Good Detective Work, Grade 4!

From Amy Guiffrida, Lower School Literature and Project Based Learning teacher:

Lower school literature students take part in the Global Read Aloud every year. This year, Grade 4 students participated in a “mystery Skype” with another fourth grade classroom somewhere in the world. Students asked each other questions to get clues about where each class lived. Students used the clues to look at maps and do other research to figure out the mystery state and city. After they accomplished that task then they had a conversation about the book “Front Desk” by Kelly Yang, which both classes are reading as part of the Global Read Aloud.  

Our mystery school was located in Florence, Kentucky.

Pictured: Harley was tagged in Instagram by Yealey Elementary School. If you look on the small screen you can see our Grade 4 students.

Curious Minds, Math Is Calling for You

The Rochester Math Circle is back at Harley for another year! This is a series of free discussions and interactive problem solving sessions offered in partnership with faculty members from local universities. The target audience is Rochester-area middle and high school students with an interest in mathematical topics beyond the school curriculum. This is a great opportunity to meet our volunteer college professors in a small setting! 

Next up: “Sisyphus, Josephus, Coffee Cups, and other Mathematical Recreations” with Dr. Matthew Coppenbarger, RIT, on Tuesday, October 29, 6:30-8pm. Free and open to the public, healthy snacks are provided.

Pictured: “Mathematical Proofs: What They Are/Why We Need Them” presented by Dr. Ivona Bezakova, RIT

If You Build It, They Will Come

‘Tis a mighty crew already behind the scenes, building sets for the Upper School’s production of “Good Kids.” This year’s fall production is being performed black box style, up close and inimate with the small audience seated right on stage. The play was originally performed at the University of Michigan as part of the Big Ten Theatre Consortium’s New Play Initiative, which commissions a female playwright to write a new piece each year for 10 years.

The play is being performed at Harley November 7-9.

Pictured: Harley parent ‘19, JD Dennis, his son and helper, Eli, and Ella J., a new Harley Grade 9 student.

Mixing It Up at Lunch in Middle School

This year our Middle School participated in Mix It Up at Lunch. This national non-profit has a simple call to action: sit next to someone new in the cafeteria to bridge differences and build important skills. 

Middle School leadership committee members organized the tables and shared the plan at Middle School’s monday morning meeting. You never know, perhaps the seeds of new friendships were planted. 

There’s Always Time for a Mindful Moment

We really do practice what we preach. Grade 3 teacher, David Youngblut, held a spontaneous mindful moment with a few of his students near the Lower School library.

By focusing on what is happening in a given moment, students learn to calm themselves, recharge, and take time to pay attention to their body’s signals. These are invaluable skills to carry throughout life and by practicing at school, the skills become a habit.

Dang Those Seniors for Making Us Verklempt

HAC athletics has many traditions but one that is sure to bring forth the tears is senior night. 

Teams honor their Grade 12 players by recognizing them for their leadership and sportsmanship with heartfelt words of celebration by their younger teammates and coaches. 

Seniors, if your parents told you they didn’t cry during these presentations they are lying!

Pictured: HAC Varsity tennis and the fine flowers presented by their coaches.

What’s the Weather, Grade 2?

As part of their studies about weather, Grade 2 took to the fieldhouse to discover what happens to air when it is heated. Much like a hot air balloon, their science experiment is going up!