The Harbor School’s core strength is its outstanding faculty. We are trained in early childhood education, we love children, and we are committed to inspiring our students to be active, creative and confident lifelong learners.
The Harbor School’s core strength is its outstanding faculty. We are trained in early childhood education, we love children, and we are committed to inspiring our students to be active, creative and confident lifelong learners.
Brenda Chavez
Office Manager
A.A. - Northern Virginia Community College
7 years teaching and administrative experience
I was drawn to Harbor School by the small class size. The faculty and community are friendly and welcoming. I like how each child is unique and special in different ways.
I love to cook food, especially Salvadorean. I love playing softball and soccer.
Christina Dabulskis
Learning & Literacy Specialist
B.S. - Towson University, Elementary Education
18 years of experience in education
I was drawn to Harbor because its values and educational approach really resonate with me. The supportive and collaborative faculty made me feel right at home, and I love the shared commitment to creating a warm, welcoming community for both students and staff.
I love anything and everything weather related. When I was 8 years old, I bought an old college textbook about weather and atmosphere at a yard sale and read it over and over again as a kid. I still have the book in my collection! Oh and while I love spending time traveling with my family, I absolutely love traveling with my two golden retrievers Lucy and Roxy-May as well!
Monica Darvish
Kindergarten
B.A. - University of Maryland
10 years of teaching experience
Harbor is a very warm community. The people that love Harbor really show it and are dedicated to making it a better place.
Fun fact- I am happy to say I am 53 years old and have no cavities. My daughter and her dad and myself are all left-handed. And this is my fifth heart anniversary! Harbor was a big part of my recovery in that process!
Meeta Grover
Preschool 2s/3s
B.A. - Delhi University
24 years of teaching experience
My sister worked here and heard great things about the school from her!
I love to cook and feed people!
Jasmina Hinton
PE/Movement
Ph.D. - University of Nis, Serbia; M.S. - University of Nis, Serbia ; B.S. - University of Nis, Serbia
13 years of teaching experience
The nurturing environment & cultural diversity
Jasveen Kaur
1st Grade, Technology Coordinator
Teaching Licensure Program - University of Virginia; B.A. - Delhi University, India
27 years of teaching experience
Harbor had the community feel I was looking for.
I am an artist and was a textile designer before I became a teacher. I still paint sometimes. Being creative helps me do fun projects with my class. I am also a big Harry Potter fan. I LOVE riding on roller coasters.
Carolyn LeNard
3rd Grade
M.A. Education with Reading Concentration at George Mason University; B.A. - Gettysburg College
20+ years full time teaching, 8 years subbing and administration
Harbor's warm and nurturing community always brings me back! Harbor's creativity and discovery based approach make Harbor an exciting and special place to work.
I am an avid soccer fan, especially of the premier league. You can find me cheering for Liverpool every weekend match!
Cherry Marwaha
Kindergarten
B.S. - VS Dental College, Bengaluru India
4 years of experience as a teaching assistant
The Harbor Schools mission to embrace the uniqueness of each child to and celebrate the uniqueness in them and each other. The other thing about the school that made an impression on me was the social emotional curriculum.
I have hiked Mount Batur Volcano in Bali. I have studied in a boarding school from the age of 8 until university. I speak English, Hindi, and Punjabi fluently.
Christian Nowlin
1st Grade
A.A. - J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
7 years of experience as an assistant teacher
I felt an instant connection speaking with Ms. Musico during my interview. We shared our stories and experiences with each other in a safe space. Meeting the staff for the very first time, I felt welcomed by the Harbor community.
I am a cat lover!
Claudia Owen
Preschool 4s
B.F.A. - University of Arizona
22 years of teaching experience
I have spent the past seven years working as an Instructional Coach at a childcare center, and during that time, I began to deeply miss the direct interaction with students and the fulfillment of having my own classroom. While researching various schools, I was immediately drawn to The Harbor School because of its strong emphasis on recognizing that not all children learn the same way. I appreciate the school’s commitment to supporting cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development in a holistic manner. This approach aligns perfectly with my own teaching philosophy and passion for creating an inclusive and nurturing learning environment. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to and grow with Harbor’s vibrant community.
My parents were only children, so my sisters and I grew up without aunts, uncles, or cousins. But now, with our own families expanding, their legacy is continuing to grow in remarkable ways. It’s incredible to find that having a larger family now brings a different kind of energy to life!
Allison Peppelman
Junior Kindergarten
M.A. - University of Delaware; B.A. - Dickinson College
15 years of teaching experience
I felt an immediate connection to Harbor from the first time I spoke with Leah, and I saw in Harbor so many of the wonderful things I had loved and valued in my children’s preschool- a true sense of community, an intentional "smallness" that allowed everyone to know each other, a sense of welcoming, respect and collaboration between parents and teachers, a commitment to child-led exploration and learning, an emphasis on social-emotional learning- just a true warm feeling throughout my heart. It was a perfect fit and I am (and have been) just so delighted to be a part of the community!
I began my teaching career as a Spanish teacher at the Gilman Lower School and, after pursuing my graduate degree, at the Upper School at the Boys' Latin School of Maryland.
Dana Riley
Business Officer
B.S. - University of Delaware
39 years in the field of finance and accounting
Sonia Vasquez
Spanish
M.S. - Universidad Nacional de Colombia; B.S. - Universidad Nacional de Colombia
10 years of teaching experience
The friendly environment in the school and the commitment to follow the mission of the school with every single student.
Before teaching Spanish, I worked in Colombia as a researcher in an interesting biotechnological program about the use of entomopathogens to control diseases in plants.
Andrea Zuraf
Assistant Head of School & Director of Admissions & Marketing
M.A.T. - Johns Hopkins University; B.A. - University of Maryland
22 years of experience in teaching and administration
The Harbor School has been such an amazing community to be a part of, and the enriching, creative, inquiry-based program speaks to me as a teacher and lifelong learner. I wish I could have gone to a school like Harbor when I was a child!
We recognize that these early years at Harbor are when your children are discovering and developing their individual learning styles. Our mission reflects this responsibility: We embrace the uniqueness of each young child, and we teach our students to celebrate it in themselves and each other.
We offer each student differentiated instruction and individualized attention. We accomplish this by keeping our class size small, with experienced and loving teachers in each classroom. We tailor the multi-sensory, hands-on curriculum to individual learners. We encourage, demonstrate, and provide instruction for pro-active socially responsible interaction with teachers and fellow students.
To further cultivate our students’ creativity and self-expression, we have teaching specialists offering outstanding instruction in art, music, Spanish, physical education, and mindfulness.
Additionally, The Harbor School recognizes and supports ongoing professional development for our faculty to keep aware of best practices and educational research boosting student confidence and achievement.
All of our students have daily conferences with their teachers, and teachers regularly communicate with parents about the academic and social progress of each student. Here at Harbor, the parent-teacher relationship is just as important as the student-teacher relationship. Your child – and your family – will never get lost in the crowd here at Harbor.