MIDDLE SCHOOL

2025-2026

Middle School In the Know - November 3, 2025

Letter from Ms. Grant

Good afternoon,

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. We had an amazing Middle School Fun Day. Thank you to our Student Council for all the planning and SCA and parent representatives for your support. Make sure that you buy your tickets for our Middle School performance of All Shook Up. We look forward to watching the kids perform this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Dress Code Change this Friday

The Student Council is planning a sweatpants and sweatshirt day on Friday, November 7. Students are allowed to wear sweatpants and sweatshirts to school. We ask that they are school appropriate.

7th Grade

We will be holding an informational St. Augustine Parent Meeting on Tuesday, November 4, at 6pm in Mrs. Berland's room (MSAS 101).

8th Grade US Shadow Day

The transition to Upper School is an exciting moment! We invite you to schedule an 8th grade shadow visit to preview our Upper School. Students will have the opportunity to:

Visit classes to learn more about our balanced and individualized student experience
Meet knowledgeable faculty/staff committed to your academic and personal well-being
Learn more about our exciting clubs, enrichment trips, and leadership opportunities

Give your student a valuable, confidence-boosting look at their future. Available now through January 31, 2026.

Schedule a Shadow Visit

Schoology

In case you feel like you need a refresher, I have attached a Schoology video that will refresh your memory on navigating, seeing your student’s grades and assignments on Schoology.

MS Schoology pages tutorial

Schoology App Download Instructions

Friendship Coach Virtual Parent Session, Nov. 11

Shorecrest has welcomed nationally recognized friendship coach, educator, and author Danielle Bayard Jackson. Through four engaging workshops Jackson guided students in exploring topics such as navigating social dynamics, improving communication, and managing conflict with kindness. She will present to all middle school parents via Zoom on Tuesday, November 11 at 6:30pm. She will share the work that she did with students.

Link to tune in: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5443469644?pwd=WkZlRFRBRFVIMCtXbm5KZG93WmREdz09

Keynote Speaker Sam Demma Visit, Nov. 20

We are excited to announce that Sam Demma will be coming to Shorecrest on Thursday, November 20 to speak with the Middle and Upper Schools during the school day and will have a special presentation to all Shorecrest parents/guardians at 6:30pm in the Janet Root Theatre.

Sam Demma is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and highly sought-after keynote speaker, particularly within the education sector. He is the creator of The High Performing Educator multimedia platform.

In his book "Empty Your Backpack," Demma uses a powerful metaphor to address the burdens that hold individuals back from reaching their full potential. The "backpack," he explains, represents the accumulation of limiting beliefs, doubts, and the negative opinions of others that people unknowingly carry with them through life.

The core message of the book is a call to action: to consciously "unpack" these detrimental thoughts and replace them with empowering beliefs and consistent, positive actions. Demma emphasizes that achieving one's dreams is not about grand, sweeping changes, but rather the result of small, steady steps taken over time. This philosophy of "small, consistent actions" is a cornerstone of his teachings and is woven throughout the book.

Have a great week,

Kris Grant
Head of Middle School
kgrant@shorecrest.org
727-456-7526

MIDDLE SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS & EVENTS

Mark Your Calendars -

Tuesday, November 4
7th grade Parent/Guardian Meeting regarding St. Augustine trip

Wednesday, November 5
Open House (Grades 5-12) starting in the Raymund Center

November 6-8
Middle School Musical - "All Shook Up"

Monday - Friday, November 10-14
Book Fair

Tuesday, November 11
Upper School Heads Search Sessions

-AND- Friendship Coach Virtual Parent Session

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

Saturday, November 15
Electric Fall Festival

Monday, November 17
Dads Night Out

Thursday, November 20
Keynote Speaker - Sam Demma

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

MS Musical: "All Shook Up" - this week only!

Shorecrest Middle School Performing Arts presents “All Shook Up - Young@Part” an Elvis-themed musical starring students in grades 6-8 on November 6-8 in the Janet Root Theatre.

This crowd-pleasing musical is inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and features the songs of Elvis Presley®. It’s 1955 in a small honky-tonk town, and a guitar-playing roustabout changes everything! He rides in on his motorcycle and sparks mistaken identities and people falling in love all over the place. “Come on everybody” and join us as the people of the town fight against the strict Mayor’s laws prohibiting loud music, tight pants, and…hand holding! All the while they are learning to love themselves and follow the music in their hearts.

This Young@Part more junior version of the original show, will get your blue suede shoes tapping and have you dancing in your seat to classics such as “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Jailhouse Rock.”

Tickets are $10. Tickets may be purchased online or by credit card or check at the Janet Root Theatre Box Office during Box Office hours. Seats will be assigned in the order of purchase. The deadline to purchase online is Thursday, November 6 at noon. Please visit our Box Office in person after that time. Click below for full details!

BUY TICKETS

Spring Sports Sign Ups

Spring Sports Sign Ups are taking place in the Athletics Office Monday, December 8 through Friday, December 12. Any Upper School student wishing to participate in Baseball, Lacrosse, Softball, Tennis, and/or Track & Field should stop by the Athletics Office during break, lunch or after school to sign up. MS students will sign up during their PE classes.

These sign ups help coaches and the Athletics Office know how many students are interested in participating in a particular sport. The Athletics Office also double checks that the students who signed up have completed all their athletics paperwork before the first practice/tryout takes place. This helps to ensure that all students are eligible to participate from day one of the new season.

ALL STUDENTS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN A SPRING SPORT MUST BE CLEARED THROUGH THE ATHLETIC CLEARANCE SYSTEM* at least 72 hours BEFORE THEIR FIRST PRACTICE. Click here for the Athletic Clearance Guide to help you with this process.

*The Athletic Clearance system is used for collecting athletic physicals and other important Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) information for student participation in sports.

Author visit with Lindsay Currie

Students from Shorecrest Lower and Middle Schools (grades 3-8) will meet with author Lindsay Currie on 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

Last Day to Order - November 3

SCA Holiday Greenery

The SCA Greenery Sale offers a stunning selection of festive wreaths to elevate your holiday spirit. The deadline to order is November 3.

Gift Greenery for $25

Share the love by gifting a 22-inch Noble Fir Wreath to Guardian ad Litem! Greenery for Guardian ad Litem caretakers will be distributed at the Holiday Gift Drive event on December 13.

Shop Greenery

Fall Sports Playoffs

Shorecrest Chargers Golfers will compete in the Regional Tournament at Cove Cay Golf Club in Clearwater on Monday, November 3 (boys team) and Tuesday, November 4 (girls team).

Wednesday, November 5, Cross Country will run in the District Meet at John S. Taylor Park - 1100 8th Ave SW, Largo.

Members of the Chargers Swimming and Diving Team will be heading to the State Meet on Saturday, November 8 in Ocala!
Congratulations to:
Tristan Cooper '27, Ryan Flugel '27, Anton Ho '26, Leonardo Ho '28, Maddox Matyas '26, Milan Spodin '28, Stepan S. '30, Ethan Swann '26 and Aziz Trayer '28.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Download the Shorecrest Parent app

From the Shorecrest Parent app families can access

Parent Pages
Athletics Forms and Team info
Shorecrest News archives
lunch information
FACTS Family Portal including a family directory
and more!

All families have free access to the Shorecrest Parent app via the App Store and Google Play.

Download the App

Volunteers Needed - Sign up to help today!

Shorecrest and SCA Volunteer needs can also be found by clicking Volunteer Info on the menu here, or on the Shorecrest Parent App.

Coming up: Book Fair, Electric Fall Festival, Gift Drive

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

Scholastic Book Fair November 10-14!

From picture books to paperback bestsellers, our Scholastic Book Fair will be curated from preschool up to 8th grade. Books also make great holiday gifts!

The Fair will be in the Raymund Center on Monday, November 10, to Friday, November 14 from 8am-4pm daily. The Book Fair will also be open during Conference Day on Wednesday, November 12!

We're also excited to host the Public Library on campus! Stop by their table on Wednesday, November 12, between 8am-2pm. You can easily sign up for your very own public library card right on the spot.

Book Fair Online Preview

Upper School Fall Play

Shorecrest Performing Arts presents "Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play" on Thursday, November 13 and Friday, November 14 at 7pm in the Janet Root Theatre.

Ticketing information is coming soon.

Electric Fall Festival presented by the Cibran and Razook Families

Saturday, November 15, 5–8pm
in & around the Shorecrest Athletic Center

Get ready for an electric evening of fun for the whole family! Join us for Shorecrest’s Electric Fall Festival featuring music, games, and activities for all ages. Your $15 ticket includes a bounce house, DJ, golf, petting zoo — and that’s just the beginning! Food trucks will also be on site with delicious dinner options available for purchase.

Get Fall Festival Tickets!

WAIVER: Parents/Guardians MUST sign a waiver before ticket holders will be granted entry. You may sign for more than one child at a time but you must list all the children who are attending. If you are bringing a child who is not in your family, their parent must still sign the waiver to have it on file.

Fill out a Waiver

International Festival

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 is January 29, 2026.

Keynote Speaker: Sam Demma - “Empty Your Backpack” - Thursday, November 20

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.

The School Store

It's fall and hopefully that means cooler weather is on the way. Come by the School Store for long-sleeved shirts, jackets, hoodies and more.

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.