Lower School Town Crier

LOWER SCHOOL

2025-2026

Lower School Town Crier - November 17, 2025

Letter from Dr. Bianco

Dear Lower School Families -

The season of gratitude is upon us, and the Lower School faculty and I would like to take this moment to say a heartfelt thank you for your daily trust and support. We are continually inspired by the wonder your children share. Their eagerness to learn and grow truly makes our teaching and learning community special.

We wish you a relaxing and enjoyable week off with your families. May your Thanksgiving be a day of good food, shared laughter, and joy. For those traveling, please have safe journeys!

There is so much to be thankful for, and the strength of our entire Shorecrest community is always at the very top of that list for me.

Fourth Grade Show

Our fourth-grade students are buzzing with excitement to present their new show. This year's performance, taking place in the Janet Root Theatre, was inspired by the fourth grade inquiry-based study of Florida. Ms. Rose has written an original script and chosen the perfect songs to bring their learning to life. When asked about rehearsals, one enthusiastic student simply replied, "Great!" Mark your calendars for the performances, which both start at 8:30am: Thursday, November 20: Performance for the ES and LS students. Friday, November 21: Performance for families. While Friday is the designated family performance, if you are unable to attend, you are warmly welcome to join us on Thursday morning!

We look forward to sharing this special presentation with you! Remember all drinks, including water, need to remain outside the theater.

Holiday Gift Drive

When we return from Thanksgiving break our annual SCA Holiday Gift Drive will begin on December 1. Information will be going out to all families and alumni this week and is copied at www.shorecrest.org/giftdrive. In addition, families can go to https://scagiftdrive.square.site if they prefer to donate cash.

Please involve your children. It is another opportunity to practice community service. Thank you for supporting our very special gift drive!

Electric Fall Festival

Thank you to SCA leaders and parent volunteers for making Electric Fall Festival fun for everyone. It is a lot of work to put together an event of this magnitude. By all accounts it was a great success!

Book Discussion of “Raising Mentally Strong Kids”

Our book group will meet on Thursday, December 3. I look forward to our next meeting.

Fourth Grade Campout

We are anxious to meet with fourth grade families to discuss our Fourth Grade Campout. Since this is an overnight event, we encourage at least one parent/guardian to attend the meeting on Wednesday, December 3, 5-6pm in the Ohana Room. This is a field experience related to our upcoming sustainability study. We would like all students to participate. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Reminder: Send in permission slips and sign Pathfinder waivers.

Third Grade Halftime Competition

Select third graders will compete in a soccer dribbling and shooting competition on Haskell Field during halftime of the Varsity Boys Soccer game. Three girls will compete first, then three boys. Competitors will be notified soon!

Third graders and their families are invited to come out and support both the soccer team and their classmates as they compete! Each third grade student who attends the game will have an opportunity to take a photo with Sparky and receive a small goodie bag. We are excited for this event and look forward to seeing many of the 3rd grade families at the game.

Date: Friday, December 5
Game: Boys Varsity Soccer - Shorecrest vs. Keswick, kickoff is at 7pm
Halftime Competition: Approximately 7:45pm

The Kind Mouse Food Drive

Thank you, thank you and thank you for all of your contributions. We sincerely appreciate all of your donations.

The food drive ends this Wednesday, November 19. One donation per family would make a difference.

The Ross Roeder Institute (RRI) in the Lower School, Highlights!, by Illaria Belloni

We're thrilled to share how the Ross Roeder Institute has been building foundational skills in financial literacy, economics, and entrepreneurship across all grades of the Lower School this fall! Our goal is to make these complex concepts tangible, engaging, and fun for every student.

Kindergarten: Where Value Begins

We've been diving into the basics of money and value! Students were introduced to the fundamental function of money and how we assign different prices to different objects based on their perceived worth.

First Grade: Economists on the Go!

Our First Graders experienced economics in action! We tackled the big ideas of resource scarcity and the crucial choice between spending versus saving. The highlight of the season was their short but packed field trip to our local Publix. This immersive experience allowed students to:

Interview store personnel about their jobs and teamwork.
Master a scavenger hunt while comparing prices and discounts.
Learn the art of cake decorating (and enjoy the delicious treats generously provided by the wonderful Publix team!)

Grades K-4: Empathy and Enterprise

In collaboration with The Kind Mouse, students across all Lower School grades engaged in a powerful conversation about economic discrimination, food insecurity, and the power of philanthropy. This initiative provided a wonderful opportunity for our young learners to develop awareness and empathy, understanding how economic decisions and community support can profoundly impact the lives of others. They learned that being financially literate also means being a responsible, contributing citizen.

Want to keep the conversation going? Ask your child:

"Why is a diamond ring more expensive than a bicycle" (Kindergarten)
"What job did you learn about at Publix?" (1st Grade)
"If you had $10, would you spend it or save it, and why?" (All Grades)
"What can we do to help kids that are less fortunate than us?" (All Grades)

Final thoughts…

We hope you found the recent Parent and Teacher Conferences to be a valuable and engaging experience. These conversations represent a crucial opportunity to celebrate your child's recent growth, highlight their unique strengths, and deepen our shared strategies for supporting their continuous progress. I have reviewed all the conference notes. Note, progress reports will be distributed by the end of this week.

We had the pleasure at Friday’s Town Meeting of enjoying a performance by some students who performed for the recent Indian Festival. They were amazing!

We look forward to welcoming everyone back - bright and ready to learn - on Monday, December 1. We wish you a restful and joyful break.

With appreciation,

Lisa

Dr. Lisa Bianco

Head of Lower School

lbianco@shorecrest.org

727-456-7518

If your family is experiencing food insecurity due to the government shut down, please reach out to the School so that we may assist you. We have received a generous gift from a donor to provide Publix gift cards for Shorecrest families in need.

Contact Julie Meyer at jmeyer@shorecrest.org, who can provide more information. All requests will be kept confidential.

Mark Your Calendars -

Monday, November 17
Dads Night Out

Wednesday, November 19
Math presentation postponed, new date TBD.

Thursday, November 20
Keynote Performance - Sam Demma

Friday, November 21
Fourth Grade Show - no Town Hall on the mornings of a grade-level performance in the JRT

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

Monday, December 1
Holiday Gift Drive Kick-off

Wednesday, December 3
SCA Moms Holiday Night Out
One Night Only: MS & US Thespians Showcase

Friday, December 5
Charger Chat with Nancy Spencer

Friday, December 19
Holiday Sing Along, Early Dismissal

Monday, December 22
Winter Break (through January 4)

Monday, January 5
Return to School

Monday, January 19
MLK Day of Service (NO SCHOOL)

Thursday, February 5
Third Grade Show for LS
Fourth Grade Campout Overnight
International Festival

Friday February 6
Third Grade Show for Families
Shorecrest Movie Night

Friday, February 13
School Closed / Professional Development for Faculty

Monday, February 16
Presidents Day (NO SCHOOL)

Share Your Feedback - Shorecrest Fall Satisfaction Survey

Each fall and spring, Shorecrest publishes a satisfaction survey to faculty and staff, families and students. This three-question survey provides helpful feedback to the school administration at all levels. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to share your feedback. The survey closes on Friday, November 21.

Take the Survey

Read about how past survey feedback has helped to influence significant improvement across all divisions. [Read the Article in Shorecrest News]

Author visit with Lindsay Currie

Students from Shorecrest Lower and Middle Schools (grades 3-8) will meet with author Lindsay Currie on Wednesday, December 3. She will also have lunch with the students who are participating in Battle of the Books.

Book Signing will be available:

Purchase any of Lindsay’s titles from her Amazon Storefront
Label book(s) with student’s first & last name, grade
Drop your book off at a Shorecrest Library for signing by Monday, December 1

ALL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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 must 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.

Apply Now for 2026-2027 Financial Aid

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.

Volunteers Needed - Sign up to help today!

Coming up: Holiday Gift Drive! Shorecrest volunteer needs can also be found by clicking Volunteer Info on the menu here, or on the Shorecrest Parent App.

Gift Drive Volunteering

Volunteer Needs

How to Order Yearbooks

If you or your child would like a copy of the 2025-2026 Crestviews Yearbook, which features the full Alpha-Grade 12 school, please place your online order using the link below. Yearbooks are $80. (Families of seniors do not need to order yearbooks. They are a part of the senior fee.)

Order Yearbooks

COMMUNITY EVENTS

This Week: Keynote Speaker Sam Demma - “Empty Your Backpack”

Shorecrest is pleased to welcome keynote speaker and author Sam Demma to campus on Thursday, November 20 for three unique performances - one for Middle School students, one for Upper School students, and an evening event for all Shorecrest parents/guardians.

A dynamic, high-energy performer known for his signature giant red backpack, Sam will guide students through his keynote “Empty Your Backpack,” a powerful message about overcoming fear, building resilience, and leading with empathy. Through stories, humor, and reflection, Sam encourages students to let go of what weighs them down and take small, consistent actions toward excellence and meaningful living.

Families are also invited to an evening parent session, “Lightening the Load: Helping Kids Build Resilience and Empathy,” where Sam explores how caring adults can help children navigate the pressures they carry and foster a family culture of understanding and connection.

Schedule of Events:

10:35-11:35am: Upper School* Assembly Performance (also open to parents)
*Thursday, November 20 will NOT be a late start day

2:15-3:15pm: Middle School Assembly Performance (also open to parents)

6:30-7:30pm: Parent Evening Performance [RSVP here]

Learn more about Sam Demma at samdemma.com/videos.

Donor support for this opportunity was inspired by the Pyxis Fund.

Scholastic Book Fair

There's still time to shop the Book Fair online. Continue shopping through November 20 for more resources for Shorecrest! Families can choose from thousands of books and orders ship direct to home, with free standard shipping on book-only purchases over $35.

Book Fair Online

SCA Moms Holiday Night Out

Celebrate the season with other Shorecrest moms! Your $35 ticket includes light bites and festive drinks. Holiday attire encouraged.

Buy a Ticket

International Festival - Register your country!

The annual International Festival hosted by International Connection will be Thursday, February 5. This exciting event brings our diverse community together to celebrate global cultures through food, music, dance, games and unique artifacts.

This event is 100% organized by parent volunteers with the goal of showcasing the rich diversity of our Shorecrest community.

The registration deadline to feature your country is January 29, 2026.

All-School Calendar

View All Events on the Shorecrest Website

2025-2026 General Calendar

The School Store

However you celebrate this holiday season, the School Store is here to help you equip your Chargers family!

School Store Hours

Shop the School Store for Shorecrest spiritwear, gifts, snacks, drinks and more!

Mon-Thurs 11:00am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm

Credit cards, checks, and Apple Pay accepted (sorry, no cash or SAGE accounts). Students under grade 9 must have parent/guardian present to purchase during the school day.