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Our Values

We’re a school like no other. Come explore.

Who We Are

A message from Kathryn Kaiser,
Transitional Head of 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.

Grandparent and Special Friends Day is a beloved annual  tradition at Harley

Leadership

The Head of School, Administration & Board of Trustees

The Head of School is supported by a dedicated administrative team. The board and administration work together to advance Harley’s mission, provide organizational oversight, and set policy.

Harley’s board of trustees provides strategic leadership by enlisting its members’ talents, expertise, and commitment to the school in areas of governance, finance, enrollment, diversity, and philanthropy.

Meet Our Board of Trustees

Meet Our Faculty and Staff

Our Mission

Vision: We envision a thriving world in which we all become our truest and best selves.

Mission: We are a diverse, inclusive community of learners rooted in empathy, strengthened by challenge and exploration, and emboldened to act with care for each other and the world.

Values: Joy in Learning, Diverse Community, Academic Excellence, Mental and, Physical Wellness, Sustainability

Commitment to Diversity

The Harley School believes diversity enriches all groups or communities, and the individuals that are a part of them. Diversity of race, ethnicity, geographical origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, familial or economic status, etc., forms the fabric of our society. The Harley School seeks out students, families, and employees who value and contribute to the diversity of our institution and community.

Harley's Diversity Mission

In the Characteristics of a Harley Graduate, a faculty-driven aspirational document that guides our decision-making and vision, we say we  seek to cultivate A civic person…a pluralist (globally aware, tolerant, appreciative of difference); a respectful steward of community and  environment; and a compassionate individual who knows what it means to take care of another human being. A commitment to pluralism and  empathy, then, is integral to the mission and purpose of the school. We see a pluralistic and empathetic outlook as a core “outcome” for our  students. 

Toward that end, we seek to be a diverse community in which diversity in all its forms is cherished and freely explored. We do so in academic  contexts, choosing as readings and projects work that supports this goal; we do so in community contexts, cultivating mutual understanding  and respect among our students and a sense of responsibility to the broader community; we do so in social contexts, developing the skills of  empathy, appreciation, and collaborative problem-solving; we do so in admissions, financial aid, and hiring, as we invite underrepresented  populations to join our community; and we do so in all of our everyday decision-making. 

We further commit to regular self-assessment of our diversity mission and the effectiveness of our ongoing efforts to live up to these  aspirations.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Acceptance of differences. Respect for others. Self-respect. These are the pillars of a Harley education. The following principles are taught and practiced from Nursery to graduation.

  • I have the right to have the respect of others. I have the responsibility to respect others.
  • I have the right to feel safe. I have the responsibility to help others feel safe.
  • I have the right to an atmosphere that promotes learning. I have the responsibility to promote learning through my preparation and participation.
  • I have the right to have my property respected. I have the responsibility to respect the property of others.
  • I have the right to expect the best of others. I have the responsibility to be my personal best.

Average SAT Score

Average Composite ACT Scores '20-'22

Sq. ft. Sustainable Living Building

Different Sports Teams

1317

Average SAT Score

29

Average Composite ACT Scores '20-'22

15000

Sq. ft. Sustainable Living Building

18

Different Sports Teams

More facts about Harley

Non-Discrimination Policy

The School admits students of any race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and national or ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, staff hiring practices, and athletic or other School-administered programs.

Our Financials

Click for an audited balance sheet of the previous five years.

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The Harley School

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

enrollment@harleyschool.org

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