At Harker, parents, faculty, staff, students and alumni form a close-knit community through events, traditions and our common mission.
School Community
On any given day there are up to a dozen different community events happening in the Harker community, whether it’s a student performance, parent lunch, sporting event or a public Harker Speaker Series or Harker Concert Series event. And our big annual Harker Day each October bring students, faculty, parents and alumni together to celebrate our community and have a great time together!
Harker Day
Harker Day is two of our beloved long-running annual events – the Harker Family & Alumni Picnic and homecoming – morphed into one, incredible, stupendous Saturday every October. With games, activities and entertainment for all ages, we continue the tradition of the Harker Family & Alumni Picnic – now in its seventh decade – with a day that celebrates everything that is Harker.
Traditions
When a school is more than 125 years old, traditions come and go, and we cherish not only those from our early days, but also the many that continue today (see Harker Day above!). Since 1996 our second graders have presented the Ogre Awards, which explores the world’s folklore and selects a yearly favorite character. New upper school students sign our matriculation book each fall, and our K-12 Lifers enjoy a dinner with the head of school before graduation. Our kindergartners plant a tree together to serve as a living memory of their first year at Harker. And in honor of our modern founders, Howard and Diana Nichols, the school serves up their favorite treats on what would have been their birthdays: chocolate chip cookies for Howard on Oct. 10, and cannoli for Diana on March 25. The front offices at each campus keep a cookie jar of Howard’s Cookies in honor of the jar he kept in his office as an open invitation for students, staff and faculty to drop in and say hello.
Student Community
At Harker, we’re much more than just an academic hub. Our students cheer each other on in athletics, applaud their friends in school performances, celebrate the activities of the student-run clubs, and just enjoy hanging out together from morning to evening. Our students treat each of our campuses as a second home, with friends and family who play and have fun together, discover new and exciting ideas and celebrate each other's successes.
Giving
Your support helps us deliver our students an educational experience that powers their success here at Harker, in college and beyond.
When donors invest in our students, they invest in leading-edge technology that develops the next computer science whiz, global education opportunities that breed a future international diplomat and library resources that champion the next cancer researcher.
Parent Involvement
Our parents are actively involved not just in their children’s education, but in the greater Harker community. Parents volunteer, plan social events and support the school and the students.
Learn More About How You Can Be a Part of Our Upcoming Events
Community Event News
My favorite Harker event is Homecoming because it brings together the entire school. Natalie Vo '21