This article originally appeared in the spring 2011 Harker Quarterly.

Harker has implemented a new streamlined alumni admission process this year to ease admission for the children and grandchildren of Harker alumni.

In the announcement, Diana Nichols, chairman of Harker’s Board of Trustees and former head of school, said that whether students attended Manzanita Hall, Harker Day School, Palo Alto Military Academy, Harker Academy or The Harker School, there is much that alumni from all of the schools share. “Even though time has passed, the core values and principles of the school haven’t changed,” she said. “We have a history together of shared common values.”

In addition to the core values that have remained throughout the school’s history, Nichols also cited the safe environment, caring community, great teachers and improved facilities as “wonderful reasons” for alumni to send their children to Harker. “You are Harker family, and we’d love to have your children – or grandchildren – attending Harker and carrying on the traditions.”

The features of the alumni admission process include waiving the application fee; giving qualified alumni children (who pass testing and meet behavioral standards) top consideration in the application process; providing alumni children with priority equal to current students for financial aid; and offering a 10 percent discount to alumni children for Harker’s summer programs.

Nichols came to Harker Academy in 1973 to chair the science department and teach biology. In 1979 she was named assistant principal, and was principal from 1984-91. From 1992 until her retirement in 2005, Nichols was Harker’s head of school. She was named a Harker Board of Trustees lifetime trustee in 2005 and became the Board’s chair in 2010, and she is passionate about bringing our legacy children into the fold. “We hope to see you on our campuses soon – for a visit or to pick up your child or grandchild from school!” she said.

Harker alumni should contact Nan Nielsen, director of admission, at nann@harker.org or 408.249.2510 and request a special private alumni tour. For the summer discount, alumni should contact Kelly Espinosa, summer programs director, at kellye@harker.org.

Harker alumni who have not registered with the school’s alumni office can do so by contacting their class agent or e-mailing Christina Yan, alumni director, at christinay@harker.org.