It has long been said that adversity does not change who we are — it reveals who we are. This year, our lives have been disrupted in countless ways by economic instability, social unrest and the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Longtime educator Joe Kelley has retired after 43 years of teaching, 22 of which he spent at Pine Crest School.

Dr. Sheldon Kaplan ’66 is a licensed child and adolescent psychologist who has been on the front line for children and teenagers coping with the stress of COVID-19.

Setting your child up for success begins with you! As a parent, you are your child’s very first teacher. School readiness is not just about learning the ABCs and 123s—young children need to learn skills such as: listening to a set of instructions, following multi-step directions, becoming comfortable with routines, sitting quietly for whole group instruction, keeping hands to themselves, and self-regulation. 

In March of 2019, 13 Upper School student journalists traveled to New York City to attend the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Spring Convention. Before the conference, students had the opportunity to meet with Pine Crest alumni who work in media-related careers in the City. The alumni offered tours of their offices, spoke about their career paths, and answered students’ questions about working in media. Everyone enjoyed reminiscing about their Pine Crest experiences and reflecting upon what makes the School so special.

Fritz Brogan ’03 loves to meet and speak with people — this has been key to his success in the hospitality industry and politics.

Ben Schecter ’14 has always enjoyed making a positive impact on others’ lives.

A love of dentistry ignited when Dr. Brandon Alegre ’97 accompanied his sisters to a dental visit while he was a senior at Pine Crest. Seeing the University of Florida Gators logo on the orthodontist's tie launched a conversation and Brandon’s career. He opened his dental practice in 2007 after completing his residency at the Bay Pines Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

by Connor Norris ’21

In March of 2019, 13 Upper School student journalists traveled to New York City to attend the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Spring Convention. Before the conference, students had the opportunity to meet with Pine Crest alumni who work in media-related careers in the City. The alumni offered tours of their offices, spoke about their career paths, and answered students’ questions about working in media. Everyone enjoyed reminiscing about their Pine Crest experiences and reflecting upon what makes the School so special.

by Daniel Hennelly ’21, Ilana Hutzler ’20, Karene Hermon ’21, and Jade Klacko ’21

“The pandemic brought enormous change for everyone at ChenMed,” said Gordon Chen, M.D. ’97, Chief Medical Officer. “Our social norm has changed drastically.”  

Gordon and his brother, ChenMed Chief Executive Officer Christopher Chen, M.D. ’94, are senior administrators of this physician-led, family-oriented organization committed to bringing superior healthcare to moderate-to-low income senior adults. 

When Calla Cissel ’11  became a nurse manager for Baptist Health Louisville’s 21-bed telemetry unit in November 2019, little did she know that just a few months later, she would be managing the hospital’s COVID-19 floor.

“Pine Crest truly gave me a strong foundation to deal with whatever life throws my way,” according to Dr. Kim Donaldson ’90.

Six months ago, Nicole Urban ’14 could not have imagined herself working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. In her role, Nicole works as a nurse in the neuro intensive care unit at New York Medical Center caring for patients with life-threatening neurological issues.  

In January 2020, Dr. Daniel Caplivski ’90 and his colleagues at Mount Sinai Medical Center began looking into cases of an unknown coronavirus spreading in China and Europe. Though they had not yet seen a case in New York City, they knew the hospital and city needed to prepare. Very quick action was needed, particularly converting all the hospital rooms within one week to accommodate the overnight hospitalization that local patients with the virus would inevitably require.

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) announced the winners from its 37th Gold Circle Awards program recently. This year, the awards attracted 5,757 yearbook and digital media entries submitted in 91 categories.

With more than two decades of experience as a cardiologist and internal medicine physician, Dr. Ken Zelnick ’90 has treated infections of all types. Now on the front line of treating COVID-19 patients in Broward County, Ken shares that this virus is different: “For the first time in my career, we do not have answers and are forced to continually try new methods and therapies to save lives.”

For the ninth consecutive year, Pine Crest School's Boca Raton campus has been recognized by the Green Schools Recognition Program (GSRP) as a Green School of Excellence.

This exciting achievement comes as a result of a collaborative effort of faculty, staff, students, and administrators to develop leadership and provide a nurturing learning community that prepares students to meet the global challenges of the future.

An important part of applying for admission to an independent school is getting to know the school and assessing if it is right for your family.

Jordyn Elliott ’16 was busy during her time as a Pine Crest student! Playing soccer for both Pine Crest and a travel team, Jordyn was thrilled when she was offered a spot on the University of California at Berkeley women’s soccer team.