November 20, 2022

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!

The Shaker eNews is published weekly on Sundays.

Visit our District Calendar online for a complete list of upcoming activities, events and athletic competitions.

Please note the following upcoming important dates:

Professional Day, no school for students | November 21-22
Thanksgiving Recess | November 23-25
Board of Education Work Session | Tuesday, November 29

Click on the appropriate link below for school-level and building PTO news:

Use these Quick Links to access the following District information:

Reminders for the Week of November 21, 2022

Monday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 22 are professional learning days for staff. There is no school for students.
Wednesday, November 23 through Friday, November 25 is Thanksgiving break - all school buildings will be closed.
The administration building will be open through Wednesday, November 23 and closed Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25.
There will be NO Shaker Heights Schools eNews on Sunday, November 27.

We hope our students and staff enjoy a relaxing break with their families. School will resume on Monday, November 28.

Board of Education Work Session on November 29

On Tuesday, November 29, at 5 p.m., the Board of Education will hold a special work session devoted to facilities. You are invited to attend or livestream this important meeting, which will set the stage for our work around facilities in the coming months.

Over the past few months, we have spent time evaluating and continuing to collect information and this meeting represents an opportunity to restart and reinvigorate our long-term facilities planning efforts. Our goal during this process remains unchanged: to develop a long-term facilities plan that supports and enhances academic excellence and that provides our students and staff with modern, safe and comfortable learning environments for generations to come.

The November 29 meeting will provide our community and school staff with an opportunity to better understand where we have been, where we are and where we are going. We aim to develop a long-term facilities plan for the District by the spring, but we will continue to adjust our timeline if needed.

The November 29 Board work session, and subsequent meetings, will include discussion topics such as:

A look back on what has been accomplished so far
A review of our goals, public feedback and other information
Takeaways from educational visioning work conducted in September 2021
Updated cost estimates for various renovation and new construction scenarios
Site maps
Potential options related to the expansion of PreK

Information and documents to be discussed at the work session can be accessed on the District’s long-term facilities planning site, https://www.shaker.org/facilitiesplan.aspx. This webpage will be continually updated as new information becomes available.

Like all Board of Education meetings, this important session will be open to the public and livestreamed at shaker.org/boardlive and via the District’s Boxcast channel. Please consider joining us November 29.

You're Invited to Apply to Join the DEI & Athletics Committee

This past year, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Athletic Department have collaborated to create and execute an action plan regarding athletics and diversity, equity and inclusion. This plan will provide guidance and accountability measures related to advancing Inclusive Excellence and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in athletic programming. A cornerstone of this plan is the creation of a DEI & Athletics Committee.

About the Committee

This committee will be composed of student athletes, coaches, family and community members. The committee will serve as thought partners and will help hold the District accountable in ensuring that decisions, policies and practices within the athletics are looked at through an inclusive lens. Some possible projects that the committee will work on are: creating and helping implement an equity tool; supporting the creation of policies and protocols; and examining the hiring and onboarding process of our athletic staff. Members of this inaugural committee will collaborate with staff to establish goals and structure for the DEI & Athletics committee.

How to Apply

We are inviting all stakeholders in our community to consider applying to the DEI & Athletics Committee. Applications will be due on Sunday, December 1, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. Please use the applicable form below:

As a District, we know that we must have a strong relationship with our stakeholders to uplift the values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

College Credit Plus (CCP) Information Meeting

If you and/or your child want to learn more about College Credit Plus (CCP), please join us for our College Credit Plus (CCP) Information Meeting on Monday, November 28 from 7-8 p.m. in the Shaker Heights High School large auditorium.

CCP is Ohio’s program that allows qualifying students to earn free college credit during grades 7-12. Hear all about the opportunities and challenges of the CCP program. For more information about CCP, visit http://www.shaker.org/ccp.aspx. Contact your School Counselor, or Gabrielle Perrin, District CCP Coordinator with questions.

Did you know:

College Credit Plus students are treated as college students, expected to attend class, meet with classmates to complete projects and address any scheduling conflicts that come up with middle/high school classes and activities. The college classes CCP students attend are regular college courses; they are learning alongside adult learners. Professors and school officials must honor the privacy of CCP students and do not communicate with parents. Success in CCP courses requires significant maturity and responsibility, along with academic achievement. Any student grades 7-12 can participate in College Credit Plus if they have been admitted to the college they wish to attend and satisfy any prerequisites or requirements for the particular course(s) they wish to take.

First Ring Leadership Academy Headed to Columbus

The Shaker Heights High School First Ring Leadership Academy students traveled to Ohio State University on Tuesday to meet with other student leaders from northeast Ohio and the Columbus areas. They heard from Gene Smith, OSU Athletic Director, and professors from OSU and Cleveland State University.

The First Ring Leadership Academy (FRLA) is a year-long professional development and leadership training program for new and emerging leaders in the 16 districts contiguous to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Participants were nominated by program advisors and high school counselors to become part of the cohort this year.

Students are gaining leadership skills and learning how to conduct research. Each month these students will gather together and work on their research project with the hopes of making a difference at SHHS. Congratulations and best of luck to these five sophomore leaders and their advisors.

Students:

John Garfield

Tessa Nickels

Kameron Walls

Vernon Hills

London Fryer

Advisors:

Shaunna Bonner

Amy Fogerty

Equity Unscripted Podcast

"How to Discuss Being an Anti-Racist at the Dinner Table and Beyond"

As we head into a holiday week, Equity Unscripted is proud to share this great discussion from last season, featuring students Jaimee Martin and Carrington Hughes and parent Dr. Jenna Rehmer, as they discussed the importance of being an anti-racist and having tough conversations about race at the dinner table and beyond. Join us as we explore the challenges and growth that come from calling out racist behaviors, and the opportunities that await families who dare to tackle these sensitive topics. For more resources on talking with students of all ages, check out the DEI Resource Collection.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/equity-unscripted/id1591709256

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38RmSzYCNgrPFoBdnTUPiX

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B08JJMMGJ5

Episodes will release every other week on Sundays throughout the year. Episodes include a range of topics that impact the efforts of the Shaker Heights Schools to achieve educational equity.

From the Shakerite to the Spotlight!

Tickets are almost sold out!

Please join us for "A Night with Peter Lawson Jones" generously hosted in a private Shaker Heights home on Wednesday, November 30th at 7pm.

On Christmas Day, A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks will be released…and playing Mr. Hanks’s long-estranged best friend in the film will be none other than Shaker’s own, Peter Lawson Jones. In addition to his work as a professional actor, Peter is an attorney, consultant, dramatist, acting instructor, and former elected official, whose play, The Bloodless Jungle, was named by Land of Cleve, a local arts and cultural blog, one of the best productions in the region in 2017.

Tickets are $50 per person and must be purchased online in advance. Only a limited number of tickets will be sold. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit our website!

2022 Season of Thanks & Giving

In the season of Thanks & Giving we would like to honor our dedicated Shaker teachers and staff with messages of "Thanks." Please fill out this short form to share your message of appreciation for any Shaker Heights City School District employee!

Please submit by November 21, 2022 so we can share the messages during Thanksgiving week. Thank you!

Giving TWOs Day is on the way!

Please consider donating $22 or more between now and the end of 2022!!

Your gift supports initiatives and opportunities that benefit our Shaker students.

DONATE TODAY!

Staying Connected

We want you to stay connected. In order to receive PTO emails and access to the directory, faculty/staff and families are asked to create an account on Membership Toolkit. There are no fees to join the PTO. A Membership Toolkit account will give you access to the district family directory. Once you are registered, you will have the opportunity to decide what, if any, of your family information is included in the directory. Visit www.ShakerPTO.org to register.

Sharee Thornton & Erika LoPresti

PTO Council Co-Presidents

Lee Road Action Plan Taking Shape

In case you missed the Lee Road Action Plan open house a couple of weeks ago, you may review the draft plan. This plan lays out the vision to comprehensively transform the area south of Van Aken Boulevard into a thriving corridor and commercial district that is attractive, walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly. The City thanks the many community members who attended the open house and all those who worked with our staff for the past many months to reimagine Lee Road in Shaker Heights.

Virtual, In-Person Doan Brook Restoration Meetings November 30, December 3 & 4

Mark your calendar and plan to join us for the next public engagement sessions on the restoration of Doan Brook near Horseshoe Lake Park. Meet the designers and engineers and learn about the challenges and opportunities associated with this important project. Please register for the Virtual Public Meeting Wednesday, November 30 from 6-7 pm. The Public Engagement Open House will be held Saturday, December 3 from 10:30 am–1 pm and again on Sunday, December 4, 1-3 pm, at Shaker Heights Public Library, 16500 Van Aken Blvd.