Head of School Letter: Springtime Traditions at Shorecrest

April and May are a busy time at Shorecrest, with a schedule full of activities. Many of the events are cherished traditions at Shorecrest, eagerly anticipated by students and families alike. Each school Division has its own traditions, all of which help sustain our sense of community and embody our Core Values of responsibility, respect, integrity, knowledge and compassion.   

Upper School Service Week

Since 2010, Shorecrest Upper School students have devoted time during the school year to mission-focused service learning. A week of the second semester has been dedicated as Service Week, aimed at assisting local and national community members in need. Students provide hands-on support, while gaining knowledge and compassion towards the world and people in it. Through their work with non-profit organizations, students come to better understand the needs of each community and then focus projects on those issues. In addition to assisting organizations around the Tampa Bay Area, students have traveled to learn and work with the Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and assisted park rangers at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee to prepare, clean, maintain and repair campsites. An international service trip provides students the opportunity to support marine conservation in the Dominican Republic. Service Week is a tradition at Shorecrest that reflects our Mission, builds community and has greatly impacted the students and the world around them. [More about Service Week 2026]

Experiential School Alpha on the Go! and JK on the Run 

In Alpha, children bring in their scooters, tricycles and bikes, and spend days practicing their riding skills. They learn about safety by putting on and taking off their helmets. When the day of Alpha on the Go! arrives, students wear their tie-dyed shirts and proceed to the Lower School carline where their vehicles await them. Cheered on by their families, teachers and other students, each child takes their turn riding in front of Charger Commons. Pump-up music pours out of the speakers, while proud families hold signs of encouragement and cheer on their children. At the end of the ride, each Alpha student smiles so broadly, clearly proud of their accomplishment!  

JK on the Run takes place on Haskell Field, where students participate in warm up relays and activities similar to a Field Day. JK families gather on the bleachers for the start of the event, as the athletes process into the stadium. Each class wears its own distinctive tie-dyed shirt color and rotates through four stations, with hydration stops in-between each event. Families move down from the bleachers onto the field and have the opportunity to watch the activities up close. The morning culminates with JK students running a full quarter-mile lap around the track, finishing with hugs and congratulations from coaches, teachers and cheering families with signs and balloons. These Experiential School signature events combine the development of gross motor skills with community building and create important traditions in the lives of our youngest Chargers.

Lower School Poetry in the Park

Poetry has a very special place at Shorecrest, as shown by the Lower School’s Poetry in the Park, a much beloved school tradition. After weeks of studying and writing poetry, each Lower School class has the experience of reciting poetry outdoors in front of a large group of classmates and family members. There is a wide variety of poetry chosen by the students and teachers to reflect different styles, themes, emotions and artists. It is an uplifting event of celebration and an integral part of Shorecrest’s Celebrate the Arts tradition.

Middle School Performing Arts Production

Middle Schoolers have their own dedicated performances, including a tradition of Music on the Middle School Quad. This event is a chance for Junior Thespians and other performers to sing, act and play music for their classmates. Seated under tents on a sunny afternoon, the Middle School students and faculty enjoy these live performances. Each act is warmly greeted, demonstrating the community support our students receive and reinforced by the loud applause that follows the conclusion of each child’s performance. In addition the Middle School has its own spring production; this year it is a warmhearted comedy about a fairy-tale kingdom, performed in the Janet Root Theatre. Clearly, performing arts is a valued tradition in the Middle School.

Performing Arts Spring Musical 

One of the highlights of springtime at Shorecrest is the performance of the annual Spring Musical. This year our talented performers will stage the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, “Oklahoma!” This year's cast and crew is one of the largest groups of students in recent memory. With opportunities to take the center stage spotlight, to be a part of the ensemble, or to make magic happen behind the scenes, the Performing Arts program offers something for all types of students. The cast shared sneak peeks at Grandparents and Special Friends Day, in Monday Morning Meeting, and even in Experiential School carline. If those snippets are any indication, audiences are in for a real treat! 

Traditions are important milestones in each Shorecrest student’s journey. They are memories to cherish for everyone. I hope that you are able to participate in and enjoy some of Shorecrest’s most enjoyable traditions this spring.

All the best,

Nancy