“UNIQUE. Your Child. Our School.” You may have noticed this phrase on our website or other materials. This is more than just a tagline. Every day, I am reminded of how unique The Harbor School truly is. One of the most incredible things I have noticed during my time here, is the connection that people have to this school. Of course this may happen in every school and community, but there’s something special about this early childhood community. I have witnessed people connecting, and reconnecting, because of Harbor.

I have to confess - I don’t really remember anything about my preschool, except for the stiff, itchy mortarboards that we wore on our graduation day. I don’t remember my teachers, the class pets, or what the playground looked like. Harbor is different. There are parents of current Harbor children, who went to Harbor themselves! Some of them remember each other, and all of them remember their teachers and their time here. One parent fondly recalled that her teacher let them have a gumdrop on every rainy day. Another remembers taking part in the “Harbor Circus,” and pretending to be the animals in a parade.

Just yesterday, a grandparent came in to pick up her granddaughter and realized the substitute in the classroom, a retired Harbor teacher, was an old friend of hers from when their own children were in school. Another grandmother came to pick up from Later Gators, and the teacher realized that the grandparent was his counselor in high school! These people may not have met at Harbor, but Harbor brought them back together.

These lifelong connections demonstrate just how unique Harbor is. I find myself wondering how many are being formed and fostered in our classrooms and on our playground at this very moment.