Letter from Mr. Hoyle

Dear Upper School Families,

I am happy to report that we had a fantastic first three days of classes. We started our first day with all students back on campus on Wednesday with our Convocation ceremony. At Convocation, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to address the full student body for the first time as Head of Upper School. I’d like to share part of that message with you because it captures the exciting culture we’re building together in the Upper School.

I challenged our students to think about the energy they bring into our community and the power they have to shape the experience of those around them. We want the Upper School to feel Authentic, Challenging, and Joyful, but no one person can create that culture alone. As I told our students, “Shorecrest isn’t powered by me, or them, or you. Shorecrest is Powered by US.” Each of us has a responsibility to bring the energy we want the room to have and to use that energy to make the people around us better.

Our students have already brought tremendous energy to these first few days, and it has been exciting to see our Upper School come back to life. As we settle into the rhythm of the school year, I also want to make sure a few important reminders are on your radar.

• New Family Coffee: Families new to the Upper School are invited to a meet and greet with the Upper School Admin Team this Wednesday, August 26 at 8:30am in the Ohana Community Room on the second floor of Charger Commons. Come learn more about life in the Upper School and get to know our team.

• Planned Absence Form: This new protocol helps students and faculty plan ahead when students know they will miss class. Students should complete the form and obtain teacher signatures before the planned absence.

• Athletics Website: We have many athletic events coming up! Be sure to check out the new Chargers Athletics Website and come out to support our Chargers athletes.

• Late Start Thursday: Late Start Thursday begins this week. Going forward, classes will begin at 9am every Thursday.

• Back to School Night: Parents/guardians are encouraged to attend Upper School Back to School Night at 7pm on Thursday, September 3.

• Senior Launch: Parents/Guardians of the Class of 2027 can learn more about the college process from the College Counseling team. Prior to Back to School Night at 6pm on Thursday, September 3.

Thank you for your continued support and for the energy you bring to our Upper School community. It takes all of us to make this place what it is. Have a great week, and I’ll see you soon!

Brendan Hoyle

Head of Upper School

bhoyle@shorecrest.org

Mark Your Calendars - 

Wednesday, August 26: US New Family Coffee

Thursday, September 3:
Yearbook Picture Day (MS/US)
College Counseling: Senior Launch (Parents/Guardians of the Class of 2027 only)
US Back to School Night (All US Parents/Guardians)

Monday, September 7: Labor Day - School Closed

Wednesday, September 9: College Counseling Meet & Greet

Tuesday, September 15: First Year Foundation 

Upcoming Events

Senior Launch - September 3, 6pm, Janet Root Theatre
Join the College Counseling Team for an important college meeting prior to the start of Back to School Night. This event is for the Class of 2027 parents only. 

First Year Foundation - September 15, 6pm, Janet Root Theatre
For students and families of the Class of 2030.

SAT/ACT/Test Prep

Revolution Prep offers several different test preparation options. Below are two free live practice exam options. Be sure to check the Revolution Prep landing page for Shorecrest for all upcoming test prep events. 

PSAT/NMSQT Practice Exam: Saturday, September 19, 9am-12pm live online

Digital ACT Practice Exam: Saturday, September 26, 9am-12pm live online

Register: www.revolutionprep.com/partners/shorecrestprep 

Colleges Visiting Shorecrest 

Juniors and seniors are welcome to attend in-person college visits during the school day. In order to attend college visits, you must sign-up in Cialfo (Visit tab) at least 24 hours in advance. Meeting with the visiting college reps is a great way to learn more about each institution and show your demonstrated interest. Many colleges track attendance at programs such as school visits. 

View College Visits List

Virtual College Information Sessions

Launch (Cornell University, Emory University, Pomona College, Rice University, Washington University in St. Louis)

• August 19 & September 16 at 8pm | REGISTER 

Peach State Tour (University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Augusta University)

• September 16 - 8-9pm | REGISTER

SAGE Payments Moved to FACTS

Starting this school year, à la carte/Grab and Go breakfast items and visitor's lunches will need to be purchased through your FACTS financial account in the parent portal. This replaces SAGE MySchoolBucks. You can load pre-paid dollars for you or your student to use at any time via FACTS. Please note that the account is not usable at the School Store – only for SAGE items in the Dining Room.

How to load pre-paid funds to a student account:

• Log into FACTS family portal

• Navigate to Financial on the left menu, and then select Add Funds on the center of the page. (Please note that you may be asked to login again. If you are a Shorecrest faculty/staff member, be sure to log into your personal account.)

• Next you will be directed to a screen where you can add funds for each of your students separately. Under Payment Amount, type the amount of funds you would like to pre-load for each student:

• On the next screen you will be directed to enter your credit card or ACH information to complete the purchase. Please allow up to 24 hours for the funds to show up as available for purchases.

If you have remaining pre-paid dollars in your SAGE MySchoolBucks account from last year, we will be transferring the credit over to your FACTS account in the coming weeks.

If you have questions or need help with setting up SAGE prepay in FACTS, please email the Shorecrest Business Office at studentbilling@shorecrest.org.

SCA Volunteers Needed Tuesday

SCA needs help putting together promotional items to get the word out about the SCA Soiree presented by Mann Orthodontics. No special skills needed! 

• Tuesday, August 25 from 8-10:30am in the Ohana Room (2nd Floor of Charger Commons)

Register to help: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C0944A4AA2EA3FEC61-65273437-soiree

SCA Mahjong Morning

• Thursday, September 3, 9am at Bay Club Women's Boutique, 4401 4th Street N, St. Pete.

Beginner lessons and open play available. The link will take you to the instructor's calendar. Select September 3 and there will be 2 events to pick from​. Proceeds benefit SCA! RESERVE TODAY

SCA Volunteer Info Breakfast

Learn how YOU can get involved with SCA this year. Coffee and lite bites provided!

• Friday, September 11 at 8am in the MS/US Dining Room, Charger Commons.

SCA Moms Night Out 

• Wednesday, September 30 7-9pm at The Mandarin Hide: 231 Central Ave N, St. Pete.

Limited tickets available, click to get your today!

Dads Night Out *new date!*

Get together with fellow Shorecrest Dads to kick-off the new school year & NFL season! Nothing fancy, everyone buys their own drinks and such. The intent is to provide an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other in a casual and social setting.

• Thursday, September 10 at 7pm at Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill, 1320 Central Ave, St. Pete

RSVP to Wes Watkins at shorecrestdads@shorecrest.org. Not a school-sponsored event. 

Grandparent Gathering - Pizza Night!

Calling all Shorecrest Grandparents! The Grandparent Gatherings group invites you to enjoy an informal evening to connect with fellow grandparents, make new friends, and share the joy of your grandchild’s journey at Shorecrest.

• Wednesday, September 16, 4:30pm at Colony Grill, 670 Central Ave, downtown St. Pete

Please RSVP by Friday, September 11, to Sarah Heibein, Associate Director of Advancement-Community Partnerships at sheibein@shorecrest.org.

All-School Calendar

Upper School Contacts