Letter from Dr. Bianco

Third Grade Show - Friday, February 6

The third grade show, Be the Change, will be performed for students’ parents on Friday, February 6. Doors to the theater will open at 8:10am. It is open seating in the JRT; however, we do reserve the center front row for teachers. Please no food or drinks in the theater. You are welcome to hang out at Charger Commons or in the theater lobby to talk and drink your coffee before the show. To celebrate our students, there will be a reception with coffee/tea and muffins following the show. It will be filmed on Thursday. Please wait for the students to exit the theater before exiting. The show will start at 8:30am.

Handbook Information About Class Placement Policy

We keep each child’s needs in mind while creating a cohesive classroom community. Creating class lists is a complicated process with many factors taken into consideration. A great deal of thought goes into creating class lists. Our goal is to create well-balanced classes that will be cohesive and work well together and with the teacher.

Parents may not request that their child have (or not have) specific teachers. Parents are welcome to come to talk to the Head of the Lower School about any concerns or thoughts they have regarding placement. These meetings need to occur by the end of April. Families must meet in person. Emails are not accepted. Once class lists have been finalized in May, there will be no moving of students from one class to another. The decision to place siblings or cousins in the same class will be based on the best interests of the students and is at the discretion of the school’s administration.

From Senora Ruiz, Spanish 3 & 4

During the Grade 4 Inspiring Hispanic People unit, students researched notable Hispanic individuals from a variety of fields to learn about their accomplishments, contributions, and lasting impact. They explored each person’s life, achievements, and legacy, then shared their learning to grades in Sra Emili's class through research presentations. 

In addition to their presentations, students included a creative and interactive component that engaged their audience in the type of work their chosen individual was known for. Activities included creating artwork, cooking, playing sports, dancing, and more. This unit provided a meaningful, hands-on, and engaging way for students to connect with and celebrate Hispanic culture and achievements.

Fourth Grade Campout

This week is our highly anticipated Fourth Grade Campout at Dayspring! It looks like there may be some rain so make sure your child has rain gear and warm clothes.

Be here early on Thursday ensuring your student arrives at school by 7:45am. We will begin loading the buses immediately following the carline. We are leaving at 8:15am. We will return on Friday around 1pm for lunch. 

We would love for you (4th grade parent) to join us at the Weiss Pavilion at 1:45pm on Friday for a short closing circle. Students will be dismissed with their parents directly afterward. If you are unable to attend the circle, your student will follow the regular dismissal process. Event parking will be available that afternoon for those joining us. Note there is also a 2pm Middle School event so you may want to arrive a little early.

International Festival

The International Festival is this week, Thursday, February 5. There will be food at some of the tables. There will be a list of allergens next to the food. If your child has a food allergy you may want to talk to them about reading the card, asking the adult at the booth to read it, or refraining from tasting the food. I recommend sending in an extra snack for them to have while visiting the festival.

Valentine’s Day 

We look forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day on Thursday, February 12 by focusing on friendship and kindness throughout our school day. To join in the festive spirit, students are encouraged to wear their favorite red, pink, or purple shirts for the occasion (jean or uniform bottoms). Children will be exchanging cards. Please ensure they do not include any candy or food items to keep our celebration safe for all students.

Community News

At the end of this year Coach Bob Folwell will be retiring. Coach has dedicated his life to teaching/coaching and mentoring young people of all ages. I am sure he would say it was his vocation. He has had an amazing career, and we have been so fortunate to have him on our team. He has certainly made a difference in the lives of our students and our community. Please join me in congratulating him as he closes one chapter and enters a new one. You are the best, Coach!

Survey Says...

The survey showed that three top topics of education and parenting that parents are interested in are the following:

• Fostering independence

• Digital Wellness/AI in K-12 education

• Navigating social dynamics

Other great topics were also suggested and I will keep those in mind. 

The majority of parents like to meet after drop off in the morning (seventy percent) and joining a parent book club was also close to seventy percent. Thank you so much for participating.

Parent Workshop on AI in Education

Coming soon: Dr. Anna Baralt will present a workshop for parents on AI in Education. More details to come!

Upcoming Field Experiences

• Fourth Grade, Campout, 2/5 and 2/6

• Kindergarten, ZooTampa,  2/9

• First Grade, Florida Aquarium, 2/19

• Fourth Grade, Pinellas Waste to Energy Facility, 2/19

Parent and Teacher Conferences

Winter Conferences are on Wednesday, February 18. Every family is expected to meet with their child’s classroom teacher. Sign-up sheets for the parent and teacher conference will be posted this week on Schoology. (No classes that day.)

Upcoming Town Meeting Dates

2/6 3rd grade show for families, NO TOWN MEETING

2/13 School Closed/Professional Development

2/20 Mrs. Johnson's Kindergarten / Little Musical Club

2/27 Field Day – NO TOWN MEETING

Schoology

As always, please read your child’s teachers’ pages on Schoology to learn about what’s happening in the classroom. 

Final Thoughts…

February may be the shortest month on the calendar, but it is certainly one of the busiest. The Lower School is leaning into a packed schedule as we honor the visionaries of Black History Month and celebrate the festive traditions of Presidents’ Day and Valentine’s Day.

Thank you for all that you do to make our community a great place for children to learn and grow, and be the best version of themselves.

With great appreciation,

Lisa 

Dr. Lisa Bianco

Head of Lower School

lbianco@shorecrest.org  

727-456-7518

Mark Your Calendars - 

Wednesday, February 4
SCA Galentines Night

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

Friday, February 6
Third Grade Show for Families / No Town Meeting
Shorecrest Movie Night

Thursday, February 12
Valentine's Day Celebration - Out of uniform day
Red, purple or pink tops w/ jeans or uniform bottoms

Friday, February 13
School Closed / Professional Development for Faculty

Monday, February 16
Presidents Day (NO SCHOOL)

Wednesday, February 18
Conference Day (NO SCHOOL Alpha-Grade 8)
SCA Uniform Sale

Wednesday, February 25
Class Photos (first thing, please arrive on time!)

Friday, February 27
Field Day

Friday, March 6
Second Grade Show (NO TOWN MEETING)

Saturday, March 7
Shorecrest Gala

Monday, March 16-20
Spring Break

Wednesday, March 25
Parent Workshop on AI in Education

Friday, March 27
Grandparents and Special Friends Day

SCA Uniform Sale - Wednesday, February 18

The next SCA Uniform Sale will be Wednesday, February 18 in the Athletic Center. The sale opens at 7:30am for faculty / staff and runs 8am-12pm for all Shorecrest families. Find used uniform pieces at steep price discounts!  

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

While you are going through closets, other clothing items your children have outgrown may also be dropped off to be donated to Clothes to Kids. Clothes To Kids, Inc. provides new and quality used clothing to low-income or in crisis school-age children, free of charge.

Winter Sports Playoffs

• Varsity Girls Basketball District Quarterfinal: Feb 2, 6pm @ Tampa Preparatory School (Away). Admission is $8. Watch the livestream here.

• Varsity Boys Basketball District Quarterfinal: Feb 2, 5pm @ Indian Rocks Christian School (Away). Admission is $8. Watch the livestream here.

• Varsity Boys Soccer vs. St Petersburg Catholic High School in the Region Quarterfinal on Feb. 3 at 7pm at home on Haskell Field. Admission is $9. Watch the livestream here.

All-School Calendar

Lower School Contacts