Letter from Mrs. Hollenbeck

The Bamboo Challenge: Why "Loose Parts" Are the Tightest Fit for High-Level Learning

Dear Experiential School families,

Today, I want to share a recent, delightful observation from our playground—an everyday Florida scene that quickly transformed into an extraordinary learning landscape. It all started with bamboo.

As you know, the plant is a common feature in many Florida landscapes, and the children had no trouble incorporating the segments of bamboo from our play area into their imaginative worlds. This brings us to a concept we cherish in early education: the loose parts.

What Makes a "Loose Part" So Powerful?

A loose part is essentially any material that children can move, carry, combine, redesign, and take apart—and it’s the ultimate antidote to the "one-function-wonder" toy.

In the hands of your child, that piece of bamboo is not just a stick. It instantly morphs and gives life to a myriad of thoughts and experiences. It might become:

• A structural beam for a collaborative fort.

• A magical wand in a dramatic quest.

• A bridge connecting two imaginary islands.

• A musical instrument, tapping out a rhythm.

• A piece of puppet scaffolding for a show they're staging!

Toys with a single feature and a pre-determined goal normally cannot present children with the myriad of possibilities that bring their play to its highest level. That’s why often children end up turning them into something else.

The open-endedness of the bamboo is a direct invitation for creativity, communication, and collaboration—the very hallmarks of deep learning.

The Hard Work of Play: Growing Global Citizens

We often say children learn through play, but I want to be specific about the foundational learning happening here. This isn't about formal, traditional rote skills; it's about the essential "hard skills" for human relationships and resilience that will support everything else later in life.

When we, as educators, choose to observe from afar—guaranteeing safety, but deliberately choosing non-interference—we demonstrate a profound trust in your child as a competent protagonist. This allows the flow of their interaction to take them to unimaginable places. Our nature-focused playground, with its openness and diverse materials, isn't just a backdrop; it’s an active curator of student-centered environments that fosters:

• Exercising Uncertainty: “Wait, if we use this piece here, will the whole thing fall down?”

• Embracing Dissonance: Navigating conflicts and finding solutions through dialogue.

• Multiple Perspectives: “I see it as a flag pole, but you see it as a river. How can we make it both?” This ability to hold varied perspectives is the starting point for global collaboration and a deeply cherished democratic practice.

• Resilience and Redirection: When a plan fails (and they often do!), they must immediately employ growth mindset principles to find another way.

Their play is truly hard work, requiring focus, negotiation, and an incredible amount of intellectual energy. And we commend them for coming back every day and jumping right back into it, conflicts and all.

We are not just raising children who are good at puzzles; we are fostering minds that can exercise uncertainty and achieve flexibility in a complex world—and that, to us, is the best education we can offer.

Sincerely,

Adriana & The Experiential School Team

Adriana Portella Hollenbeck

Head of The Experiential School of Tampa Bay

ahollenbeck@shorecrest.org 

727-456-7541

Mark Your Calendars - 

Monday - Friday, November 10-14
Book Fair

Wednesday, November 12
Fall Conference Day - No school for students; SCA Uniform Sale

Saturday, November 15
Electric Fall Festival 

Monday, November 17
Virtual Open House (ES - Grade 4): Learn more about the opportunities your child can discover as a member of our Experiential School and Lower School communities at Shorecrest - age 3 through fourth grade. You’ll hear about the curriculum and student life. RSVP HERE

-AND-
Dads Night Out

Thursday, November 20
Keynote Speaker Sam Demma - Parent Performance

Mon. - Fri., November 24-28
Thanksgiving Break

SCA Used Uniform Sale, Nov. 12

The next SCA Used Uniform Sale will be Wednesday, November 12 in the Athletic Center. The sale opens at 7am for faculty / staff and runs 8-12pm for all Shorecrest families.  

If you have clean used uniforms to donate, please drop them off at the Athletic Center (preferred) or one of the school offices. 

Financial Aid for the 2026-2027 School Year - APPLY NOW

The Financial Aid portal for the 2026-2027 school year is now open. Past recipients who wish to continue receiving financial aid must reapply annually. All families interested in receiving financial aid to submit an application through FACTS, the external tool used by Shorecrest and many independent schools to determine need. 

The application fee is $45 and supporting documentation is required including past year's W2s and tax returns. The application also includes a place to share your family's extenuating circumstances confidentially with the Financial Aid Committee. The deadline to apply for aid for the 2026-2027 school year is January 31, 2026. 

New Student Applications to Shorecrest

Families who have students they wish to send to Shorecrest for the 2026-2027 school year who are not currently enrolled (e.g. younger siblings) now is the time to apply. The application deadline is February 1, in order to be considered for the first round of admissions decisions.  

The re-enrollment process for students who are currently enrolled to commit to returning for the 2026-2027 school year is in February. 

Share Your Voice: Head of Upper School Search

As we look ahead to build on the Upper School's strong foundation, we have engaged the search firm RG175 to help identify a visionary new leader for the 9th-12th grade Upper School to succeed Head of Upper School Erich Schneider in July 2026. There will be multiple opportunities for all community members to participate in the search process. 

On Tuesday, November 11, there will be three sessions for members of the community to meet directly with our search consultant, Adam Peichert of RG175.

1:30 – 2:30pm: Trustee Session in the Ohana Community Room
2:30 – 3:30pm: Parent/Guardian Session in the Ohana Community Room
3:30 – 4:30pm: Upper School Faculty Session in the Ohana Community Room

Thank you for taking the time to contribute your voice to this important process. Your insights will play a meaningful role in shaping the future leadership of the Upper School.

All-School Calendar

Experiential School Contacts