A Holiday Reflection from the Head of School + a slideshow

Dear Friends,

As we get ready to break for the holidays, I’ve been reflecting on what makes Harlem Academy so special. How it’s not just a school, but a tight-knit, extended family of students, families, faculty, alumni, and supporters who show up for one another in big and small ways every single day. 

This fall, I’ve seen our mission come to life in countless moments: in classrooms where authentic challenge is possible because students are deeply known and in hallways where quick check-ins turn into guiding encouragement. Just as importantly, I see it in the way parents show up for evening meetings to help build school culture and take home curriculum details to use in peppering their children with questions at the dinner table. I see it in the steady behind-the-scenes work of the team members who keep our community running with care, and in the way volunteers bring the same commitment to excellence into mentoring, committee work, and all forms of collaboration. Harlem Academy is the place it is because each person brings something essential. 

One of the joys of this season has been pausing to celebrate, from Friendsgiving last month, to our staff party last week, to the joyful toasts from parents and program leaders at this week’s Family Connection Meeting. I’m reminded that our relationships fuel what’s possible here. 

I’m proud to share photos from this fall that capture the heart of Harlem Academy: pride after a hard-won chess game, laughter in the play yard, the joy of reading, and the quiet growth that happens when a child realizes, “I can do this.” Watching it, I’m struck by how one of my favorite lines of the Creed has been brought to life throughout the season: “I make the most of each day.”