Dear Harbor Families, 

It’s hard to believe that we are so close to the end of the school year! It feels like just yesterday that we were greeting your students for the first day of school, helping everyone settle into their routines and setting goals for learning!

You might recall a letter I shared early in the school year about my experience learning to use contact lenses last summer. At our very first Family Friday Coffee and Connections event, I asked participants to consider an experience that they had in learning something new - we shared stories ranging from learning to read as a young person to learning to drive a car as an adult. As an expert contact lens user (finally!), I still remember the feeling of being so challenged - and can relate to our own students working hard to learn so many new things every day - such as learning phonics sounds, practicing empathy or perspective-taking, noticing and naming patterns, holding a writing utensil, or managing their bodies in space, to name a few. Learning is an extremely complex process - and, in my opinion, what they and their teachers are doing to make it happen every day is nothing short of amazing.

We are excited to share more about a new event this year, which will be the focus of tomorrow’s Open Classrooms event - a Portfolio Share! Research shows that, for both adults and younger learners, an emphasis on building the skills of goal-setting, reflection, and self-awareness can enhance and deepen learning, making it more meaningful and lasting. In that vein, we ask students to think about their own learning, setting goals for themselves, and regularly reflect on their growth. 

This year, teachers have guided all students to keep a growth portfolio, which supports our aim of integrating goal-setting and reflection into our assessment and learning practices. Unlike a traditional portfolio (such as one an art student might keep) which shows final, polished products, a growth portfolio demonstrates the process of learning and growth. Of course, this process is not always linear, and happens differently for each child.

A growth portfolio is kept for the purpose of promoting self-reflection and goal-setting in students - to help them to understand themselves better as learners, which in turn sets them up for success in learning to self-advocate as they continue their educational journey. In reflecting on their work, students might consider what they do well, what is challenging for them, and how they learn best. Even our very youngest students can gain a lot from noticing the progress they have made and thinking about ways to continue to grow and develop. Not to mention, a review of the growth portfolio is a wonderful way to celebrate the many successes of the school year!

Tomorrow, after hearing a bit about growth portfolios from our Head of School for the Day, second grader Louise Fleming (you may recall the auction item - and I look forward to my day off! ), you will be invited to your child’s classroom to view their portfolios. We have put together this guide for families to navigate tomorrow’s experience, and will have copies for you tomorrow. 

We hope you enjoy celebrating the growth and learning that has happened this year with your student at tomorrow’s Portfolio Share! 

Warm regards,

Leah Musico
Head of School