Harbor Day School

What Harbor Day School does

Harbor Day School is a private, non-profit K-8 independent school operating on a 6-acre hillside campus at 3443 Pacific View Drive in Corona del Mar, California. Founded in 1952, it is among the oldest independent schools in Orange County and currently enrolls approximately 414 students served by a faculty and staff of 56, of whom 67% hold advanced degrees. The school delivers a liberal arts and project-based curriculum that integrates a 1:1 iPad program, robotics and coding instruction, Design Thinking methodology, athletics, and visual and performing arts, alongside after-school enrichment ("Beyond the Bell") and summer programming. It is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and holds membership in the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

The core product is a credentialed K-8 independent school education, with the platform essentially being the campus, faculty, and curricular program. Notable technical components include the technology integration layer (iPads, robotics, coding) and a partnership stack with Flik Dining (food services), Clarity (communications/emergency management), and Blackbaud (donor and financial management software) that underpins back-office operations and family communications.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition at $39,350 per student for the 2026-2027 academic year, supplemented by the Annual Fund (voluntary philanthropic contributions), proceeds from an annual fall benefit event, and school store merchandise sales. The school maintains a financial aid endowment of nearly $3 million to support tuition assistance, indicating a donor-supported, non-profit economics model rather than a commercial SaaS or transactional revenue structure. Leadership is structured around Head of School Joe Powers with directors overseeing Lower School, Middle School, Admission, Finance, Communications, and Development.

Name

Harbor Day School

Legal name

Harbor Day School

Website

https://harborday.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Harbor Day School is a private, non-profit K-8 independent school in Corona del Mar, California, enrolling about 414 students with a faculty of 56 and delivering a liberal arts curriculum enhanced by technology, arts, and athletics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Independent Private School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJABAA

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

Keywords

• Private school education
• K-8 independent school
• Elementary education
• College preparatory
• Character education

Headquarters

HQ city

Corona del Mar

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Annual tuition for grades K-8 is the primary revenue stream. Tuition for 2026-2027 is $39,350, which includes daily lunch, all field trips, school supplies, athletics, one-to-one iPads in all grades, and the yearbook.
2. Annual Fund and Donations: Annual Giving recognizes gifts made between July 1 and June 30 through support of the Fall Benefit and Annual Fund. Gifts support faculty professional development, pilot programs, financial aid, and the endowment.
3. Fall Benefit Event: Annual fundraising event (Boots & Bling / Toast on the Coast) that raises significant funds for the school through ticket sales, live and silent auctions.
4. School Store (HDS Store): Sale of school merchandise including uniforms, apparel, accessories, and memorabilia to families and alumni.
5. Tuition Assistance Financial Aid Endowment: Dedicated gifts to Financial Aid have grown the endowment reserve to nearly $3 million committed to providing financial resources to students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Harbor Day School delivers a comprehensive private K-8 independent school education organized into Lower School (kindergarten through fourth grade) and Middle School (fifth through eighth grade). The school offers a core academic curriculum aligned with CAIS and NAIS standards, supplemented by enrichment programs in technology (coding, robotics, Design Thinking, 1:1 iPads), music and performing arts, visual arts, outdoor education, athletics, community service, and student life programs, with daily lunch, iPads, athletics, and yearbook included in tuition.

Product overview

Harbor Day School is a private co-educational K-8 independent school offering a comprehensive academic program structured into Lower School (kindergarten through grade 4) and Middle School (grades 5-8). The school provides core educational services through its academically challenging curriculum aligned with CAIS and NAIS standards, supplemented by enrichment programs including Technology (coding, robotics, Design Thinking with 1:1 iPads), Music and Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Outdoor Education (grades 5-8), and Community Service. Student life programs include the Beyond the Bell after school program with enrichment classes and after care, Advisory program for middle school, and the Harbor Day Families multi-grade community program. Athletic offerings consist of the Interscholastic Athletics program (competitive teams for grades 5-8) and the Blue-Gold Intramural Program. Financial support is available through a tuition assistance program. Daily lunch is provided through Flik Dining services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-8 Academic Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates successfully matriculate to competitive high schools including Corona del Mar High School, JSerra, Mater Dei, Sage Hill, St. Margaret's, and boarding schools like Phillips Academy Andover and The Thacher School
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Flik Dining (Compass Group)coreOthersFlik is the school's food services provider, offering delicious and nutritious meals prepared by an expert team of chefs and dieticians. As the premier food services provider for independent schools, Flik delivers meals that nourish students. Flik was acquired by Compass Group in 1995 and operates in over 280 private and independent schools nationwide.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationClarity is the school's tuition assistance application platform. The simple and mobile-friendly application allows families to apply for financial aid. Families can save progress and return at any time, with 2024 1040 and W2 forms automatically transferred from the IRS.
• Charles SchwabminorOthersBrokerage partner for receiving gifts of appreciated stock and securities. The school provides clearing codes and account direction information upon email request.
• Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long BeachminorOthersPrimary banking partner for the school. Routing and account information available by email request to the development office.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Waldorf School of Orange County: Private K-12 Waldorf school in Costa Mesa, California. Competes for the same Orange County independent school families but uses a distinct pedagogical philosophy, making it a partial overlap rather than direct substitute.
• Crystal Cove Academy: Newer private K-8 school in the Newport Beach/Corona del Mar submarket. Smaller and younger than Harbor Day but targets the same affluent coastal families with a comparable independent day-school model.

Direct peers

• Tarbut V'Torah Community Day School: Private K-12 independent day school in Irvine, California. Comparable non-sectarian-leaning model, similar tuition band, and overlapping Orange County feeder market for junior-kindergarten through middle school families.
• Sage Hill School: Private K-12 independent day school in Newport Coast, California, located ~3 miles from Harbor Day. Serves a similarly affluent Newport Beach/Corona del Mar demographic with comparable tuition, college-preparatory focus, and was explicitly listed as a destination high school for Harbor Day graduates.
• The Pegasus School: Private non-sectarian K-8 independent day school in Huntington Beach, California. Closest structural analog to Harbor Day by grade span (K-8), independent non-sectarian model, and Orange County coastal location, serving a similar affluent family demographic.
• St. Margaret's Episcopal School: Private K-12 independent Episcopal day school in San Juan Capistrano, California. Serves the same Orange County coastal corridor; company data lists St. Margaret's as a top high school destination for Harbor Day graduates, indicating strong demographic and academic overlap.
• Mariners Christian School: Private K-12 faith-based school in Costa Mesa, California. Operates in the immediate Harbor Day service area and competes for the same coastal Orange County family pool at comparable tuition price points.

Regional players

• Crossroads School: Private K-12 independent day school in Santa Monica, California. Comparable non-sectarian, college-preparatory independent school with progressive academic and STEM programs; serves a similar affluent California coastal family demographic outside Orange County.
• The Buckley School: Private K-9 independent day school in Sherman Oaks (Los Angeles). Similar non-sectarian independent day model with comparable tuition and family demographic, but operates in the LA market rather than Orange County.
• Flintridge Preparatory School: Private 7-12 independent day school in La Canada Flintridge, California. Comparable non-sectarian independent day model feeding selective colleges, though operates at the upper end of the K-12 range in the LA market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/harborday
• Instagraminstagram.com/harborday
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harbor-day-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harbor Day School