Harker has introduced its first school-run shuttle, which will serve those on the Peninsula; 25 students are riding it so far. There has been a parent-run shuttle from Fremont for some years which the Peninsula shuttle will complement, solving, for some families, the knotty issue of driving to drop students, then returning to their home area for work.
The shuttle makes one stop in Portola Valley, one in Los Altos, then heads to the middle school where upper school students transfer to a waiting bus that takes them to their campus, while the shuttle itself continues on to the lower school.
Cost is quite reasonable at $25 per student per week, with discounts for families of three or more riders. Aside from cutting down on pollution and traffic, and saving parents’ time, Pip Sanders (Zoe, grade 4), said, “Running the shuttle expands Harker’s outreach and accessibility to families who live some distance from Harker.”
“I would love to see our ridership increase!” said Heather Perrotta, Harker transportation manager. “Not only does it decrease traffic on our campuses, it gives a sense of bonding to the students. They are able to get to know other students from their neighborhood that they may otherwise not have known. It can also be an opportunity to get some last minute studying done before class.”
Harker is open to expanding the service to other areas, too. “We are hoping that the success of this route will lead to others, and we will be exploring those possibilities over the course of this year using the same market testing methods we did for this one,” said Greg Lawson, assistant head of school for student affairs.
The parent-organized Fremont shuttle has been running for more than 15 years, said Monica Kumar (Gaurav, grade 11; Maya, grade 7), who organizes the shuttle. That bus has had between six and 11 riders this year. “My son is now a junior and he took the shuttle from kindergarten until tenth grade,” when he started driving himself, she said. “My daughter is still taking the shuttle.
“The shuttle saves time for busy parents and makes sure kids get to school safely and on time!” said Kumar. “Of course, it is a greener option as well, as opposed to all the parents driving on their own.”
Cost for the Fremont shuttle, operated by Durham Transportation, is based on a flat fee by the bus company so the current cost depends on the number of riders per day. “The more kids, the less cost per child!” she said.
The Fremont shuttle does return students to Fremont, but the numbers are dropping on the return leg. “The number of kids taking the return bus are much smaller,” noted Kumar. “Each year I keep thinking it will be the last year for (the return service) but we keep going!”
The weather was as warm as the atmosphere as nearly 200 guests turned out for a summer evening reception for new parents held at the Silver Creek Valley Country Club in San Jose in June.
The annual event welcoming newcomers to Harker was graciously hosted by board member Sally Anderson with opening remarks by Chris Nikoloff, head of school, and Joe Rosenthal, executive director of advancement.
After time for mixing and mingling, Rosenthal kicked off the evening by showing clips from televised new stories about Harker and its students. Many of the new parents had not seen the clips and were clearly impressed at the school’s many newsworthy accomplishments.
Following that, Casey Near ’06 spoke about her years and experiences at Harker, noting the impact her peers had on her and how well prepared she was for college and beyond.
Attendees were visibly moved by the event. They also enjoyed appetizers, drinks and dessert while connecting with one another as they prepared to become a part of the Harker community.
On July 23 19 teachers and one administrator from the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education in Daegu, South Korea, observed summer classes at the Harker lower school campus as well as the English Language Institute at the Saratoga site. Kelly Espinosa and Anthony Wood coordinated these visits.
These English teachers from grades 3-6 in different elementary schools throughout Daegu were chosen by their school districts to take part in a one-month intensive program at San Jose State University’s International Gateways program. Their objective is to improve their English skills and practice new teaching methods. Since 2008 Korean teacher groups have been offered this training at SJSU and other U.S. universities as part of a sizable investment by the South Korean government to improve the quality of English instruction at all levels in the public schools. Nine different groups of middle school and high school teachers have also attended the Teaching English in English program at SJSU after completing five months of intensive English study at a Korean university.
I am a former Harker ESL teacher and have been an instructor in the International Gateways program at SJSU since 2001, and I have arranged several Harker tours. Every teacher group has been favorably impressed with the outstanding Harker facilities, the quality of instruction and the behavior of Harker’s students.
The International Gateways program is part of the San Jose State University Foundation which receives no state funding, and is financed entirely from tuition from its international students. Its mission since 1975 is to offer high quality English language programs, cultural experiences and support services to international students and professionals. The Teaching English in English program is only one of the programs offered in International Gateways, which specializes in Academic and TOEFL Preparation for students who wish to attend an American university for undergraduate or graduate study.
The Harker School is purchasing an eight-acre site on Union Avenue in San Jose, near Highway 85, as part of its long-range strategic plan. The site will initially be used to launch Harker’s new preschool and in 5-10 years will become the campus for the lower grades (K-5).
Frequently asked questions about the new campus have been posted on our website at www.harker.org/union. For additional information, please email communications@harker.org or call 408.345.9273.
The Harker School is purchasing an eight-acre site on Union Avenue in San Jose, near Highway 85, as part of its long-range strategic plan. The site will initially be used to launch Harker’s new preschool and in 5-10 years will become the campus for the lower grades (K-5).
Frequently asked questions about the new campus have been posted on our website at www.harker.org/union. For additional information, please email communications@harker.org or call 408.345.9273.
The Harker School is purchasing an eight-acre site on Union Avenue in San Jose, near Highway 85, as part of its long-range strategic plan. The site will initially be used to launch Harker’s new preschool and in 5-10 years will become the campus for the lower grades (K-5).
Frequently asked questions about the new campus have been posted on our website at www.harker.org/union. For additional information, please email communications@harker.org or call 408.345.9273.
Harker published an updated website design today, www.harker.org, to better address visitor needs and give it a fresh look. The updated site has more information, more photos and the addition of helpful visual markers to assist in navigating the site.
“The updated look and content better reflects our vibrant community,” said Pam Dickinson, Office of Communication director. “We’ll continue to post fresh information and updates to ensure our website remains as vital as the community it represents.”
Harker’s library director and resident history buff Sue Smith had a very pleasant surprise over the summer: a visit from the grandson of Frank Cramer, the founder of Manzanita Hall, the school that eventually became The Harker School. Tom Lasley and his wife, Jayne, live in Southern California, but made a trip up to the Bay Area to show their own grandchildren some of their family’s old haunts.
Smith and Office of Communication staffer Catherine Snider showed the Lasley family around the campus on a peaceful Saturday afternoon, being sure to stop at the history wall in the main building and the current Manzanita Hall, named, of course, in homage to Cramer’s original institution. It was Manzanita Hall that became Palo Alto Military Academy, which in turn merged with Miss Harker’s School for Girls to become Harker Academy and later The Harker School.
Details of Cramer’s life have been hard to come by, so Smith and Lasley had a very pleasant hour catching each other up on photos, old documents and stories. “I feel like we’ve filled in some big gaps in our knowledge of our school’s founder,” said Smith, “and we’ve made plans to continue to share documents and information. It was such a wonderful surprise to meet Frank Cramer’s descendant!”
Harker’s campuses are a hubub of sumertime activity as the school opens its doors to the public, extending its huge variety of programs to local students, Harker and non-Harker, and to students from around the globe.
This year saw a potpourri of summer programming options: from Camp+ for younger children, to the Summer Institute (SI) for middle and high school students, to a bevy of sports offerings, and the world renowned English Language Institute (ELI) program.
In fact, for the last 50 years Harker has served as a recognized resource for a wide breadth of summer happenings. New this season was expanded programming for the sports camps. According to Kelly Espinosa, director of summer programs, Harker has always had tennis, soccer, swimming and sports performance camps. But added this year were football, basketball, volleyball and water polo camps.
Much thought went into the new sports camps, which integrated lower and middle-school athletics with upper school instructors to create a seamless path for athletes within their chosen sports. Moreover, sports camp participants taking a morning sports program had the option to enroll separately in another camp’s afternoon activity as well.
At Harker, known for its academic excellence, athletic camps are just one of the summer options. For students in grades K-6, Camp+ offered a full day of morning academics and afternoon activities. Located on Harker’s lower school campus, parents chose sessions by their preferred format, with full, partial-day and morning-only options. Students had the choice of enrolling in either CoreFocus or LOL (Learning Opportunities in Literature). Both programs concluded at 11:30 a.m. to make room for the afternoon activity program, which lasts until 3:30. Core Focus is a three- or four-week math and language arts-focused program. LOL is a two-week integrated curriculum centered around a literary theme. After care is provided until 5:30, which includes pool time, archery and a climbing wall, among other activities.
Meanwhile, The Harker School’s Summer Institute (SI) gives students from grades 6-12 the chance to earn credits, learn new skills and follow their passions. This year’s institute attracted some 722 students, with many taking multiple courses. New offerings were art classes, including portfolio preparation in drawing, 2-D and 3-D. The for-credit courses included a variety of classes across math, history and technology. Upper school enrichment courses spanned math, writing, art, history and driver’s education. Middle school enrichment was also offered, and included several core subjects as well as classes such as So You Think You Can Cook? and Champion Chess.
All SI participants had access to the libraries, pools and a prepared lunch. The wide range of choices and flexible program allowed each student to design a schedule around his or her own academic needs and personal interests to give each their own mix of learning and fun.
In addition to sports offerings, Camp+ and SI, each year more than 100 international students – from elementary through high school – participate in Harker’s renowned ELI program. They come with the goal of improving their English and writing skills but leave with a breathtaking exposure to cultural adventures as well.
It may be an old cliché, but when it comes to educating these foreign students, the world really is their classroom. Cultural adventures give international students the opportunity to get out of the classroom and see top Bay Area sights and, in ELI, weekly field trips provide international students exposure to local points of interest such as the Golden Gate Bridge, beautiful California beaches, Northern California redwood forests and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The trips are incorporated into the curriculum and students use their travel experiences to create written and oral projects for presentation.
“Harker has been offering outstanding summer programs, held on the school’s safe, secure and centrally-located campuses, for over 50 years. We have everything a camp consumer could want,” said Espinosa, noting that whether just out of preschool or about to enter their last year of high school, students of all ages and backgrounds can find their perfect summer program at Harker.
For more information on Harker’s summer offerings visit www.summer.harker.org.
At first glance, the group seated in a classroom in the upper school’s Shah Hall looked like typical summer school students. They sat attentively, their desks arranged in a semi-circle around their instructor, casually dressed in blue jeans, T-shirts and sneakers, backpacks lying by their feet on the floor.
Yet on second look, it became apparent that they were from diverse Asian and European countries, and spoke with heavy accents. Meanwhile, on a table at the back of the classroom, stacks of brochures from a range of boarding and other schools were prominently on display.
It was all part of Harker’s well-established English Language Institute (ELI) program, which runs annually every summer and this year kicked off with a welcome reception for ELI participants and their guardians on June 24.
The globally recognized program attracts international students ages 6-16 who are bound for either American boarding schools, universities or internationally-based primarily English speaking schools. They come to ELI to prepare for and increase their chances of admission to their next educational institution.
“ELI is a smart thing, and a good idea. It’s a unique opportunity,” said Joe Rosenthal, Harker’s executive director of advancement, who recently addressed an advanced study group of about 20 middle school-aged students on the topic of “Study in the USA.” Down the line, other guest speakers will include presentations from two visiting boarding school directors.
Addressing the issue of societal norms, Rosenthal noted that different cultures have different etiquette. For example, in the U.S. it’s considered good manners to look a person in the eye, whereas in other countries that might be viewed as offensive. “Here in the States, your number one tool is your smile … just remember it’s okay to make mistakes …” advised Rosenthal, noting that admissions directors from some of the finest boarding schools worldwide come to Harker to personally meet with the ELI students.
Wrapping up his lecture, Rosenthal gave some wise words of advice. “In our culture we place great emphasis on finding meaningful work and helping to make the world a better place.” He then gave an example of a former ELI participant and Harker student, designer Alexander Wang (MS ’98), now a major figure in the fashion world. After spending time in ELI programs during his formative elementary years, Wang quickly worked his way into regular Harker school classes.
The most advanced ELI students, usually middle and high school-aged, stay at the Saratoga campus and work on special projects tailored to their needs, including SAT preparation. They are assisted by mentors (called buddies or conversation partners) who are Harker juniors, seniors or recent graduates.
For the younger ELI students, instruction takes place at Harker’s lower school campus. At the conclusion of formal instruction each day, learning for these students continues with enrichment programs, such as swimming and playing games. Often they are able to join in activities with children attending the regular on-site summer camp, allowing them to have fun while improving language skills. They also enjoy outings to such kid-friendly locations as “Pump it Up!”
On field trip days ELI students of all ages can be seen sporting green program T-shirts as they head out for cultural adventures to such diverse attractions as: the Golden Gate Bridge, the Exploratorium, Academy of Science, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Santa Cruz Natural Bridges State Park and the Tech Museum.
ELI participants travel here with a parent or guardian and often choose to stay next door in the Oakwood Apartments, with which Harker has a special arrangement. Some opt to live with friends and relatives in the area instead. An initial coffee and tea reception was held at the Oakwood Apartments for all the adults to enjoy and get to know one another.
According to Anthony Wood, ELI director, there are two big changes to the program this summer. One is the addition of advanced class seminar instructor Ted Ufijusa. “He brings a wealth of teaching experience and will focus on enhancing English skills in this integral component of our program,” said Wood.
The other is a notable increase in enrollment at the beginner level with ELI students over at the lower school campus. In fact, session three will have 30+ students, which is a first, utilizing three teachers.
Karen Glovka, ELI primary program teacher, said the program for younger students teaches English in the context of what children like to do. True beginners, who know no English, learn greetings, colors, shapes, numbers, the alphabet (names of letters and sounds), school and family vocabulary. Students with more developed skills work on reading and writing, as well as new vocabulary words and verb tenses.
“Much of the teaching is geared to the ELI field trips and afternoon camp activities. For example, a trip to the Monterey Nay Aquarium involves a marine animal unit. Learning is also hands-on using toys and art projects to help the children understand concepts in English. Instruction is also highly individualized so that the students can progress as much as possible,” explained Glovka.
Often times these children are so busy having fun, the learning doesn’t even feel like hard work. “I like reading and playing with my friends,” enthused one youngster, ELI first-time student, 8-year-old Lily Yang, who came to the program knowing little English.
At the end of their time at Harker, ELI students, upon full completion of either a three- or seven-week course, are eligible to receive a certificate (handed out during an official closing ceremony) and recommendation from their teachers. They will also have likely gained new friendships and increased confidence in their ability to travel, speak and learn in the States.