• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • The Harker School
  • Menu
  • Admission
  • Lower School
  • Middle School
  • Upper School
  • Summer
  • More
    • About
    • News
    • Alumni
    • Giving
  • News

  • The Harker News provides timely information, news and features about the Harker community to current and alumni Harker families.

  • |
  • General News
  • Lower School
  • Middle School
  • Upper School
  • Alumni
  • Summer
  • In the News

Harker Announces Plan to Open Preschool on Union Campus Property

July 10, 2012 by Debbie Cohen

Share this:

  • Tweet

This article was originally published in the summer 2012 Harker Quarterly.

Two long-term plans clasped hands this spring when Harker became top bidder on a desirable property near Union Avenue and Highway 85 in San Jose and decided to open a preschool there, initially. The purchase process, though not completed, is in full swing and the full transition will take several years.

  • Alumnus Justin Shamlou ’11, remembered for ability to inspire, passes at 27
    Read
    Alumnus Justin Shamlou ’11, remembered for ability to inspire, passes at 27

“While we prepare to transition from Blackford,” said Chris Nikoloff, head of school, “Harker will open a preschool on Union. Not only will this accomplish some strategic objectives for the school, it will make productive use of the Union campus,” he said, noting that a preschool summer program is slated to open in June 2013, with the annual program to follow in September. The preschool will serve ages 3 through (young) 5-year-olds and aims to open to 48 students, with the capacity to grow up to 120 students.

For the next several months, Harker is doing its due diligence on the Union campus reviewing needed permits, traffic issues, environmental questions and the title. If all goes well, the administration could close on the property around the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013.

The Preschool

Harker had been studying the preschool market for about two years — long before the Union property arrived on the scene — most recently during its recent accreditation process. Previously, the school ran a very successful junior kindergarten, but closed that program (as well as the school’s boarding program) to make space for the upper school. According to Nikoloff, many independent K-12 schools have a preschool, and the Harker administration continually hears from kindergarten families about the limited availability of quality preschool programs. A preschool would effectively allow Harker to provide another important enrollment window in the primary grades, extend its mission to an additional age group, and respond to a growing need for a quality preschool in Silicon Valley, especially with the state of California rolling back the eligibility age for kindergarten. The
preschool plan took on new impetus as the Union acquisition plan matured.

Union Avenue – The Third Campus

Ever since opening the upper school in 1998, Harker has planned to own three campuses. Currently Harker owns the upper Saratoga and lower Bucknall campuses, but holds a lease on the middle school Blackford campus until 2025. However, the Blackford lease has long been viewed as a stop-gap measure.

“Our long-term plan is to locate the middle school on the Bucknall campus and move the lower school to the Union campus. Bucknall’s facilities – such as the fields, pool and gym – meet middle school and high school specifications, while the Union campus facilities are much more appropriate for K-5 students,” said Nikoloff, adding that there are four key needs to address before transitioning from the Blackford campus lease into its final Harker-owned campuses plan.

The four key needs prior to completing the middle- and lower school transitions are building a gym and theater complex on the Saratoga campus to replace the gym and theater on the Blackford campus; creating a permanent solution for field use; making improvements on the Union campus in preparation for its K-5 use; and relocating some operations at Blackford.

And, while the preschool would initially operate on the Union property, it would later be transitioned to leased or purchased land when the time comes to move the K-5 programs to Union. Kelly Espinosa, Harker’s summer school director, has been charged with administering the preschool. A veteran Harker employee, Espinosa holds a bachelor’s degree in child development from San Jose State, and has many years’ experience directing Harker’s summer school, after-school recreation programs, and the Harker Family & Alumni Picnic.

You may also like

  • Green Nichols Hall Officially Opens
    Green Nichols Hall Officially Opens
  • Guests delighted by gala, first in three years, celebrating 125th anniversary
    Guests delighted by gala, first in three years, celebrating 125th anniversary
  • A Condensed History of the Harker Picnic
    A Condensed History of the Harker Picnic
  • The Harker School’s Theater History Spans Century
    The Harker School’s Theater History Spans Century
  • The Harker School’s Dance History
    The Harker School’s Dance History
  • Sara D. Harker
    Sara D. Harker
  • Harker History: Summer Programs
    Harker History: Summer Programs
  • Harker History: Gloria Brown, 1945 Miss Harker’s Grad
    Harker History: Gloria Brown, 1945 Miss Harker’s Grad

Related

Filed Under: General News, Preschool, Schoolwide Tagged With: Harker History

Primary Sidebar

Search for Articles

Multimedia Features

  • Harker Research Symposium Video Earns Award
  • Into the Fringe: Conservatory Takes ‘Into the Woods’ to Edinburgh

Subscribe to Harker News via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Harker News and receive a daily digest of recent posts.

Delivered by FeedBurner

Trending Stories

  • Alumnus Justin Shamlou '11, remembered for ability to inspire, passes at 27Alumnus Justin Shamlou ’11, remembered for…
  • Harker speech and debate takes first place at UC Berkeley tourneyHarker speech and debate takes first place at UC…
  • Major success for Harker DECA at Silicon Valley conferenceMajor success for Harker DECA at Silicon Valley conference

The Harker Magazine

Published two times a year, The Harker Magazine showcases some of the top news, leading programs, inspiring people and visionary plans of the greater Harker community.

More Harker publications

About Harker

The Harker School is a non-profit, private K-12 school in Silicon Valley that has earned international recognition for its top academics, quality teachers and students' achievements. Founded in 1893, Harker is the largest independent school of its kind in California, with a dedicated campus for each of its divisions – elementary school, middle school and upper school – in San Jose, CA.

Learn more about The Harker School

Links

  • Harker Aquila
  • Preschool
    • Academics
    • Specialty Classes
    • Teachers
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Lower School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Middle School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Upper School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
    • Admission
    • Summer
    • About
    • News
    • Alumni
    • Giving
The Harker School

Copyright © 1893-2015 • The Harker School • 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129 • 408.249.2510 | Contact Us | Privacy Policy

  • Follow Us!
  • Admission
    • Request Information
    • Campus Visits
    • Applying to Harker
    • Tuition & Financial Aid
    • Admission FAQs
  • Preschool
    • Academics
    • Specialty Classes
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Support & Services
      • Extended Care
      • Food Progam
      • Libraries
      • Summer Preschool
      • Transportation
      • Safety & Security
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Lower School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
      • After-School Program
      • Athletics
        • Coach Directory
        • Athletic Events
      • Character Development & Outreach
      • Global Education
        • Global Relationships - Sister Schools
      • Performing Arts
        • Performing Arts Teacher Directory
      • STEM
      • Student Research
      • Visual Arts
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Students
    • Support & Services
      • Food Program
      • Health & Wellness
      • Libraries
      • Safety & Security
      • Transportation
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Middle School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
      • After-School Program
      • Athletics
        • Coach Directory
        • Athletic Events
      • STEM
      • Visual Arts
      • Global Education
        • Global Relationships - Sister Schools
      • Performing Arts
        • Performing Arts Teacher Directory
      • Character Development & Outreach
      • Speech & Debate
      • Student Research
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Students
    • Support & Services
      • Food Program
      • Health & Wellness
      • Libraries
      • Safety & Security
      • Technology
      • Transportation
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Upper School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
      • Character Development & Outreach
      • Performing Arts
        • Performing Arts Teacher Directory
      • Athletics
        • Coach Directory
        • Athletic Events
      • Visual Arts
      • STEM
      • Business & Entrepreneurship
      • Global Education
        • Global Relationships - Sister Schools
      • Speech & Debate
      • Student Research
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Students
    • Support & Services
      • College Counseling
      • Food Program
      • Health & Wellness
      • Libraries
      • Safety & Security
      • Technology
      • Transportation
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Summer
    • Summer Preschool
    • Summer Camp Plus: KinderCamp
    • Summer Camp Plus: Grades 1-5
    • Summer Institute Middle School
    • Summer Institute Upper School
    • English Language Institute
      • Program Details
        • International English Language Institute Brochures
    • Swim School
    • Summer @ The Conservatory
    • About
      • Eligibility
      • Summer Jobs
      • International Families
      • Summer Registration and Policies
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Philosophy & Mission
    • History
      • Harker's 125th!
    • Events
      • Family & Alumni Picnic
        • Admission Passes & Tickets
        • Alumni Guests
        • Schedule of the Day
        • Raffle
        • Silent Auction
        • Picnic T-Shirts
        • Donations
        • Sponsorships
        • Volunteer
        • History
      • Homecoming
      • Harker Concert Series
      • Harker Speaker Series
      • Harker Gala: Night on the Town
        • Community Sponsorships
        • Corporate Sponsorships
      • Harker Sports Clinics
      • Research Symposium
        • Student Abstracts
        • Corporate Exhibitors
      • Harker Alumni Gold Classic
    • Message from the Head of School
    • Board of Trustees
    • Facts & Stats
      • Student Achievements
      • Alumni Achievements
    • Sustainability at Harker
      • Nichols Hall: LEED Certified
    • Eagle Store
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
    • Media Information
    • Privacy Policy
    • COPPA Statement
  • News
    • General News
    • Preschool News
    • Lower School News
    • Middle School News
    • Upper School News
    • Alumni News
    • Summer News
    • In The News
  • Alumni
    • Transcript Requests
  • Giving
    • How to Plan Your Giving
    • Annual Giving
      • How Funds are Spent
      • Gift Clubs
    • Capital Giving
      • About the Cornerstones Campaign
      • The Cornerstones Of Success Campaign: Phases 1-5
      • Gift Recognition & Namign Opportunities
        • Capital Giving Gift Clubs
      • How To Make A Capital Gift
      • Naming Opportunities
        • Performing Arts Center
        • Athletics Center
        • Paving Tiles
        • Bucknall Campus
        • Saratoga Campus
        • Policy
    • Endowment & Planned Giving
      • Endowment Policy
    • Volunteering
    • Donations and Pledges