A Broad and Integrated Program

In a school rich with tradition, Harbor Country Day's teachers use techniques both innovative and time-tested. 

Our curricular and co-curricular programs are designed to give students of every age the skills, the knowledge and the tools that they need to thrive in whichever school they and their families choose after graduating from Harbor.  Many of our students graduate a year or more above grade level; more importantly, they are confident in their ability to participate and to lead.

All students, Pre-Kindergarten and up, study foreign language.  All students learn to use technology, and with a lab filled with iMacs, and with MacBooks available for classroom use, they integrate technology within their day-to-day lessons. Writing is a very important part of the curriculum, with an emphasis on developing the writing process across disciplines. All students expand their horizons by studying music and art.

We think of our newly refurbished library as the soul and the academic hub of the school.  All students use the library, and Lower School students have regular library periods in which they learn research techniques, both on-line and traditional, by seeking books in our own collection and using our automated system to seek books in other nearby libraries.

A hallmark of the Harbor program is our practice of differentiation, a classroom teaching technique that uses constant, thoughtful assessment to attend to all students' learning needs effectively and efficiently. Differentiation provides tools to support different students and groups of students as they develop understanding, knowledge and skills according to their readiness, interests and learning profiles. Through this responsive teaching style, all Harbor students can be successful, even when faced with the academic challenge of Harbor's rigorous curriculum.

Harbor uses a six-day approach to scheduling; instead of Monday through Friday, we have Day A through Day F.  This approach allows a more flexible use of time, making possible longer classes as well as special electives.

Finally, we emphasize the importance of community service, both within the school and in the larger community.

Family, Friends, Futures

The phrase Family, Friends, Futures nicely sums up the aims of education at Harbor and the feeling of the school.

Family - Education at Harbor is a partnership between families and the school. Upon entering Tulip Knoll, students and visitors alike immediately feel like family.

Friends - Friendship reflects both a child's comfort in his or her social setting and the friendly yet respectful relationship that binds the teachers and the students.

Futures - While at every stage of a Harbor education we are helping each child to realize his or her best self, we are also looking toward each child's most appropriate future, providing a challenging curriculum that will prepare our students exceptionally well for any secondary school they choose.

Subsequent pages in this section of our website provide more detailed information about our program.