The Harley School

Founded in 1917 by Harriet Bentley, The Harley School was first called “The Children’s University School of Rochester.” The name Harley comes from the first three letters of her first name and the last three letters of her last name.

John H. Niemeyer was headmaster at the school prior to becoming president of Bank Street College of Education.[1]

The school is located in the suburb of Brighton. The 25-acre (10 ha) campus is composed of a main building housing all divisions, an athletic center known as the Fieldhouse, and The Commons.[2] The grounds hold two soccer fields, baseball/softball fields, indoor/outdoor tennis courts, a playground for Lower School students, an aquatic center with an adjacent fitness room (established in 2019),[3] and an outdoor area for Middle School students. The grounds are bordered by Allens Creek business park on one side.

A distinctive element of the building is the arts wing with studios for each division including spaces for glassblowing and pottery.

The Commons, opened in 2014,[4] is a 15,000-square-foot structure earning its status as a “living building” because it generates its own energy, heats and cools with renewable nontoxic resources, captures and utilizes water and carbon in its greenhouse, and operates efficiently using students as the “brains” or controls for managing its operations. Also housed in The Commons are the Briggs Center for Civic Engagement, Center for Mindfulness and Empathy Education (CMEE), a design lab and maker space, and the Middle School Science Center. Students of all ages use The Commons and it functions as the hub of Harley's STEM education.

The average class size is 8 students and 62% of the faculty hold advanced degrees. The faculty averages 12 years of teaching experience. In 2016, five students gained National Merits status. Classes are taught in the traditional fields of history, English, mathematics, science, and foreign languages. All students are required to take three years of a foreign language before graduating. For foreign language requirements, Spanish, French, and Latin may be taken by students. The school offers many electives, including podcasting, glassblowing, writer's workshop, drawing and painting, ceramics, Ancient Greek, photography, a training kitchen and many others. Harley prides itself on its unique Hospice program, an elective exclusive to seniors that tackles the difficulties of death and provides students hands on experience in a hospice environment. [5]

In May 2018, 98 Upper School students took 197 Advanced Placement examinations; 85% scored 3 or better. Harley's 2019 students averaged 0.74 points higher than the national average (1-5 AP Scale) across all AP exams offered.

The school has about 500 students in grades Pre-K through Grade 12. Students come from 33 different school districts, make up a student body with 32% ethnic diversity, and 50% are on some level of financial aid. The school has 100% graduation and 100% of students gain 4-year college acceptance.[6]

All students at The Harley School participate in community service. Headed by faculty member Sybil Prince, the hospice program allows students the opportunity to offer palliative care both locally and as far away as Belize and India.[7][8] Harley is also home to the Horizons program, a six-week summer enrichment program for urban children of limited financial means in grades 1–8. Initiated in 1995 with 24 students, the Horizons program has grown to an enrollment of 107 in 2008.[9]

The Harley School maintains many traditions, such as its annual Candlelight Pan-Religious ceremony, and May Day, when school is dismissed early to allow students to interact outdoors. Other important traditions include the Halloween Parade, the Holiday Feast, the Scottish Exchange program, Lower School Pageant, the 2nd grade overnight, and the acorn ceremony. Most recently, the student body with assistance from the White Key Club, has spearheaded a campaign to begin building houses for Habitat for Humanity.

The school has a considerable number of clubs, especially in the Upper School. Prominent clubs include: Swing club, Environmental Club, Forensics Team, Robotics Team, Ski Club, Student Council, Commons Student Council, Diversity Round Table, MOGII (the school's LGBTQIA+ club), Ultimate Frisbee, and Wolf Pack.

• Eric G. Blackman
• Jonathan Caulkins
• Andrew Rea, of Binging with Babish
• Emilio Rojas, rapper
• Rob Sands
• Richard Sands
• Kenneth Schwartz
• Magnus Sheffield
• Will Widger

• Official website
• Corcoran, Patricia. "THE LEGACY OF HARRIET BENTLEY (1885-1918), FOUNDER OF THE HARLEY SCHOOL." Epitaph 22, no. 1 (2003): 1–5.
• The Harley School (Wellness Center Addition)

43°7′12″N 77°32′57″W