SPARKING FUN AND CREATIVITY: THE EIGHTH GRADE ELECTIVE PROGRAM

By Susan Johnson'88

Students can explore diverse class offerings that meet three days a week for sessions that last five to six weeks during the academic year. Some examples of elective classes include: Ceramics with Ms. Courtney Zarrilli, Video Production with Mr. Derick Pikula, Yearbook with Mr. Jon Grogan, Handbells with Ms. Robyn Manion, Acting with Mr. Joel Maki, Glass Fusing or Painting with Ms. Dayna Sable, Health Education with Nurse Melissa Perez, Programming with Mr. James Gapp, or Mountain Biking with Mr. Chatom Arkin.

Students rank their options before being placed in a particular elective class. Careful consideration is given to each grouping, and most students enjoy their placement, even if it is not their first choice. While sometimes students may be disappointed they don’t get their first choice, this can also be an opportunity for students to deal with disappointment in a low-stakes situation and learn to make the most of their elective session.

Each elective class has its own objectives and skills taught. Sometimes, an elective teacher offers a class to further their own subject matter. For example, Ms. Zarrilli says, “I enjoy teaching the Ceramics Elective because it allows the students to dive deeper into throwing or hand building and explore what is possible with clay. Having classes three times a week, the students can try new techniques, build bigger projects, and gain confidence in their ceramic abilities.”

Other times, teachers offer something they are passionate about to expose students to something entirely outside the traditional curriculum. One of the most popular electives offered at the end of the school year is Mr. Arkin’s Mountain Biking Elective. An avid biker, Mr. Arkin feels that mountain biking is an excellent way for students to learn fundamental bike safety skills while exploring the area’s surrounding beauty (no E-Bikes are allowed, and helmets are an absolute must to participate!) As a culminating activity, the Mountain Bike Elective rides through Crystal Cove and ends up at the Shake Shack for a celebratory treat. “Elective classes allow some of our students to showcase talents or skill sets that might not have been on display in other areas. It’s great to see a kid do something well when maybe he or she hasn’t had the same success in his or her academic classes. This helps boost their sense of self and allows their peers to value them in ways they probably weren’t before. Also...they’re super fun!” says Mr. Arkin.

Some elective classes produce work that benefits the entire Harbor Day School community. The Yearbook Elective with Mr. Grogan is a perfect example of this. He says, “The Yearbook Elective is offered for two sessions. During those sessions, students create the cover, generate superlatives, and photograph school life. The ultimate goal of this elective is to allow our graduating class time to personalize their yearbook, which becomes HDS history.”

The Video Production Elective with Mr. Pikula shares their videos at the Middle School Morning Meetings to help build community. Students create the ideas, film the content, and edit the final product, and the entire middle school division looks forward to these creative productions. Also, the Handbell Elective—which requires no prior musical experience—with Ms. Manion is something that the whole community enjoys during the Lower School and Middle School Holiday Shows.

The third elective session after Winter Break is known as “Musical Season.” Eighth grade students audition for the musical, and after roles are cast, students are placed in elective classes that support the Eighth Grade Musical. For example, the lead roles in this year’s musical, We Will Rock You, are in the Core Musical Elective, and they meet with Mr. Maki and Ms. Manion to work on the music and specific scenes during Elective Class. Students who aren’t on stage help “behind the scenes” by working on the stage crew or being involved with the Prop Making Elective.

One of the best things about the Elective program is that it allows students to discover new interests they may not have known and bond with classmates outside of their regular core classes. In addition, the Elective program offers students a chance to step outside of their comfort zones and try new things, all in a supportive and encouraging environment. n

The fully complete campus will open September 2023. Together we have built a campus with gifts of $49.3M to the campaign.

The campaign concludes June 2023. Your gift today secures Harbor Day’s future.

OUR GOAL IS OUR GOAL IS $55M $55M

Campaign Cabinet 2018-2023

ALEX AND ALAN AIRTH | Co-Chairs

KERRI AND DANNY '87 SONENSHINE | Co-Chairs

NICKI AND MIKE CUDZIL

JENNY GROSS

KATY '96 AND DOUG HANKE

CHRIS SHEPHERDSON'96 | Board President

AARON BARTZ | Past President

WHITNEY GOMEZ | Past President

ANGI EVANS'75 | Head of School

OLIVIA BAUMGARTNER | Director of Development

CHRISTI VEAL | Campaign Manager

Building and Grounds Team

PAUL CASEY

STEVE THORP

BOB SEARLES

ERIC OLSEN'90

THE HDS BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2017-2023

Architect General Contractor

LPA, INC.

Additional Financing

DPR CONSTRUCTION, INC.

FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANK

Exterior

Competition grade synthetic turf athletic field with a 200m track

Full-size basketball court

Two half-courts striped for pickleball and four square

Completed student commons for lunch and gathering

Interior

500 seat theater with a fixed mezzanine and retractable floor seating

Lower School and Middle School music classrooms

Full-size gymnasium

Sport locker rooms

Kitchen

Board conference room