For nearly 30 years, the Harmony School, a K-12 private school in Bloomington, Indiana, has worked to “sensitize young people to the delicate balance between individual growth and community responsibility.” As a result, Harmony is an exemplary learning community with experiences from which both public and private schools can learn.

Harmony's emphasis on building community is reflected in the school's schedule, which provides time for two-hour Family Meetings on Fridays. Chaired and scribed by the students themselves, the Family Meetings allow the entire Harmony community to discuss a wide range of issues, from developing new school policies, to reviewing achievements (both academic and social/emotional), to interviewing and selecting new teachers. Harmony is also one of fourteen schools in Indiana and Vermont exploring how to have high school students become more engaged in antipoverty activism as a part of their school's curriculum. 

Striving to inculcate the moral courage of individuals like Martin Luther King, the Harmony community is especially excited to begin working more directly to extend the promise of freedom more fairly and fully to each and every citizen. As school principal Steve Bonchek said, “one of Dr. King's favorite expressions was ‘A child shall lead them.' At Harmony, we recognize young people's ability to make significant contributions to society, and to inspire adults to do the same.”

To learn more about Harmony High School, visit their website: