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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...

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COVID-19 – 3/7/20

Dear Harley community,   We’ve been doing quite a bit of work making plans should the coronavirus come our way, hoping—of course—that...

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COVID-19 – 3/3/20

Dear Harley community, The coronavirus (COVID-19) has made its way to the United States; in New York State a case has been confirmed in...

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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 emergency note that, based on Country Executive Adam Bello’s statement that all public schools in the area are closing Monday to students, The Harley School will be closed as well until further notice.

Our professional development day for faculty, originally scheduled for Monday, is now moving to Tuesday, March 17. Monday and Tuesday will be considered “snow days” for students, as teachers finalize preparations; beginning Wednesday morning we will have a phased-in approach to learning activities. N-4 will be sending suggested learning activities home via email. All other grades will begin to have contact, via Schoology, from their teachers at some point Wednesday-Friday; we expect outreach on Wednesday, with educational activities to begin on Thursday, and we’ll continue to ramp up over time.

The next few days are the time to:

  • Check that your student has a good and well-organized space in the home in which to work

  • Determine an organization system on their computer (folders on the desktop by subject, perhaps?) and off of their computers as well

  • Make sure their supplies are at the ready (pencils, paper, books, etc.)

  • Complete any work-in-progress that they have already been assigned

  • Test internet access, logins, and the like

  • Make sure you have adequate bandwidth if everyone is online at once (Harley will have some ability to help with tech—more on that to come)

While we ramp up this coming week, next week (the week beginning March 23) we expect interactive classes to begin. More details will follow from your division next week with information about the daily schedule, logins, and more. Though we have done a great deal of work and planning at school, and we think we’re close to ready, we have to accept that it will take a little time to work out the kinks.

School will be open on Monday for pick up of any needed student materials:

  • Last name A-G: 8:30-10am

  • Last name H-N: 10:30am-12pm

  • Last name O-Z: 12:30-2:00pm

(If these times cannot work for you, please be in touch with your division assistant.)

NOTE: This is for adults only. No students can be allowed in the building for the time being. Make sure you have locker combinations, etc. that you will need to retrieve any items. Division heads and assistants will be in to help.

More information will be shared as it develops. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have additional questions.

Please be sure to find ways to cherish family time, even as work continues for many of us. Just as we are practicing social distancing, warmth and support for our children becomes ever more important. Even at a distance, our students will benefit from working with their caring teachers. As your children share what they are thinking and feeling, remember you can find helpful resources on our Information Hub.

This is a new frontier for all of us. School will look different; it will feel different.  We will all be giving our very best in the grand tradition and spirit of Harley. This community is strong, connected, caring, and smart; as our friend and Director of Admissions Kirsten Allen Reader ’90 likes to say, “We can do hard things.” Let’s do it.

Yours,

Larry

Recent Posts

COVID-19 – 3/14/20

COVID-19 – 3/12/20

COVID-19 – 3/7/20

COVID-19 – 3/3/20

 

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The Harley School

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

©2023 The Harley School

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

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.

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

Academics

Key Programming

Enrollment

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