Select Page

Welcoming Harley Students

Back to School

 Learning and Joy Are Essential

Dear Harley Families,

Opening our campus for the 2020-21 school year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is guided, first and foremost, by creating a safe environment for our whole school.  Our reopening information is here.

In developing our reopening plan, we have prioritized safety and wellness within the context of our mission and core values—including an overarching commitment to the education of the whole child within a set of strong and sustaining relationships at Harley. Our success in creating that safety will depend on our commitment to those values that have always guided our actions: respect and responsibility.

To create as strong a beginning as possible, we will “phase in” our return to in-person learning, employing a staggered restart plan with different students coming in on different days as we adjust to our new protocols.  After the phase-in, Lower and Middle Schools will meet every day with all students; the Upper School will employ a hybrid, every-other-day model, with half of Upper Schoolers in-person one day, the other half the next.

Lower School Schedule     Middle School Schedule    Upper School Schedule

We know we need to remain flexible: during the coming weeks and months there may well be moments when we have to pivot to contingency plans, either for individual families or larger sub-groups of the school.

Our faculty, staff, and leadership team are dedicated to continuing our students’ academic progress, in-person or remote, and we look forward to partnering with you throughout the year.

Sincerely,

 

Larry Frye

Head of School

Click here to see The Harley School: Re-Opening Plan for the 2020-21 School Year 

Submitted to New York State 8/7/2020

Harley community members and onsite guests, please fill out your Health Screening.Your personalized link will appear daily in your (and your child’s) email. If you are positive for any symptoms, please refer to our decision tree for your next steps. 

Childcare if School is Closed

If Harley closes after the start of the school year, we will host child care for Harley students in N-Grade 8. This is provided for free to enrolled students and will be held between the hours of 8:00am-3:00pm, with additional care given from 3:00pm – 5:00pm for those families who have already registered for Extended Day.

Our program will be staffed by our child care and auxiliary program workers who will provide children with enrichment, social opportunities, and access to remote classes. They will be in cohorts no larger than ten students.

The Harley staff supports the students as they “go to school” from the child care center.

Safety Protocols for Students, Families, Faculty, and Staff

Our Rights and Responsibilities in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

At Harley, we are individuals in community: as individuals, we have rights; as community members, we have responsibilities. Our reopening plan depends on everyone’s adherence to the rights and responsibilities implicit in our full plan and made explicit below. It is up to each of us to take measures on campus, at home, and in all aspects of our lives to keep us safe—and to keep the Harley community moving forward through this challenging time. Our work together will control transmission, sustain our on campus learning experience, and help us protect those most vulnerable to COVID-19. 

We request that all families returning to in-person school commit to these responsibilities by digitally signing the pledge which will be sent to families before the start of the school year. Families should review these responsibilities with their children, and students in Grades 5-12 will be expected to sign alongside their parent(s)/guardian(s). All employees will be asked to make the same commitment.

Core Health and Safety Practices

Harley is committed to the health and safety of all members of its community.

Harley will require all persons on our campus or on school business/trips/activities in the community to comply with our health and safety practices. Lack of compliance may result in a consequence that is commensurate with the individual’s role at school, and in the case of students, their developmental status. 

Face Coverings

Harley requires ALL employees, students, and other visitors to campus—such as parents, contractors, or vendors—to wear an acceptable face covering as defined by the CDC at all times while on Harley’s campus.

  • Acceptable face coverings include but are not limited to cloth-based face coverings (e.g., homemade sewn, quick cut) and surgical masks that cover both the mouth and nose.
  • Bandanas, neck gaiters, or masks with valves will not be allowed.
  • Face shields are not a substitute for masks. Disposable face coverings are available at the front entrance and nurse’s office for those who arrive on campus without an appropriate face covering.
  • Face coverings must be worn so that both the mouth and nose are covered at all times. 

 

Mask Breaks

  • When individuals are outside and able to maintain 6 feet social distancing;
  • When individuals are permitted a short “mask break” of under 10 minutes and are able to maintain 6 feet social distancing—mask breaks will be initiated by adults in the community;
  • When individuals are eating (snack breaks/meals) and are able to maintain 6 feet social distancing.
  • Additional exceptions by division (such as during the use of the pool or when children are napping) or business function will be shared with employees, students, and families prior to the start of school. In all such cases, strict social distancing or the use of additional protective measures (barriers, face shields, etc.) will be required.

Social Distancing 

Individuals on campus will be expected to follow social distance guidelines to maintain at least 6 feet whenever possible between individuals. Harley has posted social distancing markers using tape or signs that denote six feet of spacing in commonly used and other applicable areas on the site. 

We are in a unique position due to our campus size, and will leverage our square footage to ensure social distancing. Examples of changes include modifying classroom furniture, class layouts, schedules, and class size as needed. In most cases, meetings, parent gatherings, student presentations with audiences, etc. will be available via video streaming or via Zoom.

Daily Screening

Harley will require a daily health screening of employees and students, and where applicable, contractors, vendors, and visitors (including parents) who enter our buildings. This health screening will include a required temperature check that meets state guidelines and will optimally occur at the individual’s residence before departing for school.

  • Individuals whose health screening and temperature check indicate they are not able to report to school will be instructed to stay at home and to contact the school’s Coordinator for Contact Tracing and Return to School, nurse Deb Hougton, via a dedicated school phone line.  
  • If an individual does not complete the health screening and temperature check prior to arriving at school, Harley will perform a health screening before allowing the individual to attend classes, report to work, or enter the building.

 

COVID-19 Testing

Testing, and the availability of testing, is an important strategy in reducing viral transmission, securing a quick return to in-person schooling, and reducing anxiety.

  • Harley is working to identify organizations in the community (e.g., local health department testing sites, physician offices, hospital system) that are able to reliably provide ready access to testing and results. Our intent is to provide families and employees with referrals to those organizations for individual needs and to develop a partnership with an organization in the event that large-scale testing at school is needed. 

Family Responsibilities

We pledge to:

  • Complete and submit the required daily remote health screening and temperature check, including monitoring any symptoms of members of our household(s).
  • Stay home and inform the School if our student(s) or someone in our household is symptomatic. This includes not using fever-reducing medication in order to send our child to school.
  • Notify the School of any potential exposures, symptoms, or positive COVID-19 test results in a timely manner as outlined in the School’s protocols.
  • Not travel to or from states on the New York State travel advisory list—unless willing and able to follow the self-quarantine protocol detailed in the travel advisory—and to notify the school when family members have travelled to those places. 
  • Encourage our student(s) to practice social distancing and to practice social distancing as a family whenever feasible.
  • Wear face coverings as required whenever on campus and whenever appropriate outside of school.
  • Encourage our student(s) to commit to proper hand and respiratory hygiene (e.g., sneezing and coughing into one’s elbow), and commit to proper hand and respiratory hygiene and sanitizing as a household.
  • Cooperate with local, state, and federal agencies in contact tracing efforts.

 

Our reentry plan depends on every single person in the Harley community doing their part! Thank you for your commitment to the success of our students.

Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection

Harley will increase its hygiene, cleaning, and disinfection practices beyond NYS guidelines to ensure every precaution is taken.

Hygiene: 

Hands

  • Harley will provide hand- and respiratory-hygiene training to all students, faculty, and staff. This training will occur prior to the return to school and throughout the year.
  • Harley will encourage employees and students to wash hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. 
  • If soap and water are not readily available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol will be provided. Harley has installed over 100 sanitizer stations in high-traffic areas, hallways, and at the entrance to every classroom. 
  • All Lower School classrooms are equipped with sinks for hand washing.

 

Respiratory

Our buildings’ mechanical systems have been recalibrated to maximize fresh air intake with increased filtration. 

  • The air refresh rate has been boosted from 15% to 40%. 
  • Working with NYSERDA and Bergmann Architects, Planners, Engineers to further assess

 

Cleaning & Disinfection: 

Campus will be disinfected every day, and disinfection of high-touch contact surfaces in classroom will occur between class periods.

  • Measures will be put in place to limit shared materials such as laptops, musical instruments, classroom supplies, tools, and toys. Proper hand hygiene will occur before and after use, and materials that are used will be cleaned between use. Additional trash receptacles will be placed in high-use areas.
  • Harley will maintain logs that include the date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection, designate responsible staff, and specify cleaning and disinfection frequency for our facilities and spaces.

 

Returning to In-person School

Phased-in Return to School

Harley will utilize a phased-in approach for the return to in-person instruction in the fall.

    • This approach will limit the number of students on campus as Harley instructs students on proper safety and hygiene protocols and procedures, and supports the social and emotional needs of students, families, and staff during the first days back to school.
    • We will focus primarily on building the habits which will lead to a safer environment, reestablishing community, and attending to social-emotional needs. “Traditional” subject content will be gradually phased in as we attend to these primary needs.
    • Harley will provide families with a calendar of the plan by division for the first two weeks of school: September 8 -18. We reserve the right to extend or modify the phased-in return to school if needed.

Remote Learning

The remote learning model for all students occurs when on-campus learning is not feasible or allowed by state or local order. Harley has developed three different versions of remote learning: short-term, long-term individual, and long-term group models. 

  • Short-Term Remote: for those who are absent for short periods (1-21 days) for reasons due to illness, required quarantine or isolation, etc., who intend to return to in-person learning when able.
    • The Short-Term Remote model will vary by division in terms of the delivery of instruction and learning activities, though each division will have Remote Learning Coordinators—adult staff who will support those students learning remotely from home.
    • Cohort groups may shift to short-term remote learning if the Monroe County Board of Health requires close contacts of an infected individual to quarantine.
  • Long-Term Individual Remote: for those who are unable to return to school for medical reasons and/or general discomfort.  
    • Families are required to commit to remote learning for a minimum of a trimester length; the possibility of returning to in-person school may be limited due to class size and available space. 
  • Fully Remote Learning:  A fully remote learning experience will be provided to all students should Harley not be able to provide in person instruction for an extended period of time. Remote learning plans for each division will be developed prior to the start of school and will build on lessons learned from our spring closure and faculty/administration research and professional development undertaken this summer.  

In Person Instruction

In Person Instruction: Harley is committed to providing in-person instruction as we are safely able. Based on research conducted by the Reentry Task Force and the results of parent and employee surveys, we have designated the youngest students—those from Nursery through Grade 6—and students receiving special services (learning support via the Student Support Program, Occupational Therapy, Speech, etc.) as those who should receive the highest priority should we need to limit in-person instruction.

    • At this time, Harley plans to provide daily in-person (on campus) instruction for students in Nursery to Grade 8.
    • Upper School will open this fall using a hybrid model that ensures educational continuity with regular daily class meetings.  
      • Students in grades 9-12 will attend on-campus classes on alternate days. When students are not on campus, they will be expected to attend school remotely via livestreaming during regularly scheduled class times. 
      • The two Upper School cohorts will include students in mixed grades (9-12), and they will be determined by individual course selection. Every effort will be made for Upper School siblings to be on campus (and off) on the same days. 

Childcare if School is Closed

If Harley closes after the start of the school year, we will host child care for Harley students in N-Grade 6. This is provided for free to enrolled students and will be held between the hours of 8:00am-5:00pm, with additional care given from 3:00pm – 5:00pm for those families who have already registered for Extended Day.

Our program will be staffed by our child care and auxiliary program workers who will provide children with enrichment, social opportunities, and access to remote classes. They will be in cohorts no larger than ten students. 

The Harley staff supports the kids as they “go to school” from the child care center. 

The School Day

Classrooms

All classrooms are being reconfigured so students can be six feet apart. Some classes will meet in spaces like libraries, conference rooms, and other areas usually used as common spaces. Some classrooms have had additional furniture such as bookshelves and sofas removed to provide more space for seating.

In addition to daily disinfection, classroom surfaces will be cleaned throughout the day, particularly at class changes.

Lunch and Snacks

Food will be packaged on a “grab-and-go” basis and delivered to specific classrooms/locations for students and employees.  

    • The Dining Hall is developing a plan to accommodate for allergies, dietary restrictions, etc., as well as the logistics of preparing and delivering nutritious snacks and meals.
    • Students will only be able to eat in designated areas by division and under adult supervision. 
    • Individuals may remove their face coverings to eat their snack or lunch, but they must maintain 6’ social distancing while unmasked.  
    • Students and employees will practice proper hand hygiene before and after eating, and surfaces will be cleaned before and after eating.
    • Upper School students may not leave campus for lunch.

 

Drinking Fountains: Drinking fountains will be closed, with the exception of contactless water bottle-refilling stations.

 

Arrival and Dismissals

Harley is developing detailed plans for students by division and for its employees in order to stagger arrival/dismissal, reduce congestion, and to maintain social distancing at entrances.  

  • Our plans will consider:
    • Dividing up student entry/exit points to limit the amount of close contact between individuals in high-traffic situations and times.
    • Staggering arrival times by division as feasible. 
    • Establishing designated areas for student drop-off and pick-up beyond our normal areas.
    • Limiting contact with and the entry of parents/guardians into the building to the greatest extent possible.

Non-essential Visitors Restricted

We will be restricting non-essential visitors on campus this year during the school day. If your child has forgotten something truly essential—medication they must have, for example—please contact your child’s division to arrange a drop-off.

Before and After Care

Parents are encouraged to consider alternative options to using Before Care (free) and After Care (extended day for a fee). 

We are planning to offer both, but on a restricted time and capacity basis. Before Care will be available beginning at 7:30am; After Care will end at 5:00pm. 

Special Activities

Ensembles

Vocal Ensembles 

Singing in large groups (such as in the classroom, large ensembles, Assemblies, etc.) will be temporarily suspended.

Group singing, such as singing in LS music classes and MS choir classes, will not occur Nursery to Grade 8, and students will receive music instruction through other elements of the curricular content.

Vocal ensembles in the Upper School will be reduced in size to meet NYS 12-foot spacing requirements, and enrollment and the frequency of meetings will be adjusted to limit group sizes. Ensemble sizes will typically be between four and eight people. Ensembles will meet outdoors, if possible. If indoors, time will be left between rehearsals to refresh the air in the space.

Instrumental Ensembles

Middle School: Instrumental ensembles will be cohorted by grade level and reduced in numbers to meet NYS 12-foot spacing recommendations for wind players and at least 6-foot spacing for percussionists and string instrumentalists. Wind players will use additional mitigation techniques (e.g., bell covers) to reduce aerosol production. Ensembles will meet outdoors, if possible. If indoors, time will be left between rehearsals of wind instruments to refresh the air in the space. 

Upper School: Instrumental ensembles will be reduced in size to meet NYS 12-foot spacing for wind players and at least 6-foot spacing for percussionists and string instrumentalists. Wind players will use additional mitigation techniques (e.g., bell covers) to reduce aerosol production. Ensembles will meet outdoors, if possible. If indoors, time will be left between rehearsals of wind instruments to refresh the air in the space.

Social-Emotional Learning

Harley is committed to Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) as a central component of our students’ educational experience since we believe it drives all aspects of The Harley School Mission.

We know the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our community members—students, employees, families—in multiple ways on multiple levels. During reopening, Harley will continue to lead with health and wellness at the forefront, just as our school did when we shifted to remote learning during the early days of spring.

Harley will continue to prioritize connections between students, employees, and family members. Though we may not be able to offer the same experiences as we would normally during in-person education, we will implement a variety of at-school and remote options to address the social and emotional needs of all of our community members. 

Our Wellness Team: composed of school counselors, health teachers, affiliate faculty, and an administrative liaison, is developing a multi-tiered reopening wellness plan to guide our efforts. The plan is being informed by the work of the Monroe County Trauma, Illness, & Grief (TIG) Consortium, state guidance, and research into wellness plans at other schools and in other states.

Library

Use of our libraries will vary by division.

  • At the Lower School, library/book exchange will be a push-in service.
  • At the Middle School, we will continue our informational skills classes and develop ways for students to access materials.
  • At the Upper School level, there will likely be limits on the use of the library space for independent study and socializing.

Library books will have a decontamination period of three days before being entered back into circulation. Items that can not be properly disinfected will have a sitting period of three days after being handled.

Student access to reference materials (books, newspapers) will be supervised by our librarian.

Clubs, Afterschool Programs, etc.:

Harley will support those extracurricular activities that are able to be conducted within the safety practices and protocols that apply at each division and that we are reasonably able to support from a personnel standpoint. Additional information regarding extracurricular activities will be forthcoming; in the meantime, the guiding assumption is that extracurricular activities as we have traditionally known them will be greatly modified.

Field Trips and Travel

As we begin the school year, all field trips and overnight travel will be postponed for all divisions. We will reevaluate travel opportunities as the year progresses.

Physical Education

Harley is planning to offer in-person physical education for students from Nursery to Grade 6 and remote instruction for students in Grades 7-12.

  • We will adhere to state requirements for 12-foot social distancing for aerobic activities. 
  • Requirements for PE classes and athletics participation will be determined and communicated to families by division.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Considerations

Harley understands that the COVID-19 Pandemic has fallen unequally on the members of our local and national communities. As we have worked to construct our response, our planning has been informed by:

  • The ongoing injustices experienced by Black and Brown Americans and our commitment to continued anti-racist efforts
  • Medical considerations that may impact members of our community
  • Limited access to technology some of our families may experience, and
  • The impact of family structure and ability to stay home/monitor children, especially younger children.

This also provides a lens through which we can consider ways to reach out to the community to offer additional educational opportunity.

Recess and Free Periods

Harley believes unstructured time is an integral part of students’ social, emotional, and physical development. It is through play and social interaction that children grow, and unstructured recess and free periods mark a critical moment for students to connect with their peers during the school day and to reconnect after months of isolation. That said, certain NYSDOH restrictions on physical activities—including a 12-foot spacing for aerobic activity and guidelines regarding playgrounds—need further clarification and will cause us to carefully evaluate and, perhaps, curtail parts of our current practices for recess (Nursery to Grade 8) and free periods at the Upper School.

  • Students can expect some restrictions to be placed on recess in Nursery to Grade 8 and for supervision of their “free” periods at the Upper School.
  • Playground use will be staggered to limit the possibility of multiple classes or cohorts playing together.
  • Teachers will encourage proper hand hygiene before and after touching play structures and the practice of social distancing while at play.
  • Harley will maintain our cleaning practices for the equipment that we are able to use safely.

Interscholastic Athletics

The Governor has announced that interscholastic athletics are not currently permitted and will review this decision by September 21. At this time, Harley is utilizing the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s (NYSPHSAA)  “Roadmap to Return to Interscholastic Athletics, Rev. 004” to guide its decision making process regarding athletics. We will develop our full plan for athletics in collaboration with our partner school, Allendale Columbia, as more guidance is provided by the State. Interested parties may visit the NYSPHSAA COVID-19 website by clicking HERE.

Supporting Parents and Guardians

Harley will provide programming to support parents and guardians in multiple areas. Already identified areas include: technology support, assistance with our Learning Management System (Schoology), mental health and wellness programming, and parent-to-parent social interactions.

Monitoring/Tracking Health

Conditions at School

School Health Offices

Harley has developed protocols and procedures for how to respond to positive or presumed-positive COVID-19 cases, as well as preventative practices for safely caring for a student, faculty, or staff member if they develop symptoms of COVID-19 during the school day. 

  • Harley has developed protocols for persons who have tested positive that require them to complete isolation and have recovered to the point of not transmitting COVID-19 before returning to in-person. 

Discharge from isolation and return to school will be conducted in coordination with the local health department and Nurse Deb Houghtalen, Harley’s Coordinator of Contact Tracing and Return to School.

Screening

Harley will require a daily health screening of employees and students, and where applicable, contractors, vendors, and visitors (including parents) who enter our buildings. This health screening will include a required temperature check that meets state guidelines.  

    • Per guidelines, health screenings and temperature checks will optimally occur at the individual’s residence before departing for school.
    • Individuals whose health screening and temperature check indicate they are not able to report to school will be instructed to stay at home and to contact the school’s Coordinator for Contact Tracing and Return to School via a dedicated school phone line.  
    • Harley will have a system in place to log daily health screening completion and results and will cross check health screening submission with attendance.
    • If an individual does not complete the health screening and temperature check prior to arriving at school, Harley will perform a health screening before allowing the individual to attend classes, report to work, or enter the building.

Testing

  • Testing Protocols: Harley is in the process of establishing a relationship with a testing facility for the provision of COVID-19 diagnostic testing. Harley will refer individuals to that testing facility, their personal health care provider, or other resources as designated by the Monroe County Board of Health. Harley has developed plans for symptomatic individuals, the close contacts of COVID-19 suspected or confirmed individuals, and individuals with recent travel to one of the states/countries on the NYS Travel advisory list, and will share our testing requirements with these individuals before allowing such individuals to return to school in person.
  • Testing Availability: Harley is working to identify organizations in the community (e.g., local health department testing sites, physician offices, hospital system) that are able to reliably provide ready access to testing and results. Our intent is to provide families and employees with referrals to those organizations for individual needs and to develop a partnership with an organization in the event that large-scale testing at school is needed. 

Contact Tracing

Harley has contracted with a former school nurse to serve as its internal Coordinator for Contact Tracing and Return to School. This individual will support the local health department in contact tracing efforts using the protocols, training, and tools provided through the New York State Contact Tracing Program.  

Additionally, the Coordinator will work with families and employees who are in quarantine or isolation to provide them with direction as to the protocol and procedures that must be followed before the individual is able to return to school.

Travel Guidelines

  • Travel to a State or Country on the New York State Travel Advisory List: Any individual who has traveled to a state or country on the New York State Travel Advisory List must complete a 14-day quarantine at home as mandated by the Governor.
    • Any such individuals must identify themselves to the school’s Coordinator for Contact Tracing and Return to School and provide the location(s) visited, the duration of their stay, and the date of return to receive further guidance.
    • The individual may return to school after completing the 14-day quarantine period, as long as they are able to successfully complete a health screening and temperature check on the day of their return and have not developed any symptoms during the quarantine. If they have developed symptoms, they must contact the school’s Coordinator for Contact Tracing and Return to School and complete the protocol for symptomatic individuals before returning to school.

General Exposure

Close Contact Exposure

If a student has a known close contact exposure (at less than six feet for more than 10 minutes) to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or has reported symptoms (Please note that members of the same household are considered in close contact):

    • Contact Nurse Deb Houghtalen, Harley’s Coordinator of Contact Tracing and Return to School, she will guide the family in determining the community members with whom the student has been in contact. To protect the student’s private health information, Nurse Deb will contact the appropriate community members and the appropriate health authorities.
    • Per NYSDOH guidelines and Harley’s requirements, infected individuals may return to school when they have met the following criteria:
      • If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of whether the individual is symptomatic or asymptomatic, the individual may return to school upon completing: 
        • at least 10 days of isolation from the onset of symptoms (with symptom resolution, including fever-free for 72 hours with no fever-reducing medicines), or,
        • 10 days of isolation after the first positive test if they remain asymptomatic.
      • Clearance to return to school by their health care professional. 
      • Release from isolation by their county department of health.
      • Approval from the school’s Coordinator for Contact Tracing and Return to School that the process has been completed and the individual may return to school/work.

Symptomatic

Symptomatic Individuals with No Known Exposure: There are two pathways to return to school when an individual screens positive for the onset of new symptoms identified as potential symptoms of COVID-19 by the CDC.

Individuals who experience the onset of new symptoms should remain at home in isolation until one of the following two pathways to a return to school is met:

  • Pathway 1: Isolation

 

    • The individual completes a 10-day isolation from the onset of symptoms with symptom resolution, including being fever-free for 72 hours with no fever-reducing medicines.

  • Pathway 2: Diagnosis of a Non-COVID-19 Condition

 

    • Diagnosis by a Health Care Provider (Physician, Physician’s Assistant, or Nurse Practitioner) that the symptoms are the result of a diagnosed condition other than COVID-19.
    • A negative COVID-19 test 
    • Symptom resolution, including being fever-free for 24 hours with no fever-reducing medicines

 

Individuals (or their parent/guardian, if a student) must work with the school’s Coordinator for Contact Tracing and Return to School to ensure all portions of the relevant protocol are completed and that they are cleared before returning to school.

Positive Test

If a student tests positive:

  • Contact Nurse Deb Houghtalen, Harley’s Coordinator of Contact Tracing and Return to School, she will guide the family in determining the community members with whom the student has been in contact. To protect the student’s private health information, Nurse Deb will contact the appropriate community members and the appropriate health authorities.
  • The student should remain home and isolated as recommended by the CDC for 10 days since the symptoms first appeared and at least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved.

The Harley School

1981 Clover Street
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 442-1770

2024 Niche Best Schools

©2023 The Harley School

Community Programs

Community Programs

Summer Programs

Driver Education

Afterschool

Extended Day

Adult Programs

Rentals

Key Programming

Science and Math Integration

Beyond STEM

Sustainability

Biomimicry

Maker Education

Project-Based Learning

Whole Learners

Social Emotional Learning

Civic Engagement

Mindfulness

Hospice

Arts

Visual Arts

Performing Arts

Giving

Supporting Harley

2023 Events

2021-22 Sustainability Challenge

Harley Fund

Planned Giving

College Counseling

Harley’s Approach to College Counseling is highly individualized and student-centered. Students have direct access to college counselors throughout their Upper School experience, but really, each student is part of a team including faculty, administration, and staff. It’s our job to support each student and we want nothing more than to send students on to the next step of their journey at a right fit school for them. The student centered and driven process is wrapped in care, expertise, and professionalism.

We host college reps during times students are available (no need to miss a class) so they can make connections and learn more about potential schools. We also arrange campus visits for classes as field trips, host an alumni college day (where recent Upper School graduates return to share advice and answer questions), and help connect students with our international alumni network. In fact, representatives from schools all over the world actively seek opportunities to come to Harley and meet with our students!

Our college counselors are accredited and are part of national/global conversations on admission trends. They also attend and present at conferences across the country.

Beginning with our Grade 11 parent night, we offer informational sessions for parents, including one devoted just to financial aid. Our partnership with families is critical, as the college admissions world changes very quickly and having an expert to guide students and families through the process is essential.

View the downloadable College Counseling Guide

Clubs

“Club Rush” is an afternoon every fall in the Upper School when students have the chance to sign up for clubs for the year, and each year it is very different because new clubs are created based on student initiative and enthusiasm.

A few of this year’s choices: Sports Media, Social Action Club, Journalism Club, Feminism Club, Student of Color & Allies (SOCA), Gay-Straight Alliance, Tri M (music honor society), E-Sports Club, Euchre, Key Club (service), Animation Club, Dungeons & Dragons, Sustainability Club, Jewish Cultural Club, Astronomy Club, Biomimicry, and Beyond Soup (social justice/service).

Athletics

​Each and every year, students at The Harley School participate in HAC Athletics, and their success continues to be impressive, both as students and athletes. Our athletic program is an integral part of Harley, teaching student-athletes invaluable lessons about teamwork, time management, persistence, and competition.  Our program allows them to develop physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally as they represent their school on and off the field. They grow, mature, and work hard to be the best teammate they can, while creating lifelong memories with teammates who often remain friends for life. 

Helping our athletes to reach their potential are some of HAC’s best assets: our coaches. More often than not, they are drawn from the ranks of our faculty and  have a deep understanding of the personalities and abilities of the student-athletes on their teams.  

We strive to find the right balance of academics, exercise, and personal growth for everyone.  By offering a variety of sports at many different levels, all student-athletes find a sport they can be successful in. It is with great pride and pleasure that my team and I work to enrich the athletic lives of all our HAC student-athletes. Go Wolves! 

To learn more check out our athletics page.

Student Leadership

Our Upper School is filled with formal and informal opportunities for students to take on leadership roles. Whether following passions or learning new skills, student-driven opportunities take many shapes.

– Independent study: one trimester, full year, and multi-year projects have included automating our solar chimneys, coding handmade musical instruments, or developing a class on financial literacy for underserved high school students.

– Serving on student council

– STEM: Climate curriculum program, biomimicry program, NASA Hunch program

Clubs

“Club Rush” is an afternoon every fall in the Upper School when students have the chance to sign up for clubs for the year, and each year it is very different because new clubs are created based on student initiative and enthusiasm.

A few of this year’s choices: Sports Media, Social Action Club, Journalism Club, Feminism Club, Student of Color & Allies (SOCA), Gay-Straight Alliance, Tri M (music honor society), E-Sports Club, Euchre, Key Club (service), Animation Club, Dungeons & Dragons, Sustainability Club, Jewish Cultural Club, Astronomy Club, Biomimicry, and Beyond Soup (social justice/service).

Hospice

Unlike this class, death is not an elective. Although it is one of two universal human experiences, our culture often ignores, denies, or misconstrues the true nature of death and dying. What happens when we bear witness to this natural process in the cycle of life and develop our ability to be fully present with others when they need us more than ever? It has the potential to change us deeply and fundamentally while shining a brilliant light on the path of our own lives.

With the support of their classmates, teacher, and comfort care home communities, senior students are offered the chance to care for others who truly need their purposeful, non-judgmental attention. In the home-like setting of a comfort care home, opportunities for learning extend beyond a traditional classroom rubric and conventional methods of evaluation. In this course, students will certainly find tangible “learning outcomes” by studying the medical/physical processes associated with dying and the basic nursing assistant skills of comfort care. The ultimate goal, however, will always be rooted in true relationships and connection, which occurs only through empathy and compassion.

Learn more about the Hospice Program at Harley HERE.

Capstone/Independent Studies

This program utilizes environmentally-focused approaches to education and hands-on learning in order to foster the next generation of leaders through a lens of sustainability and problem-solving.

Food & Farm: These year-long and trimester-long classes are held outside as much as possible, allowing students to become leaders in our various growing spaces. They cover environmental justice issues as well as hands-on work such as planning and overseeing planting, harvesting, and preparation of the gardens.

Past year-long focus projects have included: Creating a native plant shade garden in the Wild Wood area, redesigning our hydroponic system, overhauling Harley’s high tunnel, and improving the irrigation system for the MicroFarm.

Culinary Arts: These classes have a two-fold purpose: to give students practical skills in cooking and the science behind different techniques in the kitchen, learning about food justice, food sourcing, labor topics, and sustainability.

Past topics have included: Examining a plant-based diet, looking at the carbon footprint of different meals and food preparation methods, proposing a low carbon footprint menu to the dining hall, links between food labeling and environmental issues of food production.

Beekeeping: This one trimester class provides hands-on training in beekeeping, how to be a beekeeper, and safety and other techniques for working with bees. Once trained students help with all aspects of Harley beekeeping such as hive inspections, honey collection and extraction, and teaching students in Lower School about our hives.

Students pick a research topic addressing honeybee health and the larger environmental picture.

Social Justice

At Harley, our students learn how to evaluate social systems in order to identify complex problems in society through a lens of social justice. They take a hands-on approach to working for a fair, equitable society by researching, exploring and evaluating different perspectives, and offering solutions—both theoretical and practical.

Our faculty integrate social justice into our broader curriculum to assist students in gaining a foundational knowledge about what makes a democracy function. By gaining skills in ideating supportive pathways they become more exposed and experienced to how communities can undergo healing and restorative actions.

 

Capstone/Independent Studies

Students may create independent studies with supervising teachers throughout their Upper School experience or, during Grade 12, they can design Capstone projects—intensive collaborations with Harley faculty and off-campus mentors—involving rigorous academic study and culminating in public presentations. They are empowered to create their own curriculum, set goals, and work on time management skills in order to accomplish their objectives.

Independent Studies run the gamut from The Psychology of Sports to Furniture Design to The Neuroimaging of Alzheimer’s Disease. Capstones, meanwhile, are as diverse as the students who pursue them: Fictional Rochester, Autobiographical Art, Biomimicry Education, Organic Fuel, and Rochester Refugees. 

Indicative of Upper School curiosity and creativity, pursuits such as these distinguish our graduates in college. Through deep dives of this sort, Harley students master more than speaking, writing, and computing: they learn to communicate, advocate, collaborate, organize, listen, and empathize. 

About

About Harley

Fast Facts

Our Faculty & Staff

History

Horizons at Harley

Dining Services

Key Programming

Science and Math Integration

Beyond STEM

Sustainability

Biomimicry

Maker Education

Project-Based Learning

Whole Learners

Social Emotional Learning

Civic Engagement

Mindfulness

Hospice

Arts

Visual Arts

Performing Arts

Main Menu

About

Academics

Key Programming

Enrollment

Community Programming

Alumni

Athletics

News

Giving

My.Harley

Enrollment

Enrollment at Harley

Enrollment Events

Virtual Tour

How to Apply

Affording Harley

Transferring to Harley

Refer a Students

Academics

Divisions

Academics at Harley

Nursery

Nursery 3

Nursery 4

Lower

Middle

Upper

College Counseling

Visiting Reps

Student Counseling

Library

Letter from the Head of School

Letter from the Editor

Features

Central Work that Matters: DEI

Harley Black Alumni Network

Climate Crisis Curriculum

Citizen Scientists

Joy Moss: Storytelling Roots

In Every Issue

Class Notes

Diane Donniger Award

By the Numbers

From the Archives

What’s (Who’s) New at Harley

Divisional Highlights

Alumni Profile: Vandebroek

Alumni Profiles: Keller

HAC Athletics

2021 Lives of Great Purpose Awards

1000 Words

Commencement 2022

Reunion 2022

In Memoriam

Retirements and Fond Farewells

Letter from the Head of School

Letter from the Editor

Features

Central Work that Matters

Affinity Group Forms

Climate Crisis Curriculum

Citizen Scientists

Joy Moss: Storytelling Roots

In Every Issue

Class Notes

Diane Donniger Award

By the Numbers

From the Archives

What’s (Who’s) New at Harley

Divisional Highlights

Alumni Profile: Vandebroek

Alumni Profiles: Keller

HAC Athletics

2021 Lives of Great Purpose Awards

1000 Words

Commencement 2022

Reunion 2022

In Memoriam

Retirements and Fond Farewells