Why You Can't Miss A Night to RISE
Source/Author: Mike Murphy, Headmaster
October 25, 2019
Join Us on November 15, 2020.
Sixteen years ago in October, I walked through the gates of the then-new Lower School as a candidate to be the Headmaster of Shorecrest. Once I passed through that beautiful new facility on First Street, I got my first look at the surprisingly underdeveloped facilities and grounds on the other side. What some may have seen as a potential reason not to choose Shorecrest, I saw as an opportunity.
This was the top prep school in the county and generations of parents chose it for their children despite lackluster buildings and grounds. Those facts spoke volumes about the exceptional quality of the teachers and programs.
I thought to myself, “If Shorecrest can support students, teachers and families the way it does with mediocre facilities, imagine what this school could do with facilities that match the quality of the teaching and learning.”
Over the last 15 years the Shorecrest campus has transformed. From the Middle School Sher-Razook Center to the Janet Root Theatre; from Upper School's Landy Hall to the Athletic Center, our capital improvements have aligned with improvements in the quality of our program, educators and outcomes. Fifteen years from now when we look back on the decision to build Charger Commons, I am confident it will be difficult to imagine the campus without that centerpiece.
Opening the first floor of Charger Commons has enabled us to eat together as a community for the first time in the school's nearly 100-year history. The new Experiential School is a home for our youngest students - the foundation of our PK3-12 program. The playscapes and greenspaces expand and connect our campus in a physical way, enabling our students and teachers to connect across grade levels and build relationships. 250 Shorecrest families made all of that possible, so far...
With the completion of the first floor realized, it is time to begin the transformation of the second floor and create physical spaces that will benefit each and every student and teacher on this campus. Lower School Music, Art, and Spanish will have classrooms in Charger Commons. The Middle and Upper School Library and Makerspace will support advanced opportunities for research, collaboration and technology-related explorations. The Learning Center - which directly supports nearly a third of the student community - will have a permanent home. So will our Helping Hands and SCA volunteers.
This community supports the school and each other in so many ways, many of them philanthropic. Through contributions to capital campaigns like Transform, each generation of families leaves a legacy that benefits the next. Through contributions to the Shorecrest Annual Fund, our community provides resources that immediately impact current Shorecrest students. Because of the past and continued generosity of our community, it is only fitting that we celebrate and unveil the next phase of the campus transformation on November 15, the National Day of Philanthropy.
Please join me and fellow community members for A Night to Rise, a celebration and envisioning of the future of our school. The event will be held at 6:30pm on the second floor of Charger Commons, with a special building tour for new families starting at 6pm. Learn more and RSVP here.
Together on November 15 we will toast the future of our campus and our children. I look forward to celebrating with you!
About A Night to Rise [video]
Cheers,
Mike
About A Night to Rise [video]
Cheers,
Mike
