Mission & Core Values
The Harley School MissionWe are a diverse, inclusive school. We provide a balanced education that prepares our students to meet the challenges of tomorrow and lead lives of great purpose.
We inspire academic excellence.We foster joy in learning in both the arts and the sciences.We promote physical and mental fitness.We show how to care for the world and other people.We empower our students to become confident, lifelong learners.
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.
Commitment to Diversity
The Harley School believes that 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.The Harley School’s curriculum, from Nursery (age 3) through the Grade 12, reflects a global perspective and diversity of cultures, backgrounds, and traditions. Many of our students also actively develop the skills of empathy, appreciation, and collaborative problem-solving by participating in community service and service learning initiatives, such as Horizons at Harley, and our unique Hospice Corps and Senior hospice trips to South Africa, Calcutta, and Belize.Harley students have exhibited a commitment to caring for others both locally and internationally. Recent student-led initiatives include Water for South Sudan, which raised over $15,000 to build a well that brings clean water to an impoverished Sudanese village.
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.