Harbor Events in Suffolk County

 

 

The Harbor students, faculty, and families make up a thriving community that comes together many times a year. Below you will find descriptions of the many fun family events Harbor has throughout the school year!

Spring Benefit

The Parents' Association’s major fundraising event is the annual Spring Benefit which is an exciting and enjoyable evening for parents, alumni, trustees, friends, teachers, and staff. The festive-themed evening includes live and silent auctions, dancing, a delectable dinner, and an open bar. Past themes have included gaming tables and roaming paparazzi. Live and silent auction items are donated by the Harbor community and many local merchants who support our mission. In addition to major auction prizes, the highlights of the evening include Harbor’s Own Budding Artists Collection and the Fund-A-Grant auction. Fund-A-Grant auctions provide attendees with an opportunity to donate directly to specific school initiatives at a designated level of support. Previous Fund-A-Grant items have included new student iPads, additional SMART boards, technology advancement, science lab equipment, and professional development.

Trunk or Treat

Trunk or Treat is a cherished, longstanding Harbor tradition. All students (PK3 through eighth grade) and their families are invited to arrive in costume to enjoy a safe and frightfully fun-filled time trick-or-treating on Harbor Country Day’s field. The field is turned into a safe "neighborhood” of decorated and treat-filled car trunks for our little goblins to enjoy. Children also enjoy fun, games, and story-telling in the school gym.

Young Illustrators Challenge

Every spring, Harbor invites students in kindergarten through eighth grade from school districts across Long Island to submit their original artwork to be judged by local professional artists at the Young Illustrators Challenge. As public schools are struggling to maintain funding for art education programs, the annual event has become an essential opportunity for Long Island students to explore their love of the arts, showcase their talents, and interact with other artists from across Long Island.

Book Fair

The Book Fair is a great event that celebrates the love of reading with our children. Each student visits the Book Fair with their class during school hours. In addition, in an effort to enrich the classroom and school libraries, we promote the Teacher’s Wish List program, enabling the teachers to select desired books for their classrooms and for the school library. Parents have the opportunity to purchase these books for the school, after which a label is placed inside the book acknowledging the family's donation.

Grandfriends' Day

Harbor’s classrooms are bursting with "grandfriends" visiting Tulip Knoll on this day! After a brief talk with our head of school, grandfriends are escorted to their grandchildren's classrooms for activities. Upper and lower school grandfriends cherish this opportunity to meet Harbor’s teachers, see the school, and experience a few hours in the life of a Harbor student. The event culminates in an assembly in the gymnasium, which includes wonderful performances by the students.

Gingerbread Extravaganza

All students are invited to explore their inner architects and designers by making delicious edible gingerbread houses during Harbor's annual Gingerbread Extravaganza. Gingerbread materials are bought fresh from a local bakery, with the houses assembled and ready for decorating. This event is a favorite of all students.

Band and Choral Concerts

The Harbor community is invited to enjoy the musical talents of our students during several band and choral concerts throughout the school year. Student relish the opportunity to share the results of their many hours of practice with their loved ones, and parents and other family members enjoy seeing their children shine on stage.

Field Day

Harbor's students, faculty, and staff come together as a community to share this annual event that is built around fun, fitness, good sportsmanship, and friendship. Upper school students and teachers organize and run the events for the younger students, which encourages leadership and builds confidence within our upper school students.

Spring Musical

Harbor's upper school students work tirelessly every spring to produce the school's Spring Musical. Under the direction of faculty members, the students fill myriad roles such as stage crew, sound and musical assistants, actors, and singers to produce a full-length musical for Harbor families. Past shows have included Pirates of Penzance, The Musical Adventures of Oliver Twist, The Secret Garden, and Alice @ Wonderland.

State of the School Address

Every year, Harbor hosts a State of the School Address for its current parents, trustees, and faculty and staff. During the event, the head of school and other school leadership discuss the current state of Harbor Country Day School, as well as strategic plans for the future of the school. The evening is also a wonderful opportunity for the Harbor community to socialize and get to know one another better.

School-Wide Art Show

All Harbor students, from PreK 3 through eighth grade, participate in the School-Wide Art Show, which is held in the evening and is open to all Harbor families. The art show is an elegant affair, where the first floor of the school is transformed into a beautiful art exhibit with floor-to-ceiling displays of all of the students' wonderful projects.

Mathematics Competitions

The mathematics program at Harbor provides students with many opportunities to expand their math education, including the Brookhaven National Laboratory's Math Olympiad, the SIFMA Foundation's Stock Market Game, and the Suffolk County Mathematics Tournament at Stony Brook University. As a result of these extra-curricular activities, many students graduate from Harbor significantly advanced in the discipline.

Science Fair

Harbor's annual science fair is a wonderful example of the project-based learning that is at the heart of Harbor's philosophy. The event provides students with opportunities to showcase their talents in fun and creative ways, while also applying everything they are learning in the classroom to real-life situations. Every year, students also have the opportunity to advance to the Brookhaven National Laboratory's annual Elementary School Science Fair.

Community Outreach Events

Character education is an essential part of a Harbor education. Whether students are collecting non-perishable food for the annual Thanksgiving food drive for the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry, collecting toys for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots toy drive, or donating money or goods to various relief and community service organizations, Harbor students learn the value of community outreach at a young age. By reaching out to members of the community, students are developing the morality, compassion, and empathy that have become hallmarks of Harbor graduates and that will help them achieve success in so many aspects of their lives.