The Flexible and Distance Learning Handbook outlines our plans for Flexible Learning while school is in session on-campus, and our plans should we need to move to all-school Distance Learning. The Return to School Plan is updated starting on page 14 with detailed SAGE safety procedures.

The plans and details outlined in PowerSchool are what we intend as of today, July 15. As an administration, we are ever-mindful of the events and circumstances outside of our control. We are watchful and aware and are prepared to make changes as appropriate to maintain the health and safety of our school community.

SCA knows you're busy! We'll get your back-to-school supply shopping done for you (binders, folders, dry erase markers, index cards, etc...) Purchase online early to clear it off your list and get the best prices. Prices will go up on July 1, and SCA Supply sales close August 7.

Balancing our goals of preserving community health and offering in-person, on-campus instruction for the 2020-2021 school year, Shorecrest will require all people, including students in grades K-12, to wear a mask while indoors on-campus. This policy is effective July 1.

The decision to cancel Summer Programs allows us time to strengthen our Return to School Plans and preserve our resources to ensure we may open as safely as possible when school resumes in-person, on-campus on August 19.

Chargers Athletics summer training/conditioning has been cleared by the FHSAA to begin on the Shorecrest campus on Monday, June 15. A required Summer Training Health form must be signed by the parent(s) of all student-athletes who will participate in summer training/conditioning. Tryout and season start dates for Cross Country, Swimming & Diving, Football, Volleyball, Golf, Sailing, and Cheerleading are posted. Access this information at shorecrest.org > Athletics > Teams & Schedules.

Two Shorecrest Thespians have earned coveted Broadway of the Future awards for their roles in Shorecrest Preparatory School’s production of “The Crucible” - Eric Jacobson ‘21 and Evan Hoefer ‘21. Also being considered for the showcase performance are Eric, Evan and Shannon Wright ‘20.

The current social climate has stirred feelings and stories from our community members that indicate our imperfect past as an institution. We are committed to examining our past and present as we work toward a more inclusive future. We seek to provide an environment that embraces and celebrates differences and feels like home to all.

We mourn the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many other innocent men and women of color. We recognize that these events have a deeply personal impact on our African-American community members. We acknowledge your pain and stand in solidarity with you.

People across North America are boosting their sustainability efforts to honor a beloved member of our community, Hannah Weiss '16. 

William Leavengood '78 and composer Constantine Grame, will present GASPARILLA: THE MUSICAL in a workshop in the form of a reading/singing of the musical in the Palladium’s Hough Hall with help from a grant from St. Petersburg Arts Alliance and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

Shorecrest's Upper School Performing Arts hosted a 2020 Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 22. This was a special time to honor many different achievements. We congratulate all of our thespians for their dedication during a school year with many canceled performances, and give special acknowledgment to those students who earned an award.

Middle School students had guest artists visiting via Zoom in April for Celebrate the Arts. Local writer and Shorecrest parent Maria Mora met with eighth graders for a special writing session she called "Flash Writing," Ms. Mora would show a photo on screen for about a minute, and have students free write what came to mind when they saw the image.

On Sunday, May 17, 2020, Shorecrest Preparatory School held a Parade and Drive-Through Diploma Distribution for the 85-member Class of 2020 - the first class to receive their diplomas through "carline." Vehicles packed with emotional family members drove one-by-one around campus, past classmates, teachers, administrators, friends and Sparky.

Art instruction is interwoven throughout the Shorecrest curriculum. To celebrate the lessons and skills taught all year, we learn from the surrounding community each spring during Celebrate the Arts Week.

Families may request a consultation via phone, Zoom or email with The Learning Center at Shorecrest to help determine the best ways to support every learner this summer. Visit www.shorecrest.org/health for more information. 

Shorecrest Middle School held its annual Middle School Awards Assembly on Monday, May 18, via Zoom. Awards were presented for Citizen of the Year, Spark awards in each grade level, as well as the Harold Bruggeman Award.

This year’s theme for eighth grade English was "navigating authority." Students learned different ways of compiling various sources of authority and ultimately learned to make personal decisions after evaluating what their families said, what their communities said, and what their peers said.

Third graders were asked to write a poem as they reflected on their third grade year. Obviously the 2019-2020 school year had an unexpected ending! Read one student's poem here.

Just prior to the start of Distance Learning, the Spanish IV Honors students embarked on a unit of study focused on 21st century inventions and technological advances. The project-based unit has afforded students the opportunity to research a current challenge in a part of the Spanish-speaking world and design a solution to the problem.

For the past 9 weeks, Junior Kindergarteners have been investigating water. They started with freshwater, rivers, ponds and lakes and then ended the unit with the zones of the ocean. Their final projects, based on ocean exploration, were presented via Zoom to their peers this week.

Barry Bearden has been selected to lead the Shorecrest Physical Education Department and the boys’ basketball program as the varsity head coach. Coach Bearden, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, worked at The Altamont School in Birmingham for 15 years. As a former athlete, Coach Bearden was recruited as a football and basketball player.

Shorecrest would like to welcome their new Varsity Cheer Coach, Blair Gil '07. In addition to being a 2007 graduate of Shorecrest, this past year Blair was the head coach of the Middle School Cheer Chargers. Prior to coaching at Shorecrest, Blair was the head Varsity Cheer coach at St. Pete Catholic for 4 years.

Athletic awards by team for the 2019-20 school year may be found here. Congratulations Chargers on your great seasons!

During these difficult times, we want to say thank you to our community for your continued support to the Shorecrest Annual Fund during the 2019-20 school year. Without these funds, we would not have been able to support our teachers, families and students—especially during this period of Distance Learning. 

Shorecrest's Upper School hosted the 2020 Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 15, followed by the Athletics Awards and college athletics signing event over webinars during quarantine. This was a special time to honor many different achievements. We congratulate all of our students for their dedication during a tumultuous but successful school year and give special acknowledgment to those students who earned an award.

The Shorecrest Chargers Athletics Department hosted the 2020 Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 15 over Zoom during quarantine. This was a special time to honor many different achievements. We congratulate all of our Chargers student athletes for their dedication during a tumultuous but successful school year and give special acknowledgment to those students who earned an award.

Celebrate the end of the school year with the kindergarten teachers and a few other special friends! The kindergarten car parade is scheduled for Friday, May 22.

The last two weeks have been busy for seniors in the Global Scholars Initiative. Matthew Danielson '20, Ryan Healy '20, Asher Rovin '20, and Lucas Murphy '20 all defended their thesis project via Zoom.

Congratulations to Aivey Wiggins '23, who won an Upper School Outstanding Playwright award this week, and Mila Salamone '22 who was named Outstanding Filmmaker.

Summer programs are a tradition at Shorecrest. This year camps for the month of June will be hosted online and we hope to open the campus for more summer programs in July. 

You don't have to be a Shorecrest student - camps are open to the public! Some of our online camps are even run nationally!

Child therapist Juli Hindsley gave a webinar for parents/guardians on the topic "Recognizing and Managing Anxiety in Young Children during COVID-19." A recording and notes are shared here.

The Experiential School School of Tampa Bay hosted a parenting webinar: Supporting your child's social-emotional health while at home, with guest experts Jennifer Phelps, MS, BCBA, and Juli Hindsley, MS, MA, CTP, RMHI. View a video recording of the Zoom session.

One of the insightful authors I have read in the past 7 weeks noted that for many teachers the move from face-to-face teaching in a classroom to distance learning on Zoom and other forms of media thrust teachers back into being first year rookies. We quickly learned that even though teaching remotely was new for most teachers, the core skills - including the love for students, the ability to inspire and the collaborative process that teaching has become - allowed for great learning experiences to occur and the “rookies” performed like the pros they are.

Distance Learning is challenging for students and parents. One of the most frequent recent requests to TLC has been for ideas and resources to help manage and organize working from home while schooling from home during the campus closure.

Nico Bottoni '21, Jonathan Currie '21, Gregory Glasscock '21, Zach Hahn '21 and Leddon Zwack '21 received first place at the state level of NHD for their documentary. They will virtually represent the school at the National contest in June. 
The fifth graders discovered that "The Candy Bomber" - as Halvorsen became known - was still alive and well. In fact, he will turn 100 in October! Students created birthday cards for Capt. Halvorsen in Google Slides and wrote letters to him about how he has inspired them and motivated them to think about others.

Off season workouts, countless hours of in-season training, persistence and total team commitment all marked this year’s varsity soccer teams. Both teams excelled during the regular season while increasing their footprint in Florida high school soccer.

This year has been crazy, to say the least, but our Relay For Life event leadership team, our sponsors, faculty support, and all the teams participating have still managed to do exceptional things to help fight cancer! The Relay season was run by Chair Kirsten Price ‘21, Fundraising Chair Emery Camp ‘20, Relay Events Chair Lindsey Leonhirth ‘20, and Community Engagement Chair Lauren Epstien ‘21.

Shorecrest Chargers varsity softball and baseball teams finished off the 2020 spring season on Zoom with end-of-the-year parties and awards.

Although the annual Volunteer Breakfast was canceled, there was still so much to celebrate! Visit https://www.shorecrest.org/sca for a special video, presentation of the Janet Root Volunteer of the Year Awards, and announcement of next year's SCA Board Officers.

On Friday, May 1, the Shorecrest Preparatory School Upper School Honor Society chapters inducted their newest members by tapping them via email.

One of the big decisions made this week to bring joy to some people has been to hold a drive-through parade and distribution of diplomas for the Class of 2020, on May 17. One at a time, the seniors will be able to exit their vehicle, add a momento to a time capsule that will be buried later in the summer under their class bricks and then pick up their diploma. Later in July, if allowed, a more formal Commencement Ceremony will be conducted.

May 1 is National College Decision Day, the day many colleges and universities request a commitment from incoming students. Members of the Class of 2020 and the Shorecrest Marketing Team will be posting photos of the seniors in their college T-shirts online announcing their decisions for next year using the hashtag #shorecrest2020.

This is the time of year that members of the junior class often reach out to beloved faculty members or those faculty members with similar interests for a college letter of recommendation. Luckily, the close teacher-student relationships at Shorecrest yield letters from Upper School faculty about Chargers that truly come from the heart.

Masks have been used in history for protection, disguise, performance, ceremonies, and entertainment. In Shorecrest theatre classes, each student picks a mask that they are drawn to to work on acting and interacting as a different character. Because students are quarantined and do not have access to the masks the class normally uses, students were tasked with creating their own mask for virtual theatre classes. 

“A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…” I had the choice of taking a course on Shakespeare or one on the history of Science Fiction. A week into Shakespeare I switched into the Sci-Fi class. It did not take long to realize the Sci-Fi students and professor had their own language. Four years after taking that class George Lucas released the first of the “Star Wars” movies. Obviously Coronavirus is not science fiction. It will get cured by science. But it has occurred to me that Shorecrest teachers banded together like Jedi behind Yoda and Obi-Wan.

Middle School Chargers made chalk art at home with the theme: Earth Day 2020.

Illustrator Jon Hoefer had students create their own emojis during his Celebrate the Arts teach-in. He talked to them about different levels of emotions, such as drawing fear vs. horror vs. panic, and how to represent different levels of emotions in simple drawings like emojis. Hoefer demonstrated drawings of furrowed eyebrows, dilated pupils, cheeks spreading with broad smiles and more.

Environmental Club President Julia Marquis '21 and Vice President Brenna Dukes '21 started a social media campaign to help Chargers and others find new ways to be kind to the plant during Earth Week and beyond. Find their posts about saving energy, reducing waste and celebrating Earth Day while at home, here: https://www.instagram.com/sps.earth.week/ and here: https://www.facebook.com/sps.earth.week/

Following the study of World War I in American Experience/history class, eighth graders were asked to create a modern day propaganda poster, inspired by examples from American history. The Chargers' posters were meant to be about an issue that concerns them today. 

First graders are finding lots of fun ways to celebrate Earth Day with their families. 

The All-Pinellas County private school boys basketball team has been released. The teams were selected by the 10 private schools in the county.

Two of the initiatives from the 2020 Strategic Plan: Vision for the Future focused on Culture and Community, and Innovation in Teaching and Learning. While our community's circumstances have changed drastically since that planning process in 2015, the outcomes of that work are paying dividends today during this time of crisis. 

Shorecrest Athletics named Courtney Draper as new Head Volleyball Coach starting the 2020-2021 season. Coach Draper will also join the Shorecrest faculty as a Middle School Physical Education instructor. 

Mrs. Hahn’s Junior Kindergarten students have been following the progress of a caterpillar that formed a chrysalis on her porch.

Shorecrest fifth grade math teacher, Mrs. Howell, and her kindergartener, Emma, spent a recent weekend sewing face masks for doctors and nurses at St. Anthony’s hospital. Mrs. Howell then worked the geometry of mask making into her fifth grade math curriculum.

In Junior Kindergarten, the children create self-portraits every month. This week, students in Ms. Rosas' and Mrs. Trayer’s class created self-portraits using natural items.

Third graders in Mrs. Rebman’s class had the opportunity to send letters to Dr. Joey Fernandez, a New York City doctor working with COVID-19 patients, who is friends with a family in the class. 

To learn more contact Señora Jaime-Allwood: ejaime-allwood@shorecrest.org

All inquiries regarding trip details should be made to Mr. Heller at rheller@shorecrest.org.

The Shorecrest faculty/staff and I are grateful for SCA. SCA did not wait until our current crisis to show appreciation for teachers. SCA did not wait for a special Teacher Appreciation Week. Our Shorecrest Community Association spent the entire year showing appreciation for the work of our teachers and staff. On top of providing programs to enrich the lives of our children, like Fall Festival and Book Buddies, SCA leaders extended themselves to provide families with support in the form of Uniform Sales, Supply Sales, Greenery Sales, Grandparents Day and of course, Shorecrest Cares. 

Bring campus to your computer with Shorecrest Zoom backgrounds. Choose from multiple scenes. Simply download the backgrounds you like, then add them to your Zoom account. 

A recent presentation to help parents navigate PowerSchool Learning was videoed for anyone who missed it.

Share your distance learning and community support stories on social media using #ShorecrestTogether. Email them to ebytes@shorecrest.org to be included in this year's Crestviews yearbook.

Before we embarked on our distance learning days, Junior Kindergateners germinated beans in wet paper towels and hung them in the windows of the Experiential School. To continue their project while at home, Mrs. Hahn moved the delicate plants to a window of her home office. Shortly thereafter, the seeds began to sprout! Mrs. Hahn shared pictures with her students so they could observe the roots and small sprouts. She then planted each sprout in a seedling pot and the children have been watching them grow through their weekly chats.

Communication skills, interpersonal relationship skills, commitment, creativity, adaptability, patience and love never seemed more important. Administrators and teachers alike, as always, are here to live our Mission and be the college preparatory school that educates a diverse community of students to be lifelong learners… We are here for you.

Shorecrest Middle School French students kept a French tradition alive virtually by drawing fish and emailing them to their friends.

As our curriculum pivots to a distance learning platform, Lower School Spanish Teacher Emili Jaime-Allwood is incorporating activities that help students continue to expand their Spanish language skills.

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.

The Learning Center (TLC) is here to help you navigate your child's distance learning needs. We offer online resources for parents and students to assist with distance learning such as supporting your children with Executive Function Skills (organization, task initiation, planning, etc.) Please fill out this Google Survey to tell us what you are finding most challenging.

Third graders in Mrs. Hobbs' class are learning about force and motion and how things move. 

Week two of distance learning gave all of us an opportunity to take lessons from week one combined with feedback from colleagues, students and family members, to ensure teaching and learning is maintained. As important as the lessons may be, the overwhelmingly positive attitudes and encouragement community members have shared with each other have been inspirational. I am sure the positive feedback is the result of the great work teachers, the tech team, the communications team and support staff are doing. There are behind-the-scenes stories that bring tears to my eyes both with joy - and some with other emotions.

The ES teachers would like to invite Alpha and JK students to connect with them using Zoom. Through the Zoom platform, the Experiential School aspires to achieve the goals of assembling, seeing each other and sharing experiences together. These learning experiences are being designed thoughtfully and intentionally to ensure that the Zoom sessions are developmentally appropriate for young children, positive, and meaningful.

With many families preparing meals at home and trying to keep their children engaged, SAGE is prepared to help! We’ve developed a video series with easy, delicious recipes to prepare at home (pasta Primavera with marinara sauce!), instructions for various cooking techniques, nutritional guidance, and even home food sanitation and hygiene tips.

A bright side of studying at home is spending more time with furry friends! Pets can reduce stress, while increasing motivation and learning.

PARC, a Shorecrest community partner and St. Petersburg-based organization that provides programs and services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, recently presented Shorecrest student Chris Manings '22 with their 2019 Community Volunteer of the Year Award.

Coach Montoya was nominated as Coach of the Year. Winners for the statewide awards will be announced March 25, 2020.

During the coming weeks, we will all find some silver linings in the midst of the disruptions we are experiencing. I have already had two silver linings experiences. One has been seeing the incredible dedication of our Technology and Communications teams as they have reached out to faculty, staff, students and families to help them prepare for the distance learning experience being offered. Meanwhile, in our Shorecrest neighborhood here are a few of the silver linings that have been reported to me...

Last month, JK students in Mrs. Hahn’s class started exploring South America, specifically all the plants and animals that call the Amazon Rainforest their home. The students wanted to create their own rainforest to hang in the classroom, so they designed, drew and painted layers of the rainforest, as well as foliage and animals that live there.

In fifth grade English class, students read “A Night Divided” by Jennifer A. Nielsen, about a family who wakes up one morning separated on either side of the Berlin Wall. At the 2020 Pinellas County National History Fair, an Upper School project won 2nd Place in the documentary category with a film entitled “Colonel Gail Halvorsen: Breaking Barriers during the Berlin Airlift.” The team was lucky enough to have a phone interview with Colonel Gail Halvorsen as a first hand resource! To add to the Middle School learning and resources, Jonathan Currie '21 and Gregory Glasscock '21 presented their project to the younger Chargers.

Recently third graders met with juniors and seniors to get to know each other and to discuss readings and historical topics they were studying.

As Chargers face new growth and learning experiences through distance learning, expressions of appreciation combined with stories of how families are meeting the challenges of social distancing and self isolation are inspiring. Read more in this week's letter from the Headmaster, and find some great distance learning moments below.

Our daily lives have changed in ways that might have been unimaginable even a week ago. We are all feeling a wide range of emotions as a result of the changes in our lives due to COVID-19: anxiety, sadness, anger, loss, loneliness, frustration, maybe even irritation. These emotions are, of course, very normal human reactions to such an extraordinary circumstance. Furthermore, we know that children can be very influenced by the emotional states of the adults who are caring for them. With that in mind, we can help both ourselves and our children by identifying ways to manage our stress and build resiliency during these trying times.

The fifth grade Class of 2027 Music Performance was held in the Janet Root Theatre on March 12. The performance kicked off with a song entitled "Applause" by American composer Charles Strouse and was followed by another of Strouse's most memorable tunes "Tomorrow" from his hit musical "Annie." 

Chargers vs Archbishop Woods High School from Pennsylvania: Tie 3-3

Fourth graders brainstormed, drew and began stitching meaningful art pieces in the form of burlap tapestries this week. Guest artist and teacher Yvonne Moyer started a conversation with the fourth graders about rights vs. wants vs. needs, and the rights that children all around the world need to thrive. She then led the students through a stitchery project.

The Shorecrest Upper School SPARC Club dedicated a day this week as Spread the Word Day while wearing their SPARC shirts, and posting over social media about the Spread the Word Movement. Take to the pledge to stop using the “R-word.” Every pledge helps spread awareness.

Kindergarteners are studying things people need vs. things people want. Right now their focus is on our need for food. Farmer Ray from Wunderfarms spoke with kindergarteners this week about gardening and composting. Ray Wunderlich III is a Charger alumnus who grows and donates food for St. Pete area food banks.

Shorecrest Middle School students had a good time at their last Forensics Meet of the year.

This year's third grade show, "Be the Change," was created by Ms. Marilyn and the third grade teaching team. The students have been learning about activists and change makers in the classroom, and shared a thought-provoking performance with the Shorecrest community right on the heels of leading a moving Children's March for Social Justice on campus.

The wellbeing of our students and community is paramount to all we do at Shorecrest. Due to recent events in the Tampa Bay area and in honoring our partnerships with multiple community organizations, we are taking the unprecedented step of canceling Service Week. Upper School faculty and students were informed earlier today.

Congratulations to Dorothy Cenedella ‘21, Heidi Hicks ‘21 and Anna Mesimer ‘20 for having their work chosen for exhibition in this year's Mainsail Art Festival! These talented, hard working Chargers are very deserving of this recognition.

Youth Making Ripples film competition has been providing students an outlet to creatively express the threats to our oceans and ways to help protect them. Videos submitted with messages about ocean conservation are judged in three categories. The winner of the Viewers’ Choice category was “Not enough Fish in the Sea” by Julia Marquis '21. She made the film as her capstone project for Honors Environmental Science class.

This past Friday night, four of our Chargers soccer players participated in the 27^th Annual Senior Soccer Challenge All Star game at Countryside High School. This event matches up the top Pinellas county players to play against the top players from Hillsborough County.

On March 6, during an Upper School Assembly, Carolyn Sloss ’85 was presented with the 2019-2020 Shorecrest Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award. 

Since joining the Shorecrest community in 1994, Tracie Belt has held teaching positions in both the Lower and Middle Schools. Now the Director of The Learning Center at Shorecrest, Tracie leads the school’s efforts to provide support to students, parents, and teachers to optimize learning and student achievement. We asked Tracie to tell us a little about herself and her time thus far at Shorecrest.

This years's National History Day theme was Breaking Barriers in History. Congratulations to the following Shorecrest Upper School students who had a great showing at the Pinellas County History Fair...

At the recommendation of a fellow headmaster, I recently read "The Coddling of the American Mind." The authors who wrote a highly acclaimed article with the same title in 2015 continued their research to write this book. It strikes me that it is one of those books that will appeal to people who believe in the thesis the authors present and will, at the same time, enrage those for whom the authors are greatly concerned.

The results are in! The National Geographic Society named Nicolas H., an eighth grader at Shorecrest Preparatory School, as one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2020 National Geographic GeoBee State Competition for the fifth consecutive year.

Prom 2020 - a Roaring ‘20s themed event - will take place on Saturday, April 4, from 7-11pm at NOVA 535 (535 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St N, St. Pete). The price is $95 per ticket, which includes dinner, dessert, dancing, party favors and more. Ticket sales are online only this year.

Chargers vs Tampa Catholic (TC)

Chargers vs. St. Martha’s Middle School

The second week of the tennis season saw the varsity teams play against tough teams from Bradenton Christian School (BCS) in Bradenton, and Jesuit High School (JHS boys) and the Academy of Holy Names (AHN girls) from Tampa, Florida. The BCS match was hosted at our home facility, the St. Pete Tennis Center, and the JHS/AHN match was hosted at the Hillsborough community college courts in Tampa.

The Florida Department of Health has announced there are two presumptive positive cases of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Florida, one in Hillsborough County, the other in Manatee. Both individuals remain in isolation at this time. Despite these cases in our state, the Florida Department of Health reports that overall immediate threat to the public remains low.

In the 2019-2020 school year, Shorecrest established a student exchange program for seventh and eighth graders with Colegio Ramon Y Cajal in Madrid, Spain. In October 2019, students from Spain visited Shorecrest. In February 2020, a group of six Shorecrest seventh and eighth grade students visited Spain and enjoyed a wonderful experience as exchange students. This program is not only enriching for the students who are directly involved, but it also adds richness to the Shorecrest community as a whole. Global learning experiences open students’ minds to new cultures.

Shorecrest alumni and their Shorecrest students gathered in Charger Commons on Friday, February 28 for the Alumni Association's annual Legacy Breakfast. For nearly 70 current Shorecrest families, donning the green and gold is a family tradition!

Bravo to the 32 Middle School students who wowed the audience with their talents in the 13th Annual Middle School Variety Show performance on the evening of February 13, 2020. Organized by Middle School Music Teacher Mrs. McCarthy, the show is managed and run every year entirely by Jr. Thespians.

Three cheers to Head Coaches Wolfrath and Montoya, their coaching staff and very talented players for advancing to the Soccer State Championship games. Not often do both the boys and girls teams from the same school, in the same sport do what our Chargers have accomplished. By now most community members know the girls ran into a juggernaut. The loss to St. John’s, although painful, does not ruin the best girls soccer season since 2006. Fortunately, the boys had an incredible game and upset undefeated and nationally ranked Maclay 4-0 to become State Champions! Cheers!

The cast of Shorecrest Upper School Performing Arts performance of "The Crucible" was honored with nominees, including: Eric Jacobson ‘21 (John Proctor), Best Outstanding Actor in a Play; Shannon Wright ‘20 (Abigail Williams), Best Outstanding Actress in a Play; and Evan Hoefer ‘21 (Reverend John Hale), Best Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play.

On February 12, twenty-three Shorecrest delegates flew to Washington D.C. to participate in the 57th annual North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN) hosted by Georgetown University. The conference lasted four days and administered forty different committees. These committees ranged from the Arab League and the African Union to historical committees, such as JFK’s 1962 EXCOMM and the 2006 Liberian Cabinet.

On a picture-perfect Thursday afternoon none of the players will forget, the Chargers defeated Tallahassee Maclay 4-0 in the Class 2A championship at Stetson University’s Spec Martin Stadium. It is the school’s first state soccer title and caps an 18-3-2 season.

The Chargers went on a charmed run through the playoffs, winning four straight games by multiple goals each while giving up just one total to reach the final for the first time in school history. But they were up against a team that was after more than a state championship.

Congratulations to our Varsity Girls Soccer Chargers on an extraordinary season! Today’s game was a hard-fought 0-4 loss in the rain to St. Johns Country Day team, State Champions for their 9th consecutive year.

Youth Making Ripples film competition provides students an outlet to creatively express the threats to our oceans and ways to help protect them. The Viewers’ Choice category has 5 Shorecrest students from the Upper School environmental studies class among the 9 finalists. Please visit: http://youthmakingripples.org/viewer-choice/ and cast your vote for your favorite Charger films! Voting is open through March 5, 2020.

Joseph Brockman '20 signed a letter of commitment this month to swim for Davidson College in North Carolina. Davidson College is known for its top notch academic studies with only a 20% acceptance rate. Joseph will be competing for the Wildcats in the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference. He will be bringing strength to their mid-distance, distance and 200 Fly events.

The Varsity and JV Tennis Chargers started competitive match play with opening varsity matches for the boys and girls teams at Clearwater Central Catholic High School (CCC) and Admiral Farragut Academy for the boys. The match against CCC was played at McMullen tennis complex in Clearwater. This is the first year in our new district, and CCC may be our toughest competition in the district.

Krish Patel '22 had his ceramic sculpture, entitled "Blue Coral," accepted for exhibition during the National Conference on Education in Ceramic Arts next month in the K-12 national juried exhibition. NCECA draws close to 8000 students, educators and enthusiasts from around the world. 

Shorecrest's International Connection volunteers engaged students and piqued their curiosity with picture books in foreign languages. Students made predictions, asked questions, and practiced saying a few new words in the language introduced by the Global Reader.

For the first time in Shorecrest history both Girls and Boys Varsity Chargers Soccer Teams advance to the State Championships! The girls' team will play St. Johns Country Day on Wednesday, February 26, at 1pm. The boys' game follows Thursday, February 27, also at 1pm. Both games at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium in DeLand, FL.

The Chargers varsity boys soccer are headed back to state for the third year in a row thanks to two goals from Max Consoni.

The Chargers yield little ground all night to Fort Myers Canterbury.

Mr. Omer Troyer, Chairman of Hope Extended, visited Shorecrest to be interviewed by Lucas Murphy ‘20 and Asher Rovin ‘20 as part of their GSI project on orphans in Ecuador. To show appreciation for their work in Ecuador, the Shorecrest Spanish Club donated $1000 to the Hope Extended orphanage “Casa de Fe” in Shell, Ecuador.

A few members of Shorecrest's Upper School SPARC Club volunteered at Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom night experience for people with special needs ages 14 and older.

Approximately 4500 students attended the Florida State Jr. Thespian Festival at the Orlando Convention Center. Troupe 88197 brought home a total of 19 medals for 13 students from 9 acts! AND eighth grader Sofi R won Honorable Mention (2nd place) for her solo. But really the best part was every student truly did their best work and made Shorecrest proud!

Señora Miller's sixth graders had the opportunity to meet on Skype for 30 minutes with students from Colegios Ramón y Cajal in Madrid, Spain. Some of the students visited Shorecrest in Fall 2019.

Third graders have been creating and learning in tandem with other students of different grades and even a different country! Direct interaction between peers promotes active learning, critical thinking, and student engagement. 

SCA hosted Dr. Jasmine Reese and a panel of pediatric experts from Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital to talk about the most up-to-date medical findings on vaping and adolescent health.

Two representatives from Tesla visited the Shorecrest Upper School Honors Environmental Science class. They spoke to students about Tesla's mission and how electric cars can help people lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

This past week, I joined a Student Ambassador, Ceci Garcia ‘20, as she led a tour of our Middle and Upper Schools. Our guest was blown away by the high levels of engagement we all observed as we randomly entered, math, Spanish, art, technology, Medical Sciences, English and history classes. Of course, it is impressive to have a member of the senior class be able to describe the programs being offered at Shorecrest. Yet I am sure Ceci would agree, it is even more impressive to have students and teachers share their enthusiasm for the work they are doing.

Since every gift to the Annual Fund is an expression of gratitude to the teachers and administrators invested in your children, let's show them a little love this Valentine’s Day by making a gift of support!

In January, eighth graders developed their own innovative remotely operated vehicle (ROV) concepts and built prototypes using recycled materials. Their designs were displayed in Haskell Library. The range of challenges the students want to address gives an interesting insight into what matters to the Class of 2024:

Calling all Chargers! Beginning at 8am on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, and running until 5pm on Friday, February 14, we are asking Shorecrest Alumni to consider joining The Charger Challenge and make a gift of any size.

Congratulations to the following seventh and eighth grade students moving on to the Pinellas County National History Day competition...

Shorecrest Upper School Interact Club members got together on a Sunday to create fleece knot blankets. The blankets will be donated to children at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital.

Middle School students achieved top results in Forensics competition. 29 Shorecrest Middle Schoolers participated in the event at Berkeley Prep on Wednesday, February 5.

On Thursday, Jr. Kindergarten students in The Experiential School of Tampa Bay shared a field experience at the Morean Art Center in downtown St. Petersburg. There they met Shorecrest alumna and artist, Beth Reynolds ‘84. She shared one of her own passions, portrait photography, along with the collage-style art of Chinese-American artist Kirk Ke Wang.

Students have been working on gathering nonfiction information from different sources including videos, articles, and guest experts to expand their knowledge of the topics. Mrs. Weinkle invited a special guest, Shorecrest kindergarten teacher Mrs. Joanne Minke, to share some of her experiences teaching during the time when some schools were still segregated.

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 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.

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.

The Box Tops for Education program has now gone digital! All you need to do is download the Box Tops for Education app, search for Shorecrest (easiest way to is search by zip code – 33703), and scan in your receipt that contains qualifying Box Tops products within 14 days of purchase. Remember to credit your child’s class by typing in your child’s teacher’s name under “credit.”

Academy Prep’s graduates are its best examples of the school’s successful model by continuing to work hard as they strive for excellence at every level. Roderick Casteel, Academy Prep Class of 2017, is currently a junior at Shorecrest Preparatory School. Roderick is currently pursuing college applications to Howard, American, and Colgate Universities. 

Eighth graders broke into teams and built underwater ROVs with PVC frames, custom motors, and controllers. Each team had a series of underwater challenges for their vehicle to complete. The challenges mimicked real underwater cleanup that ROVs are tasked with.

AP Psychology students are learning about theories of child psychology, including cognitive, moral, and psychosocial stages of development. They were able to put their learning into action while visiting with Junior Kindergarteners.

It is after 6pm and you have come to school to pick up your child from an after school event and decide that rather than driving around campus you will save a second and go out the entrance. While driving out you are confronted by one of our School Protection Officers who reminds you that the driveways are one-way at all times. Your child is in the car with you. What do you do?

Ten Upper School students launched Shorecrest’s eight boats to help clean up trash on campus. The trip was launched out of the Native Classroom and paddled down the Charger Channel. Students Luke McDevitt ‘20 and Erin Mullins ‘20, Presidents of the Shorecrest Outdoor Club, hosted the trip to get Chargers involved in fun and productive ways to help the environment and the local community.

The Presidents of Shorecrest's Upper School Outdoor Club worked with the local organization Keep Pinellas Beautiful in removing an invasive species from our ecosystem. Students Luke McDevitt ‘20 and Erin Mullins ‘20 used canoes, laundry baskets and rakes to remove 1000 pounds of invasive water lettuce from Crescent Lake.

For many alumni, Ron Heller is the face of Shorecrest. From his quirky nicknames for students to the popular Alumnipaloozas, to his extensive experience as a chaperone for student travel abroad, Ron (as he is known by alumni and students alike) has made life-long connections at Shorecrest.

Join the Shorecrest Community on Friday, January 31, for a movie fundraiser inside 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.

On Monday, Tracie Belt, Director of The Learning Center at Shorecrest, and Ron Heller, Upper School history teacher, led a group of parents and students to the USFSP campus to learn about the process that incoming freshmen must follow in order to obtain academic accommodations.

6 Questions with Chief Operating Officer for Lindell Investments, Inc., Mark Stroud '08.

Beach Volleyball (NEW!) – Sign up was January 21. Tryouts begin on Tuesday, February 11.

Today’s Contributing Charger is Tom Richmond, a Lower School parent of Enzo ’28. He is a very active parent volunteer, this year’s Fall Festival Co-Chair, and a supporter of Two Funds. One Mission. Tom and his wife, Elizabeth, contribute to the Shorecrest community because they believe that investing their time and talent will help their child as well as current and future students of Shorecrest.

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!

St. Pete STEAMfest is an annual event geared toward children in preschool through middle school at Shorecrest Preparatory School. It is a family-friendly, community-wide celebration of all things creative, inventive, imaginative and fun! 

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.

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.

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?

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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! 

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.