Coed, independent, PK3-12th grade school in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Student Health

View updated Health and Safety information regarding COVID-19 here.

As part of our mission to focus on the physical well-being of our students, Shorecrest's student health program includes a counselor for all grade levels, health and ethics courses, and a Health Clinic on campus with a full time R.N. available.

List of 2 items.

  • Lower & Middle School Counseling

    As the school counselor for the Lower and Middle Schools, Ms. Fierce advocates for the social and emotional development of students. She regularly consults with teachers and parents on issues related to social-emotional development and behavior. Ms. Fierce regularly meets with Lower and Middle School students individually, as needed. She also teaches weekly lessons in kindergarten and biweekly lessons in grades 1-4. These lessons are focused on topics related to social-emotional learning: resiliency, conflict resolution, leadership skills and so on. Additionally, Ms Fierce leads faculty learning opportunities related to the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, Responsive Classroom and Teaching with Love and Logic. 
     
    Ms. Fierce received a B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University and a M.S.Ed in Psychological Services from the University of Pennsylvania. She joined the Shorecrest faculty in 2012, after seven years at New Eagle Elementary in Tredyffrin-Easttown School District, a nationally-ranked suburban public school system outside of Philadelphia.
  • Upper School Counseling

    As Upper School Counselor, Courtney Ellis '02 works closely with students, families, faculty and community professionals to ensure the emotional health and well-being of Shorecrest students. She adheres to a preventative, psychoeducational approach and thus emphasizes proactive and developmentally appropriate interventions. She maintains an open door policy for both students and their parents; and addresses issues that range from typical adolescent issues of social conflict, test anxiety, and relationships to the more acute issues of family conflict, mood disorders and chronic health concerns.

    As a member of our outstanding faculty, Mrs. Ellis teaches AP Psychology in Upper School as well.

Clinic

The Shorecrest Clinic is staffed by two nurses - one full-time, the other part-time - every day that school is in session. The 4-bed Clinic is centrally located on the first floor of Charger Commons.

Our Clinic:
  • Provides health assessments, first aid, and emergency care
  • Insures that all students have proper immunizations and physical exams as required by the State of Florida
  • Administers medication as prescribed by your child’s physician
  • Communicates with parents if a student is ill or seriously injured
  • Monitors immunization compliance and communicable diseases
For the safety of our community, parents/guardians will be contacted to pick up their child if, in the professional opinion of the nurse, he/she is unable to participate in school activities or may put other students and staff at risk of an illness.

Sick Policy

The Shorecrest sick policy requires students to stay home if they are exhibiting any signs or symptoms of illness. If symptoms arise during the school day, the expectation is that parents will pick up the student within one hour of being notified by the nurse or office staff. The signs and symptoms of illness include:
  • Active vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours
  • Chills/generalized body aches
  • Fever > 100.3 in the past 24 hours without fever reducing medication
  • Exhibiting any signs and symptoms of a respiratory illness (cough, runny nose, respiratory secretions) with or without fever
  • Undiagnosed rash, new and or untreated rash or skin condition (i.e. hives, wound with purulent drainage)
  • If diagnosed with pink eye or strep throat must be on antibiotic treatment for 24 hours.
  • If experiencing COVID-19 symptoms other than fever (cough, respiratory difficulty, muscle aches, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, headache with other symptoms). 

Return to School after Illness

  • By sending students to school, parents are attesting that the student is fever- and illness-free
  • Must be fever-free without the use of fever reducing medication for 24 hours for all illness 
  • If experiencing any signs of illness a student may return to school with a physician’s note (parents who are physicians may not write their own child’s note) with an alternate diagnosis on it OR a negative COVID test. They must be submitted to the Nurse before the student returns to class.
  • If student has tested positive for COVID-19, they may return to campus after they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication AND at least 5 days have passed since the first sign or symptom was experienced AND symptoms have improved. Individuals should continue to mask for an additional 5 days.
  • Must be on antibiotics for 24 hours if diagnosed with a bacterial infection such as strep throat or pink eye before returning to school.


Restrictions related to Physical Education:
 If your child cannot participate in more than three consecutive physical education classes, a letter must be completed by the child’s doctor and brought to school. If the letter does not include a return to full activity date, then the child will need a release note from the doctor in order for him/her to return to physical education classes.

 

Medications at School

The clinic has the following over the counter medications available to students with the parent’s written consent: acetaminophen, ibuprofen, tums, oral and topical benadryl, hydrocortisone cream, clear eye drops and cough drops.  

Other medications may be administered at school by the nurse with a written order from a licensed health care provider, with parent written permission. All medications must be in their original prescribed labeled containers. An administration of medication form must be filled out by the parent EVERY school year. Students are allowed to self-carry medications (inhaler, epinephrine auto-injector, pancreatic enzymes) providing that a self-carry administration form is completed and signed by both parent and student, with the approval of the school nurse. 

Life threatening allergies:
A severe allergy health history form must be completed and signed by the parent every year. Parents are expected to provide their child’s epinephrine auto-injector (with its original prescription label) to the nurse by the first day of school. 

Health & Guidance News

List of 5 items.

Did You Know?

A Sports physical is not the same as a Health physical.
Even if you visited your doctor before school started, you may still need to have more forms completed before beginning practice with a Shorecrest Athletic Team. Please see the Athletics Forms page for more information.

List of 5 members.

  • Photo of Donna Conroy

    Donna Conroy 

    School Nurse
    727-456-7523
    View Bio
  • Photo of Betsy Dougherty

    Betsy Dougherty 

    MS Health & PE, Volleyball Coach
    727-522-2111 x530
    View Bio
  • Photo of Courtney Ellis

    Courtney Ellis 

    Upper School Counselor
    727-456-7535
    View Bio
  • Photo of Kate Fierce

    Kate Fierce 

    LS and MS Counselor
    727-456-7522
    View Bio
  • Photo of Jason Montoya

    Jason Montoya 

    MS P.E. Teacher & Boys Varsity Soccer Coach
    View Bio

Shorecrest Preparatory School

5101 First Street Northeast
St Petersburg, FL 33703
Phone: (727) 522-2111  |  Fax: (727) 527-4191
[Map]

Privacy Policy | Faculty


Shorecrest Preparatory School is a private, non-sectarian, coeducational, college preparatory day school for students preschool through high school, located in St. Petersburg, Florida.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
Shorecrest acknowledges its obligation to prohibit discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin sex, citizenship status, genetic information, handicap or disability in admissions, access, employment, tuition assistance, educational policies, or other school administered student and employee programs and activities. Questions regarding the School’s compliance with the application and administration of the School’s nondiscrimination policies should be directed to Kristine Grant, Head of Middle School, 5101 First Street Northeast, St. Petersburg, Florida 33703, (727)-522-2111, kgrant@shorecrest.org or to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Please refer to the School’s Non-Discrimination Compliance Policy on the School’s website for information on how to file complaints with OCR.