter break in Grade 11, Alan Staehle '59, along with five other boys from the class of 1959, was asked not to return to Harley after a series of "stupid stunts" earlier in the year. Though he did not graduate from Harley, he is especially thankful for the...

Alumni News: Liam Brennan-Burke ’17

When Liam Brennan-Burke ’17 first joined Harley in Grade 6, he was already thinking about invoicing. He had started his own lawn mowing business that year, “Liam’s Lawn Service,” and wanted to figure out how to easily bill his neighborhood customers and receive...

Remembering Joy Moss

The Story of Joy Moss by Karen LaFauci JOY MOSS, 1937 – 2021  Joy Moss was an extraordinary individual who left an extraordinary legacy. Talk to anyone whose life was touched by Joy and you’ll hear words of admiration and respect: Humble. Scholarly. Steadfast. A...

In Memoriam: Former staff member David Strasenburgh

David Strasenburgh, Harley's Director of Development from 1974-83, passed away in December. From A History of The Harley School: 75th Anniversary by Ruth Ewell P '66, '70 (Headmaster's Secretary and Registrar, 1960-80, College Counseling Office, 1980-86): August 6,...

Faculty News: Kristin Liotti Has Left the Building

Assistant to the Head of the Upper School, Kristin Liotti, announced she was leaving at the end of the January 2022. Kristin started in 2009 as the Harley receptionist, and has been a magnificent colleague and friend to all at The Harley School. We will miss the easy...

Faculty News: Lower School’s Marilyn Fenster Retires

Marilyn Fenster slipped quietly into retirement at the end of the last school year. Marilyn had an impressive teaching style, sharing her love for the students, past and present, as well as a huge commitment to Harley. Marilyn (along with Kim Bednarcyk P '16, Lower...

Alumni News: Coyne Lloyd ’06

In her most recent newsletter, Maggie Lloydhauser '11 shared a beautiful tribute to her brother, Coyne Lloyd '06, for his 34th birthday. Ode to Coyne My oldest brother, Coyne, is one of the people I love most on this earth. He is brilliant, and thoughtful, and...

Alumni News: Lily Beaumont ’07

Lily Beaumont ’07’s made quite a name for herself as an undergraduate at the University of Rochester. She graduated 10 years ago, but we recently heard from Harley parent Belinda Redden P ’24, a member of the Fellowship Office at the University, that several UR...

Why is play a vital part of learning?

Information provided by Dr. Terry Fonda Smith, Head of Lower School, to US News & World Report Why is play a vital part of learning? At The Harley School, play is an essential component of learning. In our Lower School, play’s role in development is crucial. To...

In Memoriam: Former Trustee William “Bill” Hosley

William "Bill" Hosley, Harley School Trustee from 1962-1970, passed away in September 2021. Bill had a long career at Eastman Kodak and used his business expertise during a major capital project at the School. During his tenure on the board, the following...

Alumni News: Luisa Barbano ’11

Luisa Barbano '11 posted this on Facebook: A decade ago, I wrote a short story for Patricia Malone's (Upper School English, 2009 to present) creative writing class...This spooky season, my Gothic horror piece has finally found a home! The Double-Goer It is said that...

In Memoriam: Brad Prozeller ’71

Brad Prozeller '71, age 68, died at home, peacefully, with his loving wife at his side on October 26, 2021. Brad was born and raised in Fairport, N.Y., the second youngest of six children. Following the path of his siblings, his parents placed him in kindergarten at...

In Memoriam: Ann Parsons ’71

Ann Parsons '71 came back to Harley in 2014-2017 to aid a student through her work with BOCES. The student had suffered from an illness that left him unable to read, write, or speak. They found, however, that he was able to read dice. Ann, being visually impaired,...

In Memoriam: Margaret Ann Kennedy ’48

Margaret Ann Kennedy '48 passed away on September 23rd at Northampton Manor in Frederick, Maryland. Born in Rochester, New York to Dr. Robert and Mrs. Rebecca Kennedy, Margaret was one of six siblings. She was educated at the Harley School and Wells College, where she...

In Memoriam: Phyllis Bentley ’45

Phyllis Bentley ’45 was the daughter to Cogswell Bentley, the husband to one of Harley’s founding mothers, Harriet Bentley. Harriet died years prior to Phyllis’ birth, but Phyllis, as a descendant to one of Harley’s founding mothers and its namesake, had strong ties...

In Memoriam: Ann Hartman ’43

Ann Hartman '43, 95, died peacefully at home on Nov. 5 surrounded by family and friends who were keeping vigil. She was a woman who lived a memorable life, full of love, loving, and adventure. At age 21, she traveled to Oregon and, with a friend, built a cabin,...

Alumni News: Daniel Effron ’01’s Formative Experience

“Harley was an immensely formative experience.”–Daniel Effron ’01 Daniel joined Harley Middle School in Grade 8; he is a graduate of Yale University, was granted his Master’s and Ph.D. from Stanford University, and is now a professor at the London Business School. He...

Social Sustainability is Essential, Especially Now

ccording to the United Nations, social sustainability means identifying and managing business impacts, both positive and negative, on people. One part of social sustainability requires involving citizens, which leads to understanding, engagement,...

The Bike Boom

ecoming Magazine checked in with two alums, Paul Barrows and Eric LaClair, who run DreamBikes in Rochester, about what they see happening with this healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport. DreamBikes: Creating Opportunities with Two...

Working Together for a Sustainable Future

hey dove deeply into our data, including emissions from purchased gas and electricity, staff/student commuting, and other travel such as class trips, alumni visits, conferences and the like. Our students worked with them to gather data on student...

Words of Change: Civilization in Crisis

e sat in the Harley Gallery getting to know each other as he started telling me about his creative process. He had read an article in The New York Times about gas emissions, and it had infuriated him. He immediately reached out to his close friend...

Driver, Writer, Activist, Explainer

was a “lifer” at Harley. In the fall of 1963, my parents enrolled me in Harley’s Nursery program, taught by Miss Wadsworth. I went straight through until Grade 12, except for Grade 3, when we returned to London (where I was born) for a year. I...

Food Justice Warrior, Locally-Grown

ood insecurity affects nearly 30 percent of people in eight of Rochester’s highest-poverty ZIP codes. Urban agriculture and community gardens are a great way to provide sustainable food production and supply those in need. They can help address...

Alumni News: Justin Fox ’15 Making It Happen

Justin Fox ’15 says every time he wants something, he finds a way to make it happen. That was the case when he decided to come to the Harley School. He was a Grade 10 student at Norman Howard School and knew from the time he was a young boy that he wanted to be a...

Alumni News: Connor Frame ’08

Not everything is as it appears. When I learned that Connor Frame ’08 was a lower school teacher in London, I assumed he was following in the footsteps of his mom, Kathy Kearns Frame ’73, a now retired but dedicated teacher for many years at the Pittsford Unified...

Alumni News: Noah Lee ’20

Last March, Noah Lee ’20 was enjoying his senior year at Harley. Accepted into Yale University, he was feeling relaxed, and looking forward to “senior spring” a time filled with fun and meaningful end-of-year activities like the Oak Tree Ceremony, Honors Assembly,...

Alumni News: Chloe Monson ’11

“I don’t regret it, but I wouldn’t recommend it.” This is what Chloe Monson ’11 says about her family’s decision to relocate from England to the United States when she was 16. Originally from Dublin, her family moved around a bit and when her parents decided to move...

Alumni News: Lindsay Zefting ’02

In 2020, Lindsay Zefting Vera ’02 was named one of the “40 Under 40” in the Albany Business Review for her work as a civil engineer and urban planner. Her late father was a traffic engineer and although Lindsay’s brain was geared the same way and all signs pointed to...

Alumni College Day 2021

Nowadays, having a virtual event is pretty common and this year’s Alumni College Day was no exception. The format moved from in-person to virtual, and this year we broke our day up into two separate talks, the first a requirement for Grades 9/10 and optional for...

Book Recommendations from Grade 5

Torpedoed is an eye-catching and mesmerizing book. It is a book about 90 child refugees that want to seek refuge over in North America on a boat. They come from different places in Europe and want to leave because of violence during World War II. The boat they sailed...

Alumni News: Kristina Benjamin ’15

  For over a year Kristina Benjamin ’15 was the Deputy Campaign Manager for newly elected State Senator Samra Brouk and was recently hired to continue her work with Samra in her Senate office as a Community Outreach and Constituent Manager. I had the chance to talk...

Alumni News: Exchange student Chris Dwyer ’93

Chris Dwyer ’93 was a 17-year-old student living in a small English town and a member of the debate team at Colchester Royal Grammar School when he was introduced to the English-Speaking Union, an education charity for international students “working to give young...

Alumni News: Cliff Costello ’07

      Dr. Cliff Costello ’07 didn’t always want to be a doctor, but he was always interested in science. At Harley, he, along with four other determined, science-minded classmates Alex Duckles, Mac Inglis, Eric Dobson, and James Greenebaum battled their way through...

Alumni News: Exchange student Simon Williams ’88

Simon Williams '88 says when he set off for his year abroad at Harley in the late 1980s “Travel was expensive, phone calls were expensive, there was no internet—America was still a long way away.” He’d exchanged a couple of letters with the McLear's, but arrived with...

Alumni News: Talethea Best ’82

Talethea Best ’82 joined Harley in Grade 7. Although she and her sister Nicolle were doing fine at the public city school in their 19th Ward neighborhood, her parents were very education-minded people and were drawn to the idea of the smaller class sizes, the...

In Memoriam: Joseph Curtis Briggs ’48

Joseph Curtis Briggs ’48 passed away on January 22, 2021, at the age of 90.  Joe attended The Harley School until 1945 and was considered a member of the Class of 1948. He was one of a long line of Briggs family members to attend The Harley School: sisters Barbara...

Alumni News: Charly Carter ’82

Charly Carter ’82 says her work as founder and executive director of Step Up Maryland is a culmination of her 30 year career in politics. While she has never run for office (yet!), she has helped to create and encourage some change makers in the political arena in the...

Alumni News: Leslie Knox ’97

Leslie Knox ’97 seems to always follow her heart and is ready to jump at the next opportunity to better the world around her. I asked her why she joined The Harley School in 10th grade and she said, “My mom discovered I was teaching my 9th grade social studies class...

Another Wilcox in the House: Betsy Wilcox ’01

Although it seems like Betsy Wilcox '01 has always been here, she officially joined the lower school faculty at Harley this past September. Betsy is connected to Harley in so many ways. She is an alumna from the class of 2001, is a parent of Winnie in the Class of...

Entrepreneur: Edwin Dorsey ’16

Edwin Dorsey '16 has always been a self-starter and a motivated individual, so it's not surprising that as a graduate right out of Stanford University where he majored in economics, he moved to New York City and started his own business, The Bear Cave, a weekly...

Support to Youth in Crisis: Jordyn Gualdani ’14

For many, college life is the first taste of real freedom. Students work hard and play hard and the long winter break is like a beacon. But for Jordyn Gualdani '14 (formerly Alyssa Gualdani), a transgender youth, winter break freshman year at Rochester Institute of...

Teaching Assistant: Ashley Sankowski ’14

Due to COVID several of our teachers are teaching remotely; and that left our administrators in a bit of a quandary. While we don't want to compromise the health of our faculty, we also can't leave a classroom full of students on their own with no adult supervision....

Teaching Assistant: Katianna Conde ’16

Due to COVID several of our teachers are teaching remotely; and that left our administrators in a bit of a quandary. While we don't want to compromise the health of our faculty, we also can't leave a classroom full of students on their own with no adult supervision....

Music and Blockbuster Movies: Polly Gleason Sweeney ’60

 Polly Gleason Sweeney ’60 has dedicated much of her life to the violin and making beautiful music with some of the most famous conductors, composers, and musicians in the world, and her passion for music started at The Harley School. Back in the 1950’s, there was a...

Harley international student: Yitian “Hubery” Wang ’19

Yitian “Hubery” Wang ’19 joined the Harley community as an international student from China in 9th grade at the age of 15. When I asked him why he chose to come to Rochester with the vast United States as an option, he replied, “I didn’t choose Rochester, I chose...

The art of following through: John Papin ’16

The old adage "Listen to your Mother" means a lot to John Papin '16 because his mom, Mary Ellen Papin, gave her son some great advice that helped him land his dream job. Back in May, John graduated from Alfred University with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a...

WHAM 13/Fox Good Day Rochester Visits The Harley School

WHAM 13/Fox Rochester Reports Brighton, N.Y. — The new school year is less than one week away, and it's bringing unprecedented changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Michael Schwartz visited The Harley School Thursday morning to give us an inside look at the...

Joy In Learning: Episode 24, Bruce A Jacobs

Bruce A. Jacobs As an author and advocate, Bruce A. Jacobs takes apart racism and works for our shared interests against bigoted and authoritarian thought and action. His book RACE MANNERS was called “a must-read” by Los Angeles Times columnist Norine Dresser. On his...

Our Reentry Plan

Dear Parents, Our reentry plan We have been communicating with you quite a bit this summer, so I believe you already know that we have had a Reentry Task Force working since the spring, looking at all of the possible ways we might return to school. Last week, the...

A Less Predictable Future

Fifty years ago, educators prepared students for the world by giving them a firm foundation in general areas of knowledge and a specific skill set to accomplish defined tasks. Today, educators need to prepare students for a less predictable future. While individuals...

Division News

Upper School Design and Engineering class explored Cold Frames. They first asked a lot of questions: Do cold frames work? Will they keep the temperature high enough during winter? What materials will work best to let in sunshine and insulate the plants from the cold?...

Alumni Feature: Erica Ingraham ’06

Featured in Becoming Magazine, Spring 2020 When Erica Ingraham ’06 was growing up, she wondered if she might have an intolerance to lactose, which spurred her curiosity about how food affects the body. Now a registered dietitian, Erica combines her passions for...

Lower School

In Memoriam: Leonard Opdycke

Above: Yearbook dedication from the Class of 1964 Leonard Opdycke, Harley English teacher and Head of Middle School from 1956-1964 passed away at the age of 93 on February 3. He lived a rich life, moving on from Harley to serve as the Head of the Poughkeepsie Day...

Alumni News: Rebekah Sherman Myntti ’09

Rebekah Sherman Myntti '09 was recently featured in Nylon.com, an organization that "celebrates emerging voices, and underground talent", about her recent film work in New York City. Her mom, Valerie Myntti P '09 (Lower School, 2001-2007, Director of Admissions,...

Alumni News: Lissa Green Eaton ’78

“Curiosity, freedom and trust—that’s what Harley means to me.” --Lissa Green Eaton ‘78 Harley’s Hospice program has been in existence for almost 20 years making empathy and wellness an educational focus. In the 1970’s, while empathy and wellness were definitely part...

Alumni News: Maddie Laitz ’12

“It’s fun to learn!” --A theme for Maddie Laitz ’12 since her days at Harley The year 2022 was a big one for Maddie Laitz ’12. Last summer she graduated with a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, married the love of her life, and landed a fantastic job...

2020s

2020sOver the holidays, the Class of 2020 got together at Radio Social! The night of commencement is usually quite the "to do" for the graduating students and the parents. In some cases, they organize an all-night party that includes bounce houses, laser tag, a...

2010s

2010sThe Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia in August were the setting for the marriage of Griffin McGregor Anderson ’12 to Vivian Grace Hagerty. Griffin and Vivian, both avid hikers, climbers, and canoers, chose a small celebration with immediate family and attendants...

2000s

2000sSybil Prince ’00 and her husband, Adam, welcomed baby Evelyn to the family this summer. Phillip Williams ’00 with little Sophia in her Harley onesie! “Harley was an immensely formative experience” –Daniel Effron ’01 Daniel with his daughters, Maya (5), Nova (3),...

1990s

1990sSara Hanna ’91, a professional photographer in Atlanta, GA, had her work recently featured in Simply Buckhead magazine. Sara's work has been featured in national magazines and she shared her expertise with the Harley community on a Zoom call in August of 2020....

1980s

1980sPeter Brown ’80, architect, planner, development consultant, author, and instructor at the University of Minnesota, recently shared on LinkedIn, "I was deeply honored to have the opportunity to speak at the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association...

1970s

1970sMembers of the Class of 1971 gathered for a fun-filled weekend in June to celebrate their 50th Reunion! Special thanks to Ann Hallick, Larry Lunt, Nancy White McGahey, and Robin Rae Vavrina for their help pulling the class together! Those monthly Zoom calls...

1950s

1950sJohn Goldman ’52 was thinking about his upcoming 70th Reunion from Harley and shared a great story. John knows how to celebrate a birthday in style! When he celebrated his 80th birthday back in 2014, he “sold” all of his party guests a copy of a book that he...

1960s

1960s(L-R) Rob Gulick ’83, Chris D'Amanda ’78, Mike Lasser (English, 1966 to ’98), Kitty Lindsay Hawks ’66, Doug Gilbert ’87, and Ron Richardson (Art, 1975 to ‘98) gathered at Kitty's home for refreshments and conversation before going to a concert by musical legend...

Alumni News: Dez Morrow ’17

It was serendipity that brought Dez Morrow ’17 to the Harley School in 2010. Dez was a student at the Urban Choice Charter School and doing just fine. One day, his mom was with one of her patients, a former head of the school, and he was telling her about Harley. The...

Alumni News: Henry Smith ’14

Henry Smith ’14 is our new Assistant to the Head of the Upper School. As a student, Henry was a superior violin player, always involved with anything music related at the school, with a boisterous, infectious laugh that could compete with John Dolan (Psychology,...

Alumni News: Andrew DeNatale ’15

Since graduating from Harley, Andrew DeNatale ‘15 has earned his undergraduate degree from Sarah Lawrence College and pursued a career in the New York City filmmaking industry as a cinematographer and camera operator. So far, his work has taken him across the United...

In Memoriam: Former staff Leah Watson

Remembering Leah Watson (1933-2022) Leah Watson P '83, '88, former Harley faculty member and Harley parent, worked at the school from 1973 to 1987. During those years she was the school's in-house specialist for students with learning challenges. She diagnosed...

In Memoriam: Frank Laimbeer

Frank Laimbeer P '77, '79, '80, '84 (Mathematics, 1960-1981) passed away on July 22, 2022. Former students and colleagues shared their sentiments about Mr. Laimbeer: "Frank lived a rich and full life."; "Delightful human being."; "I always enjoyed Frank's company and...

In Memoriam: Lou Battaglia

Written by former Head of the Upper School, Kim McDowell (2000-2022): For the past dozen or more years, Lou Battaglia has served as the Upper School's utility player. "Mr. B"--as students called him--subbed in classes across the disciplines including English, Biology,...

Alumni News: Jon Caulkins ’83

“I am really good at structuring an unstructured problem.” --Jon Caulkins ’83 The media’s focus on the legalization of marijuana in the United States has caused quite a discussion and Jon Caulkins ’83 is behind some of the research on this hot topic. Jon, a professor...

Back-to-School Recipes from Our Nutritionist

Tina Durham, our MSACN nutritional consultant, has put together a collection of recipes for our families to try at home, ranging from Chicken Parm Zucchini to Apple Nachos to Maple Sriracha Stir Fry. A .pdf of the recipes is available here.

Capoeira Camp Debuts this Summer!

Capoeira Camp Grades 5-12June 27-31 and/or August 8-12Taught by Hope Kantor and Jen CleggTry one or both weeks! Register here! Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art form which combines kicks, rhythm and movement. Capoeira is a dialog between players—a conversation...

Alumni News: John Goldman ’52

John Goldman '52 was thinking about his upcoming 70th Reunion from Harley and shared a great story.  John knows how to celebrate a birthday in style! When he celebrated his 80th birthday back in 2014, he “sold” all of his party guests a copy of a book that he wrote...

Alumni News: Alan Staehle ’59

Following winter break in Grade 11, Alan Staehle '59, along with five other boys from the class of 1959, was asked not to return to Harley after a series of "stupid stunts" earlier in the year. Though he did not graduate from Harley, he is especially thankful for the...

Alumni News: Liam Brennan-Burke ’17

When Liam Brennan-Burke ’17 first joined Harley in Grade 6, he was already thinking about invoicing. He had started his own lawn mowing business that year, “Liam’s Lawn Service,” and wanted to figure out how to easily bill his neighborhood customers and receive...

Remembering Joy Moss

The Story of Joy Moss by Karen LaFauci JOY MOSS, 1937 – 2021  Joy Moss was an extraordinary individual who left an extraordinary legacy. Talk to anyone whose life was touched by Joy and you’ll hear words of admiration and respect: Humble. Scholarly. Steadfast. A...

In Memoriam: Former staff member David Strasenburgh

David Strasenburgh, Harley's Director of Development from 1974-83, passed away in December. From A History of The Harley School: 75th Anniversary by Ruth Ewell P '66, '70 (Headmaster's Secretary and Registrar, 1960-80, College Counseling Office, 1980-86): August 6,...

Faculty News: Kristin Liotti Has Left the Building

Assistant to the Head of the Upper School, Kristin Liotti, announced she was leaving at the end of the January 2022. Kristin started in 2009 as the Harley receptionist, and has been a magnificent colleague and friend to all at The Harley School. We will miss the easy...

Faculty News: Lower School’s Marilyn Fenster Retires

Marilyn Fenster slipped quietly into retirement at the end of the last school year. Marilyn had an impressive teaching style, sharing her love for the students, past and present, as well as a huge commitment to Harley. Marilyn (along with Kim Bednarcyk P '16, Lower...

Alumni News: Coyne Lloyd ’06

In her most recent newsletter, Maggie Lloydhauser '11 shared a beautiful tribute to her brother, Coyne Lloyd '06, for his 34th birthday. Ode to Coyne My oldest brother, Coyne, is one of the people I love most on this earth. He is brilliant, and thoughtful, and...

Alumni News: Lily Beaumont ’07

Lily Beaumont ’07’s made quite a name for herself as an undergraduate at the University of Rochester. She graduated 10 years ago, but we recently heard from Harley parent Belinda Redden P ’24, a member of the Fellowship Office at the University, that several UR...

Why is play a vital part of learning?

Information provided by Dr. Terry Fonda Smith, Head of Lower School, to US News & World Report Why is play a vital part of learning? At The Harley School, play is an essential component of learning. In our Lower School, play’s role in development is crucial. To...

In Memoriam: Former Trustee William “Bill” Hosley

William "Bill" Hosley, Harley School Trustee from 1962-1970, passed away in September 2021. Bill had a long career at Eastman Kodak and used his business expertise during a major capital project at the School. During his tenure on the board, the following...

Alumni News: Luisa Barbano ’11

Luisa Barbano '11 posted this on Facebook: A decade ago, I wrote a short story for Patricia Malone's (Upper School English, 2009 to present) creative writing class...This spooky season, my Gothic horror piece has finally found a home! The Double-Goer It is said that...

In Memoriam: Brad Prozeller ’71

Brad Prozeller '71, age 68, died at home, peacefully, with his loving wife at his side on October 26, 2021. Brad was born and raised in Fairport, N.Y., the second youngest of six children. Following the path of his siblings, his parents placed him in kindergarten at...

In Memoriam: Ann Parsons ’71

Ann Parsons '71 came back to Harley in 2014-2017 to aid a student through her work with BOCES. The student had suffered from an illness that left him unable to read, write, or speak. They found, however, that he was able to read dice. Ann, being visually impaired,...

In Memoriam: Margaret Ann Kennedy ’48

Margaret Ann Kennedy '48 passed away on September 23rd at Northampton Manor in Frederick, Maryland. Born in Rochester, New York to Dr. Robert and Mrs. Rebecca Kennedy, Margaret was one of six siblings. She was educated at the Harley School and Wells College, where she...

In Memoriam: Phyllis Bentley ’45

Phyllis Bentley ’45 was the daughter to Cogswell Bentley, the husband to one of Harley’s founding mothers, Harriet Bentley. Harriet died years prior to Phyllis’ birth, but Phyllis, as a descendant to one of Harley’s founding mothers and its namesake, had strong ties...

In Memoriam: Ann Hartman ’43

Ann Hartman '43, 95, died peacefully at home on Nov. 5 surrounded by family and friends who were keeping vigil. She was a woman who lived a memorable life, full of love, loving, and adventure. At age 21, she traveled to Oregon and, with a friend, built a cabin,...

Alumni News: Daniel Effron ’01’s Formative Experience

“Harley was an immensely formative experience.”–Daniel Effron ’01 Daniel joined Harley Middle School in Grade 8; he is a graduate of Yale University, was granted his Master’s and Ph.D. from Stanford University, and is now a professor at the London Business School. He...

Social Sustainability is Essential, Especially Now

ccording to the United Nations, social sustainability means identifying and managing business impacts, both positive and negative, on people. One part of social sustainability requires involving citizens, which leads to understanding, engagement,...

The Bike Boom

ecoming Magazine checked in with two alums, Paul Barrows and Eric LaClair, who run DreamBikes in Rochester, about what they see happening with this healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport. DreamBikes: Creating Opportunities with Two...

Working Together for a Sustainable Future

hey dove deeply into our data, including emissions from purchased gas and electricity, staff/student commuting, and other travel such as class trips, alumni visits, conferences and the like. Our students worked with them to gather data on student...

Words of Change: Civilization in Crisis

e sat in the Harley Gallery getting to know each other as he started telling me about his creative process. He had read an article in The New York Times about gas emissions, and it had infuriated him. He immediately reached out to his close friend...

Driver, Writer, Activist, Explainer

was a “lifer” at Harley. In the fall of 1963, my parents enrolled me in Harley’s Nursery program, taught by Miss Wadsworth. I went straight through until Grade 12, except for Grade 3, when we returned to London (where I was born) for a year. I...

Food Justice Warrior, Locally-Grown

ood insecurity affects nearly 30 percent of people in eight of Rochester’s highest-poverty ZIP codes. Urban agriculture and community gardens are a great way to provide sustainable food production and supply those in need. They can help address...

Alumni News: Justin Fox ’15 Making It Happen

Justin Fox ’15 says every time he wants something, he finds a way to make it happen. That was the case when he decided to come to the Harley School. He was a Grade 10 student at Norman Howard School and knew from the time he was a young boy that he wanted to be a...

Alumni News: Connor Frame ’08

Not everything is as it appears. When I learned that Connor Frame ’08 was a lower school teacher in London, I assumed he was following in the footsteps of his mom, Kathy Kearns Frame ’73, a now retired but dedicated teacher for many years at the Pittsford Unified...

Alumni News: Noah Lee ’20

Last March, Noah Lee ’20 was enjoying his senior year at Harley. Accepted into Yale University, he was feeling relaxed, and looking forward to “senior spring” a time filled with fun and meaningful end-of-year activities like the Oak Tree Ceremony, Honors Assembly,...

Alumni News: Chloe Monson ’11

“I don’t regret it, but I wouldn’t recommend it.” This is what Chloe Monson ’11 says about her family’s decision to relocate from England to the United States when she was 16. Originally from Dublin, her family moved around a bit and when her parents decided to move...

Alumni News: Lindsay Zefting ’02

In 2020, Lindsay Zefting Vera ’02 was named one of the “40 Under 40” in the Albany Business Review for her work as a civil engineer and urban planner. Her late father was a traffic engineer and although Lindsay’s brain was geared the same way and all signs pointed to...

Alumni College Day 2021

Nowadays, having a virtual event is pretty common and this year’s Alumni College Day was no exception. The format moved from in-person to virtual, and this year we broke our day up into two separate talks, the first a requirement for Grades 9/10 and optional for...

Book Recommendations from Grade 5

Torpedoed is an eye-catching and mesmerizing book. It is a book about 90 child refugees that want to seek refuge over in North America on a boat. They come from different places in Europe and want to leave because of violence during World War II. The boat they sailed...

Alumni News: Kristina Benjamin ’15

  For over a year Kristina Benjamin ’15 was the Deputy Campaign Manager for newly elected State Senator Samra Brouk and was recently hired to continue her work with Samra in her Senate office as a Community Outreach and Constituent Manager. I had the chance to talk...

Alumni News: Exchange student Chris Dwyer ’93

Chris Dwyer ’93 was a 17-year-old student living in a small English town and a member of the debate team at Colchester Royal Grammar School when he was introduced to the English-Speaking Union, an education charity for international students “working to give young...

Alumni News: Cliff Costello ’07

      Dr. Cliff Costello ’07 didn’t always want to be a doctor, but he was always interested in science. At Harley, he, along with four other determined, science-minded classmates Alex Duckles, Mac Inglis, Eric Dobson, and James Greenebaum battled their way through...

Alumni News: Exchange student Simon Williams ’88

Simon Williams '88 says when he set off for his year abroad at Harley in the late 1980s “Travel was expensive, phone calls were expensive, there was no internet—America was still a long way away.” He’d exchanged a couple of letters with the McLear's, but arrived with...

Alumni News: Talethea Best ’82

Talethea Best ’82 joined Harley in Grade 7. Although she and her sister Nicolle were doing fine at the public city school in their 19th Ward neighborhood, her parents were very education-minded people and were drawn to the idea of the smaller class sizes, the...

In Memoriam: Joseph Curtis Briggs ’48

Joseph Curtis Briggs ’48 passed away on January 22, 2021, at the age of 90.  Joe attended The Harley School until 1945 and was considered a member of the Class of 1948. He was one of a long line of Briggs family members to attend The Harley School: sisters Barbara...

Alumni News: Charly Carter ’82

Charly Carter ’82 says her work as founder and executive director of Step Up Maryland is a culmination of her 30 year career in politics. While she has never run for office (yet!), she has helped to create and encourage some change makers in the political arena in the...

Alumni News: Leslie Knox ’97

Leslie Knox ’97 seems to always follow her heart and is ready to jump at the next opportunity to better the world around her. I asked her why she joined The Harley School in 10th grade and she said, “My mom discovered I was teaching my 9th grade social studies class...

Another Wilcox in the House: Betsy Wilcox ’01

Although it seems like Betsy Wilcox '01 has always been here, she officially joined the lower school faculty at Harley this past September. Betsy is connected to Harley in so many ways. She is an alumna from the class of 2001, is a parent of Winnie in the Class of...

Entrepreneur: Edwin Dorsey ’16

Edwin Dorsey '16 has always been a self-starter and a motivated individual, so it's not surprising that as a graduate right out of Stanford University where he majored in economics, he moved to New York City and started his own business, The Bear Cave, a weekly...

Support to Youth in Crisis: Jordyn Gualdani ’14

For many, college life is the first taste of real freedom. Students work hard and play hard and the long winter break is like a beacon. But for Jordyn Gualdani '14 (formerly Alyssa Gualdani), a transgender youth, winter break freshman year at Rochester Institute of...

Teaching Assistant: Ashley Sankowski ’14

Due to COVID several of our teachers are teaching remotely; and that left our administrators in a bit of a quandary. While we don't want to compromise the health of our faculty, we also can't leave a classroom full of students on their own with no adult supervision....

Teaching Assistant: Katianna Conde ’16

Due to COVID several of our teachers are teaching remotely; and that left our administrators in a bit of a quandary. While we don't want to compromise the health of our faculty, we also can't leave a classroom full of students on their own with no adult supervision....

Music and Blockbuster Movies: Polly Gleason Sweeney ’60

 Polly Gleason Sweeney ’60 has dedicated much of her life to the violin and making beautiful music with some of the most famous conductors, composers, and musicians in the world, and her passion for music started at The Harley School. Back in the 1950’s, there was a...

Harley international student: Yitian “Hubery” Wang ’19

Yitian “Hubery” Wang ’19 joined the Harley community as an international student from China in 9th grade at the age of 15. When I asked him why he chose to come to Rochester with the vast United States as an option, he replied, “I didn’t choose Rochester, I chose...

The art of following through: John Papin ’16

The old adage "Listen to your Mother" means a lot to John Papin '16 because his mom, Mary Ellen Papin, gave her son some great advice that helped him land his dream job. Back in May, John graduated from Alfred University with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a...

WHAM 13/Fox Good Day Rochester Visits The Harley School

WHAM 13/Fox Rochester Reports Brighton, N.Y. — The new school year is less than one week away, and it's bringing unprecedented changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Michael Schwartz visited The Harley School Thursday morning to give us an inside look at the...

Joy In Learning: Episode 24, Bruce A Jacobs

Bruce A. Jacobs As an author and advocate, Bruce A. Jacobs takes apart racism and works for our shared interests against bigoted and authoritarian thought and action. His book RACE MANNERS was called “a must-read” by Los Angeles Times columnist Norine Dresser. On his...

Our Reentry Plan

Dear Parents, Our reentry plan We have been communicating with you quite a bit this summer, so I believe you already know that we have had a Reentry Task Force working since the spring, looking at all of the possible ways we might return to school. Last week, the...

A Less Predictable Future

Fifty years ago, educators prepared students for the world by giving them a firm foundation in general areas of knowledge and a specific skill set to accomplish defined tasks. Today, educators need to prepare students for a less predictable future. While individuals...

Division News

Upper School Design and Engineering class explored Cold Frames. They first asked a lot of questions: Do cold frames work? Will they keep the temperature high enough during winter? What materials will work best to let in sunshine and insulate the plants from the cold?...

Alumni Feature: Erica Ingraham ’06

Featured in Becoming Magazine, Spring 2020 When Erica Ingraham ’06 was growing up, she wondered if she might have an intolerance to lactose, which spurred her curiosity about how food affects the body. Now a registered dietitian, Erica combines her passions for...

Middle School

In Memoriam: Leonard Opdycke

Above: Yearbook dedication from the Class of 1964 Leonard Opdycke, Harley English teacher and Head of Middle School from 1956-1964 passed away at the age of 93 on February 3. He lived a rich life, moving on from Harley to serve as the Head of the Poughkeepsie Day...

Alumni News: Rebekah Sherman Myntti ’09

Rebekah Sherman Myntti '09 was recently featured in Nylon.com, an organization that "celebrates emerging voices, and underground talent", about her recent film work in New York City. Her mom, Valerie Myntti P '09 (Lower School, 2001-2007, Director of Admissions,...

Alumni News: Lissa Green Eaton ’78

“Curiosity, freedom and trust—that’s what Harley means to me.” --Lissa Green Eaton ‘78 Harley’s Hospice program has been in existence for almost 20 years making empathy and wellness an educational focus. In the 1970’s, while empathy and wellness were definitely part...

Alumni News: Maddie Laitz ’12

“It’s fun to learn!” --A theme for Maddie Laitz ’12 since her days at Harley The year 2022 was a big one for Maddie Laitz ’12. Last summer she graduated with a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, married the love of her life, and landed a fantastic job...

2020s

2020sOver the holidays, the Class of 2020 got together at Radio Social! The night of commencement is usually quite the "to do" for the graduating students and the parents. In some cases, they organize an all-night party that includes bounce houses, laser tag, a...

2010s

2010sThe Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia in August were the setting for the marriage of Griffin McGregor Anderson ’12 to Vivian Grace Hagerty. Griffin and Vivian, both avid hikers, climbers, and canoers, chose a small celebration with immediate family and attendants...

2000s

2000sSybil Prince ’00 and her husband, Adam, welcomed baby Evelyn to the family this summer. Phillip Williams ’00 with little Sophia in her Harley onesie! “Harley was an immensely formative experience” –Daniel Effron ’01 Daniel with his daughters, Maya (5), Nova (3),...

1990s

1990sSara Hanna ’91, a professional photographer in Atlanta, GA, had her work recently featured in Simply Buckhead magazine. Sara's work has been featured in national magazines and she shared her expertise with the Harley community on a Zoom call in August of 2020....

1980s

1980sPeter Brown ’80, architect, planner, development consultant, author, and instructor at the University of Minnesota, recently shared on LinkedIn, "I was deeply honored to have the opportunity to speak at the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association...

1970s

1970sMembers of the Class of 1971 gathered for a fun-filled weekend in June to celebrate their 50th Reunion! Special thanks to Ann Hallick, Larry Lunt, Nancy White McGahey, and Robin Rae Vavrina for their help pulling the class together! Those monthly Zoom calls...

1950s

1950sJohn Goldman ’52 was thinking about his upcoming 70th Reunion from Harley and shared a great story. John knows how to celebrate a birthday in style! When he celebrated his 80th birthday back in 2014, he “sold” all of his party guests a copy of a book that he...

1960s

1960s(L-R) Rob Gulick ’83, Chris D'Amanda ’78, Mike Lasser (English, 1966 to ’98), Kitty Lindsay Hawks ’66, Doug Gilbert ’87, and Ron Richardson (Art, 1975 to ‘98) gathered at Kitty's home for refreshments and conversation before going to a concert by musical legend...

Alumni News: Dez Morrow ’17

It was serendipity that brought Dez Morrow ’17 to the Harley School in 2010. Dez was a student at the Urban Choice Charter School and doing just fine. One day, his mom was with one of her patients, a former head of the school, and he was telling her about Harley. The...

Alumni News: Henry Smith ’14

Henry Smith ’14 is our new Assistant to the Head of the Upper School. As a student, Henry was a superior violin player, always involved with anything music related at the school, with a boisterous, infectious laugh that could compete with John Dolan (Psychology,...

Alumni News: Andrew DeNatale ’15

Since graduating from Harley, Andrew DeNatale ‘15 has earned his undergraduate degree from Sarah Lawrence College and pursued a career in the New York City filmmaking industry as a cinematographer and camera operator. So far, his work has taken him across the United...

In Memoriam: Former staff Leah Watson

Remembering Leah Watson (1933-2022) Leah Watson P '83, '88, former Harley faculty member and Harley parent, worked at the school from 1973 to 1987. During those years she was the school's in-house specialist for students with learning challenges. She diagnosed...

In Memoriam: Frank Laimbeer

Frank Laimbeer P '77, '79, '80, '84 (Mathematics, 1960-1981) passed away on July 22, 2022. Former students and colleagues shared their sentiments about Mr. Laimbeer: "Frank lived a rich and full life."; "Delightful human being."; "I always enjoyed Frank's company and...

In Memoriam: Lou Battaglia

Written by former Head of the Upper School, Kim McDowell (2000-2022): For the past dozen or more years, Lou Battaglia has served as the Upper School's utility player. "Mr. B"--as students called him--subbed in classes across the disciplines including English, Biology,...

Alumni News: Jon Caulkins ’83

“I am really good at structuring an unstructured problem.” --Jon Caulkins ’83 The media’s focus on the legalization of marijuana in the United States has caused quite a discussion and Jon Caulkins ’83 is behind some of the research on this hot topic. Jon, a professor...

Back-to-School Recipes from Our Nutritionist

Tina Durham, our MSACN nutritional consultant, has put together a collection of recipes for our families to try at home, ranging from Chicken Parm Zucchini to Apple Nachos to Maple Sriracha Stir Fry. A .pdf of the recipes is available here.

Capoeira Camp Debuts this Summer!

Capoeira Camp Grades 5-12June 27-31 and/or August 8-12Taught by Hope Kantor and Jen CleggTry one or both weeks! Register here! Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art form which combines kicks, rhythm and movement. Capoeira is a dialog between players—a conversation...

Alumni News: John Goldman ’52

John Goldman '52 was thinking about his upcoming 70th Reunion from Harley and shared a great story.  John knows how to celebrate a birthday in style! When he celebrated his 80th birthday back in 2014, he “sold” all of his party guests a copy of a book that he wrote...

Alumni News: Alan Staehle ’59

Following winter break in Grade 11, Alan Staehle '59, along with five other boys from the class of 1959, was asked not to return to Harley after a series of "stupid stunts" earlier in the year. Though he did not graduate from Harley, he is especially thankful for the...

Alumni News: Liam Brennan-Burke ’17

When Liam Brennan-Burke ’17 first joined Harley in Grade 6, he was already thinking about invoicing. He had started his own lawn mowing business that year, “Liam’s Lawn Service,” and wanted to figure out how to easily bill his neighborhood customers and receive...

Remembering Joy Moss

The Story of Joy Moss by Karen LaFauci JOY MOSS, 1937 – 2021  Joy Moss was an extraordinary individual who left an extraordinary legacy. Talk to anyone whose life was touched by Joy and you’ll hear words of admiration and respect: Humble. Scholarly. Steadfast. A...

In Memoriam: Former staff member David Strasenburgh

David Strasenburgh, Harley's Director of Development from 1974-83, passed away in December. From A History of The Harley School: 75th Anniversary by Ruth Ewell P '66, '70 (Headmaster's Secretary and Registrar, 1960-80, College Counseling Office, 1980-86): August 6,...

Faculty News: Kristin Liotti Has Left the Building

Assistant to the Head of the Upper School, Kristin Liotti, announced she was leaving at the end of the January 2022. Kristin started in 2009 as the Harley receptionist, and has been a magnificent colleague and friend to all at The Harley School. We will miss the easy...

Faculty News: Lower School’s Marilyn Fenster Retires

Marilyn Fenster slipped quietly into retirement at the end of the last school year. Marilyn had an impressive teaching style, sharing her love for the students, past and present, as well as a huge commitment to Harley. Marilyn (along with Kim Bednarcyk P '16, Lower...

Alumni News: Coyne Lloyd ’06

In her most recent newsletter, Maggie Lloydhauser '11 shared a beautiful tribute to her brother, Coyne Lloyd '06, for his 34th birthday. Ode to Coyne My oldest brother, Coyne, is one of the people I love most on this earth. He is brilliant, and thoughtful, and...

Alumni News: Lily Beaumont ’07

Lily Beaumont ’07’s made quite a name for herself as an undergraduate at the University of Rochester. She graduated 10 years ago, but we recently heard from Harley parent Belinda Redden P ’24, a member of the Fellowship Office at the University, that several UR...

Why is play a vital part of learning?

Information provided by Dr. Terry Fonda Smith, Head of Lower School, to US News & World Report Why is play a vital part of learning? At The Harley School, play is an essential component of learning. In our Lower School, play’s role in development is crucial. To...

In Memoriam: Former Trustee William “Bill” Hosley

William "Bill" Hosley, Harley School Trustee from 1962-1970, passed away in September 2021. Bill had a long career at Eastman Kodak and used his business expertise during a major capital project at the School. During his tenure on the board, the following...

Alumni News: Luisa Barbano ’11

Luisa Barbano '11 posted this on Facebook: A decade ago, I wrote a short story for Patricia Malone's (Upper School English, 2009 to present) creative writing class...This spooky season, my Gothic horror piece has finally found a home! The Double-Goer It is said that...

In Memoriam: Brad Prozeller ’71

Brad Prozeller '71, age 68, died at home, peacefully, with his loving wife at his side on October 26, 2021. Brad was born and raised in Fairport, N.Y., the second youngest of six children. Following the path of his siblings, his parents placed him in kindergarten at...

In Memoriam: Ann Parsons ’71

Ann Parsons '71 came back to Harley in 2014-2017 to aid a student through her work with BOCES. The student had suffered from an illness that left him unable to read, write, or speak. They found, however, that he was able to read dice. Ann, being visually impaired,...

In Memoriam: Margaret Ann Kennedy ’48

Margaret Ann Kennedy '48 passed away on September 23rd at Northampton Manor in Frederick, Maryland. Born in Rochester, New York to Dr. Robert and Mrs. Rebecca Kennedy, Margaret was one of six siblings. She was educated at the Harley School and Wells College, where she...

In Memoriam: Phyllis Bentley ’45

Phyllis Bentley ’45 was the daughter to Cogswell Bentley, the husband to one of Harley’s founding mothers, Harriet Bentley. Harriet died years prior to Phyllis’ birth, but Phyllis, as a descendant to one of Harley’s founding mothers and its namesake, had strong ties...

In Memoriam: Ann Hartman ’43

Ann Hartman '43, 95, died peacefully at home on Nov. 5 surrounded by family and friends who were keeping vigil. She was a woman who lived a memorable life, full of love, loving, and adventure. At age 21, she traveled to Oregon and, with a friend, built a cabin,...

Alumni News: Daniel Effron ’01’s Formative Experience

“Harley was an immensely formative experience.”–Daniel Effron ’01 Daniel joined Harley Middle School in Grade 8; he is a graduate of Yale University, was granted his Master’s and Ph.D. from Stanford University, and is now a professor at the London Business School. He...

Social Sustainability is Essential, Especially Now

ccording to the United Nations, social sustainability means identifying and managing business impacts, both positive and negative, on people. One part of social sustainability requires involving citizens, which leads to understanding, engagement,...

The Bike Boom

ecoming Magazine checked in with two alums, Paul Barrows and Eric LaClair, who run DreamBikes in Rochester, about what they see happening with this healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport. DreamBikes: Creating Opportunities with Two...

Working Together for a Sustainable Future

hey dove deeply into our data, including emissions from purchased gas and electricity, staff/student commuting, and other travel such as class trips, alumni visits, conferences and the like. Our students worked with them to gather data on student...

Words of Change: Civilization in Crisis

e sat in the Harley Gallery getting to know each other as he started telling me about his creative process. He had read an article in The New York Times about gas emissions, and it had infuriated him. He immediately reached out to his close friend...

Driver, Writer, Activist, Explainer

was a “lifer” at Harley. In the fall of 1963, my parents enrolled me in Harley’s Nursery program, taught by Miss Wadsworth. I went straight through until Grade 12, except for Grade 3, when we returned to London (where I was born) for a year. I...

Food Justice Warrior, Locally-Grown

ood insecurity affects nearly 30 percent of people in eight of Rochester’s highest-poverty ZIP codes. Urban agriculture and community gardens are a great way to provide sustainable food production and supply those in need. They can help address...

Alumni News: Justin Fox ’15 Making It Happen

Justin Fox ’15 says every time he wants something, he finds a way to make it happen. That was the case when he decided to come to the Harley School. He was a Grade 10 student at Norman Howard School and knew from the time he was a young boy that he wanted to be a...

Alumni News: Connor Frame ’08

Not everything is as it appears. When I learned that Connor Frame ’08 was a lower school teacher in London, I assumed he was following in the footsteps of his mom, Kathy Kearns Frame ’73, a now retired but dedicated teacher for many years at the Pittsford Unified...

Alumni News: Noah Lee ’20

Last March, Noah Lee ’20 was enjoying his senior year at Harley. Accepted into Yale University, he was feeling relaxed, and looking forward to “senior spring” a time filled with fun and meaningful end-of-year activities like the Oak Tree Ceremony, Honors Assembly,...

Alumni News: Chloe Monson ’11

“I don’t regret it, but I wouldn’t recommend it.” This is what Chloe Monson ’11 says about her family’s decision to relocate from England to the United States when she was 16. Originally from Dublin, her family moved around a bit and when her parents decided to move...

Alumni News: Lindsay Zefting ’02

In 2020, Lindsay Zefting Vera ’02 was named one of the “40 Under 40” in the Albany Business Review for her work as a civil engineer and urban planner. Her late father was a traffic engineer and although Lindsay’s brain was geared the same way and all signs pointed to...

Alumni College Day 2021

Nowadays, having a virtual event is pretty common and this year’s Alumni College Day was no exception. The format moved from in-person to virtual, and this year we broke our day up into two separate talks, the first a requirement for Grades 9/10 and optional for...

Book Recommendations from Grade 5

Torpedoed is an eye-catching and mesmerizing book. It is a book about 90 child refugees that want to seek refuge over in North America on a boat. They come from different places in Europe and want to leave because of violence during World War II. The boat they sailed...

Alumni News: Kristina Benjamin ’15

  For over a year Kristina Benjamin ’15 was the Deputy Campaign Manager for newly elected State Senator Samra Brouk and was recently hired to continue her work with Samra in her Senate office as a Community Outreach and Constituent Manager. I had the chance to talk...

Alumni News: Exchange student Chris Dwyer ’93

Chris Dwyer ’93 was a 17-year-old student living in a small English town and a member of the debate team at Colchester Royal Grammar School when he was introduced to the English-Speaking Union, an education charity for international students “working to give young...

Alumni News: Cliff Costello ’07

      Dr. Cliff Costello ’07 didn’t always want to be a doctor, but he was always interested in science. At Harley, he, along with four other determined, science-minded classmates Alex Duckles, Mac Inglis, Eric Dobson, and James Greenebaum battled their way through...

Alumni News: Exchange student Simon Williams ’88

Simon Williams '88 says when he set off for his year abroad at Harley in the late 1980s “Travel was expensive, phone calls were expensive, there was no internet—America was still a long way away.” He’d exchanged a couple of letters with the McLear's, but arrived with...

Alumni News: Talethea Best ’82

Talethea Best ’82 joined Harley in Grade 7. Although she and her sister Nicolle were doing fine at the public city school in their 19th Ward neighborhood, her parents were very education-minded people and were drawn to the idea of the smaller class sizes, the...

In Memoriam: Joseph Curtis Briggs ’48

Joseph Curtis Briggs ’48 passed away on January 22, 2021, at the age of 90.  Joe attended The Harley School until 1945 and was considered a member of the Class of 1948. He was one of a long line of Briggs family members to attend The Harley School: sisters Barbara...

Alumni News: Charly Carter ’82

Charly Carter ’82 says her work as founder and executive director of Step Up Maryland is a culmination of her 30 year career in politics. While she has never run for office (yet!), she has helped to create and encourage some change makers in the political arena in the...

Alumni News: Leslie Knox ’97

Leslie Knox ’97 seems to always follow her heart and is ready to jump at the next opportunity to better the world around her. I asked her why she joined The Harley School in 10th grade and she said, “My mom discovered I was teaching my 9th grade social studies class...

Another Wilcox in the House: Betsy Wilcox ’01

Although it seems like Betsy Wilcox '01 has always been here, she officially joined the lower school faculty at Harley this past September. Betsy is connected to Harley in so many ways. She is an alumna from the class of 2001, is a parent of Winnie in the Class of...

Entrepreneur: Edwin Dorsey ’16

Edwin Dorsey '16 has always been a self-starter and a motivated individual, so it's not surprising that as a graduate right out of Stanford University where he majored in economics, he moved to New York City and started his own business, The Bear Cave, a weekly...

Support to Youth in Crisis: Jordyn Gualdani ’14

For many, college life is the first taste of real freedom. Students work hard and play hard and the long winter break is like a beacon. But for Jordyn Gualdani '14 (formerly Alyssa Gualdani), a transgender youth, winter break freshman year at Rochester Institute of...

Teaching Assistant: Ashley Sankowski ’14

Due to COVID several of our teachers are teaching remotely; and that left our administrators in a bit of a quandary. While we don't want to compromise the health of our faculty, we also can't leave a classroom full of students on their own with no adult supervision....

Teaching Assistant: Katianna Conde ’16

Due to COVID several of our teachers are teaching remotely; and that left our administrators in a bit of a quandary. While we don't want to compromise the health of our faculty, we also can't leave a classroom full of students on their own with no adult supervision....

Music and Blockbuster Movies: Polly Gleason Sweeney ’60

 Polly Gleason Sweeney ’60 has dedicated much of her life to the violin and making beautiful music with some of the most famous conductors, composers, and musicians in the world, and her passion for music started at The Harley School. Back in the 1950’s, there was a...

Harley international student: Yitian “Hubery” Wang ’19

Yitian “Hubery” Wang ’19 joined the Harley community as an international student from China in 9th grade at the age of 15. When I asked him why he chose to come to Rochester with the vast United States as an option, he replied, “I didn’t choose Rochester, I chose...

The art of following through: John Papin ’16

The old adage "Listen to your Mother" means a lot to John Papin '16 because his mom, Mary Ellen Papin, gave her son some great advice that helped him land his dream job. Back in May, John graduated from Alfred University with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a...

WHAM 13/Fox Good Day Rochester Visits The Harley School

WHAM 13/Fox Rochester Reports Brighton, N.Y. — The new school year is less than one week away, and it's bringing unprecedented changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Michael Schwartz visited The Harley School Thursday morning to give us an inside look at the...

Joy In Learning: Episode 24, Bruce A Jacobs

Bruce A. Jacobs As an author and advocate, Bruce A. Jacobs takes apart racism and works for our shared interests against bigoted and authoritarian thought and action. His book RACE MANNERS was called “a must-read” by Los Angeles Times columnist Norine Dresser. On his...

Our Reentry Plan

Dear Parents, Our reentry plan We have been communicating with you quite a bit this summer, so I believe you already know that we have had a Reentry Task Force working since the spring, looking at all of the possible ways we might return to school. Last week, the...

A Less Predictable Future

Fifty years ago, educators prepared students for the world by giving them a firm foundation in general areas of knowledge and a specific skill set to accomplish defined tasks. Today, educators need to prepare students for a less predictable future. While individuals...

Division News

Upper School Design and Engineering class explored Cold Frames. They first asked a lot of questions: Do cold frames work? Will they keep the temperature high enough during winter? What materials will work best to let in sunshine and insulate the plants from the cold?...

Alumni Feature: Erica Ingraham ’06

Featured in Becoming Magazine, Spring 2020 When Erica Ingraham ’06 was growing up, she wondered if she might have an intolerance to lactose, which spurred her curiosity about how food affects the body. Now a registered dietitian, Erica combines her passions for...

Upper School

In Memoriam: Leonard Opdycke

Above: Yearbook dedication from the Class of 1964 Leonard Opdycke, Harley English teacher and Head of Middle School from 1956-1964 passed away at the age of 93 on February 3. He lived a rich life, moving on from Harley to serve as the Head of the Poughkeepsie Day...

Alumni News: Rebekah Sherman Myntti ’09

Rebekah Sherman Myntti '09 was recently featured in Nylon.com, an organization that "celebrates emerging voices, and underground talent", about her recent film work in New York City. Her mom, Valerie Myntti P '09 (Lower School, 2001-2007, Director of Admissions,...

Alumni News: Lissa Green Eaton ’78

“Curiosity, freedom and trust—that’s what Harley means to me.” --Lissa Green Eaton ‘78 Harley’s Hospice program has been in existence for almost 20 years making empathy and wellness an educational focus. In the 1970’s, while empathy and wellness were definitely part...

Alumni News: Maddie Laitz ’12

“It’s fun to learn!” --A theme for Maddie Laitz ’12 since her days at Harley The year 2022 was a big one for Maddie Laitz ’12. Last summer she graduated with a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, married the love of her life, and landed a fantastic job...

2020s

2020sOver the holidays, the Class of 2020 got together at Radio Social! The night of commencement is usually quite the "to do" for the graduating students and the parents. In some cases, they organize an all-night party that includes bounce houses, laser tag, a...

2010s

2010sThe Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia in August were the setting for the marriage of Griffin McGregor Anderson ’12 to Vivian Grace Hagerty. Griffin and Vivian, both avid hikers, climbers, and canoers, chose a small celebration with immediate family and attendants...