Information from Harley
Head of School and Divisional Communications Archive (Since We Began Remore Learning)
This is where we frame the purpose of this page, and let poeple know a bit about how to navigate it. Also, maybe a little something about what to expect in terms of updates.
Larry Frye
Head of School
Terry Smith
Head of Lower School
Hassan Jones
Head of Middle School
Kim McDowell
Head of Upper School
This Week at Harley - Click here to see what happening.
4/16 | Going off the grid | Ken buys 6 chickens to get his own eggs while waiting for the Harely Kitchn to open up. Ok fine, but how are our families going more sustainable at home with this kind of stuff might be interesting |
4/16 | Fortune magazine: Doug Gilbert | Link to story=https://fortune.com/2020/04/13/teachers-online-school-classes-remote-learning-coronavirus-covid-19/ |
4/16 | The Harley Library Book Mobile | Share the story of Elaine delivering books |
4/16 | The Maker Space Challenge |
Highlight the Make Space Challenge page Kima created: I made some maker challenges for you to try at home. I’d love to see any challenges you complete or anything else that you are having fun making at home. You can share them with me or email makerspace@harleyschool.org and check the makerspace page to see what everyone has made!Web Link |
4/16 | Greenhouse Greens | Upper School’s Beyond Soup Club, led by Harrison Davis (’20), planted greens intended to be harvested for a shared meal at St. Joe’s. When circumstances changed, Commons Educator Lisa Barker harvested the greens and delivered them to the Davis family. In turn, the family prepared the crop for bagged lunches delivered to St. Joe’s. Beth, I’m sending you some pics in an email to me from Lisa. |
4/18 | From Sisi: MS Climate Club is gearing up for Earth day! We are asking our Harley community to create posters, pictures, and sidewalk chalk art to display in windows, sidewalks, and driveways to raise awareness for climate related issues. We are hoping that this effort will spark new curiosities and perhaps people will learn something new when they take walks outside and see some climate related information. | |
4/18 | Sam Gilbert project and Harley garden | Sam Gilbert made the impressive shelving system in the picture; also notice – starts are growing for the Harley growing spaces! |
4/18 | Pat Malone – example of utiizing digital platform in class (I did not contact her about this, I can follow up with her if you use | Pat Malone using Padlet to promote student engagement from full class and create a space where students can learn from each other |
4/18 | 3rd grade embracing digital platform for teaching (they dont know I took this shot) | 3rd grade using discussion board to collect student reflections and then respond to students on the discussion board. Opportunity for students to hear each others voices |
4/18 | Nursery Red sharing cool recipes for home | Nursery Red posts playdough and other fun things to do at home with your kids recipes that can be used any time |
4/18 | Seth presenting at NYSAIS webinar | NYSAIS webinar on Capstone Presentations Digital Options |
4/18 | Biomimicry competition submissions – at least 2, maybe 3? | Betsy Vinton and Seth O’Bryan submitted biomimicry competition entries from the students. They made some cool videos and project proposals. Third year of participating as a school. |
4/20 | This Tuesday and Wednesday, April 21 &22, with the coordination of Christy Tyler, Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences at RIT, graduate students will be connecting with our 5th and 6th grade students about climate change. | |
4/20-4/24 | Kindergarten students have been reading The Lorax and making Lorax puppets out of materials sent home by Gail last week. | |
4/24 | 4th Grade live morning meeting Friday 8:30 is show and tell |
Larry Frye: Communications to All School
What happens to the Harley bees in the winter?
Photos and writing provided by Lisa Barker, Food and Farm Coordinator With the winter almost officially upon us, I’m sure at least some of you are wondering: What exactly happens to the bees in the winter? The answer varies somewhat depending on the region and the...
Rochester Business Journal Coverage: EE Ford Grant
This article originally appeared in the Rochester Business Journal, June 22, 2021. The Harley School has been awarded a grant by the Edward E. Ford Foundation for the advancement of the school’s climate change curriculum, enhancement of its sustainability plan and...
The New Normal: What Test-Optional Colleges Mean for Your Child
Join The Harley School on March 18 at 7pm for “The New Normal: What Test-Optional Colleges Mean for Your Child” Blurb: Each year over the past decade more colleges announced that they were ending requirements that applicants submit SAT or ACT scores—joining hundreds...
Commons Speaker series event – Community-wide Clean Energy Programs
COMMUNITY-WIDE CLEAN ENERGY PROGRAMS HOSTED BY SUE HUGHES-SMITH Commons Speaker series ROCHESTER, N.Y. (January 12, 2021) — Join us for our next Commons Speaker series event - Community-wide Clean Energy Programs hosted by Sue Hughes-Smith, Tuesday, January 26, 6:30 –...
Commons Speaker series event – “Political Engagement” with Charly Carter ’82, founder of Step Up Maryland
POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT HOSTED BY CHARLY CARTER '82, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STEP UP MARYLAND Commons Speaker series ROCHESTER, N.Y. (December 8, 2020) — Join us for our next Commons Speaker series event - Political Engagement hosted by Carly Carter '82,...
Full Recording of “Antiracism: Moving America Toward Democracy” presented by Bruce A. Jacobs
For those who missed it live, or would like to watch again, here is the full recording of our Commons Speaker Series event, "Antiracism: Moving America Toward Democracy" presented by Bruce A. Jacobs. About Bruce A. Jacobs: As an author and advocate, Bruce A. Jacobs...
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...
Commons Speaker series event – “Antiracism: Moving America Toward Democracy” presented by Bruce A. Jacobs
ANTIRACISM: MOVING AMERICA TOWARD DEMOCRACY PRESENTED BY BRUCE A. JACOBS Commons Speaker series ROCHESTER, N.Y. (July 20, 2020) — Join us for our next Commons Speaker series event - Antiracism: Moving America Toward Democracy presented by Bruce A. Jacobs. Wednesday,...
New Member of the New Health Advisory Board
THE HARLEY SCHOOL ANNOUNCES, DAVID GARRISON, M.D., NEWEST MEMBER OF THE HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD Board Members Will Advise School Leadership on Steps to Ensure Health of School Community ROCHESTER, N.Y. (July 20, 2020) — Today, The Harley School announced the appointment...
Members of the New Health Advisory Board
THE HARLEY SCHOOL ANNOUNCES MEMBERS OF NEW HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD Board Members Will Advise School Leadership on Steps to Ensure Health of School Community ROCHESTER, N.Y. (May 13, 2020) — Today, The Harley School announced the appointment of five members to the...
Head of School Email – April 5, 2020
Dear Harley alumni, friends, and past parents, I am writing to stay in touch as Harley responds to the COVID-19 crisis. We made the decision to close the school and move to remote learning last Saturday, March 14th, and at this moment we're unsure when we will re-open...
Larry’s The Weekly – April 24, 2020
“This is your Monday morning reminder that you are amazing and you can handle anything!” Thus began Dr. Jones’ Morning Meeting message to the students of the Middle School a few days ago. Each of the three divisions, and in the Lower School the teachers, host Morning...
Larry’s The Weekly – April 17, 2020
Happy Friday! I’m hoping to write an end-of-the-week note to all of you from here out. The coronavirus madness has us adjusting in every imaginable way, and I miss chatting with you as you drop off your children in the morning, or bumping into you in the Gallery....
Head of School Email – March 30, 2020
Hello everyone, As everything from classes to socializing has moved online, I wanted to point to several new resources we now have available for you. Everything in One Place: Harley at Home This page holds links to all of our resources, community sharing, COVID-19...
Head of School Email – March 29, 2020
Dear Harley students and parents, I hope this note finds you well and adjusting to our new circumstances. Some of you have been in touch with different teachers and admins wondering if Harley will be moving forward with a traditional Spring Break, or if there might...
COVID-19 – 3/14/20
Dear Harley families, Thank you for being patient as we navigate this unprecedented health crisis in our community and in our world. There is so much uncertainty—and the situation is so fluid—that things are changing hour by hour. Earlier today we sent out an...
COVID-19 – 3/12/20
Dear Harley community, We are going through something we’ve never quite seen before—as a school, a community, a world. It’s all moving incredibly fast: colleges and universities closing, events being cancelled, and last night we came to learn of our first confirmed...
Head of School Email – April 5, 2020
Dear Harley Community members, Harley Commons School starts tomorrow morning! There are some 60 different events planned, with a few more to come. Please take a moment to check out this intro video with Seth O'Bryan and his daughter Nora '34: Harley Commons School...
The Harley School’s Microfarm: Student-led Redesign
The Capstone Program offers Harley seniors an experience typically reserved for college or graduate school students. In the spirit of our school motto, Become What Thou Art, the Capstone Program provides students with an opportunity to pursue an untapped talent or explore a subject they’re passionate about, under the guidance of a faculty advisor.
Solar Chimneys: An Independent Study Project
Independent study classes in Harley’s Upper School allow students to dig deep into subjects that interest them. Two of our students are working to automate our solar chimneys. A project involving coding, math, science, and more.
Terry Smith – Lower School Communications
Meet Molly Matz, Making Students Active Partners in Their Education at The Harley School
Molly is a dual-certified general and special education teacher with a background in elementary education. Her journey into teaching started with a childhood affinity for playing the role of a teacher. Homeschooled until college, Molly's interest in teaching...
Developing Young Writers: Finding Their Voices, Sharing Their Stories
By Meredith Cavallero, Primary teacher At The Harley School, our educators are constantly seeking innovative ways to nurture young minds. At the heart of this endeavor is the development of classroom routines that foster creativity, expression, and communication. One...
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...
Grade 4: Punkin’ Chunkin’, STEAM in Action
Developed four years ago, the project culminates in an outdoor (weather permitting) test launch where students take turns hurling pumpkins into mid-air and cheering one another on.
Our Student Mental Health and Wellness Approach
One of the most significant changes in schools in the past ten years has been an increased awareness of student mental health and wellness needs. Harley has long endeavored to promote student wellness, and in the past several years, we have worked to have a more...
Teaching Applied Empathy to Our Children
by Beth Bailey An interview with Lower School counselor, Shelli Reetz There are several types of empathy: emotional empathy, when you feel an emotional pull; cognitive empathy, when you think about how someone might feel; and applied empathy, acting in a compassionate...
Hassan Jones – Middle School Communications
Bringing Shakespeare to Life: A Middle School Banquet with Macbeth
Every year, Mrs. McKee's English class takes a unique approach to Act III, Scene IV of Macbeth—the infamous banquet scene. To truly immerse students in the drama and significance of the scene, Mrs. McKee transforms the classroom into a full-fledged banquet! This year,...
Mike Kaupa Jazzes Up Spain: A Musical Sojourn
In a musical expedition to Spain last February, acclaimed Jazz Trumpet player Mike Kaupa took center stage as the guest soloist with the Conservatorio Superior de Musica de Navarra (CSMN) in Pamplona. Demonstrating his expertise, Kaupa conducted multiple master...
How Education Will Thrive and Survive After COVID-19
By Lydia Okutoro-Seck, Head of Middle School, at The Harley School in Rochester, NY. This article originally appeared in the Rochester Business Journal. This past year presented some of the greatest educational challenges endured by students, teachers, and parents...
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...
Pi Day: Middle School Math (Both Fun and Delicious)
By Lee Allen, Grade 5 and 6 Mathematics Teacher Each year on March 14th (in other words, 3/14!), grade 6 students at The Harley School celebrate Pi Day. This event originated over 20 years ago because I thought it would be fun for the kids to learn about...
Mindfulness and Recess Make A Difference
By Hassan Jones, Head of Middle School “In today’s rush, we all think too much — seek too much — want too much — and forget about the joy of just being” (Eckhart Tolle). The bell rang and the students spilled out into the hallway skipping and moving joyfully to their...
Kim McDowell – Upper School Communications
Lizzy’s Reflections: A Grade 12 Student’s Take on The Harley School
As Lizzy T., a Grade 12 student at The Harley School, takes a nostalgic glance back at her educational journey that began in kindergarten; she reflects on the unique benefits of attending an N-12 school. Lizzy shares fond memories of connecting with older students,...
Mike Kaupa Jazzes Up Spain: A Musical Sojourn
In a musical expedition to Spain last February, acclaimed Jazz Trumpet player Mike Kaupa took center stage as the guest soloist with the Conservatorio Superior de Musica de Navarra (CSMN) in Pamplona. Demonstrating his expertise, Kaupa conducted multiple master...
Celebrating the Spirit of Exploration and Discovery—Meet Upper School Physics Teacher, Dr. Rob Selkowitz
This year The Harley School welcomed Dr. Rob Selkowitz to our Upper School, where he guides students through the fascinating realm of Physics. With a wealth of experience and a deep-rooted enthusiasm for teaching, Dr. Selkowitz brings a unique blend of academic depth...
“The Why” Harley Student Explores Running Through Film
Eva Nielsen is a 2023 Harley School alumna who was empowered to pursue her passions for running and filmmaking during her Grade 12 Capstone project. As a runner, Eva was curious about the reasons behind why people ran, particularly long-distance and marathon runners....
“Rochester Speaks” on WARM 101.3: Guest Emily Cady, college counseling at Harley
One of The Harley School's college counselors, Emily Cady, was a recent guest on WARM 101.3 radio's "Rochester Speaks" show. She shares tips for families and talks about the process and the journey of discovery that oftern unfolds along the way. Listen...
What happens to the Harley bees in the winter?
Photos and writing provided by Lisa Barker, Food and Farm Coordinator With the winter almost officially upon us, I’m sure at least some of you are wondering: What exactly happens to the bees in the winter? The answer varies somewhat depending on the region and the...
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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.
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.
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