TWIUS - September 8, 2025

UPPER SCHOOL

2025-2026

This Week in Upper School (TWIUS) - September 8, 2025

Letter from Mr. Schneider

Dear Upper School Families,

Thank you for attending our Back To School Night last Thursday. We hope you enjoyed getting to meet our Faculty and that you found it informative. If you did not get all your questions answered, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teachers or to me.

Homecoming 2025
We're excited to announce the schedule for Homecoming 2025! Due to a shortened week and the PSAT, we've adjusted our usual timeline to ensure all students can participate in the festivities. Homecoming will officially kick off on Friday, October 17, with our Homecoming Court presentation at halftime of the highly anticipated football game. The following week, Monday, October 20-Saturday, October 25, will be packed with special events including dress-up days (October 21-23), a class competition day (October 24), and the culminating Homecoming Dance (October 25). We look forward to celebrating with our students and creating lasting memories.

Club Fair
Clubs are a key part of the Upper School community at Shorecrest, providing students with the chance to explore their interests and build relationships with peers across grade levels. By joining clubs students can discover new passions and learn important skills like determination, reliability, leadership and teamwork. Students received the Club Handbook last week and will begin the registration process at the Club Fair on Tuesday, September 9 during community time. Students will have until the end of school on Thursday, September 11, to complete their registrations. Clubs begin to meet on a rotating schedule starting Monday, September 15.

Schedule Changes
The drop/add deadline for courses is September 17. Students who wish to add or drop a course must do so by this date by meeting with Dean Frey.

This year a new policy has been introduced to better support transitions from an honors course to a college prep course. The deadline for these changes has been extended to October 15, allowing students additional time to adjust to the honors curriculum and determine whether it is the right fit. No schedule changes of this type will be permitted after October 15.

Student Drivers
Students have been doing a great job with driving and parking on campus. While we will continue to remind students of the rules, please help us reinforce the following:

Drive slowly (15MPH).
Follow the direction of our Facilities and Campus Safety staff that are assisting with traffic. They will report poor driving to us and there are many cameras available to help us identify drivers and their vehicles.
Be very careful at the crosswalks on campus.
Watch for pedestrians and bikers on the First Street sidewalks. Stop and look behind the stop sign.
All student vehicles on campus are required to be registered and should have a small registration sticker inside the driver-side windshield. Students can come to the US office to register and receive their sticker.

Have a wonderful week!

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

UPPER SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mark Your Calendars -

Tuesday, September 9

International Connection Kick Off
First Year Foundation program with College Counseling

Wednesday, September 10

Community Committee on Diversity
SCA Moms Night Out

Friday, September 12
SCA Volunteer Fair

Tuesday, September 16
Summer 2026 trip info session

Saturday, September 27
SCA Soiree Beneath the Waves: A Florida Cocktail Odyssey presented by Mann Orthodontics

Tuesday, September 30
Sophomore Strategies - College Counseling Seminar

Thursday, October 2
Dads Night Out

From Kristie Dowling, Advisor for The Chronicle

The Chronicle is a 100% student-produced publication that includes a newspaper, website, Instagram, and Tiktok - plus we partner with the school literary magazine, Riptides, to bring you original student creative writing on our website. Our first print issue will be out October 14! In the meantime please check out our weekly website articles uploaded every Monday at spschronicle.org. This week, we released junior Avery Lurie's article "Being Pale Won't Kill You, but Cancer Might." Check it out! Please follow us on Instagram @sps.chronicle for daily reporting on various events happening around campus. And you can sign up for our newsletter here.

Have a question, concern, accolade, or gripe about something The Chronicle has written? Send us an email at spschronicle@shorecrest.org.

Thanks for reading and supporting the award-winning Chronicle!

Audition Notice

Auditions for the Upper School fall play, "Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play," are Thursday, September 11 from 3:45-6pm in the Black Box Theatre.

From Brian Wiley, Upper School Counselor

I hope you're all having a great start to the school year. As the Upper School Counselor, I'm reaching out to you to discuss the vital link between good nutrition and our students' focus and well-being.

Research from the National Center for Education Statistics consistently shows that students who eat a healthy breakfast have higher scores on standardized tests and improved concentration. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that adolescents and teens eat breakfast daily for improved cognitive function and academic performance.

Lately I've had more students coming to my office right at the start of the day asking for food. While I always keep snacks on hand, items like pretzels or crackers are just that—snacks. They aren't meant to provide the sustained energy needed to fuel their brains and bodies through several hours of classes.

I understand how challenging it can be to get teenagers to eat in the morning, but sending them off with even a simple, on-the-go option can make a huge difference. Foods like a bagel, yogurt, granola bar, or a smoothie can help them focus and be ready to learn until lunchtime.

Thank you for your partnership in helping our students achieve their full academic and mental potential. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Early Experience with Shorecrest College Counseling

The Shorecrest College Counseling Office offers comprehensive programming to support students and families throughout the college search and placement process. While many College Counseling events are tailored toward particular grade levels, all interested Shorecrest families are invited to attend these College Counseling events this fall:

First Year Foundation

Tuesday, September 9 @ 6pm
Location: Janet Root Theatre
Dedicated programming for ninth grade students and their families

Sophomore Strategies

Tuesday, September 30 @ 6pm
Location: Janet Root Theatre
Dedicated programming for tenth grade students and their families

The Shorecrest Advantage: Exploring Shorecrest's Upper School

Wednesday, October 15 @ 7pm
Location: Virtual
Dedicated programming for families of seventh and eighth grade students

Summer Trip Down Under - Info Session Sept. 16

Kayla Brazee, US Social Studies Department Chair and Chair of Global Scholars Initiative (GSI), is pleased to announce that the Upper School summer trip for 2026 will be to Australia and New Zealand!

The trip will take place in early July 2026 for 12 days. Highlights of the itinerary include attending a rugby showcase, visiting a Māori village, a boat ride of Sydney Harbour, a tour of The Sydney Opera House, a cruise of the Great Barrier Reef, and a snorkeling experience! The trip will be available to all current 9th-11th graders, up to 24 students.

If your child is interested in attending the trip, please register for the trip info session on Tuesday, September 16 at 7pm.

NOTE: disregard the language on the web page regarding the extension to Hawaii. That will not be part of the trip.

Read Trip Details

RSVP for Info Meeting

Athletics Winter Sports Sign Ups

Winter Sports Sign Ups are taking place in the Athletics Office Monday, September 15 through Friday, September 19. Any Upper School student wishing to participate in basketball, soccer or cheerleading 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 are important as they 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* 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.

Student Announcements

Student-specific announcements are shared by Student Council every Sunday in an email called "TWIUS" (This Week In The Upper School). This page is regularly updated by our Administrative Assistant, Fatima Morlando.

Student TWIUS

College Compass

College Reps Visiting Shorecrest

In order to attend visits with college representatives, your student must sign-up in Cialfo at least 24 hours in advance. Simply log-in and look for the list of colleges that will be joining us this fall. Visits will begin the week of August 25. Check out the list of amazing schools who have already booked visits with us. Check back often as the list continues to grow each day! 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.

College Visits:

College Visits 2025-2026

Upcoming College Counseling Events

First Year Foundation - Tuesday, September 9, 6-7:30pm, Janet Root Theatre. For students and families of the Class of 2029.

Sophomore Strategies - Tuesday, September 30, 6-7:30pm, Janet Root Theatre. For students and families of the Class of 2028.

Revolution Prep Resources

Free online practice exam schedule:

Planning a College Visit?

If your student is planning to visit a college/take a college tour, they must complete a College Visit form prior to the day they will be absent. These are located in the Shorecrest Community Page under Forms. This digital form is quick and easy to complete.

As a reminder, Juniors are allowed three college visit absences, Seniors are allowed five.

College Visit Form (login required)

ALL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS & EVENTS

Safety & Security Drills

A part of our routine is ensuring faculty, staff and students are prepared for an on-campus emergency. All of our teachers review and practice safety drills with students at the start of the year. We also conduct school-wide drills throughout the year to reinforce these important lessons.

We recently held a scheduled tornado drill. In the coming weeks we will be practicing our fire and lockdown drills. Our goal is to empower students with the knowledge of and confidence in our safety and security protocols.

Shorecrest Vaccine Policy

Recently proposed changes to State of Florida vaccine mandates do not apply to private schools. Shorecrest has no intention of changing its vaccine policy for students.

Community Committee on Diversity - Wednesday, September 10

You are cordially invited to join us for the Community Committee on Diversity (CCD) meeting on Wednesday, September 10 at 3:30pm. This group is open to all community members who are interested in learning more about and being a part of the diversity efforts at Shorecrest. It is also a forum for complex and engaging conversations around timely topics related to diversity, inclusion and belonging.

RSVP

International Connection Kick Off

Tuesday, September 9

All adults in the Shorecrest community are invited to join for coffee after drop-off on Tuesday, September 9, 8:15-10am in the Ohana Community Room, 2nd floor of Charger Commons. Expect introductions, socializing, info about the group and how to get involved.

SCA Moms Night Out

Wednesday, September 10

A chance to relax, connect and enjoy a fun evening with friends new and old. At the new Savoir on Central Ave. from 6:30-9:30!

Tickets are $20 and include light bites plus three drink vouchers.

This event is full. To be added to the waitlist contact sheibein@shorecrest.org

SCA Volunteer Fair

Friday, September 12

Learn about the many ways you can volunteer at Shorecrest and get to know fellow parents at a SCA Volunteer Fair.

After morning drop off in the Charger Commons Dining Room. Coffee and light bites will be served.

Dads Night Out

Thursday, October 2

Join other Shorecrest dads at Cheeky's Fish & Raw Bar, 2823 Central Ave, St. Pete, at 7:30pm.

The first round will be graciously gifted by SCA!

Welcome Visitors! Please Check In

All campus visitors are required to check in at the Raymund Center or division main office to receive a visitor badge during the school day. Visitor badges are required to be worn at all times when on campus.

If visitors do not have a visitor badge visible, Allied Security Officers may stop to offer mobile visitor check-in. Thank you for your cooperation with our campus safety and security protocols.

SCA Soiree Beneath the Waves

A Florida Cocktail Odyssey presented by Mann Orthodontics

Saturday, September 27, 7-11pm at FloridaRAMA

You are formally invited to a sparkling evening at this year’s SCA Soiree – Beneath the Waves: A Florida Cocktail Odyssey presented by Mann Orthodontics on Saturday, September 27, at FloridaRAMA.

The event will feature delicious hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and music. Adults only (21+).
(This is a night of building community. We’re saving the auctions for the springtime Gala.)

Buy Tickets

Download the Shorecrest Parent app

All families have free access to the Shorecrest Parent app via the App Store and Google Play. The Shorecrest Parent app allows families to access all of their FACTS Family Portal information, including a family directory, schedules, billing information, and more. The Shorecrest app is also a hub for Monday Division Heads Letters, Shorecrest News archives and all-school emails, lunch information, links to documents like Handbooks and curriculum guides, and more.

Download the App

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.