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Upper School (Grades 9-12) Upper School (Grades 9-12) Upper School (Grades 9-12) Upper School (Grades 9-12)

Upper School (Grades 9-12) Home Academics Upper School (Grades 9-12)

The current high school student is busier and more sophisticated than ever before. As stated in our school’s philosophy, we work hard to achieve choice, support, and balance for our students. At Shorecrest students can choose from over 20 Advanced Placement offerings (more than any other school in the area), as well as electives like Women’s Studies, Robotics, Digital Film and many others. An Independent Study option allows students, with the help of a faculty mentor, to craft their own course of advanced study. Independent studies in the past year ranged from the creation of a car detection device that provides warning for cyclists, to a deep dive into the digital currency possibilities in Argentina.

Students may also choose our Global Scholars Initiative (GSI) track, where they focus on global affairs; or delve into The Peck Center for Medical Sciences for applied anatomical and medical knowledge.

Each spring students and faculty help make a difference in communities of need during Service Week. There are over 20 programs where students can put empathy into action, from as far afield as Peru to Pinellas County food banks.

Students also need support and balance to successfully navigate all of the choices in the curriculum, particularly when they are coupled with the demands of athletics, the arts, college admissions, and family life. At Shorecrest, faculty Advisors help guide students through high school and provide them with a life skills curriculum. Our College Counseling and student leadership teams also guide students to find the activities and leadership opportunities that best actualize the student’s passions and skills. From there, they help the student navigate the complex field of college admissions and standardized testing. Our daily schedule is designed to provide ample breaks throughout the day, recognizing the latest research in how to optimize student learning and well-being.

Our mission is to create lifelong learners. When people ask me, “What does a Charger know when they cross the stage at graduation?” I like to respond, “They know that they have only begun to taste the amount of knowledge available in the world, and they can’t wait to find out more.”

Gain the skills to find all that knowledge with help from our talented faculty and support staff. This is an exciting place to learn! You will find students who work hard but have fun. The opportunities for growth and enrichment are plentiful, and we would love for you to visit us!

Erich Schneider 
Head of Upper School

Program Hallmarks

Academics

College Counseling / Guidance

  • 100% of students accepted to college.
  • Comprehensive college counseling office provides individualized attention beginning in 9th grade. Counselors offer advice on test preparation, constructing curriculum, developing list of colleges to research, and financial aid/scholarship application processes.
  • An advisory program provides every student with a faculty Advisor who becomes their point person for academic, social and emotional issues.

Service

  • All students complete at least 25 hours of community service per year.
  • Students in grades 9, 10 and 12 participate in annual Service Week, and complete over 5,000 hours of service across local, national and international locations.

Quicklinks

2023-2024 Course Catalog School Profile

College Counseling

Global Scholars Initiative Medical Sciences STEAM Program


Additional Highlights

Honors & Advanced Placement Classes

Over 20 Advanced Placement courses (and many Honors courses) are offered in Upper School. The actual offering of some courses is contingent on enrollment.

Students are enrolled in Honors and Advanced Placement courses based on the student's performance within a department in the preceding year and faculty recommendation. Shorecrest's course recommendation process allows a great deal of flexibility in scheduling as a student who excels in one discipline may well be in Honors and eventually AP courses in that department while pursuing a regular course in some other discipline. Similarly, a student who excels in a regular course during one year is very likely to be recommended for Honors work in that discipline for the following year. Most AP courses are only open to students in grades 11 and 12.

The philosophy of our AP program can be summed up as "Opportunity and Achievement”. In the past five years, we have doubled the number of students taking AP exams and doubled the number of examinations taken while maintaining an impressive 2020 pass rate of 87%. (The global average is 60%; Florida's average is 61%.)

Why Advanced Placement?

We believe that our 20+ Advanced Placement courses teach not only discipline-specific skills and knowledge, but also more generalized skills and habits of mind that are critical components of informed participation in the 21st century’s global society.

Developing comparisons and contrasts (of people, historical periods, cultures and ideologies); evaluating the applicability of a given hypothesis to a specific situation or problem; analyzing for evidence of authorial point of view; drawing conclusions from various forms of data; sifting and prioritizing information for relevance – all are essential skills for thoughtful decision-making and participation in today’s society.

AP Highlights

In 2022, 191 Shorecrest students took a total of 343 exams. They had a 100% pass rate in the following courses: Biology, Drawing, English Literature and Composition, Physics C: Mechanics, Spanish Language and Culture.

  • The overall passing rate (a score of 3 or higher) for Shorecrest AP test takers was 85%
  • 29 students were AP Scholars (Granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams)
  • 12 students were AP Scholars with Honor (Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams)
  • 22 students were AP Scholars with Distinction (granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams)
Online Learning

Shorecrest began offering online courses for credit in 2014. As Director of Online Learning, I work with students in online classes from course selection to completion and everything in between. Shorecrest students have enrolled in online classes for a variety of reasons: to complete a graduation requirement not offered on campus, to take an elective not offered on campus, to make up a credit or retake a class, to take a full load of 7 classes, but have a free period, to gain online learning skills for college, to fulfill a GSI requirement, to find more time to pursue a special talent: Arts, Athletics, etc.

If you are thinking of enrolling in an online class, even in the future, do not hesitate to contact me. I am here to help you in your online learning endeavors!

Chris Powers
Director of Online Learning
727-346-1802

Statement on Online Coursework at Shorecrest

We strongly believe that being a student at Shorecrest means being an active, direct participant in the life of our school community — its classrooms, online learning communities, athletics, arts, and service programs. The following guidelines apply to Shorecrest students taking courses online:

  • The Director of Online Learning and the Upper School Administration must approve all online coursework in advance.
  • Shorecrest students who wish to take online classes must illustrate an academic history of independence, good communication, and time-management skills.
  • Students must have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA to enroll in an online class. Students with a GPA below 3.0 may petition to take an online class with the support of a current teacher in the subject area and their advisor.
  • Only courses not currently offered in the Upper School curriculum may be considered for approval, unless approved by the Upper School Administration for students pursuing a talent that requires time flexibility or travel, medical situations, family emergencies, etc.
  • Shorecrest is a member of One Schoolhouse (OSH). OSH courses will appear on Shorecrest transcripts. OSH courses are selected through the Upper Division course selection process every spring.
  • Besides OSH, online course providers must be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency such as SACS or SAIS and have the approval of the Director of Online Learning.
  • Students entering Upper School (ninth grade or transfer student) should spend their first full year on campus in traditional classes in order to learn and understand the culture, expectations, and standards at Shorecrest.
  • Shorecrest retains the right to require that online course assessments be administered and proctored on campus.
  • The grade earned for an online course (excluding OSH courses and online courses offered by Shorecrest teachers) will not be included in the Shorecrest GPA. Other transcripts for online work will be attached to the Shorecrest transcript.
  • No more than ten credits of online coursework may be earned toward graduation.
  • No more than four credits may be earned in online summer course work for failed coursework at Shorecrest.

One Schoolhouse

One Schoolhouse (OSH) meets the academic rigor expected by Shorecrest students, parents/guardians, and faculty in the Upper School. We selected OSH because we believe in its mission. OSH brings together independent school teachers and independent school students to create a truly global classroom. Only sophomores, juniors, and seniors will be eligible to apply to take online courses.

One Schoolhouse Course Catalog

One Schoolhouse Tuition Page

Florida Virtual School

FLVS Course Catalog

Advisory Program

Shorecrest’s Upper School Advisory programming helps students develop a strong sense of belonging with a small group of peers and a trusted adult. Through these relationships students will explore identity, belonging, decision-making, self-advocacy, and self-care as well as the Shorecrest Core Values. 

We envision a forward-facing community that fosters personal growth, academic achievement and a sense of belonging through high expectations, strong relationships and excellence in teaching.

Ninth Grade: Transitioning into Upper School

The Shorecrest Advisory Program begins with ninth graders getting assigned to a small group of peers and one advisor to support them as they transition into the Upper School. The small-group, weekly sessions are facilitated by the Advisor to foster meaningful connections and to navigate all of the opportunities available in the Upper School community. Each ninth grade advisory is paired with a twelfth grade advisory with whom they visit regularly for the purpose of guidance and mentorship. 

Ninth Grade Advisory

Tenth-Twelfth Grade: Building Relationships and a Sense of Belonging 

When students move into tenth grade they get matched with one Advisor and group of peers that they will remain with until Commencement. The major purpose is for students to build a relationship with a trusted adult on campus while getting to know peers on a deeper level. These weekly sessions are facilitated by the Advisor and are an opportunity for students to get support, celebrate successes, discuss courses, and explore the college process. Students also meet one-on-one with their Advisor throughout the school year.

The Advisor’s role is to know and support each advisees through academic, co-curricular, and perhaps personal decision-making, dilemmas, and celebrations. The Advisor is the first point of contact for the student’s family and can help to navigate the school-home relationship. 

Graduation Requirements

22 Credits are required for graduation according to the following distribution:

  • English - 4 (1 per year)
  • Mathematics - 4 (1 per year)
  • World Language - 3 (consecutive years on campus in the same language)
  • Science - 3 (Physical Science, Chemistry, Biology)
  • Social Studies - 3 (1 Global Studies, 1 World, and 1 U.S. History)
  • Arts and Humanities - 1
  • Physical Education - 1 (Health, Personal Fitness and Ethical Decision Making)
  • Electives - 3
  • Satisfactory Completion of Service Weeks
  • Community Service – 25 hours per year

Ninth and tenth graders are required to take a minimum of six credits each year.

Eleventh and twelfth graders must take a minimum total of eleven credits over those two years with no fewer than five credits taken in either year.

Thinking of the eventual college process, the ultimate objective for each student is to build a curriculum which enables the student to achieve at a high level and which challenges her/him academically.

Upper School academic support / testing accommodations are available through Shorecrest's Center for Academic Excellence (CAE, formerly TLC).

Student Leadership

There are three Student Leadership groups in the Upper School: Honor Council, Student Council, and Ambassadors. These are groups to which students are elected or go through a rigorous selection process to serve the greater school community through respectful and responsible leadership. To help train our student leaders there are two Student Leadership Institutes held each school year, and time is devoted to one-on-one training.

Student Leadership Mission Statement
The mission of Shorecrest Student Leadership is to promote the Shorecrest Core Values by advocating for the student body and by making fair decisions that positively impact our community. Student leaders are responsible for maintaining a positive community of continued growth and inclusion. Student leaders commit to upholding strong academic and moral behaviors  while striving to hold peers accountable in a unified community.

  • Honor Council: The Honor Council is a group of student leaders from grades 10-12 who are elected into their positions. 
  • Student Council: Student Council is a group of student leaders from grades 9-12 who are elected into their positions. The Student Council works with the Dean of Student Life to positively impact their school community and reinforce the Core Values of respect, responsibility, resilience, compassion, and knowledge.
  • Ambassadors: Passionate about the school, its people and its programs, Ambassadors are willing to share their Shorecrest experiences with campus guests including prospective families, potential employees, and other important visitors. Working with the Assistant Dean of Student Life, they support the efforts of the Admissions, Marketing, and Advancement offices in attracting and retaining students and faculty who share their passion.

student leadership training

Student Clubs

Club are a key part of creating Upper School community. Clubs allow students to explore and celebrate interests outside of their academic courses, while forming relationships with peers across grade levels. The school year begins with a Clubs Fair where all students have access to each club's purpose and current leadership. Through clubs and groups, students discover new activities and foster passions as well as learn lessons in determination, reliability, leadership and team-building skills. As an active club member, each individual will be respectful, responsible, show integrity, and be compassionate while moving towards lifelong learning.

Types of Clubs and Groups at Shorecrest Upper School:

  • Service Clubs
  • Student Leadership
  • Affinity Groups
  • Honor Societies
  • Interest Clubs

View the Clubs Handbook



Upper School Administrative Team

Profiles

Learn More

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