On September 4, 2001, the vision of an independent middle school for low-income boys from the City of Harrisburg became a reality as The Nativity School of Harrisburg welcomed its first class of students.  Prominent local professionals and the Joshua Group, an inner-city youth development program in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, shared the dream of increasing opportunity through education.  Together, they collaborated to build a community of hope in the poorest area of the city, where the dropout rate in 2001 was nearly 75 percent.   The promise of a school that specifically targets students most in need, those most at-risk, was kept with the birth of a Nativity model school. 

Our First Day 

 On September 4, 2001, Nativity-Harrisburg welcomed nine students as members of its first sixth grade class.  Mrs. Cheney,  Founding Head Teacher, and Kirk Hallett, Acting Director, greeted each student at the door of the classroom, which was transformed into Nativity-Harrisburg’s one-room schoolhouse and the setting for the adventure that lay ahead.

Five Years of Growth & Success!

Nativity-Harrisburg quickly outgrew its “one-room schoolhouse” and moved to the Education Building of St. Francis of Assisi Church at 1453 Zarker Street.  One class of sixth graders expanded to nearly three dozen boys in 6^th, 7^th & 8^th grades – and graduates at Bishop McDevitt High School, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg SciTech High, Harrisburg Academy, and Milton Hershey School.  The staff of two grew to include full-time teachers for each grade and interns to learn from each of the full-time teachers.  Building on core Nativity School Network principles, the extended school day helped the boys develop skills and improve their classroom performance, and the already extended school year grew to include several weeks of overnight camp.

Year Six and Counting!

Nativity-Harrisburg’s Sixth School Year  have started on August 14, 2006, with two weeks of sleepover camp at Camp Shikellimy in northern Dauphin County.   Summer Leadership Camp includes refresher lessons in math and reading, participation in environmental education exercises, a range of athletic and recreational activities, and work on leadership and character-building.  On-campus classes resumed on Tuesday, September 5, 2006. 

Year Seven and Counting!

Nativity-Harrisburg’s Seventh School Year began on August 13, 2007, with two weeks of sleepover camp at Camp Shikellimy in northern Dauphin County.  Summer Leadership Camp included refresher lessons in math and reading, participation in environmental education exercises, a range of athletic and recreational activities, and work on leadership and character-building.  On-campus classes resumed on Wednesday, September 5, 2007, and 8th grade graduation will be on Thursday, June 5, 2008 at St. Francis of Assisi Church.  Summer camp for returning students begins on Monday, June 9, 2008. 

Applications Now Being Accepted

Nativity School is accepting applications for the Class of 2010 – boys who will be in 6^th grade for the 2007-2008 school year.  Admission criteria include: residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; family income that qualifies students for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch program; desire to work hard and earn the full annual scholarship.