A Letter to the Shorecrest Adult Community:
Our daily lives have changed in ways that might have been unimaginable even a week ago. We are all feeling a wide range of emotions as a result of the changes in our lives due to COVID-19: anxiety, sadness, anger, loss, loneliness, frustration, maybe even irritation. These emotions are, of course, very normal human reactions to such an extraordinary circumstance.Emotional Wellbeing During a Global Pandemic
Topics: Current Events, Social-Emotional Development, Core Values, Community, Parent Involvement, Empathy in Schools
This week began with a holiday to remember a champion of human connection. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. told us that he had, “A dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Dr. King truly wanted each of us to be recognized for ourselves.
At Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg, Florida, the faculty and student body honored Dr. King by participating in the city’s annual parade. Shorecrest's acknowledgement of Dr. King's ideals isn’t something that only happens once a year. Events throughout our school year continually remind our students to practice building connections with the broader community. One of those events is Service Week in our Upper School, it is a week of outreach that teaches our high schoolers how to build connections across cultural boundaries.
Topics: Student/Faculty Perspectives, Student and Faculty Perspectives, Empathy in Schools, Education with Values
Core Values in Action - Holiday Gift Drive
Empathy among young people is a popular conversational theme these days. Indeed, educators across the country have noticed a need to teach basic moral values in the classroom. An article by teacher Paul Barnwell in “The Atlantic”, expounds the reasons for that trend, and gives examples of teachers taking lessons outside the classroom and into the community to give students valuable moral insight. Mr. Barnwell notes that while schools say high moral standards are embedded in a rigorous curriculum, it’s rare to see those values in action.
At Shorecrest Preparatory School, in St. Petersburg, Florida, the core values held by the school are actively modeled. The largest single demonstration of our community's commitment to Responsibility, Respect, Integrity, Knowledge and Compassion happens every year at the holiday season. Students, faculty, administrators and parents join together to provide gifts to children in foster care.
Topics: Education Best Practice, respect, traditions, Core Values, culture, Holidays, Service Learning, Community, Parent Involvement, Volunteer, Empathy in Schools, Education with Values