Welcome to the Harbor School
When asked to describe the reason she chose Harbor School for her children, a parent stated,” after visiting a number of schools in the area, including public and private, I decided upon the Harbor School because of its genuine warmth and open and welcoming arms.” One of the first things that visitors comment on upon entering Harbor for the first time is this warm and friendly atmosphere that seems to permeate throughout the building.
Our students are greeted every morning by a staff that embraces each child’s unique personality and gears their efforts to helping each one achieve to the very best of their ability. We also reach out to our families on a daily basis in an ongoing spirit of cooperation and collaboration as we work together in support of their child’s educational program goals.
All of us here at the Harbor School willingly and earnestly commit ourselves each and everyday to share our expertise and knowledge with students and families alike with a spirit of caring and compassion. We are continually thankful to our families for entrusting their wonderful children to our care and remain inspired by their perseverance through life’s daily challenges. Our door is always open, and we invite you to come and experience a life fulfilled at Harbor School.
Principal, Harbor School
What's New at Harbor
The warm sunny days of spring have finally arrived and all of us are looking forward to many various year-end activities. The month of May is highlighted by our annual baseball/softball intramural day scheduled for May 23rd from 10:00-2:00pm at Wolcott Park in Eatontown. Our students spend time with their friends from our sister schools Gateway and Alpha as they participate in a fun baseball and softball competition. Everyone also enjoys a picnic lunch and socializing at the park. On May 31st, our PTA sponsors a picnic combined with our school-wide field day event which runs from 9:30-2:00 also at Wolcott Park. Our high school students will be heating up the dance floor on May 17th as they celebrate their very own prom with friends from Alpha and Gateway schools. They will be able to shop for dresses, suits, jewelry, shoes and accessories at our own prom shop starting on May 2nd. This year’s event will once again be co-sponsored by Holiday Express and McLoone’s restaurants and will be held at the Gibbs Hall banquet facility in Eatontown.
The final highlight of our school year is our annual Spring Show and Graduation ceremony which will take place on June 18th starting at 12:00 noon. We have also scheduled a sibling workshop and a parent training workshop to be held at 9:30 also on this day. Family and friends who participate in the workshop will receive lunch and reserved seating for the show. We congratulate and extend our best wishes to all of our graduates and their families!
Please check our calendar for other important events!
Student Life
Our school continues to focus on providing opportunities for our students to interact with their non-disabled peers through cooperative learning experiences.
Over the past five years, students from the Harbor School and the Rumson Country Day School have interacted on a weekly basis by working and learning together. Students from both schools have also collaborated in a musical production, an art contest, and plans are currently underway for a community garden project.
Our students also share educational experiences with the St. Dominic School in Brick and will be travelling to this school in late March to teach our friends there how to play a game called, “Knock “Em Down.” We also have an ongoing relationship through interaction with students from the Mater Dei High School, Monmouth University and Rider University.
Teachers Corner
2013 Ruth K. Newman Award
- Lori Markel (Harbor School)
A graduate of Georgian Court University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Special Education, Lori Markel has taught children with special needs for the past fourteen years. Prior to coming to Harbor School in 2001, Lori worked in the business world until deciding to pursue a career in education. All of us here at Harbor are thankful that Lori made this decision as she has earned the respect of students, staff and parents alike.
Ms. Markel or “Miss Lori”, as she is most affectionately known, has a very natural and positive way with children. She mixes compassion and understanding with humor and creativity. Lori consistently plans a variety of activities developing themes and using unique props to expose her students to grade level curriculum.
Ms. Markel continually reaches out to her students’ families in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect. Lori remains sensitive, compassionate, and supportive of the many challenges that her students’ families face on a daily basis. Lori is often sought out by her colleagues for advice regarding her outstanding content area knowledge. She willingly collaborates and takes on additional duties such as developing and providing activities to meet APA assessment requirements.
Each year during the month of October, Lori takes the initiative to create an interactive “Haunted House” for the entire school community to enjoy. This “world famous” event has grown to feature a variety of spooky sights and sounds with the participation of many or our high school students.
Ms. Markel is an extremely conscientious, hard-working and creative professional who always goes above and beyond in her commitment to the students, families and staff at the Harbor School.
It is with great pleasure that we honor Ms. Lori Markel with the 2013 Ruth K Neuman Award for her ongoing commitment to the students, staff and families of the Harbor School.