Head of School Letter: The Strength of our Community

It has been a long and challenging week for many of us. We are so grateful for the restoration of the physical campus of Shorecrest and the return to daily routines of school for our students. As this week concludes, I also want to remember the upcoming anniversary of the tragic events of October 7, 2023, and offer continued condolences and support to those who have been affected by the horrors of war and terrorism. Our hearts go out to all who are suffering. 

Our efforts here on campus have been around creating a welcoming and supportive atmosphere where all children feel safe to express their emotions and share experiences. Teachers, administrators, counselors and advisors have been working together to adopt a comprehensive approach that addresses both the academic and social-emotional needs for all students. Our goal is to implement effective support strategies so that we can help our students succeed academically while providing the empathetic support necessary for emotional recovery.

Vignettes of what we have seen on campus this past week include lots of hugs, reassurances, some tears and many opportunities for connections between students and adults. There has been group work and fun projects, time for reflection and individual conversations, games during PE, silly laughter while sitting around the lunch table eating a hot meal, Morning Meetings, athletic practices and theater rehearsals, and quiet, cool spaces for students to study or to rest.   

We also want to provide support resources for parents and families and provide guidance and tools for helping children cope, heal and recover emotionally after traumatic events. Our Center for Academic Excellence (CAE)'s counseling team put together these resources posted Monday. Our counselors have been incredibly supportive to students and fellow faculty this week. Please continue to reach out to them as needed. 

As I mentioned in my email communication earlier this week, I want to share more information on the best way to support affected families. We so appreciate the community outreach that has already been coordinated through the Shorecrest Community Association Facebook Group. 

In addition, the new password-protected website, www.shorecresthelenehelp.com, allows Shorecrest families to indicate specific needs which will be coordinated with other Shorecrest families who are eager to help. This volunteer-managed site is evolving with the needs of our community - we encourage you to visit and check back often to ask for or offer help. If you are interested in supporting Shorecrest teachers, staff and tutors who have been affected, we are collecting and distributing Visa or MasterCard gift cards. These gift cards can be dropped off with my assistant, Julie Meyer, whose office is in the Raymund Center. A heartfelt thank you to the many families and faculty who have participated. 

Please know that in the midst of these difficult times, it is our community which provides strength and comfort. Shorecrest is such a special place and I, for one, am so grateful to all who have reached out to me personally. As always, we remain #ShorecrestTogether!

All the best, 

Nancy