Dear Harbor Families,

Every Wednesday morning, all of our students and teachers (and of course, Calvin too) gather for an all school morning meeting in the gym. We sing songs together, hear a morning message from a second grade leader, experience a moment of mindfulness together, and celebrate birthdays. Most weeks, classes also share something they are learning in the classroom. Students stand up in front of their peers and present with confidence and with pride. It’s a great way to recognize and celebrate their learning, practice the skills of speaking to a large group, and build confidence.

Yesterday, our first graders shared two cultural experiences in our morning meeting.  They have been learning about the Indian celebration of Diwali from their teacher, Jasveen Kaur, and shared what they have learned about this vibrant Festival of Lights.  Diwali is celebrated this Sunday, October 27 around the world and is a celebration marked by lights, bright colors, and joyful gatherings of family and friends. Following that, with their teacher Alisa Harris leading them, first graders led the school in a rousing dance to Baby Shark in celebration of the Washington Nationals making it to the World Series. The song has become a hit in the stadium stands as our local DC team plays their way to the final game of the championship. (If you are interested, feel free to check out the slide deck from yesterday morning.)

Experiencing cultural aspects of India and the United States in an all school gathering is a simple example of the way diversity at Harbor is emphasized and celebrated. This enriches our students’ learning and serves to build attitudes of open-mindedness and appreciation of differences, a key component of our mission at Harbor.  If you have a moment today or tomorrow, please stop in to see the beautiful Rangoli our students have created out of colorful sand in the first floor hallway; it won’t last much longer! And over the next several days, you just might notice our teachers wearing red to support our local baseball team.

A reminder to all of us - parents, grandparents or other family members, nannies/caregivers, teachers, Board members and administration - please reach out to your child’s teacher if you are willing to share an aspect of your culture with the students (whether it be international or national, religious, family, or another aspect of your culture). Whether it be a quick share one morning in a classroom or a more involved presentation at an all school morning meeting, we’d love to have you!

Warmly,

Leah Musico

Head of School

The Harbor School