Programs

School Culture

Inspiring Excellence

Harlem Academy inspires excellence with a rigorous curriculum wrapped in a joyful and ethical school culture. We foster confidence by setting up real challenges, nurturing talent, and supporting students in meeting their individual goals. We work with focus and determination but take time to celebrate each other’s achievements and share in life’s special moments.

School Creed & Community Meetings

Character education at Harlem Academy is rooted in our School Creed and four community pillars: initiative, integrity, compassion, and determination. Students learn the Creed as kindergartners, carrying it with them as they grow. It serves as a foundation for reflection and improvement, a catalyst for discussion in advisory and community meetings, and a touchpoint for daily lessons across academic subjects.

Our weekly community meetings bring each division together to explore the Creed and pillars in meaningful ways. Meetings are anchored by a reading, story, or activity that emphasizes values and habits critical to students’ success. A cherished tradition during these meetings is the presentation of commendations, where teachers recognize a student’s action that exemplifies the pillars or demonstrates growth. This positive recognition reinforces our values and sets an example for other students. Community meetings also include recitations of our School Thanksgiving and Creed, guided mindfulness, and informal greetings.

As the oldest students in each division, second, fifth, and eighth-grade students have the opportunity to lead or help lead a community meeting, sharing a message about how the pillars and Creed can be put into action in their daily lives.

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Other Meaningful Traditions

Schoolwide

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  • Letters to Your Future Self

    At the end of kindergarten, each student writes a letter to their future graduating self, reflecting on their achievements and hopes for the future. They repeat this ritual every year, culminating in a powerful moment on graduation day when the head of school hands them a bulging envelope – a tangible testament to their growth, filled with years of memories, milestones, and dreams from their younger selves. 

  • Celebrations of Learning

    Celebrations of learning take place throughout the year as a chance for family members to share in the joy of learning and academic progress. These celebrations focus on skill development around presentation, offering repeated opportunities for students to step out of their comfort zones, make mistakes in a safe environment, and accomplish something they might not have realized they can do.

  • Halloween & Friendsgiving

    Our Halloween event allows students “trunk or treat,” show off their costumes, decorate pumpkins, and more! On Thanksgiving, students, parents, alumni, and volunteers join together for the chance to give back to our local community and share in a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.

  • Renaissance Day

    Black History Month culminates with Renaissance Day, featuring displays of Black leaders past and present, a middle school writing and art contest, and visits from inspiring professionals across different fields.

  • Field Day

    A day of friendly competition between orange and blue, even sometimes coming down to the final tug-of-war!

  • Moving Up Day

    On the last day of school, students spend time in next year’s classrooms with their new teachers and the new students who have been admitted to join their class. It’s not only a chance to make sure everyone is organized to complete their important summer work but also a window into the opportunities of the coming year.

Primary & Elementary (K-5)

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  • Celebrating Family

    On the Friday before Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, we invite moms, dads, and other cherished adults to school for a morning of treats, smiles, and gratitude.

  • Final Commendations

    At the last community meeting of the year, teachers offer each student a final commendation. Families are welcome to join us for these special meetings to celebrate the year’s growth and accomplishments.

Middle School (6-8)

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  • (Re)Explore NYC Trip

    Students design an daylong field trip within budget and time constraints that includes two boroughs, one landmark, one culture exhibit and a sampling of global cuisine. This project deepens social-emotional competencies as students collaborate to research, plan, and negotiate final decisions before they set out on the adventure they designed.

  • Wilderness Trip (PBC)

    Every fall, middle schoolers spend three days outdoors at a camp near the Delaware River. New and returning students bond as they hike, canoe, and tackle team-building challenges, stepping beyond comfort zones and forging lasting friendships.

Eighth Grade

List of 6 items.

  • Blazer Ceremony

    Early in the year, eighth graders receive their Harlem Academy blazers, symbolizing their leadership role both in school and beyond our walls.

  • Book Donation

    At the end of the year, eighth graders lift up our wonderful reading culture by selecting a personally meaningful book and presenting it to younger students during a community meeting. It is added to the school library with a bookplate, so future students know who donated it.

  • Dinner & Alumni Homecoming

    Graduates receive their final commendation over dinner, then welcome scores of returning alumni for an evening of connection and celebration.

  • Graduation Introductions

    Students’ final public speaking role happens at graduation when they take the podium to introduce a classmate and offer a thoughtful reflection on how they have exemplified the Creed and community pillars.

  • High School Week

    Our signature High School Week program challenges students to operate under high-school-style expectations: open campus, free periods, heavier coursework, and less support. It is a chance for students to reflect on challenges and develop strategies for success.

  • Leadership Trip to Washington, D.C.

    Eighth graders take a three-day journey filled with meetings with national leaders, visits to historic sites, and time with Harlem Academy alumni living in the capital.
Harlem Academy
655 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York, NY, 10030

P (212) 348-2600
F (212) 348-3500
info@harlemacademy.org

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Harlem Academy is an independent school (grades K-8) that drives equity of opportunity for promising students, guiding them to thrive at the highest academic levels and one day make a mark on the world.