Head of School Letter: The New School Year

The 2026-27 School Year is already off and running! We are delighted to welcome back our returning families, along with the 150 new students who are entering into all grades and divisions. Among this group are 32 new sibling students and 15 children of alumni. We have new families who are joining us from the local Tampa Bay region and other areas of Florida, along with families who have moved from various states and countries including: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, Washington, D.C. — my hometown! — and from as far away as Germany and Great Britain.

At the start of every school year, we ground ourselves in the Shorecrest Mission:

Shorecrest is a college preparatory school that educates a diverse community of students to become lifelong learners in the pursuit of personal and academic excellence, physical well-being, creative achievement and the development of a commitment to social responsibility.

Each time I read our Mission, I notice that it doesn't ask us to choose between rigor and creativity, or individual growth and community responsibility. It explicitly demands both. Our Mission doesn't ask us to trade health and happiness for high achievement. It urges us to see that taking care of our physical and mental well-being is the very foundation of lasting excellence and success. Similarly, our Core Values of Responsibility, Respect, Integrity, Knowledge and Compassion hold us to that same standard, as does our commitment to a community where everyone belongs.

Holding both at once is the particular work of an independent school. We are protectors of tradition and laboratories for the future. You can see that balance in how we are approaching AI. It is a powerful tool, but one powered by good questions. Students still have to know what to ask, how to judge an answer, and when to push back. Real learning cannot skip the struggle, and it is that productive friction that builds curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and resilience. Those have always been our aims, and these new tools only make them more urgent.

The work of developing curious, confident young adults belongs, above all, to our teachers. When I am asked what makes a Shorecrest teacher, I say it is the willingness to look beyond the metrics of performance to see the qualitative details of each student; as well as the ability to challenge, to inspire and to support them. The power of connection is what sets our community apart, and it is the one thing no tool or technology will ever replace.

There is much to look forward to this year, including a wonderful new Lower School playground. From our newest students and faculty to our senior Class of 2027 and our longtime teachers and families, it is our people who will make this a great school year. Thank you for being part of it. Welcome back!

All the best, 

Nancy

First Days of School Photos on Flickr:

Flickr album: First Days of 2026-2027 | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin