Shorecrest Community Reunites

It feels wonderful to be back in school, with many of us adjusting to a new normal and re-establishing our daily routines. So many thanks go out to the members of this community who have extended themselves to assist other Shorecrest families and worked to provide resources to those in need. 

Throughout these past few weeks our Administrative Team’s focus has been on supporting members of the community, using good judgment to make reasonable decisions in the best interest of the School, and ensuring consistent, clear and calm communication. We made timely decisions about when to close and then re-open the School. The goal is always to give families, faculty and staff ample time to prepare their homes and the campus; have the opportunity to safely evacuate; and minimize uncertainty about return dates. Looking back, the hard work and professionalism of our faculty, staff and especially the facilities crew was evident throughout these past few weeks. 

Upon learning of the devastation and impact of the storms, the outpouring of support throughout this community was immediate and profound. As a result of the generosity of our Shorecrest families, we distributed over $5,000 worth of gift cards to affected faculty, staff and tutors. Appreciation goes out to the many people who responded to requests from the SCA Community Facebook group and website, created by the Volunteer Coordinators, which enabled Shorecrest families to support other Charger families while ensuring that the School could focus on student needs. 

Once school reopened our goal was to implement effective support strategies to help our students succeed academically while providing the empathetic support necessary for emotional recovery. Our counselors, faculty and administrators are working to ensure that we supported students and recognized the emotional impact of these devastating events, while also providing structure and routine in daily school life. 

One of the key tasks after the storms was to determine how best to recapture lost learning time for our students. The storm disrupted our calendar and required the rescheduling of many events, so we appreciate the understanding and flexibility that accompanies these changes. We revised our school calendar and identified how best to recapture school days through various means. Our strategy to regain school days included extending the Fall Festival half-day into a full day of classes, converting an Upper School Conference Day into a school day, transitioning previously asynchronous learning days into in-person school days, switching days that had been set for faculty professional development into in-person school days for students, changing a School Closed Day in April to a school day, and extending the school year by three days after Memorial Day. 

Over the past month I've witnessed countless examples of generosity and kindness within our community. Whether it’s individuals reaching out to check on me personally, families offering support to other families, or the heartwarming outreach to affected faculty and staff, I am constantly reminded of the strength of our community. This deep sense of connection and support truly embodies the spirit of Shorecrest. I feel incredibly honored to lead such a special place.

All the best,
Nancy