Shorecrest Preparatory School Inc

SPS IS A COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL THAT EDUCATES LIFELONG LEARNERS

EACH YEAR SHORECREST WELCOMES MORE THAN 1,000 STUDENTS FROM OVER 700 FAMILIES. A PK3-12 COED, INDEPENDENT SCHOOL, SHORECREST IS KNOWN FOR ITS STUDENT-CENTERED LIBERAL ARTS CURRICULUM; ITS FORWARD-THINKING SCIENCE, MATH, AND TECHNOLOGY TRACKS; AND ITS COMMITMENT TO EDUCATING STUDENTS TO BE THOUGHTFUL GLOBAL CITIZENS. SHORECREST STUDENTS EXCEL IN A NUMBER OF FIELDS FROM ATHLETICS TO PERFORMING ARTS, COMPUTER SCIENCE TO PLAYWRITING.(SEE SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)WHEN STUDENTS CROSS THE STAGE AT GRADUATION, THEY ARE POISED TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AMONG ITS IMPRESSIVE RECENT GRADUATES, SHORECREST HAS HAD A PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR, A MOREHEAD CAIN SCHOLAR, TWO FEMALE JIMMY AWARD WINNERS FOR MUSICAL THEATRE, A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SAILING TEAM, STATE CHAMPIONSHIP VOLLEYBALL AND SOCCER TEAMS, A NATIONALLY RANKED ROBOTICS TEAM, DOZENS OF NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS OTHER AWARDS AND RECOGNITION FOR SHORECREST STUDENTS AND PROGRAMS. WHEN RELOCATING FAMILIES CONSIDER WHERE TO LIVE IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA, THEY OFTEN NOTE THAT THEY CHOSE ST. PETERSBURG BECAUSE OF SHORECREST.SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1923, SHORECREST HAS BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF RESEARCH-BASED BEST PRACTICES FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING. SCHEDULES, COURSE MATERIALS, CLASSROOM DESIGN, AND TECHNOLOGY CONTINUE TO EVOLVE BASED ON WHAT CURRENT RESEARCH TELLS US ABOUT WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOUNG LEARNERS. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE EXPERIENTIAL SCHOOL FOR 3, 4, 5-YEAR-OLDS AND THE KINDERGARTEN-4TH GRADE LOWER SCHOOL HAVE BECOME THE PREEMINENT EXPERIENTIAL AND PROJECT-BASED PROGRAMS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA. THROUGH A PROGRAM INSPIRED BY JOHN DEWEY AND THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH TO EDUCATION, THE YOUNGEST CHILDREN AT SHORECREST DEVELOP A LOVE OF LEARNING AND THE HABITS OF MIND THAT ALLOW THEM TO BE INQUISITIVE AND SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS AS THEY ADVANCE THROUGH SCHOOL.SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES ABOUND THROUGHOUT THE PK3-12 EXPERIENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, MIDDLE SCHOOL'S DROP EVERYTHING AND STEAM" WEEK IN FIFTH GRADE, WHEREBY STUDENTS FORGO THEIR REGULAR WEEKLY SCHEDULE TO ENGAGE IN SCIENCE- AND ART-BASED CHALLENGES THAT MIMIC THE STRUCTURE AND REAL-WORLD WORK OF STEAM PROFESSIONALS LIKE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS, AND CODERS. EIGHTH GRADERS PARTICIPATE IN THE ENTREPRENEURIAL DESIGN INSTITUTE (EDI), A SIGNATURE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM IN WHICH STUDENTS ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP.IN THE UPPER SCHOOL'S PECK CENTER FOR MEDICAL SCIENCE, STUDENTS HEAR FROM NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SURGEONS, MEDICAL CEOS, THERAPISTS AND MORE, AND HAVE REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES TO SHADOW MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IN THE OPERATING ROOM. IN ADDITION TO THE PECK CENTER FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES, SHORECREST OFFERS THE GLOBAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND THE STEAM SIGNATURE PROGRAM, EACH A SPECIALIZED TRACK FOR DEDICATED AREAS OF STUDY BASED ON STUDENT INTEREST.KNOWN LOCALLY, REGIONALLY AND EVEN NATIONALLY FOR ITS MINDFUL AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO EDUCATION, SHORECREST HAS BECOME A DESTINATION FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEADERS WHO SEEK TO BRING SIMILAR PRACTICES TO THEIR CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOLS. TO CAPTURE AND SHARE THIS EXPERTISE, SHORECREST LAUNCHED THE CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING (CITL) IN 2019. THE CITL PROVIDES GROUNDBREAKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATORS TO EXPLORE NEW RESEARCH-SUPPORTED TEACHING PRACTICES, EXPAND THEIR NETWORKS, AND GROW AS PROFESSIONALS.FORWARD-THINKING PROGRAMMING, ALONG WITH OTHER SCHOOL INITIATIVES LIKE THE 1:1 IPAD PROGRAM, LED TO SHORECREST'S RECOGNITION AS AN APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL FOR 2016-2018 AND YET AGAIN FOR 2018-2021 AND 2021-2024. THE APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL DESIGNATION IS RESERVED FOR PROGRAMS THAT MEET CRITERIA FOR INNOVATION, LEADERSHIP, AND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE, AND DEMONSTRATE A CLEAR VISION OF EXEMPLARY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. IN 2020, SHORECREST WAS RANKED THE #1 HIGH SCHOOL IN PINELLAS COUNTY FOR STEM BY NICHE.COM AND IN THE TOP 500 SCHOOLS FOR STEM NATIONWIDE BY "NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE." THE SCHOOL HAS MAINTAINED THAT RANKING FOR 2021 AND IS AMONG THE TOP RANKED SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, PER NICHE.COM.CHARGER COMMONS IS HOME TO THE SCHOOL'S FIRST-EVER DINING ROOMS, A NEW EXPERIENTIAL SCHOOL, LOWER SCHOOL LIBRARY AND MAKERSPACE. THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ALSO CREATED OVER AN ACRE AND A HALF OF GREENSPACE. THE SECOND FLOOR HAS BECOME THE NEW HUB OF THE SCHOOL'S MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL STEAM PROGRAMMING, WITH NEW FLEXIBLE LEARNING SPACES INCLUDING HESS LIBRARY & TECHNOLOGY CENTER, THE SMITH CENTER FOR INNOVATION, AND THE REILLY WING FOR MATHEMATICS, AMONG OTHERS. IN ADDITION TO THE ACADEMIC, ATHLETIC, AND ARTISTIC AREAS OF THE SHORECREST EXPERIENCE, SERVICE LEARNING IS A DELIBERATE PART OF A SHORECREST EDUCATION, WOVEN THROUGH ALL LEVELS OF THE CURRICULUM. THE CLASS OF 2021 ALONE COMPLETED MORE THAN 12,000 SERVICE HOURS OVER THEIR 4 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL. SHORECREST PARTNERS WITH A HOST OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE A VOLUNTEER WORKFORCE INCLUDING KEEP PINELLAS BEAUTIFUL, CLOTHES TO KIDS, GUARDIAN AD LITEM FOUNDATION, SOUTHEASTERN GUIDE DOGS, AND ALL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, TO NAME A FEW.AS THE SCHOOL CONTINUES TO NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGES OF COVID-19, SHORECREST'S HEALTH PLAN AND FLEXIBLE LEARNING PROGRAM HAVE BEEN USED AS MODELS FOR OTHER INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS THEY WORK TO ADAPT TO THE CHALLENGES OF EDUCATING STUDENTS AMIDST A PANDEMIC.SHORECREST IS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE TAMPA BAY AREA FOR ITS IMPRESSIVE COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE RATE AND MATRICULATION LIST. THE SHORECREST COLLEGE CENTER WORKS INDIVIDUALLY WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS TO GUIDE THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS AND ENSURE THE BEST FIT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES FOR SHORECREST GRADS. YEAR AFTER YEAR, ALUMNI COME BACK TO EXTOL THE VIRTUES OF THEIR SHORECREST EXPERIENCE AND SHARE THEIR SUCCESSES WITH THEIR FORMER TEACHERS, COACHES AND DIRECTORS. A SHORECREST EDUCATION ENSURES THAT STUDENTS ARE READY TO THRIVE IN UNIVERSITY LIFE AND BEYOND.