Who We Are
Harrisburg Academy is an independent, coed, diverse school community that challenges and inspires students from preschool through 12th grade. As a regional resource in Central Pennsylvania, our school adds an exceptional choice to the educational fabric of the midstate region here in Carlisle-Harrisburg-Hershey.
We believe that by animating our core values, Harrisburg Academy prepares students to face the remarkable challenges of our global society.
Harrisburg Academy is the first school in the Harrisburg metropolitan area authorized by the prestigious International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to offer the IB Diploma Program. The Academy is only the second school in the midstate and the 14th in Pennsylvania to achieve this distinction.
Our Mission
Harrisburg Academy offers an academically challenging and globally minded liberal arts education that encourages each student to reach his or her full potential. In our commitment to excellence, we provide tools and teach skills that will prepare students to thrive and succeed in college and in their future endeavors.
School Spirit
• Colors: Blue and Gold
• Team Name: The Spartans
Our Faculty
Extraordinarily talented in their fields of expertise, our teachers are committed educators who encourage the academic success and well-being of each student.
Our teachers guide and inspire their students, making Harrisburg Academy a true community of learners. Lifelong learners themselves, our teachers and administrators enhance their expertise through ongoing professional development, which includes 12 in-service days each school year.
• Fourteen in-service days each school year
• Faculty with advanced degrees: 38%
• Faculty’s average teaching experience: 17 years
(10 years tenure at the Academy)
• Faculty (including part-time), staff and
administrators: 117
New Offerings in 2009-10
• Lower School: Junior Great Books and Lower
School Orchestra
• Middle School: Junior Great Books and Global
Ethics
• Upper School: IB Computer Science SL/HL, IB
Music SL/HL, IB Physics SL, IB Text & Performance
SL, Anatomy & Physiology and Twentieth Century
U.S. History through the Study of Popular Music
Student Body
• Enrollment for 2009-10: 420
• 29% of students represent ethnic or international
diversity
• 25% of students receive financial aid
• 115 international students from 26 countries have
studied at the Academy since fall 1989; current
international student enrollment is 10 students from
four countries in the Upper School
• Enrolled students represent seven counties and 28
school districts in the midstate; 12 school districts
provide daily transportation to/from the Academy
• Male/Female Ratio: approximately 50/50
although it varies by year and by grade
By the Numbers
• School-wide student to teacher ratio: 8:1
• Advanced Placement and IB courses: 17
• Arts: Visual arts, chorus, drama, instrumental music
(band and orchestra)
• Athletics: 11 competitive sports for middle and
upper school boys and girls (including co-op) and a
co-ed intramural/club sports program in two sports
for lower school students
• World languages: Spanish (JK-12), French (7-12),
and Latin (7-12)
• 170-175 school days per year, on average
• School day: 8 a.m. (start) with dismissal at 3 p.m.
(5th through 12th grade) or 2:50 p.m. (HATS
through 4th grade)
• 24-acre campus located about one mile west of the
Susquehanna River
College-Bound Graduates
• National Merit Scholars: On average,13% of
seniors are traditionally named National Merit
Finalist, Semifinalist, and/or Commended Scholar
• College Admission Record, past 15 years: 98% to
4-year colleges (395 students); 2% to 2-year
colleges (8 students)
• 100% of our seniors have reached their desired
level of post-graduate education
• Average SAT (as Juniors, past 5 years): 1227
• Average ACT: 27
• 5-year average SAT score (combined critical reading and math) = 1227
Technology
Harrisburg Academy integrates technology by offering wireless computing on our campus, as well as two computer labs, eight mobile laptop carts for our lower, middle and upper schools, and 26 interactive whiteboards, including one in each lower school classroom. Full MS Office and Adobe CS3 suites are available to students, as well as high-speed Internet access and email. Many school resources are available to students from home via our customized student web portal, including Netclassroom, which brings daily assignment details, grades, report cards and other useful information directly to our students and parents.
Governance
Harrisburg Academy is governed by a Board of Trustees composed of parents of present and former students, alumni, and community and business leaders.
Accreditation
• Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools
• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
• International Baccalaureate Organization
Memberships
• Association of Independent School Admission
Professionals
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development
• Association of Delaware Valley Independent
Schools
• Council on Standards for International Educational
Travel
• National Association for College Admission
Counseling
• National Association of Independent Schools
• National Business Officers Association
• National Honor Society
• Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools
• Pennsylvania Independent Athletics Association
• Susquehanna Independent Athletics Conference
• Tri-M National Music Honor Society
Non-Discrimination Policy
Harrisburg Academy accepts students without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin.
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