Dear Harbor Families,

As we move through February, I find myself reflecting on one of Harbor’s core commitments: that our differences enrich us and make our community stronger. Our DEI philosophy is not simply words on a page—it is something we strive to live each day in our classrooms, on the playground, and in our partnerships with you. In the coming weeks, that commitment comes to life in a special way as we welcome Omekongo Dibinga, motivational speaker, spoken word poet, author, and university professor, for a Black History Month assembly. Through his work, students will explore the power of names—how they reflect cultural heritage, family history, and personal identity—and will collaborate to write poetry that celebrates both individuality and shared humanity. When children learn to notice, name, and appreciate differences, they begin to understand that belonging is not about sameness, but about connection - and that each of us brings something unique and essential to our community.

This year’s school-wide theme of Empathy continues to guide our work in tangible ways. Today,  as we celebrated Valentine’s Day, our focus on care and connection has felt especially fitting. This morning, our third graders visited a local senior center to perform and create crafts alongside residents, an experience that beautifully illustrated empathy in action across generations. Classroom celebrations today offer joyful moments of friendship and appreciation, and we look forward to Family Yoga this afternoon.

Looking ahead, our DEI Committee is pleased to introduce a three-part parenting series: Stories of Empathy in Parenting - Empathy as a Practice and a Skill. These special Family Fridays will take place on March 6, April 3, and May 8 at 9:00 AM in the Chesapeake Room. Each session will include skill-building around empathy in parenting (both how we practice it ourselves and how we nurture it in our children), listening to a story from The Moth Story Hour, and together, engaging in small-group discussion grounded in the themes of the story and the lived experiences of families navigating parenting in today’s world. A special thanks to Harbor parents and DEI Committee members Emily Woglom and Kylene Yen, with support from Chelsey Foster, for creating the vision for this parenting series! We hope you will consider joining us for one - or all - of these thoughtful conversations.

Thank you as well for your flexibility for tomorrow, to support our work during our professional development day. Our primary focus is a careful review of our written curriculum and assessment practices to ensure clarity, coherence, and continued alignment with our mission. Faculty teams will also spend time reviewing admissions files, preparing for Spiral, and beginning an exploration of K–3 math resources as we consider enhancements for next year. Dedicated time for this collaborative work strengthens the student experience in meaningful ways.

In just two weeks, we are eagerly anticipating Spiral Night, when Harbor will be transformed into a living museum of three-dimensional art. Classrooms and hallways will showcase students’ explorations of sculpture, structure, form, and creative expression—an immersive celebration of the thinking, experimentation, and collaboration that have defined this year’s Spiral work. The following day, we will continue our learning with our all-school field trip to the National Gallery of Art, where our docent is coordinating a special program designed for Harbor students to deepen and extend our classroom and Spiral experiences. More details will be shared next week, but in the meantime, please be sure you have completed the permission form/RSVP so we can finalize plans.

Finally, a very important reminder to please complete your child’s re-enrollment agreement by Friday, February 20th, as this information is essential for our admissions planning for the 2026–2027 school year. Financial aid applications that were submitted within the past week are currently under review, and decisions will be shared by the end of this week. If you still need to apply for financial aid, you may still do so. And if you need an extension on the enrollment deadline, please reach out - we are always glad to work with you.

Thank you for the many ways you contribute to the strength of this very special community!

With gratitude,

                      
Leah Musico                                    
Head of School