Welcome Home: Harbor Day School Settles into Its New Nest

By Marrie Stone

When Head of School Angi Evans looked out her window one day in January, she could already see students making the new campus spaces their own. Fourth graders ate snacks on the staircase while eighth graders practiced a performance in the quad. “Last week, I saw two Latin students with their materials spread out in one of the collaboration spaces, working together,” said Mrs. Evans. “And the kindergarteners are loving their new playground.”

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PHOTO INSET: THE HARBOR DAY SCHOOL SIGN IN FRONT OF THE CAMPUS IN 1973.

“Our school is designed to reflect warmth, “ intimacy, and coziness...

—John Marder

Former Headmaster Harbor Day School, 1971

Moving into any new home requires some adjustment. Finding the right places to play, eat, study, and socialize takes time. But exploration and discovery are more than part of the fun—they’re part of the point. “Collaboration and communication are 21st-century skills,” says Mrs. Evans. “The layout of these new spaces gives our students opportunities to practice together, often without a teacher in the room. The building is designed to allow them to lead their own education.”

Mrs. Evans enjoys watching the process unfold. “There’s some trial and error as students decide how they’ll use the space and get from here to there,” says Mrs. Evans. But by every account, students are finding their stride.

How Harbor Day got from here to there is its own inspiring story. One that took over six years of thoughtful planning, unified commitment, financial resolve, and plenty of creativity. The results are more than worth the effort. The 66,000 square-foot modern structure integrates important traditions from Harbor Day School’s past while incorporating numerous forward-thinking elements designed to usher the school into the future. It’s a unique legacy, and it didn’t happen by accident.

Honoring the Past

Harbor Day’s story stretches back 70 years. Teaching methods have changed in those intervening decades, but its mission remains—a commitment to provide an academically challenging, wellbalanced education in a nurturing and inclusive family-centered environment.

When the Pacific View campus was originally erected in 1973, its architecture intentionally expressed those values. The physical proportions of the school were scaled for students, using a seven-eighths ratio to create spaces made just for them. Harbor Day’s designers were the first to use carpet in classrooms. The building incorporated countless other residential features—skylights and exposed wooden beams that bestowed a ski-lodge atmosphere, rocking chairs and beanbags, and, of course, that iconic brick fireplace. The day they broke ground, every student brought a shovel. “This is your school,” they were told. “Dig your shovel in there.”

“Our school is designed to reflect warmth, intimacy, and coziness,” John Marder, former Headmaster of Harbor Day, told Orange County Illustrated in 1971. That same intention holds true today, half a century later. Harbor Day’s commitment to creating a second home is evidenced by the many families who have sent their children to the school for generations.

The Trane family is one enduring example. They’ve called Harbor Day “home” since the 1960’s. Frank Trane, who passed away last year, was part of the team that renamed the school (from its original Harbor Episcopal School) and hired John Marder, first head of school, in 1967. “Thirteen of us have been, or are presently, part of the HDS community,” says Trane’s daughter, Cindy Christeson. “There have been many Grandparents’ Days and carpools across the six decades. At 89, Dad drove great-grandson James Callaghan to school some mornings.” Mrs. Christeson graduated in 1969. Her two daughters, who attended with their cousins, followed in the 1990s. Now Mrs. Christeson’s grandchildren are attending with their own cousins.

Board of Trustees President, Chris Shepherdson, graduated in 1996 and now has two children attending—and a son entering kindergarten in the fall. Head of School Angi Evans is also an alum. “The school is unique,” says Mr. Shepherdson. “It’s a very close-knit community school. Some alumni have grandkids here, so people have a lot of loyalty. The enthusiasm and support have been amazing.”

This legacy is likely a combination of the excellent education alumni received—one that’s paid dividends across disciplines in generations of graduates—and the indelible memories made while receiving it.

Memories Made, Memories Moved

When kindergarteners left for winter break, they knew they wouldn’t be returning to their old classrooms. So they left farewell messages on the whiteboards. “I love you,” wrote one student. “Goodbiy old class,” said another. They drew hearts, rainbows, smiling stick figures, and frowning faces to express their feelings as they looked both forward and back.

They needn’t have worried. The important customs carried over. The heart of Harbor Day’s spirit has long lived inside its intimate library. The Harbor Day library is the place of mummy tombs, icy igloos, and sneaky leprechauns. In the 1980’s, children followed a yellow brick road

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KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS SAID GOODBYE TO THE OLD BUILDING BY PUTTING NOTES UP ON THE WALLS.

ABOVE: ORIGINAL HARBOR DAY SCHOOL LIBRARY,1972. INSET: A LIFE-SIZE RECREATION OF THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS IN THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL LIBRARY. BELOW: THE NEW HARBOR DAY SCHOOL LIBRARY, JANUARY 2022.

“My children and grand- children loved smelling the fire on cold mornings. My daughter, Kelly Callaghan'81 , remembers when the school required formality, but she “ could lay down on the beanbags in the library and be at rest.

— CINDY CHRISTESON

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leading to a land of make-believe. In the 1990’s, students boarded Ms. Frizzle’s Magic School Bus. But the library is also the place where they came for comfort, relaxation, and rest.

“The library made the school feel like our home away from home,” says Mrs. Christeson. “My children and grandchildren loved smelling the fire on cold mornings. My daughter, Kelly Callaghan'93, remembers when the school required formality, but she could lay down on the beanbags in the library and be at rest. My granddaughter Aubrey Callaghan'20 remembers heading to the library after her friend, Gianna Bryant, died. Friends looked through old yearbooks together and cried.” Those memories and keepsakes came with them. The mantle, a gift from a previous eighthgrade class, was moved onto the new fireplace. “Anne Polkingharn, our former librarian, arranged for several children’s authors to sign a quilt. That will come along,” says Mike Coleman, Director of Facilities. “There was another large quilt that hung over the fireplace. It was installed in the north stairwell.”

However much has changed, traditions endure. While early architectural renderings tested different placements, faculty and staff insisted the library remain at Harbor Day’s heart.

Though it may look and feel a little different, the new library holds its own promises of discovery. Librarian Amy Meyer describes her domain as a “library of things.” While there’s a new contemporary twist, the library still maintains its cozy, fireside atmosphere. Large glass walls retain the original library’s open transparency. In addition, the two-story indoor/outdoor stone fireplace modernizes an important tradition.

“One thing instilled in me as an educator—kids must have ownership over their space,” says Mrs. Meyer. “It has to feel like their school. Keeping the residential atmosphere—especially in the library— helps students feel safe. It lets them feel like they belong, which is a marker of modern education. Their ability to express themselves is protected. Their ability to use different modalities to learn is available. It’s a safe space to be yourself.”

TOP: AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE NEW BUILDING. MIDDLE: THE FIRST FLOOR LOWER SCHOOL HALLWAY. BOTTOM: THE FRONT OFFICE SPACE HAS A MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN.

Every library’s form and function has significantly evolved over recent years. In addition to its commitment to literature, Harbor Day’s new library is a place to tinker, make, experiment, and explore. “It’s important that our library has access to information in every form,” says Mrs. Meyer. “For digital information, we built a whole classroom into the space where students can use their laptops, iPads, interactive whiteboards, databases, and the internet. Students can collaborate with teachers as they work on research projects. They also have access to physical materials. There’s a tinker space at the front of the library. Students can saunter through and grab the materials they need. There’s so much intention put into every little space.”

As for Harbor Day’s coveted collection of 14,500 books, they aren’t going anywhere. E-books have their purpose, says Mrs. Meyer, but they can’t compete with the visceral experience of holding a physical book. Especially picture books. “You need to hold them, manipulate their pages, smell them,” she says. “Children build different memories by reading a physical book. Our shelves reflect that. They’re built permanently into the walls. Physical books aren’t going away for us.”

“Our new library is filled with little niches,” says Mrs. Evans. “There’s one in particular that looks really small. I envisioned some of our youngest kindergarteners curled up in there, reading books. Instead, I’ve seen seventh and eighth-grade boys stuffed in those niches with their legs hanging out, enjoying a book. They’re not goofing off. They’re just inhabiting the space. That’s been a wonderful surprise.”

A School Built for Growth

The new building provides more than enhanced spaces for departments like science and technology. It delivers enhanced opportunities. By weaving technology into the fabric of the rooms, students instantly evolve from passive observers to active participants. “These new labs allow students to be much more hands-on,” says middle school science teacher Austin Ellis. “As students engage and make discoveries on their own, they’ll commit those experiences to memory.”

“It has to feel like their school. Keeping the residential atmosphere— especially in the library—helps students feel safe. It lets them feel like they belong, which is a marker of modern education. Their ability to express themselves is protected. “ Their ability to use different modalities to learn is available. It’s a safe space to be yourself.

— AMY MEYER, LIBRARIAN

The new building offers something to appreciate around every corner, from warm wooden floors and carpeted classrooms to great glass walls that frame the school’s serene surroundings. “

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The faculty was invited into the design process. “When do teachers get the opportunity to help design their own classrooms?” Mrs. Ellis asks. “They ensured we have everything we need and formatted the space to fit the student experience.”

Now Mrs. Ellis can provide a deeper and broader science curriculum. One example, she says, is the ability to use fire in lab experiments. “Our old space wasn’t equipped for gas, so I adapted the curriculum.” In addition, the new space has advanced safety equipment and elaborate features that allow unique hands-on experiences.

Television monitors enable Mrs. Ellis to connect screens to microscopes. “Students can project and capture video of what’s happening under the scope.” Until recently, that option hadn’t been available.

Mrs. Ellis says the layout also facilitates collaboration among colleagues. “We have one lecture area that’s more technologically equipped than regular classrooms. It’s an exciting space for presentations.” Guest speakers, such as geneticists and other professionals, are often invited to introduce students to the scope of careers available in the sciences. This enhanced space will facilitate those conversations.

“Every year, the administrative team visits a different university and spends time at that school, thinking about where our students will land two steps after they leave us,” says Mrs. Evans. “We want this building to be a great place to learn for the next 50 to 100 years.”

Several other hidden features might escape the casual eye. “Teachers are excited about the lighting schemes, which they can now control,” says Mrs. Evans. “When students return from recess, they’re brought into a calmer environment.” They also appreciate the sound protection. Noise no longer travels between classrooms and hallways. Construction has improved since the 1970’s.

“I’m really proud of the kindergarten playground,” says Coleman. “I’ve enjoyed seeing how the kids use it, watching them play on the painted flowers and vines. They jump from petal to petal or play Follow the Leader. They invent their own games and scenarios. That’s been fun to watch.”

The new building offers something to appreciate around every corner, from warm wooden floors and carpeted classrooms to great glass walls that frame the school’s serene surroundings. In addition, several outdoor spaces give students room to spread out and play.

As Harbor Day celebrates its 70th year and moves into its new home, it’s an opportune time to reflect while looking ahead. Mrs. Christeson recalls the 1960’s, before the current campus, when Mrs. Polkingharn walked students to the public library to check out books. “She tried keeping us off the lawns of houses we passed.”

Today, students spread out on their own lawn to read because Harbor Day is theirs to call home. And as we’re often reminded: There’s no place like it. n

A VIEW FROM THE QUAD OF THE NORTH SIDE OF CAMPUS.