Letter from Mr. Schneider

Dear Upper School Families,

Homecoming Week was a great success. This past week was packed with spirited class competitions that began with dress up days. Students earned group points or individual points for their classes as voted by the faculty. We had some awesome dress-up contributions from faculty and staff as well!

Friday was Class Color Day/Class Competition Day: In lieu of classes, our students donned their class color (orange, purple, blue or red) and spent the day competing for points. This year’s events included flag football, volleyball, Brain Bowl, cheerleading, a relay race, class banners, a Kind Mouse food drive and hype videos. The class winner was announced at our Morning Meeting on October 27.

Our final event of Homecoming Week was our Space-themed Homecoming Dance in the Rec Gym on Saturday. The decorations, including a giant UFO beaming up a cow and a giant 16-foot alien, transformed the gym into the final frontier as students danced the night away. 

Please be on the lookout for photos and social media posts of our fun–filled week! #ShorecrestHoco

Help us on Friday

Friday, October 31, will be our school’s Fall-o-ween and Costume parade for our younger students. Given the high volume of traffic on that day, we will be asking our Upper School students to park off campus at the old Winn Dixie parking lot at 7401 4th St N, St. Pete. Students will be shuttled to campus. We are going to communicate the details with our student drivers. We ask that you help us remind your child throughout the week. If you drive your child to school, you are welcome to drop them off at the shuttle location so that you can avoid what is typically one of our most congested mornings with respect to the carline!

A Note from Dr. Jennifer Hart, Upper School Learning Specialist

Discover the Learning Lounge!

After struggling to grasp key concepts in class, a student began attending sessions in the Learning Lounge—where a peer tutor offered a fresh perspective and practical strategies that helped everything “click.” Their confidence and performance quickly improved.

Our goal is to ensure that every student has access to the support they need, when they need it. Here are several ways students can seek academic assistance:

• Faculty: Teachers remain students’ best resource and are often available before and after school for questions and extra help.

• Learning Lounge - Peer Assisted Learning: Open 7:30-8:30am and 3:30-4:30pm on Wednesdays in Haskell Library, Charger Commons. Students can drop in (check the schedule for subject availability), though we encourage you to make an appointment.

• Private Tutoring: Fee-based Subject and Executive Functioning tutoring are available. Complete the form on the CAE website, just click the dropdown arrow next to Student

• Support Registration and Details. CAE Schoology Course: A student resource hub for tools and strategies to boost academic success, including time management, planning, studying, accommodations, and overall well-being.

We are proud of the many ways our students support one another and grateful for our dedicated faculty who help make these opportunities possible.

Midterm Exams Details

For planning purposes, we would like to share information on Midterm Exams (Dec 15-19). 

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. We hope to see you there!

Yearbook Photos: grades 9-11

Families should have received a link to view photos directly from Mr. KamraMan, the yearbook photographer. Purchases may be made online. 

Every once in a while photographs from Picture Day do not come out well, or students are absent on picture day. We will have picture retakes on Wednesday, October 29. A registration link for retakes will be sent later this week directly from Mr. KamraMan, and if your student was absent they will be registered to be photographed on retake day automatically.

Have a wonderful week!

Erich Schneider
Head of Upper School
eschneider@shorecrest.org
727-456-7529

Mark Your Calendars - 

Wednesday, October 29
Picture Retake Day

Wednesday, November 12
Fall Conference Day (No School for Students)

Saturday, November 15
Electric Fall Festival 

Thursday, November 20
Sam Demma Guest Performance

Fall Sports Playoffs

Shorecrest Varsity Golf will compete in Districts on Tuesday, October 28 at Cove Cay Golf Club in Clearwater. 

On Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1, Chargers Swimming and Diving will compete at Regionals. Diving is at Walter Fuller Pool and Swimming is at North Shore Aquatics Complex.

Chargers Varsity Football has a playoff game this week - more details TBD.

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

Seniors

Remember to turn in pink sheets and meet with your college counselor to review Common App, STARS, and supplementals before submitting applications. Pink Sheets are due by 10/31 for any EA or ED school with a 11/15 application deadline. 

Juniors

Consider applying for the Coolidge Scholarship which is a full-ride, presidential scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years at any accredited college/university. Apply by December 16, 2025 @ Coolidge Scholarship

Revolution Prep Virtual Events (9th, 10th, 11th Grade Families)

• PSAT, Now What?: Wednesday, November 12, 7pm-8pm 

• Digital ACT Practice Exam: Saturday, November 15, 9am-12:30pm

• PSAT, Now What?: Wednesday, December 3, 8pm-9pm 

Details & Register: Revolution Prep Shorecrest Page

College Reps Visiting Shorecrest

There are still a few upcoming visits. In order to attend visits with college representatives, your student must sign-up in Cialfo at least 24 hours in advance. 

College Visits:

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.)

COMMUNITY EVENTS

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. 

All-School Calendar

Upper School Contacts