Harley’s Approach to College Counseling
“Club Rush” is an afternoon every fall in the Upper School when students have the chance to sign up for clubs for the year, and each year it is very different because new clubs are created based on student initiative and enthusiasm.
Each and every year, students at The Harley School participate in HAC Athletics, and their success continues to be impressive, both as students and athletes. Our athletic program is an integral part of Harley, teaching student-athletes invaluable lessons about teamwork, time management, persistence, and competition. Our program allows them to develop physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally as they represent their school on and off the field. They grow, mature, and work hard to be the best teammate they can, while creating lifelong memories with teammates who often remain friends for life. 
Our Upper School is filled with formal and informal opportunities for students to take on leadership roles. Whether following passions or learning new skills, student-driven opportunities take many shapes.
Unlike this class, death is not an elective. Although it is one of two universal human experiences, our culture often ignores, denies, or misconstrues the true nature of death and dying. What happens when we bear witness to this natural process in the cycle of life and develop our ability to be fully present with others when they need us more than ever? It has the potential to change us deeply and fundamentally while shining a brilliant light on the path of our own lives.
This program utilizes environmentally-focused approaches to education and hands-on learning in order to foster the next generation of leaders through a lens of sustainability and problem-solving.
At Harley, our students learn how to evaluate social systems in order to identify complex problems in society through a lens of social justice. They take a hands-on approach to working for a fair, equitable society by researching, exploring and evaluating different perspectives, and offering solutions—both theoretical and practical.
Students may create independent studies with supervising teachers throughout their Upper School experience or, during Grade 12, they can design Capstone projects—intensive collaborations with Harley faculty and off-campus mentors—involving rigorous academic study and culminating in public presentations. 
Harley’s Head of School Search
The Harley School, Nursery-Grade 12 college preparatory, independent day school in Rochester, New York, seeks an entrepreneurial, community-centered, and visionary catalyst to serve as its next Head of School.
DRG Talent produced a Position Statement based on the feedback from their campus visits, Zoom meetings, and community survey. DRG Talent will use the Position Statement to actively recruit candidates.
Our Search Committee
Ted Townsend
Board President, ’98, P ’32, P ’33
Dena Levy
Trustee, Committee Co-Chair, P ’24
Chrissy Bennett West
Trustee, Committee Co-Chair, P ’30
Allis “Allie” D’Amanda Sacks
Trustee, ’03, P ’35
Jeffrey Alexis
Trustee, P ’20, P ’23, P ’27
Jonathan Ntheketha
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director, Title IX Coordinator, P ’29, P ’31
Dave O’Brien
Upper School Faculty, P ’19
Betsy Wilcox
Lower School Faculty, ’01, P ’34
Karen Saludo
Senior Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations, P ’27
Our Search Committee
Ted Townsend
Board President, ’98, P ’32, P ’33
Dena Levy
Trustee Committee Co-Chair, P ’24
Chrissy Bennett West
Trustee, Committee Co-Chair, P ’30
Allis “Allie” D’Amanda Sacks
Trustee, ’03, P ’35
Jeffrey Alexis
Trustee, P ’20, P ’23, P ’27
Jonathan Ntheketha
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director, Title IX Coordinator, P ’29, P ’31
Dave O’Brien
Upper School Faculty, P ’19
Karen Saludo
Senior Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations, P ’27
Betsy Wilcox
Lower School Faculty, ’01, P ’34
About the Search
The Harley School’s Board of Trustees is leading a national search to identify the next Head of School. This effort is being led by a search committee of Board members, students, faculty, alumni, and administration that is supported by DRG Talent.
DRG Talent connects non-profit organizations with exceptional leaders and talent through personalized executive search and strategic consulting.
Our consultant team:
Andrew Watson – lead consultant
Jennifer Fleischer – consultant
Marc Prine – Organizational Psychologist
Omar Lopez – DEI Support
Cynithia Westbrook – Research Associate
Bee Smith – Research & Outreach Associate
Estimated Timeline
- March: The search consultants will visit our campus to speak with multiple stakeholders. A survey will also be sent to the community for additional feedback.
- Spring: The Opportunity Statement will be posted and publicized.
- Summer: The search committee will review applications and select semifinalists. The search committee will interview semifinalists, and select finalists to visit Harley when school resumes.
- Fall: The finalists will visit Harley and be interviewed by the search committee with the goal of announcing the new Head of School in early fall.
Estimated Timeline
The search consultants will visit our campus to speak with multiple stakeholders. A survey will also be sent to the community for additional feedback.
The Opportunity Statement will be posted and publicized.
The search committee will review applications and select semifinalists. The search committee will interview semifinalists, and select finalists to visit Harley when school resumes.
The finalists will visit Harley and be interviewed by the search committee with the goal of announcing the new Head of School in early fall.
Communications
Message from the Search Co-Chairs
October 7,2024: Candidate 3 Materials and Schedule
October 5, 2024: Candidate 2 Materials and Schedule
Spetember 30, 2024: Candidate 1 Materials and Schedule
September 25, 2024: Candidate Visit Schedules
September 6, 2024: Update Email
April 23, 2024: Position Statement Released
April 4, 2024: Discovery Process Update
March 21, 2024: Discovery Survey
March 19, 2024: Discover Phase, Live
March 3, 2024: Save the Date and Intro Search Committee
About The Harley School
At Harley, we envision a thriving environment in which we all become our truest and best selves. Our values, both in school and beyond, are community, academic excellence, joy in learning, wellness, and sustainability.
We believe children are innately curious about the world and joyfully engaged in it. We value the spirit of exploration and collaboration in their drive to solve problems, both big and small. Our faculty cultivate an environment of academic exploration, where taking risks, making mistakes, and engaging in constructive discourse are integral to intellectual growth. We encourage compassionate connection within a diverse community, where each individual is valued and supported to reach their full potential.
We support the habits of physical and mental well-being through social-emotional learning (SEL), mindfulness, and athletics. Our priority is preparing the mind and body to allow for positive, interconnected impacts on one’s health and overall well-being.
We advocate for a sustainable future—and believe sustainability encompasses the interdependence of the environment, the community, and the economy on both macro and micro levels. This essential framework drives curriculum and community decision-making in ways that allow us to care for the planet and each other.
Harley is a college-preparatory school, and we have an extraordinary record of college admissions. However, our goals also include nurturing students’ strengths and helping them reach their full potential.
The Harley program is highly personalized, which allows classes to be student-centered and inquiry-based, an approach which can’t be replicated in large sections or within the limitations of the Common Core. Harley’s breadth of educational opportunities provides an environment for innovation, creativity, and scholarly pursuits that set the stage for student contributions to the greater good while, as our motto states, they “Become What Thou Art.”
We invite you to learn more about us and our community.
About Rochester
Rochester, NY, offers the perfect blend of urban excitement and small-town charm, with a thriving cultural scene boasting world-class museums, a vibrant music scene, and a delicious local food scene all in an affordable area. Whether you’re looking to continue your career in a city with a rich history of innovation and a booming tech sector, fueled by top-ranked universities like the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology, or you’re seeking a nurturing environment to raise your family with excellent schools, safe neighborhoods, and a wealth of family-friendly activities, Rochester provides the perfect balance. Experience all this vibrant city has to offer, from cultural attractions to scenic outdoor adventures, and become part of a strong, welcoming community.
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