Our Mission, Motto & Diversity Statement
Our Mission
“Harbor cherishes childhood, cultivates wonder
and inspires confident learners and leaders.”
These are the core, guiding principles at Harbor Country Day School, and the source of both our vision and energy. We measure our performance against a “portrait” of the academic and social development we strive to foster in every Harbor student.
Harbor graduates are:
- Fearless learners, and reflective leaders who negotiate effectively
- Prepared to exhibit compassion and tolerance in a global community, owing to a solid moral and ethical foundation
- Culturally experienced and conversant in the humanities and the sciences
- Prepared to achieve their dreams because they view themselves as works continually in progress
These are the aspirations we have for our students. They parallel the values and aspirations of the school's founders, and are reflected in the work and passion of our school leaders, faculty, and board of trustees. Our mission guides us in making decisions, and in setting the standards by which the curriculum is evaluated. Moreover, these principles provide the touchstone by which the need for change in the future can be assessed.
Harbor Country Day School Moving Up and Commencement Ceremonies 2019 from Harbor Country Day School on Vimeo.
Our Motto
"Sine labore nihil - Without work nothing"
From its very beginning in 1958, the motto of Harbor Country Day School has been the same, from the Latin poet Horace: “Sine labore nihil,” translated as, "Without work nothing." For six decades, our graduates have remembered the school’s motto as one of life's truths -- that nothing comes without hard work. The students are taught how to work with purpose, and also how to make it fun. Preschoolers may sing songs in Mandarin at the Confucius Institute's annual Chinese New Year Celebration; science students may travel on the school's bus to explore and analyze nearby wetlands; and English class may read, discuss, and write about a complex novel that strikes at the heart of a young adolescent's concerns. Harbor teaches and shows by example that creative, purposeful, enjoyable work is an essential part of a fully-lived life.
OUR DIVERSITY STATEMENT
"This school sends a strong message about inclusiveness.
This is what I've always been looking for in a school.
I just want to commend Harbor because you are truly thinking
about diversity and inclusion and making everyone feel like they are one."
-Harbor Country Day School, Fifth Grade Parent
