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Our Mission
The Harbor Day School Mission
Harbor Day School provides an academically challenging, well-balanced education in a nurturing and inclusive family-centered environment. Our faculty inspires curiosity and a desire to learn, and cultivates in students the confidence, strong moral character, and perseverance to thrive. We celebrate diversity and traditions, value collaboration and innovation, and cherish our community and the lifelong relationships developed.
Harbor Day School
At a Glance
416
Students, Grades K-8
56
Faculty
2,308
Alumni
72
Years of Excellence in Education
61%
Faculty with Advanced Degrees
6
Acre Campus in Corona del Mar, CA
The Spotlight
Harbor Day News
One of the biggest adjustments students make at Harbor Day is transitioning from Lower School to Middle School.
Summer is almost here, bringing with it the thrill of sunny days, beach outings, vacations, and a break from regular homework. However, Harbor Day School students know there's a small catch—summer reading and math assignments to complete before the new school year begins. With two and a half months between this school year and the start of the next school year, it's essential to keep those academic skills sharp. These assignments aren’t just about ticking off tasks; they’re about maintaining and honing your skills over the summer. While it might be tempting to leave them until the last minute, a steady, paced approach to reading, writing, and math will serve you much better in the long run.
“We have an obligation to read aloud to our children. To read them things they enjoy. To read to them stories we are already tired of. To do the voices, to make it interesting, and not to stop reading to them just because they learn to read to themselves. Use reading-aloud time as bonding time, as time when no phones are being checked, when the distractions of the world are put aside.” - Neil Gaiman
Science education is a core component of the learning experience of Harbor Day students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Our approach emphasizes the progression of knowledge, with concepts becoming more complex as students advance through each grade level. By following the California Next Generation Science Standards, we ensure a cohesive and comprehensive curriculum that builds upon itself from K-8. Our aim is to cultivate inquisitive and curious learners who have a love for science and learning. We recognize that true mastery of scientific concepts requires sustained engagement over years rather than mere weeks or months, and we employ learning progressions to guide students along this journey. By focusing on natural phenomena, we foster deeper engagement with the material, encouraging students to explore the world around them. Our emphasis on depth over breadth allows students to develop a thorough understanding of scientific explanations. For instance, students delve deeper into the study of plants as they progress through each grade level: