Dear Harbor Families,

Last week, we hosted an event for recent graduates of The Harbor School. On a Wednesday evening at 6 PM, after everyone had finished with the busy routines of their respective lives and schools, 25 of our graduates came back “home” to Harbor to gather and reconnect with each other and with their former teachers. Returning grads ranged from third grade to sixth grade, and we even invited our current grade two students to get to know more about life after Harbor from their older peers.

Some students came tearing into the gym, jumping right into easy conversations with former classmates and teachers, and other walked in more tentatively, glancing around for familiar faces and gradually settling in. Calvin was, of course, the center of attention for many, as were the pizza and cookies. The sense of community and connection in the room was palpable, so much that when it was time to make introductions, Andrea and I hesitated to interrupt.

Nevertheless, former students passed the mic and shared a bit about where they are now, along with a Harbor memory. The memories shared were as diverse as the schools they were attending. As each adolescent shared, it struck me how confident and comfortable they were in this large setting. I’d like to think that being leaders in second grade at Harbor had something to do with that! And the diversity of schools they mentioned illustrated just how unique and diverse our students have been and continue to be, which is one of the best parts of our little school.

And the best part of the evening… after dinner and introductions, we handed the kids a packet with a scavenger hunt, and they had 30 minutes to explore their former classrooms to find the answers. Kids worked in teams to, somewhat frantically actually, weave in and out of the spaces to search for answers (and some of them were pretty difficult!), all the while reacquainting themselves with their former early childhood school. It was a joy to see. And while there were prizes, every child walked away with the gift of reconnecting to memories and friends, which was pretty amazing.

Last week’s event proved what I’ve been hearing from so many - that Harbor memories last a lifetime (or at least through middle school), and that the Harbor experience sets kids up for success!

Warmly,

Leah Musico

Head of School

The Harbor School