Shorecrest Apple Distinguished School Recognition Extended through 2024
Source/Author: Raffi Darrow, Ebytes Editor
September 23, 2021
Shorecrest Preparatory School is pleased to announce that it has once again been named an Apple Distinguished School. Shorecrest was awarded the 2021-2024 distinction for its innovative teacher-leaders, its successful 1:1 iPad implementation, and the thoughtful integration of technology throughout its PK3-12 program. The distinction is a renewal based on continued evidence of innovation and academic excellence. Shorecrest first received the distinction in 2016.
Apple Distinguished Schools are centers of leadership and educational excellence that use technology in learning to inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. They showcase innovative uses of technology in learning, teaching, and the school environment and have documented results of academic accomplishment.
“When COVID-19 required schools to shift to virtual learning, Shorecrest teachers already had many of the tech tools, skills and dispositions to make that change with as little disruption as possible. Throughout the challenges of teaching and learning amidst COVID-19, our faculty have continued to expand and grow their use of technology in ways that best support our students. Receiving our renewed Apple Distinguished School recognition this year really feels like acknowledgement for our teachers’ hard work,” says Director of Educational Technology Dr. Anna Baralt.
"Our school’s leadership in the thoughtful use of technology is just one of the many reasons families choose Shorecrest," adds Head of School Nancy Spencer. "The way Shorecrest teachers and students embraced technology to continue to teach, learn, and build community is one of the silver linings of our School’s COVID experience. I congratulate our faculty and staff, and especially Dr. Anna Baralt, our Director of Educational Technology, for earning this honor yet again.”
Shorecrest’s selection as an Apple Distinguished School highlights the School’s success in creating an innovative and compelling learning environment that engages students and provides tangible evidence of academic achievement. Shorecrest is proud to offer STEAM signature programs for students in the Middle and Upper Schools. A recently launched 9th-12th grade offering allows students to pursue Computer Science, Engineering, or Entrepreneurship and Design in depth and receive a special designation on their Shorecrest diploma. All 8th grade students participate in a new program - the Entrepreneurial Design Institute - where students use design thinking, ideation and action to develop a novel solution to a real world issue.
Even the youngest of Shorecrest’s students use technology to support their research and in-depth project work. For example, Junior Kindergarten (JK) students learned to integrate stop-motion animation into their play during an investigation of zoo animals. The Apple Teachers taught the 4 and 5-year-olds how to move their zoo animal toys in tiny increments and take photographs at each placement to make a stop-motion production about the zoo. Students were already familiar with taking photos on iPad®, and with help they learned how to use the Stop Motion Studio app, scroll through their photos, and delete unwanted shots. By the third week of filming the JK students were completely self sufficient movie makers, who documented their own learning through technology.
Teachers at Shorecrest not only teach their students how to use technology, they use technology to engage students and encourage active participation, foster collaboration, build community, nurture creativity, promote critical thinking and innovation, and strive for educational excellence. 100% of the Shorecrest faculty are Apple Teachers.
