November 22, 2020
The Shaker eNews is a weekly roundup of important information including District events, school newsletters and District, PTO Council, Shaker Schools Foundation and City news. Be sure to read the entire Shaker eNews each week to stay informed!
Visit our District Calendar online for a complete list of upcoming remote learning student activities, virtual events and athletic competitions.

Please note the following upcoming important dates:

  • Fall Conferences | Monday, November 23 & Tuesday, November 24; No Classes for Students
  • Thanksgiving Recess | Wednesday, November 25-Friday, November 27
  • All Students Return to Remote Learning | Monday, November 30
  • Winter Recess | Monday, December 21-Friday, January 1
  • Onsite/Online Learning Resumes | Monday, January 4
A Thanksgiving Message from Dr. Glasner
Dear Shaker Heights Schools Families and Staff,

I want to express my gratitude to our entire school community as we head into the Thanksgiving Recess. Thank you for your patience, your resilience and ongoing support. And to our staff and faculty, thank you for all of your hard work. 

These times are challenging, yet we still have a great deal to be thankful for in the Shaker Heights Schools community. 

As you know, all District students will return to full remote learning from the period of Monday, November 30 until Friday, December 18.

Data continues to indicate that schools are not a significant source of COVID-19 spread. However, the recent spike in community spread in our area is deeply troubling and together, we bear a responsibility to do what we can to stop the spread of COVID-19. Our ability to re-open schools for onsite learning, as we intend to, on Monday, January 4, is impacted by the actions of our entire school community.  

We strongly recommend that you:
  • Follow the Ohio Department of Health Domestic Travel Advisory when considering your holiday plans, large indoor gatherings, visitors and the return home of college-aged family members. 
  • Consider a 14-day quarantine following your return from any necessary travel or after participating in any indoor group gatherings or family events.
  • Continue to wear a mask, maintain physical distance, avoid large gatherings and wash/sanitize your hands frequently, no matter where you are—at home, at school or out in the community. 
  • Review the #StopTheSpreadShaker information provided by the District’s School Nurses.

In the coming weeks, we must each do all that we can to ensure that our students can return to school for learning, for special education services, for sports, for music, for art, for drama, for clubs, for all those things that our students rely on the District to provide in-person. 

I wish everyone a safe, happy Thanksgiving holiday. 

Sincerely, 

Dr. David Glasner, Superintendent
Shaker Heights Schools
Happy Thanksgiving from the PTO
Virtual Fall Conferences Reminders for Families
As a reminder, virtual fall conferences will be held on Monday, November 23 and Tuesday, November 24. There will be no classes for students.

Families with students in Grades K-4 will receive student progress information during virtual fall conferences. Report cards for students in Grades K-4 will be posted in ProgressBook on Friday, December 4.

We encourage all families with students in Grades 5-12 to review their student's grades and most recent report card in ProgressBook, prior to attending your student's virtual fall conference on Monday, November 23 or Tuesday, November 24.

You can review your student's progress and report cards by logging in to ProgressBook directly or through the Abre portal. In ProgressBook, select “Report Card” from the menu on the left.
All Students Return to Remote Learning on November 30
As a reminder, all students will return to remote learning on Monday, November 30. Please review the District's announcement, shared last week.
UH Healthy Restart Visitors Tour District
Last Friday, November 20, two members of the University Hospitals Healthy Restart Team toured the District to lend their expertise and provide additional feedback on our school buildings' readiness. UH Healthy Restart provides businesses and schools with guidance on preparing for re-opening/staying open in the midst of COVID-19. Representatives from the District Administration, School Nurses, Custodial team members and the Shaker Heights Teachers Association joined the Healthy Restart tours. The engagement of UH Healthy Restart for its feedback and analysis is part of the District’s thoughtful approach and continued consideration of precautions to minimize risks of COVID-19 spread for students and teachers.
Thanksgiving Recess and Remote Learning Meal Delivery Information
The District will continue to distribute free meals to students during the week of Thanksgiving and through the upcoming period of remote learning. Refer to the Fall 2020 Meal Delivery Schedule for delivery locations and times.

On Monday, November 23, the District will distribute five days worth of free breakfast and lunch for all students who wish to pick up food. 

Beginning Monday, November 30, meals will be distributed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays according to the following schedule: 
  • Monday—Distribution of Monday lunch, Tuesday breakfast and lunch, Wednesday breakfast.
  • Wednesday—Distribution of Wednesday lunch, Thursday breakfast and lunch, Friday breakfast.
  • Friday—Distribution of Friday lunch, Saturday and Sunday breakfast and lunch, and Monday breakfast. 

As a reminder, those picking up meals must wear a mask and observe physical distancing at meal distribution locations. Also, one family member/guardian may pick up meals for multiple students in one household.
Shaker eNews Distribution Moves to Sundays
Distribution of the Shaker eNews has moved from Friday evenings to Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. 

The District is aware that the volume of weekday emails families receive from the District and from school buildings this year has increased. We hope that this shift to a Sunday Shaker eNews distribution provides our families with an opportunity to review District and PTO information and school newsletters at a less busy time.

Previous issues of the Shaker eNews and school newsletters are always available online at the Shaker eNews archive.
Onsite Before- and After-School Child Care to Begin January 11
Champions, the school division of Kindercare, is planning to offer before- and after-school child care for students in Grades K-6 beginning Monday, January 11. Currently, before- and after-school child care is not being offered as students return to onsite learning. The Champions fee per student will be $45 weekly for before-school child care and $55 weekly for after-school child care (these amounts exclude any military or multi-member family discounts). 

K-4 child care hours will be: 
  • 7-8:15 a.m. before-school child care
  • 2-6:30 p.m. after-school child care
  • Woodbury child care hours will be: 
  • 7-8:25 a.m. before-school child care
  • 3-6:30 p.m. after-school child care

Space will be limited at each site to adhere to health & safety standards, so register early. For questions and to learn more about enrolling, please go to Champions Before- and After-School Programs. 
Download the District App for Daily Health Assessment/COVID-19 Screening
All families should complete the District’s daily health assessment/COVID-19 screening each day prior to coming to school onsite. To access the health assessment tool:

  • Download the app in the App Store or Google Play. If you already have the app on your mobile device, please update it.
  • Families who do not have a smartphone can access the app online. 
  • Follow these instructions to create an account and to register your student. You will need your student’s ID number, available in your student’s ProgressBook or Abre account.
  • Complete the COVID-19 screening daily when your student returns to onsite learning.

Please contact your building office if you have questions. 
Student Health & Safety Guidelines
All families should review these Student Health and Safety Guidelines with their students. 

Students should be familiar with the District’s mask-wearing policies and hand washing/sanitizing and physical distancing guidelines so that they understand the positive role they can play in minimizing transmission of COVID-19 in our schools. 

We encourage families and students to review this information together and to discuss/address any questions before returning to school for onsite learning.
Flu Vaccine Reminder
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone six months of age and older should get an annual flu vaccine.

Any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine is an option for vaccination. These include:

Flu vaccines will not prevent COVID-19, but they will reduce the burden of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths on the health care system and conserve scarce medical resources for the care of people with COVID-19. Read more about flu vaccine benefits.
Join us for an Interactive Online Workshop:
YOU Are an Entrepreneur! (You Just Don’t Know it Yet)
Featuring Danny Warshay, Class of 1983
Tuesday, December 1 at 7 p.m. via Zoom 

Professor Danny Warshay, Executive Director of the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship at Brown University (and self-described “tortured Cleveland sports fan”) will lead a spirited online workshop that demonstrates how to apply the Entrepreneurial Process to the world's biggest problems as well as those we face in everyday life. Danny will explain how to break down the process into phases, starting with “bottom-up research,” the first step in the three-step Entrepreneurial Process that Danny teaches to aspiring entrepreneurs at Brown and all over the world.

Current students, alumni, parents, teachers, staff, and community members are all encouraged to attend. This event is FREE, but space is limited so you must register in advance to receive a Zoom link to attend. In order to get the most out of this workshop, Danny requests that all attendees watch this video in advance of the workshop. (Prepare to be intrigued!) 

Says Danny, “As opposed to the myth that entrepreneurs are creative geniuses from birth, The Entrepreneurial Process is a skill set that anyone can master and apply.” No matter your age, interests, or background, you’ll come away from this interactive workshop with a new way of thinking and approaching opportunities in your life. Learn more about Danny.
Free COVID-19 Testing in Shaker Heights

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health and MetroHealth are offering free COVID-19 testing for individuals age two and older on December 2, December 16 and December 30.

Testing will take place at the Shaker Heights Fire Station at 17000 Chagrin Blvd. You must pre-register to be tested. Click here to pre-register online or call 216-957-3939, Tuesday to Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Learn more.

 
Drive-through Flu Shot Clinic November 24

A drive-through Flu Shot clinic will be held Tuesday, November 24 at the Shaker Heights Fire Station, 17000 Chagrin Blvd. from 3-6 p.m. Open to the public; all ages welcome. Please remain in your vehicle, wear a mask and short-sleeved shirt to the event. If insured, please bring the card. Walk-ups also accepted. Registration is appreciated but not required by texting “Shaker” to 216-406-2345. Email questions to ccbhnurse@ccbh.net.