SHORE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | STRATEGIC PLAN 2026
IN ANCHOREDExcellence
Anchored in Excellence
In 1936, our founders incorporated Shore Country Day School with a clear, timeless mission: to furnish a non-sectarian education that promotes the mental and physical well-being of every scholar. As we approach Shore’s centennial, that mission continues to guide us. We are proud to introduce our next Strategic Plan, Anchored in Excellence, a five-year roadmap designed to evolve, improve, and advance Shore’s strengths, and secure the integrity and mission of Shore into the future.
We are fortunate to be part of a school community committed to the hallmarks of a Shore education, with proven success in delivering an exceptional academic program and transformative student experience. This impact is best articulated by our alumni, who frequently share how Shore sparked their joy in learning, encouraged their curiosity, and gave them the confidence to navigate the world long after graduation.
While we will always maintain the enduring values shared in our Community Code and a commitment to a rigorous and close-knit environment, an exceptional institution must also have a vision and the courage to evolve. This plan represents our commitment to strengthening our core while embracing the forward thinking required to best serve today’s and tomorrow’s students.
To achieve this, our work will be anchored by four strategic pillars:
As we begin work on the initiatives outlined in the Strategic Plan, we are continuing to solidify Shore as a leader in education and the foremost educational opportunity for students north of Boston. By affirming and amplifying our areas of strength and exploring opportunities to innovate and grow, we prioritize the students at Shore and our promise to support, challenge, and inspire them in the years ahead. Join us in shaping Shore’s future with purpose and bold ambition.
Amber Bock Head of School
Amanda Jackson P’24, ’28 President, Board of Trustees
Mission Statement
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.
COMMUNITY CODE
Hallmarks of a Shore Education
Faculty-Student Mentorship
Community Code
Social-Emotional Wellness
Authentic Voice
Outdoor Education
Design Thinking
Sound Body, Sound Mind
“At Shore, both challenging and supporting students set the path to academic excellence. By blending innovative teaching with thoughtful and creative curriculum, we help every learner grow into confident, curious thinkers ready for whatever comes next.”
– Anneke Chang P’28, ’31, Upper School Math Teacher and Department Chair
Academic Excellence and Innovation
A Shore education is defined by a fast-paced academic program that blends rigor with care, innovation with tradition, and students who find joy in their accomplishments. Guided by talented faculty and a strong support system, we will affirm the use of best-in-class educational practices that sustain an exciting and transformative program for our students that prepares them for success beyond Shore.
INITIATIVES
Instructional Strength: Ensure faculty are on the leading edge of educational pedagogy and best practices, including deepening embedded learning support to meet Shore’s high expectations and help learners flourish.
Curricular Excellence: Develop systematic curricular and program review to ensure we consistently exceed standards and provide a learning continuum that is relevant, inclusive, and future-ready, with intentional integration of creativity, equity, sustainability, technology, and experiential learning.
Innovative Programming: Expand and innovate programs in visual and performing arts, robotics, design thinking, current technology, and digital citizenship, preparing Shore graduates to be well-rounded, resilient, and creative thinkers.
Faculty and Staff Development and Engagement: Invest in Shore faculty and staff through high-impact professional development, national and international travel, and training to cultivate a culture of learning and growth among faculty that is contagious, celebrated, and sought after by the top educators in their field.
Extending our Hallmarks: Strengthen and further integrate the Hallmarks of a Shore education meaningfully and regularly throughout the student experience from Pre-K to Grade 8, and establish service learning as our eighth Hallmark.
Beyond the Classroom
As a student-centered school, Shore continually refines offerings and teaching approaches to strengthen and expand experiences that foster a vibrant, inclusive, and connected community through leadership opportunities and student-driven initiatives. To teach the ‘whole child’ means honoring their intellectual, emotional, and social needs, as well as providing opportunities to pursue passions and explore their capacity to lead in different settings. By leveraging our expansive campus and our distinct home on the North Shore, we will deepen our commitment to experiential, place-based learning and grow our commitment to creating curious students who are aware of the complexities and opportunities of the world.
INITIATIVES
Outdoor Education: Evolve opportunities for place-based learning and excursions in every grade that foster wellness, community, and personal challenge. Create a Woodland Classroom that enhances the student experience at all grade levels to further expand outdoor learning spaces on campus.
Educational and Cultural Excursions: Expand curriculum-connected class trips across all grade levels, enhance outdoor trips for Grades 5–8, and continue to refine and expand meaningful cultural trips and experiences for students in Grades 6–8.
“Overnight trips, like going to Washington, D.C. and Camp Mataponi, where we got to know each other better and worked as a team, helped me feel more confident and able to bring ideas forward.”
– Aeton P. ’26
Athletics, Fitness, and Wellness: Strengthen and expand Shore’s fitness, training, and competitive sports programming to challenge all athletic levels. Create a pathway for the elite athlete to grow and compete, as well as new opportunities for all grades to access high-level training on campus in specific sports.
Mindfulness and Mental Health: Sustain and deepen Shore’s commitment to social and emotional health by expanding resources that help students develop lifelong skills and support a healthy school climate.
Service Learning: Embed hands-on service learning by cultivating curriculum-aligned opportunities and student life experiences that foster a lifelong commitment to service and helping others.
“As a parent, I have been nothing but impressed by the wonderful faculty and staff at Shore. I feel strongly that investing in their development and well-being directly impacts not only the classroom experience, but is paramount for the long-term success of Shore.”
– Cordelia Fasoldt P’31, ’34
PILLAR 3
Vibrant Community and Connection
The values of Shore’s Community Code call on members of our community to deepen relationships, understanding, and connectedness among our students, faculty and staff, families, and ultimately the wider community. The Strategic Plan calls for increased programming to honor the distinct role of our House System, the exploration of additional gathering spaces, and an investment in faculty and staff well-being to strengthen the interconnectedness of our community. By sharing our expertise with the public, Shore will reinforce its position as the thought leader in early, elementary, and middle school education north of Boston.
INITIATIVES
Student Connection and Mentorship: Grow the leadership role of Upper School students within our community. Develop shared experiences that build community across all grades, and evaluate opportunities to expand meaningful experiences through the beloved House System.
Connected Community: Create opportunities for community gatherings in spaces such as a renovated Birdcage, encouraging more in-person connections between parents on Shore’s campus, and drawing alumni to visit.
Engaged Faculty and Staff: Cultivate a supportive and empowering campus culture that values contribution and connection. Expand recruitment, retention, and mentorship strategies to support new faculty and staff, and a long-range, robust professional development model that supports educational excellence and professional growth.
A Culture of Inclusion and Belonging: Sustain and deepen a committed culture of inclusion, belonging, and equity, leveraging existing and established employee, family, and Board of Trustee committees to sustain progress and develop long-term goals.
An Educational Hub: Establish a parent education series focused on developing healthy habits around drive, excellence, and balance, that supports the school-to-home partnership while opening up these offerings to the greater community.
Engage Alumni: Strengthen relationships and engagement opportunities with Shore alumni and families to increase the vitality of Shore’s network by forming new partnerships, celebrating the talents of alumni, and creating a wider Shore community of connection both on campus and beyond.
Institutional Strength and Resources
Shore’s depth of strong fiscal stewardship and innovative facility management has established the campus as a cornerstone of our program’s strength and experience for students and families. Leveraging our campus, we will maintain a mission-oriented approach to the use and management of our resources. We will embark on efforts to open up new programmatic opportunities for our students, to support our superb faculty and staff, and maintain and renew our facilities and grounds. We will promote care for the world through environmental sustainability by evaluating our impact on climate change in three major areas: operations, student life, and curriculum.
INITIATIVES
Fiscal Strength: Develop a comprehensive three-year plan to reach enrollment, revenue, affordability, and advancement goals that will position Shore to continually expand what a Shore education can provide.
Campus Master Plan: Develop a comprehensive multi-year Master Plan to enhance the campus and facilities to ensure Shore students have dynamic spaces for learning, design thinking, creative play, community gathering, technological innovation, athletics, and the studio and performance arts.
“Long-term planning around enrollment, revenue, and affordability ensures Shore remains accessible, strong, and mission-aligned for generations of families.”
– Chris Baker P’25, ’26, ’30, Trustee, Advancement Committee, Risk & Liability Committee
Revenue Diversification: Leverage Shore’s impressive facilities and faculty and staff to generate revenue for the school while enhancing the student experience and attracting new families to campus.
Distinctive Spaces: Transform our school library into a dynamic epicenter with new literacy spaces, media tools, and labs that inspire learning, exploration, and collaboration. Re-envision the Birdcage and the Lodge to enhance student and community experiences.
Environmental Sustainability: Ensure Shore’s commitment to sustainability through resources, innovation, and education, modeling best practices for students who will be impacted by the success or failure of our world’s shared sustainability commitment.
Celebrating Rich History: Create a plan to prepare for Shore’s centennial in the 2036-2037 school year with strategies for community involvement, fundraising, communications, physical and electronic records, and archives.
LISTENING, LEARNING, LEADING
Building Our Strategic Plan
Shore’s five-year Strategic Plan, Anchored in Excellence, serves as our roadmap to continued distinction and growth.
Planning
A year of listening, planning, and collaboration.
Partnership and Collaboration Trustees. Administration. Faculty and Staff. Families.
Collective Strength Wisdom. Ambition. Discipline.
Commitment
Curriculum. Experience. Innovation. Connection. Longevity.
The Future: Anchored in Excellence
Guiding Shore’s next era.
The Strategic Plan will guide Shore into its future — strengthening our tradition of educational excellence while deepening our shared sense of purpose.
Faculty with Advanced Degrees:
Shore Graduates Thrive
Shore graduates enroll at a wide range of top secondary schools, both day and boarding, where their confidence, curiosity, and leadership shine.
Brooks School
Cambridge School of Weston
Choate Rosemary Hall
Families from Over 40 Communities
Choose Shore
Concord Academy
Deerfield Academy
Governor’s Academy
Groton School
Holderness School
Lawrence Academy
Middlesex School
Milton Academy
Miss Porter’s School
New Hampton School
Noble & Greenough School
Phillips Academy Andover
Phillips Exeter Academy
Pingree School
Proctor Academy
St. George’s School
St. John’s Preparatory School
St. Mark’s School
St. Paul’s School
Salisbury School
Suffield Academy
Tabor Academy
Thacher School
Westminster School
Williston Northampton School
*This is a selection of schools Shore graduates have attended in recent years.
