Harlan (David W. ) Elementary School

Harlan is a great school with great opportunities for its students!
--Submitted by a parent

Harlan , at first look, harlan with its very clean and air-tight interior is quite impressive yet,upon further scutiny it exposes many flaws. first, there is yet another new principal, more new teachers, and a dictinct feeling of dis-organization within. I asked if miss thorpe [the last principal] had gone to ,, a woman in the office simply had no idea she was even gone. more teachers didn't have the slightest idea who she even was since its the 'llittle things' that can define the difference between a average school and a good school . harlan simply lost me by its lack of direction. sadly, i went shopping for yet another school in dealware
--Submitted by a parent

Harlan is an exemplary school. It is small so the staff get to know students on a first name basis and develop rapport with them. Teachers are very collaborative. They use an innovative way of making time for team planning every week, and ensuring the kids have time for 'specials' - band, art, PE, etc. The new principal is hands-on. He is always outside to cheerfully greet the kids by name in the morning and afternoon, and often in the halls interacting with the kids and teachers. He is unusually accessible to students, parents and staff. Staff turnover is low. They are constantly renewing their skills, highly credentialed, and clearly focused on the students. The district demands dramatic increases in student performance so professional development, collaboration, innovation is mandated. Harlan's teaching teams are setting the pace. BTW, school pride is quite high, including cleanliness. The building is spit-polish clean.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a substitute teacher and have worked in most of the public schools in the Wilmington area. Harlan is an exceptional school with great teachers and admisistrators. The children are some of the best behaved I have seen in Wilmington.
--Submitted by Robert Corson, a teacher

David W. Harlan Elementary School is one of the best schools in the state. It has maintained a level of excellence for many years under the leadership of an extremely visionary principal, Anita Thorpe, teamed with an extraodinarily capable assistant principal, Lincoln Hohler. This results in a staff of teachers whom exemplify teaching quality. Student achievement and moral in this school are consistently high. A recent multi-million dollar renovation to the historic building is impressively attractive. I would highly recommend this school and its staff to any parent or student interested in quality public education at the 4-5-6 level.
--Submitted by a parent