Mayor Earl M. Leiken’s
E-News
February 2018
Dear Resident,

There are many events for residents to enjoy in Shaker Heights this month, including the return of District Weekends to the Van Aken District. District Weekends are a series of monthly gatherings designed to introduce you to everything the District has to offer, including an introduction to the merchants who are here now and those who are coming later this year when the District officially opens.
City News
Shaker Rocks Opens in the Van Aken District in October 2018
The old medical building on the corner of Farnsleigh and Warrensville Center roads was demolished last month in order to make way for the construction of the new Shaker Rocks climbing gym.

Opening this fall in the Van Aken District, Shaker Rocks will be a state-of-the-art facility with 15,000 square feet of climbing space (with up to 40-foot-high walls), plus an additional 1,000 square feet of multi-purpose space. It will be Cleveland's premier climbing gym and more than twice as large as any other climbing gym in Northeast Ohio.

Shaker Rocks promises to be a terrific addition to the District. Owners and Shaker residents Spencer and Annie Richman estimate the gym will bring upwards of 350 customers per day to the District (most from outside Shaker). The gym will also provide special programming for Shaker Schools students, the community, and at-risk Shaker youth. In addition, Shaker Rocks plans to hire five full-time employees and offer part-time employment opportunities for about 40 Shaker youth.

Shaker Rocks is now taking reservations for events, including for Bat/Bar Mitzvahs. Email info@shakerrocksclimbing.com for information.
City Will No Longer Collect Contaminated Yard Waste Bags
Starting in 2018, Public Works crews will no longer collect yard waste bags contaminated with non-organic materials because the City's hauler will no longer accept them. Yard waste bags should ONLY contain grass clippings, leaves, and other leafy yard-waste.

Yard waste bags should NOT contain:

  • Plastic gardening waste (plastic plant pots, trays, or mulch/soil/fertilizer bags)
  • Other non-organic materials (other plastics, metal, aluminum, cardboard/paper)
  • Dog waste in plastic bags

Crews will place stickers on yard waste bags deemed too contaminated for collection. Residents can remove the contaminating materials and place the bag out for collection the following week. View a video   about what belongs in yard-waste bags (and what doesn't) and learn more about the City's   leaf, grass, and brush collection   policies.

Please note: Brush (cuttings from trees and large shrubs), while organic, also doesn't belong in the yard waste bag. Place brush directly on your tree lawn.
Thornton Park Pool Passes Now On Sale
Early-bird pricing available through April 8
Residents can purchase Thornton Park pool passes for the 2018 season at early-bird rates through April 8. Buy passes at Thornton Park (3301 Warrensville Center Rd.) or online at bit.ly/PassesandPunches . Thornton Park pool officially opens Memorial Day weekend.
Call for Artists
Artists are invited to submit their ideas for gateway treatments and historic markers for the City's Moreland Neighborhood. Deadline is March 30 at 12 pm EST. Please review the Call for Artists — including submission instructions — at this website: makeyourmarkmoreland.com
Shaker Makers Event — Call for Makers and Entrepreneurs
The 2018 Shaker Makers Event will take place April 28, 10-4 pm at The Dealership (3558 Lee Rd.) . It's our second annual show-and-tell-and-make-and-touch AND build-a-business event for innovators, creators, engineers, and entrepreneurs of all ages.

Are you a maker or entrepreneur? Then consider exhibiting at the event. Makers and entrepreneurs age 18-plus and students in 6-12 grade are encouraged to apply .
Events
Rings of Life: The Trees of Shaker Heights
February 1 - March 15
Rings of Life finalist
Visit this juried photography exhibit — sponsored by the City, the Shaker Heights Public Library, and the Photo Club at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes — on the second floor of Main Library (16500 Van Aken Blvd.) The exhibit showcases Shaker's magnificent trees and urban forest. Runs through March 15.
District Weekends
Thursday, February 8 & Saturday, February 10
Sweethearts and lovers of the Shaker community can kick off their Valentine's Day celebration early during the City's District Weekends February events.

  • Thursday, February 8, 7-9 pm. Starting at J. Pistone Market & Gathering Place (3245 Warrensville Center Rd.), enjoy premium food pairings (cheese, hors d'oeuvres, chocolate, and more) at various locations at the shops on Warrensville at Almar including AJ Heil, Dawn Cook Designs & Blulens, Sgro's Barbershop and Sisu Salon. Guests will receive a passport to be stamped at each location; attendees who have all stamps will be entered to win a special prize. Free valet parking will be available.

  • Saturday, February 10, 3-5 pm. Le Chaperon Rouge (3350 Warrensville Center Rd.) hosts a Kids Indoor Play Date. Children (Infant – 12 years) and their families are invited to tour the newly opened Le Chaperon Rouge building and learn about the school's infant care, pre-K, preschool and elementary curriculum. Or just come together for the kids crafting activities, a cookie decorating station by Lucy's Sweet Surrender and snacks provided by Qdoba. Shaker Rocks will provide info about its state-of-the-art rock climbing gym.
Friday Night Skate
It's a dance party on ice! Skate to a live DJ at Thornton Park Ice Arena (3301 Warrensville Center Rd.). Public skating admission rates apply. Mark your calendar for Friday Night Skates in 2018:

  • February 9, 16 (7:45-9 pm), and 23
  • March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30

Unless otherwise indicated, Friday Night Skate runs from 7:45-9:45 pm. Call 216-491-1360 for information.
Doan Brook Winter Tree Identification Hike
Saturday, February 10
2-4 pm
Doan Brook Watershed logo
Join Dr. Ted Auch and the Doan Brook Watershed Partnership for a guided hike in the Doan Brook Parklands and Lower Lake focused on winter-weather identification techniques for common native and naturalized trees and shrubs. Meet at the Lower Lake Bridge between North Park and South Park blvds. $10 fee.
Legends: Dramatic Readings of African-American Authors
Sunday, February 11
2-3:30 pm
Actors in the Moreland neighborhood theater group Phoenix Rising will perform excerpts from their favorite African-American writers at the Shaker Heights Public Library (16500 Van Aken Blvd.). All ages welcome.
Pancake Breakfast with the Birds
Saturday, February 24
8 am-12 pm
A joint program with the Rotary Club of Shaker Heights, this popular, annual event at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes (2600 S. Park Blvd.) includes an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast. Attendees can also enjoy guided hikes, crafts, entertainment and a bird-related show. $9 for adults; $5 for children ages 4-10; free for children 3 and under.
Shaker Rec Summer Camp Registration
Tuesday, February 27
summer camp stock photo
Registration for summer camps offered through the Shaker Heights Recreation Department opens on February 27. Learn more about camps and register using the button below.
From the Schools 

Each issue of this E-News highlights an important school-related topic. To stay informed about all the school news and events, sign up for the District's monthly E-News.

Online Kindergarten Registration Coming Soon

Later this month, Shaker Heights Schools will offer online registration for students entering kindergarten in fall 2018. Visit the Registration Information page of the Shaker Schools website at the end of February for more information. In the meantime, families with incoming kindergartners can mark their calendars for Shaker's upcoming Kindergarten Open House Dates:
 
  • Mercer: March 7, 6:30 pm
  • Fernway: April 18, 9:30 am
  • Boulevard: April 18, 6:30 pm
  • Lomond: April 19, 7 pm
  • Onaway: April 20, 9:30 am

Street Sign Auction a Big Success

The Shaker street sign auction has grossed more than $100,000 to date for the Shaker Schools Foundation. Proceeds will be placed in a dedicated fund to support new initiatives benefiting all Shaker students. A five-day online sale for unsold signs will take place April 16-20. Details will be posted in late January at shaker.org/foundation

Mark Your Calendar for A Night for the Red & White
 
The Shaker Schools Foundation's annual gala, A Night for the Red & White, is Saturday, March 10 at 7 pm at the new Cleveland Hilton Downtown. Purchase tickets by Wednesday, March 7 at shaker.org/redandwhite . Billed as Shaker's Black-Tie Block Party, this gala event attracts nearly 800 attendees for dinner, dancing, an amazing silent auction, and student performances. 
Save the Date
Stepping Stones to School Readiness: Kindergarten Readiness
Wednesday, March 14
6:45-8 pm
The Debra Ann November Speaker Series wraps up with Rachel Coleman, Principal at Noble Elementary School on "Kindergarten Readiness." Free childcare will be provided, by reservation only. For more information, visit familyconnections1.org or call 216-921-2023.
Shaker.Life
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