For nearly 90 years, Shore Country Day School has been an exceptional independent school serving students throughout the North Shore.
Established in 1936, Shore originally served 100 students from across the North Shore, with less than a dozen teachers and all classes held in the historic Winslow Building.
Shore has excelled at meeting the original mission outlined by the School’s founders of “furnishing of non-sectarian education to its scholars and for promoting their mental and physical well-being.” In addition to exceptional academics, the school now features three buildings, a state-of-the-art theater, music and art studios, an Innovation Lab, outdoor classrooms, two gyms, and multiple playgrounds and athletic fields. Strong, forward-thinking leadership, focused on strategic planning, has allowed Shore to remain one of New England’s top Pre-K through Grade 9 independent schools.
Shore has remained steadfast in its commitment to inspiring a love of learning and is stronger than ever with exceptional faculty and staff, extraordinary facilities, and a solid financial portfolio. Today, Shore proudly serves approximately 300 students.
• Close-knit, inclusive community that fosters lifelong relationships and memories, united in a shared commitment to the Shore Community Code
• Exceptional faculty and staff with unparalleled experience and passion
• High academic standards that nurture intellectual curiosity, stimulate personal growth, encourage critical thinking, and promote a lifelong love of learning
• Emphasis on social-emotional growth, social responsibility, and the well-being of the whole child — in close partnership with every family
• Co-curricular programming that allows students to explore art, athletics, music, design thinking, and experiential learning in inspiring ways
• A commitment to developing each child’s authentic voice and full potential, with individualized attention in and out of the classroom
• We are committed to excellence and joy across every area of the school
• We believe it’s important to align expectations for all members of the Shore community, including parents and caregivers, students, employees, and Board members
In 2024, the commitments and priorities outlined in this document will drive decisionmaking and community efforts.
Shore’s mission is to provide an education that inspires a love of learning and encourages children to embrace academic challenge. We seek to build character, cultivate creativity, and value diversity as we help our children become healthy, compassionate citizens of the world.
We have high academic standards and see artistic, athletic, and social-emotional education as essential to our program. We are exceptionally proud of every Shore graduate and what they carry with them out into the world.
• Student schedules have been redesigned for fall 2024 to optimize academic time across the School
• In the 2024-2025 academic year, Shore will not offer a Grade 9 program and is committed to an enhanced and memorable eighth grade experience, with new opportunities for leadership and academic challenge
• Clear programmatic priorities articulated through curriculum maps across academic disciplines, building a clearer path for Shore learners at every grade and in each subject area
• Continued excellent outplacement to highly selective secondary schools
• Enhanced opportunities for leadership roles such as Student Ambassadors, House leaders, student led Morning Meetings, buddy system, and student mentors
• Continued strength in Athletic programming with physical education for the Lower School and a healthy approach toward team building and competition with interscholastic team sports in the Upper School
• Extracurricular opportunities such as Math Team, Sustainability Club, Multicultural Club, Student Life Committee, Driftwood, Chorus, Chamber Ensemble, and A Cappella
• Robust programming in the visual and performing arts that encourages students to expand their comfort zone with talent shares, art exhibits, musical performances, and acting opportunities
• A curriculum that is rich in social-emotional growth opportunities such as mindfulness and yoga training, Upper School Advisory, LIFE Seminar classes, digital literacy skills, and Responsive Classroom
• Purposefully integrated DEI educational components that highlight multiple perspectives, fostering understanding, compassion, and empathy
• Open, honest, and timely communication from faculty and staff, from the classroom to the Head of School and Administrative Team
• Alignment of parent and caregiver, student, and employee expectations for interactions and behaviors to be firmly grounded by our Community Code, and as outlined and updated each year in the School Handbook
• Opportunities to hear directly from faculty and administrators at Back-to-School Night and family conferences
• Weekly Family Post newsletter provided every Thursday to keep families updated with school events, schedules, and news
Learn how Shore students are standing out and earning seats at some of the most selective secondary schools.
“ We find the students from Shore not only had a solid academic foundation for high school, but a strong sense of themselves and what they believe in,” said Sarah Powers, the Dean of Enrollment at The Governor’s Academy. “Each Shore student is fun to meet and their individuality shines in the high school interview setting. ”
A professional workplace and community that values expertise, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• In 2024, Shore’s staffing model will align student-to-teacher ratios with independent schools in the region and ensure teaching schedules are full and departments are staffed to meet the needs of students
• Enhance strategies to recruit, hire, and retain excellent employees representing diverse backgrounds and identities
• Ensure that Shore remains an employer of choice, with excellent benefits and compensation, that places Shore teachers in the 60 - 90th percentile in the same comparison group
of students, families, and employees.
• Create efficiencies and reduce costs across the school with a redesigned administrative structure
• Confirm administrative responsibilities to provide for the needs of a community of approximately 300 students
Fulfilling professional development opportunities, clearly defined roles, and feedback that empower educators to continually learn and improve.
• Using Folio Collaborative as a tool, Shore employees record goals and share appreciation for each other
• Every Shore employee is observed, informally and formally, by supervisors and given feedback for growth and inspiration in their teaching and/or professional work
• Articulate specific institutional goals regarding training that reinforce community values
• Continued commitment to fund Shore’s professional development program
Commitment to Shore’s Community Code as we hold ourselves to high standards and expectations.
• Shore is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Community Code and honoring its role in cementing the shared values of kindness, truth, respect, openness, and dependability
• We strive to be our best
• Focused partnership between the Head of School and Board to ensure Shore’s strong future
• Regular evaluation of Board composition and education to provide the strategic expertise, resources, and perspectives (past, present, and future) needed to achieve Shore’s mission and objectives
• Formal strategic planning, setting of annual goals related to the plan, and written evaluations of the Head of School, and the Board itself
• Periodic updates from Board of Trustees to the community on strategic initiatives
• Shore will introduce a State of the School event to inform and connect with families
• This spring, there will be Meet and Greet opportunities with Head Elect Amber Bock
• In-person learning and engagement opportunities, such as the Shore Spotlight Series and informational coffees
A commitment to review Shore’s policies as needed to ensure they reflect the School’s culture, climate, and institutional values.
As a learning community, we value that there are moments to acknowledge that some policies and procedures may require adjustments. In Spring 2024, we will revisit the “dress code” conversation to provide an opportunity for information gathering and reflection. The administration will make decisions that reflect the school’s institutional values.
Shore leadership has committed to a seamless leadership transition into the 2024-2025 academic year.
• Interim Head of School Amy Vorenberg and Head Elect Amber Bock will collaborate throughout the spring, including staffing decisions
• Amber Bock is partnering with the Board of Trustees to define strategic initiatives and participate in key decisions
• The Board of Trustees has created a Transition Committee to guide Amber Bock’s transition
