Trips are a very important part of our curriculum across the programs.  We believe that they:

• broaden and enrich the curriculum by showing that learning does not just take place inside of a classroom.
• teach students important planning skills as they work on budgets and itineraries.
•  provide the students with common experiences that give them a sense of cohesion.
• allow students to branch out and make new friends outside of their daily routine.
• give students a broader perspective than simply that of southern Indiana.
• let students explore living away from their families within a controlled environment.
• are worth all of the hard work that students, teachers, and chaperones put into them.

McCormick’s Creek

The school year begins with a 3-day and 2-night trip to McCormick’s Creek State Park for fifth graders through high schoolers. The younger students visit during the day. This is an opportunity to meet new students and help them assimilate into the community. It also allows returning students a chance to get reacquainted with each other and ease back into the school year in a relaxed manner. Many students bring their bikes and spend hours touring the park. All ages can engage in swimming, games in the clubhouse, preparing meals together, visits to the nature center, and an all-school Capture the Flag game the last evening. This is also a time to make choices for classes for the fall semester and get organized for the new school year.

Field trips are an integral part of many classes. Each program takes regular trips during the day to enrich the curriculum and take advantage of the wonderful resources that are available at Indiana University and in and around Bloomington. In an ecology class, students went to a local water treatment plant. In an afternoon music class, students learned about Hoagy Carmichael and then visited his grave to play “Heart and Soul” for him. During their Mysteries Theme the early childhood students went on a snapshot scavenger hunt around the neighborhood and solved a riddle at Cascades Park when they discovered the waterfall.

Other trips that were enjoyed by Harmony students in the past were:

• Cedar Bluffs for a biology field trip
• Muscatatuck River
• Jeff Hartenfeld’s flower farm
• Linda Lewis’ country home for a hay ride and picnic
• Trick or treating for UNICEF around Bloomington
• Brookville Reservoir for geology field trip
• Griffy Lake
• Glen Black lab
• Bryan Park
• Wyandotte Caves
• Indiana University Science Open House
• Feline Rescue Center
• Conner Prairie
• Indianapolis Children’s Museum
• Wonderlab
• Shelter Inc.
• Indiana Repertory Theater to see play, “Color of Justice”
• Hoosier Heights indoor climbing facility
• Monroe County Courthouse
• Bakehouse Bakery and Restaurant
• Frank Southern Ice Skating Rink
• Roller Skating Rink
• Indianapolis Youth Summit on Issues of Poverty
• New York City to the Anti-Globalization Rally and Education Forum

Each year Harmony School participates in special events that allow students and teachers from all the programs to interact with each other in meaningful ways and share important curricular experiences. Social Action Day occurs on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday every year. The other special events – Art day, Science/Math/Technology Day, Multicultural Day, Earth Day are annual events.

Graduation milestones are achieved through a combination of academic, social and community achievements.

Elementary School:

• demonstrating age-level achievement in language arts, math, science and social studies
• conducting a research project with a written and verbal presentation at the conclusion
• completing one week of volunteer work in the community

Middle School:

• earning credit in each of their core classes: math, language arts/social studies, and science
• earning a credit for social responsibility
• completing a semester-long graduation project

High School:

For more detailed information about Harmony High School’s graduation requirements, click here.

• Core Credits: Each student needs to have completed a total of 27 core academic credits (8 in Language Arts, 7 in Mathematics, 6 in Science, 6 in Social Studies, and 4 in Foreign Language)
• Social Dynamics: Each student must receive one Social Dynamics Credit for each year at Harmony. This is based on a set of 5 criteria designed by the students.
• Citizenship Vote: Each student needs to receive two citizenship votes (one their first semester, and one after they present their Senior Project). This vote is taken by the High School Family Meeting and asks: “Is this student a responsible, contributing member of the community with a sense of humor?”
• Senior Project: Each student needs to successfully complete and present their Senior Project. This project takes approximately one semester’s length (360 hours) to complete and culminates in a written and oral presentation for the whole High School.

Harmony’s graduates have gone on to attend some of the nation’s best and most innovative colleges and universities, including Columbia, U.C. Berkeley, Brown, Parsons, Earlham, Antioch, Hampshire, Indiana University, and Friends World College. On the California Achievement Test, Harmony students usually score one to three years above grade level. Harmony’s emphasis on lifelong learning, teamwork, and self-esteem gives those graduates entering the workforce the skills and attitudes necessary for success.