March 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:

  • Board of Education Work Session | Tuesday, March 22
  • Spring Break | Monday, March 28 through Friday, April 1
  • Classes Resume | Monday, April 4
  • Board of Education Regular Meeting | Tuesday, April 12
  • Good Friday - Schools and Offices Closed | Friday, April 15
Board of Education Work Session

On Tuesday, March 22 at 5:00 p.m., the Board of Education will convene for a Work Session in the small auditorium of the high school. During this meeting, the board will discuss the Forward Together initiative and facilities planning process as well as next steps in the process. The session will be open to the public and available via livestream at the following links:
Kindergarten Kickoff

Kindergarten Kickoff is coming on April 23 from 1-4 at Lomond Elementary!

Mark your calendars for this fun, Districtwide event for all incoming Kindergarteners and their families! You'll have the chance to meet our elementary school principals and learn more about Shaker Heights Schools essentials including:

  • Enrollment Information
  • Transportation
  • School Communications
  • Health and Immunization Requirements
  • Exceptional Children Supports
  • AND MORE!

Plus take home a few surprises for your student! Sign up to attend at shaker.org/kindergarten.
Enrollment is Open for 2022-2023!

Shaker Heights Schools enrollment is now open for the 2022-2023 school year! Enroll your student now through the District’s easy online enrollment process. Find out more at shaker.org/Enroll.

Questions? Need help getting started? The District is offering enrollment info sessions for incoming families on March 18, March 23 and April 13 with in-person and virtual options. Head to shaker.org/Enroll to learn more and to sign up for a session.
Field Hockey Clinics

The Shaker Heights High School field hockey team will begin their annual spring clinics in April. The clinics will run Sundays in April and May, beginning April 10 (no clinic on April 17) and ending on May 22. Grades 2-5 are from 9-10 a.m. and grades 6-8 are from 10-11 a.m. The cost is $60 for all 6 session or $15 per session for drop-ins.

For more information, email Coach Boorstein at aamcwilliams@gmail.com.

To register, complete this form.
Local Youth Sports Programming

The Shaker Heights Schools have compiled a list of Local Youth Sports Programs so that families can learn more about sports and fitness opportunities for children. The list can be found on our website.

Level the Playing Field Scholarships through the Shaker Schools Foundation provide financial assistance to students in grades 1-12 to participate in youth team sports affiliated with the Shaker Heights Recreation Department and Shaker Youth Sports. Learn more here.  
Shaker Heights Livestream Athletic Schedule:

This week's schedule of livestreamed athletic events includes:

  • Tuesday, March 22 | Boys Lacrosse, JV - 5, Varsity - 6:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 24 | Girls Lacrosse, 4:30 p.m.

All livestream events can be found on the Athletic Department website.
High School Students Shine in Barnum

The students of the Shaker Heights High School Theatre Arts Department took the stage this past weekend for the first musical in two years, and it was worth the wait! This group of talented students have been working hard to learn and master circus tricks to enhance their performance of Barnum, in addition to the typical work that goes into a musical production. Over 50 students worked to create this fun and exciting show. Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Theatre Arts Department.
Dr. Burnley is Excited to Listen and Learn!

“Dr. Burnley, what is your vision for the District?” This is a question I’ve received often since I began my new role as Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. My response is that I don’t come with a predetermined vision. I do come with a deep and passionate interest in “listening & learning” about how people from across the District define, understand and value diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the relevance these values have for their children’s education. What has occurred in the District over time that led to it making DEI strategic priorities? What’s the relationship of a commitment to DEI to a commitment to educational excellence for all children? What are we doing well and what can we do better? 

These are just some of the questions I plan to pose to focus groups across the District for the next several months in what I’m calling my “Listening, Learning, and Visioning Tour.” As I position myself to partner with stakeholders across and beyond Shaker Heights, it is critical that I listen carefully to how people from multiple backgrounds and identities answer these questions. I will also use this time to share a bit about myself, how I define these core values, and how my thinking on these issues informs the way I approach this work. Once this tour is completed, I will report back to the District what I heard and learned, and based on this, I will present a set of recommendations with the goal of crafting “our vision” that will guide how we will move forward together. 

Please be on the lookout for dates, times, and locations to participate in my Listening, Learning & Visioning Tour. In the meantime, I won’t offer you a vision – yet – but I will give you a peek of what I hope for. I hope for the day when all members of the Shaker Heights City School District embrace the idea that diversity really does make us stronger and that inclusion is inextricably linked with excellence! I’m looking forward to listening to you, learning from you and sharing this incredible journey with you!
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.

Meanwhile, mark your calendars for the next PTO Council meeting scheduled for May 16, 2022. Have a wonderful week!
 
Michelle Jones and Randi Nathenson
PTO Council Co-Presidents
Celebrating Outstanding Shaker Alumni

On Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at 7 pm ET, the Shaker Schools Foundation presents Shaker Speaks: Off the Mic with Selena Simmons-Duffin, Class of 2004. She will give us the scoop on her experiences as an NPR health reporter throughout the pandemic. There is no cost to attend this Zoom presentation, but advance registration is required. 

On Saturday, May 21, 2022 the Shaker Schools Alumni Hall of Fame will honor the 2021 inductees with a special ceremony and dinner at Shaker Heights Country Club. Anyone may attend! Read about their accomplishments and reserve your tickets now. Do you know a Shaker graduate who deserves to be in the Alumni Hall of Fame? Nominations for the 2022 class of inductees are underway and must be submitted by April 15, 2022 to be considered. Not sure if your candidate has already been inducted? Check the full list of members. 
Sports Equipment Give & Take Day

The Shaker Youth Baseball League, in partnership with Shaker Heights Recreation, is hosting a sports equipment Give & Take Day on Saturday, April 9 at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Community Building. Families may drop off gently used equipment from 9-noon, then from 2-5 pm, families may come and take what sports equipment they may need.
Help the City Reimagine Lee Road

The City is in the process of developing the Lee Road Action Plan with the goal of transforming Lee Road south of Van Aken Boulevard into a thriving commercial district that is attractive, walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly. Submit YOUR ideas to help create the vision by taking our short online survey by March 31. Learn more about this important City project at shakeronline.com/leeactionplan.
10th Annual Preservation Month Photo Contest Accepting Submissions

The Shaker Heights Landmark Commission seeks submissions to its tenth annual Preservation Month Photo Contest. The contest was created in honor of National Preservation Month, which is celebrated each May by preservation organizations across the country. The community is invited to submit photos of what makes Shaker "Shaker." Submit photos on Instagram using the hashtag #PreserveSH22 through June 3. Details: bit.ly/preserve22