![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates, Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasnt been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but Ive had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. Theres so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesnt exist, you can build it yourself, Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasnt making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable, Carter Chadwick (22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and its played such a major role in who Ive become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something Im [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala (21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“Im not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that theres a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyones so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you arent going to get those championships if you arent fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
Former upper school music teacher arrested on misconduct charges
Community moves forward after former teacher’s arrest
The upper school’s quad. Former Harker upper school teacher Florio was terminated in June and arrested on Aug. 16 on felony and misdemeanor charges.
September 1, 2018
A former Harker upper school teacher was arrested in San Jose on Aug. 16 and faces criminal charges for inappropriate communication with a minor during school functions and on social media.
Schools officials terminated instrumental music teacher, orchestra and jazz band conductor and class of 2019 dean Christopher Florio, 39, after they were informed of an allegation of misconduct with a student.
Head of School Brian Yager met with faculty about the situation as well as Harker policy on appropriate faculty-student interactions this week. Yager encourages students who are processing the situation and who want to talk to reach out to counselors, advisers and administrators.
“In any situation that is challenging, there’s a lot of dynamics involved that are hard to manage for the community, and a range of emotions,” Yager said in an interview with Harker Aquila and Winged Post. “We have to recognize that and, as always, be our best and learn from this experience.”
In any situation that is challenging, there’s a lot of dynamics involved that are hard to manage for the community, and a range of emotions. We have to recognize that and, as always, be our best and learn from this experience.
— Head of School Brian Yager
Dr. David Hart, an instrumental and vocal music teacher at the middle school, has transitioned to the upper school to assume Florio’s teaching roles. Members of upper school music groups and their parents were notified of this transition on June 30, but no further details about Florio’s departure were provided at the time.
“I have a love of this place and I have a love of the faculty and the students here,” Hart said. “I’m happy to now be a part of this team here.”
Upper school math teacher and former class of 2018 dean Dr. Victor Adler will take on Florio’s role as dean of the class of 2019.
“I understand that it’s a loss. Somebody’s been with you for three years, and having gone through that process, I understand you get attached to this person,” Dr. Adler said. “I feel bad for the class, for sure. At some point we have to move forward, the class does, and I hope that we move forward together.”
Prior to his termination, Florio had taught at the upper school for nine years. Members of the community received the news with a range of reactions. Teachers in the performing arts department, as well as the rest of the school, look to support their students in the coming months.
“Often in arts classes, people’s emotions come up, and we want to be able to let students say they’re sad or angry or whatever they are,” Director of Performing Arts Laura Lang-Ree said. “We’re often in a dance, or in a play, or in a musical; we’re talking about deep and personal things, and so we’re fostering that kind of conversation, but at a level where the student feels safe.”
Students and teachers alike are dealing with the impact of the situation.
“I was a little bit disturbed, and over the next coming days, I kept thinking about it. I really could not believe it,” said ASB President Neil Ramaswamy (12), who had previously worked with Florio in student council and jazz band.
At the school meeting on Tuesday, Upper School Division Head Butch Keller will deliver an announcement to the student body about safety precautions and student-teacher interactions.
“I care so much about your emotional and your physical safety—that is what my main concern is everyday,” Keller said. “You’re in a community that cares about you, supports you, is there for you. When you come to school, I want it to be a place where you’re so comfortable that you feel good about the things you do—that’s how we all feel, we want you to be safe.”
Currently, policies relating to student-teacher communication states that “all email communications between students and The Harker School faculty or staff must be through their official school email account.” Otherwise, students and teachers are only permitted to communicate through social media or text “after the student has become an alumna/us of the school and is 18 years of age or older.”
Keller advises students who feel uncomfortable to tell someone in the community as soon as they can.
“Just go to the next teacher you see and you trust, go to your advisor, go to one of your counselors, come to me. Any adult in the community would be a good adult to go to if something didn’t seem right to you,” Keller said. “Go to somebody in the community. That’s what we’re about.”
After the San Jose Police Department conducted an investigation into the allegations, Florio was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on Aug. 16 on for communicating with a minor and misdemeanor charges for annoying a minor. That same day, SJPD Police Sergeant Enrique Garcia issued a press release to inform local media outlets about the allegations.
The San Jose Police Department’s media relations unit declined an interview request from the Winged Post due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Anyone with information regarding this incident may contact Detective Chris Mendoza of the San Jose Police Department at (408) 537-1379.
Additional reporting by Eric Fang, news editor.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on Aug. 31, 2018.
