Not surprisingly, people are asking me if I am counting the days until I retire from Shorecrest in June. So, why am I somewhat speechless when the question is asked?

Parents/Guardians of those heading to Junior Kindergarten next year heard from Dr. Sherri Danyali, Head of The Experiential School of Tampa Bay, and JK teachers Mrs. Abbie Hahn and Ms. Brenda Rosas, about the curriculum, philosophy and expectations.

Grandparents & Special Friends Day is a beloved Shorecrest tradition, 36-years strong and counting. This year's event was held on Friday, January 24 and welcomed more than 600 visitors to campus!

You’re invited to a family-friendly, community-wide celebration of all things creative, inventive, imaginative and fun! St. Pete STEAMfest is an annual event geared toward children in preschool through middle school on Saturday, January 25, 10am – 2pm at Shorecrest Preparatory School.

The creative and talented students in Lower School at Shorecrest are making limited edition artwork just for you! The next items to be auctioned off will be original third grade projects. On-site silent bidding only.

On January 21, Global Scholars Initiative students Mila Salamone '22, Grace Salter '22, and Athena Smith '22 attended the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations dinner, featuring Dr. Burke-White.

Many talented Upper School Shorecrest students have received recognition for their artwork through this year's Scholastic Arts and Writing competition. Each piece represents many, many hours of thought and effort, and truly speaks to a commitment to honing their craft and giving their all. Please congratulate these wonderful artists for their creativity and hard work!

Join the Shorecrest Community on Friday, January 31, for a Movie Under the Stars outside of Charger Commons - featuring "Toy Story 4." Entrance to the movie is free, food items sold are a Relay For Life fundraiser - all proceeds benefit American Cancer Society.

St. Pete First Art Collective will host "Flights of Fancy," a solo art exhibition by Charla Y. Gaglio. The opening reception will be at ArtWalk on Saturday, February 8, 5-8pm.

Join your fellow Chargers at an International Connection social over lunch on February 7 at noon. Fund us at The Getaway, located next to gorgeous water views at 13090 Gandy Blvd N, St. Pete. All Charger parents/guardians welcome. Bring your own mug or reusable water bottle.

The girls Middle School basketball Chargers won the St. Petersburg Christian Saints Classic Tournament for the first time! The team beat Athenian Academy (32-9) on Friday, St. Rafael's (38-15) Saturday afternoon, then won a hard fought game later that night against Pinellas Prep (23-30)  for the championship.

Chargers vs Pinellas Prep Academy 2-0
Chargers vs Seffner Christian 4-0

You will receive an email from the Enrollment Management and Admissions Office with the link to re-enroll on January 27. You can also click the gold "Re-enrollment" tab at the top of the Shorecrest homepage anytime between January 27 and February 7. Prompt registration allows us to manage teacher contracts and class size, and it reserves a space for your child in classes with waiting lists. Please submit the 2020-2021 re-enrollment forms by the February 7 deadline. 

SCA is once again hosting Dr. Jasmine Reese and a panel of pediatric experts from Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Join us on Tuesday, February 11, 10-11:30am in the SAC. 

If you need a letter for tax purposes regarding your Holiday Gift Drive donation, please email giftdrive@shorecrest.org by January 28.

Relay For Life is just around the corner (March 13th!) To help raise money to benefit American Cancer Society, Shorecrest is kicking off its annual Links Project in the Lower School.

SAGE Executive Chef Rob Coutu and Registered Dietitians got together to share their thoughts about 2020 trends from both the culinary and nutritional perspectives.

The Shorecrest community and activities are featured annually in our yearbook, “Crestviews.” This student-made publication is free for seniors and $50 for others to purchase.

All financial aid applications for the 2020-2021 school year are due no later than January 31, 2020. To apply click here or contact the Admissions Office to learn more.

Spring Sports are just around the corner. Keep an eye out for information on team signups / informational meetings upon the return to school.

Interact is hosting a toiletry drive to collect travel-sized toiletries for the Ronald McDonald House. When new families arrive at RMH, they will be provided with these supplies. Please bring in any travel-size toiletry items (toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, mouthwash, deodorant, etc.) by February 13.

Travel for Teens offers over 140 trips for teens who are rising eighth graders through graduating seniors. They are known for providing cultural experiences, language immersion, service trips, medical experiences, and much more. Their motto is “Be a Traveler, Not a Tourist.”

Northeast Little League invites you to PLAY BALL! Registration is now open.

Shorecrest Upper School Performing Arts students present "The Crucible," a masterful and intense American drama by Arthur Miller on Saturday, February 8, at 6pm. A preview performance will be presented on Thursday, February 6, at 7pm, featuring a Second Cast. On Saturday, February 8, a community conversation entitled “Non-traditional Casting when Race is a Consideration to the Play’s Development” will be held in Shorecrest’s Janet Root Theatre from 3-5pm.

Shorecrest Relay For Life benefiting the American Cancer Society is holding a charity ride at Rush Cycle in Downtown St. Pete (115 1st St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701) on Sunday, February 9 at 12pm.

All Florida Orthopaedic Associates will perform physicals for Shorecrest student-athletes currently in grades 5-11 on Wednesday, May 13, 5 – 7pm in the Athletic Center. Female and male physicians will be present to conduct the exams.

On Friday, January 17, the entire K-4th Grade Lower School participated in an empowering Children's March for Social Justice. Led by the Shorecrest third graders, the Lower School students paraded throughout campus to honor and recognize the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whom we celebrate on January 20.

This past weekend, the Upper School Shorecrest Robotics team (Team Chargers) participated in a regional VEX Robotics Competition at River Ridge High School. They scored 4-0-1. Throughout the competition they worked to strategize with their alliance partners, which helped them be successful in their matches.

From February 24-28, ES families are invited to drop off books at ES morning arrival carline for a Global Library.

The National Geographic GeoBee was held in the Janet Root Theatre on January 16. The top two geographers from grades 4-8 competed on stage, plus last year's winner. The Shorecrest Champion was eighth grader Nicolas H. For the last four years he won at Shorecrest and also qualified to compete at the state level.

Join the Shorecrest community in St. Petersburg's MLK National Parade & Family Fun Day (formerly the Dream Big Parade.) The parade will be held on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, January 20. Every member of the community is encouraged to wear your Charger Green & Gold and to march with us as the parade weaves through downtown St. Petersburg.

Most, if not all of our children know that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader of the non-violent Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s. Do they know that in 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed an annual holiday celebrating Dr. King into law? Do they know it took three years before the holiday was celebrated? And do they know that it was not until the year 2000 that all 50 states agreed to acknowledge the holiday? Most importantly, I hope they explore and come to understand the WHY of the above facts.

Lila and Brenton Ross, parents of Experiential and Lower School students, are grateful for Shorecrest and that their children love learning much as they do! The Ross family contributes to Two Funds. One Mission. because they experienced firsthand that Shorecrest is more than a school, it is a family, and they want to give back and support the people and children who make up the Shorecrest community.

Dr. Lisa Bianco, Head of Lower School, shared a little bit about the kindergarten program, such as curriculum and distinguishing features. 

Shorecrest's inaugural Beach Volleyball season will begin in February. All girls grades 9-12 interested in playing should sign up in the Athletic Director's office beginning Tuesday, January 21. Tryouts will begin on Monday, February 10 (4:30pm-6pm) at Woodlawn Park. Be sure to sign up to receive more details regarding Chargers Beach Volleyball.

Roderick Fludd, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, presented an ES Parent Seminar, "Talking with Young Children About Race Part 2" on January 14.

Shorecrest parents Matt Frey and Patrick Lamb organize casual, low key Dad's Nights Out during the school year. This is open to fathers of Shorecrest students all grade levels. No need to RSVP, just show up and enjoy.

During the first semester I had the opportunity to meet with 149 members of the faculty and staff for one-on-one conversations about Shorecrest culture and their careers. The experience has been humbling in many ways. One way has been the realization of how much more our faculty and staff want to do and how they want to Be More for our students. 

Students in Lisa Peck's Intro to Medical Sciences course received an enthralling tour of the Center for Medical Simulation and Innovative Education at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. The Chargers helped treat robotic children and infant mannequins with chest compressions, ventilation, defibrillation, intubation. 

On January 6, Sra. Miller's eighth grade Spanish students learned about Spanish folklore for Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day or Three Wise Men Day), which is a Spanish tradition that is marked by spectacular parades throughout Spain and Latin-America.

When Zack Savitsky '17 was applying to colleges, he was torn between his love for English and science. While he was trying to make a decision, he discovered the science communication community and realized the unique field would allow him to combine his passions. From then on, he was hooked.

Our Alumni Spotlights series shares the stories of Shorecrest graduates in all phases of their careers – from emerging leaders to established experts. Our latest spotlight follows the early childhood passion of David Ison ‘91 and how this passion translated to a career in aviation and now education.

Before leaving for Winter Break, Shorecrest announced an End-of-Year Challenge. An anonymous donor family challenged the community to match and exceed their $70,000 philanthropic investment to the Transform Campaign. We rang in the new year by exceeding this challenge and raised $635,317! 

Upper School History Teacher Mr. Heller, Upper School Band Director Mr. Updike, and Upper School Visual Arts Chair Mrs. Gaglio are pleased to announce this year's summer travel experience to Greece: June 11-22, 2020.

Are you or your friend interested in ES for a little one? Join us on either January 11 or February 8 to participate in a playful learning event planned for potential new students and parents. Families interested in enrolling a child in Alpha or JK for the 2020-2021 school year should contact Beth Mantooth bmantooth@shorecrest.org and/or Dr. Jean Spencer Carnes jcarnes@shorecrest.org for more information and to sign up for a time.

Please see the attached calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. As we continuously evolve to meet the needs of students and families, there are a few changes that I hope you find beneficial.