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. | |
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Visit our District Calendar online for a complete list of upcoming activities, events and athletic competitions.
Please note the following upcoming important dates:
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Board of Education Regular Meeting | Tuesday, January 9, 6 p.m.
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College Credit Plus Info Night | Thursday, January 11, 7 p.m.
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No School for Students - MLK Day | Monday, January 15
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Board of Education Work Session | Tuesday, January 23, 5 p.m.
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The Beloved Community: Civil Rights to Human Rights | Monday, January 29, 7 p.m.
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Click on the appropriate link below for school-level and building PTO news:
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Use these Quick Links to access the following District information:
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MLK Day Celebration and Commemoration
The Shaker Heights Schools, City of Shaker Heights, the Shaker Library, the Shaker Schools Foundation and the Shaker Heights PTO are proud to present: Beloved Community: Civil Rights to Human Rights.
Community members are invited to participate in multiple events during this celebration and commemoration beginning the week of MLK Day 2024. Mark your calendars for the following events:
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Sunday, January 14, from 3-5 p.m.: Donna Whyte, host of the "Witness to History" series of recorded interviews with Shaker residents, will host a live discussion with residents who lived during Dr. King's visit to Shaker Heights in 1965. Join us at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Community Building.
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Tuesday, January 16, from 5-8 p.m.: Human Library, a storytelling event for ages 18 and up, will feature real people becoming "books" and sharing their stories. Attendees may "borrow" these human books for conversations. Join us at the Main Shaker Heights Public Library.
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Monday, January 29, at 7 p.m.: Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu, daughter of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and herself a well known speaker and advocate for justice, presents an engaging discussion on the theme of our MLK Day celebration: Beloved Community: Civil Rights to Human Rights. Artwork created by teens at the Shaker Heights Public Library will be on display, as well as the inclusion of student performances. Join us in the Shaker Heights High School large auditorium. Reserve your FREE ticket to this great event here!
For additional details as well as more information on personal reflection activities, please visit shaker.org/MLK.
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Finance & Audit Committee Seeks Applicants
The Shaker Heights Schools Finance & Audit Committee seeks community applicants to fill two vacancies. Selected members will complete the remaining terms of the vacated seats (approximately six months) and will begin a three-year term in August 2024.
The Finance & Audit Committee meets monthly and exists to provide strategic advising to the Board of Education of the Shaker Heights City School District on budget and financial activities and to support sustainability, transparency, equity and communication of these matters to the community at large. Committee discussions provide an understanding of funding budget priorities, financial planning and audits.
Per the Finance & Audit Committee charter, applicants will be reviewed by a selected committee and recommendations will be made based on areas of need on the Finance & Audit Committee. The final selections will be made by the Board President.
Please contact District Interim Treasurer Shelley McDermott (mcdermott_s@shaker.org) with any questions. Committee applications are due by 5 p.m. on January 22, 2024. Find the application here.
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Assessment Update
The following assessments were administered in December. For more information, click on the name of the assessment.
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Grades 2, 5: Cognitive Abilities Test - Results are expected in the next two weeks. Parents will be contacted via email.
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Grades 9-12: End-of-Course Assessments - Testing will conclude this week. Results will be shared via the Test Results section of the PowerSchool Parent Portal as soon as they are received.
The following assessments will be administered in January:
Information about all of the assessments and our district assessment calendar can be found on the testing page of shaker.org.
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Shaker Heights Middle School Students Explore African American Impact in Sports
Shaker Heights Middle School seventh graders on Team Innovator began the new year with a trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, where they examined the contributions of African American pioneers in professional football, beginning with the signing of Charles Follis, to modern day players and coaches.
While there, they enjoyed the opportunity to explore a variety of artifacts and other media that illustrate the history of the many trailblazers that helped shape the National Football League.
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Woodbury MAC Sister Scholars Visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Prior to winter break, members of the Woodbury MAC Sister Scholars visited the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, where their education team presented the guided learning experience “From The Bronx to The Hall: Hip-Hop Culture’s Birth and Evolution.” Students viewed a theater presentation on the history of hip-hop, as well as several interactive displays and exhibits showcasing the different elements of hip hop and the pioneers of hip hop throughout the last 50 years. Students also toured the other exhibits in the museum, showcasing artists such as Prince, Bob Marley and Chaka Khan. A special thank you to Daina Zeigler, Kandice Brooks and Khadeja Sherrill for organizing the trip for the female MAC Scholars.
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Fernway and Boulevard MAC Scholars visit Playhouse Square
On Friday, December 8, members of the MAC Scholars Program from Fernway and Boulevard, along with their parents and guardians, attended The HIp Hop Nutcracker at the State Theatre in Playhouse Square. The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music. A unique and joyful event, this evening-length production is performed by a supercharged cast of all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist and MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers. Thank you to Jamie Harden and Richard Hicks, MAC Scholar advisors at Fernway, and Sabrina Scott, MAC Scholar advisor at Boulevard, for organizing and chaperoning the event.
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A Night for the Red & White, Comes Home to Shaker!
Saturday, March 2, 2023, Shaker Heights High School, 7 pm
Our entire community is invited to enjoy appetizers, cocktails, a tapas bar, dancing, and spending time with your friends, neighbors, and alums! We’ll have a fantastic night with fabulous student performances and student art you don’t want to miss. For our 32nd year, we continue to raise funds that will be used to support every student, every grade, and every school!
Our fundraising gala will feature an online Silent Auction, two Raffle packages, a Student Showcase with our jazz ensemble, a vocal ensemble, a string ensemble, theater and Sankofa performances, and a K-12 Art Show.
There are so many ways to support:
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Spread the word and purchase your tickets today!
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Donate an item to our silent auction!
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Become a Shaker Business Sponsor; three levels of sponsorship are available!
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Volunteer for our event! Contact Erica at verderber_e@shaker.org or fill out our Volunteer Opportunity Form.
Learn more at shakerschoolsfoundation.org/redandwhite/
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PTO Council Meeting
Mark your calendar for the next PTO Council meeting on Tuesday, February 27, 2024! Links to meeting notes and the approved budget from the previous meeting on November 12, 2023 can be found below.
Approved Budget 2023-24
Notes
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Projects
In honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., students in grades K-6 will participate in projects and learning activities throughout the week. Read through the details below to see how the District will recognize this national holiday!
Boulevard
Students will attend a birthday celebration for Dr. King with an emphasis on creating community during Mix It Up Lunch.
Fernway
Students will participate in a toiletry drive then service project benefitting local nonprofit organization Walls of Love.
Lomond
Students will make welcome laundry baskets full of toiletry items for residents at Family Promise of Greater Cleveland.
Mercer
Students will attend a birthday celebration for Dr. King with an emphasis on creating community during Mix It Up Lunch.
Onaway
Students will create place mats for Meals on Wheels then participate in a food drive benefiting local families experiencing food insecurity.
Woodbury
Students will participate in a writing campaign for Amnesty International.
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Friday Night DJ Skate January 12
Start the holiday weekend off with a night of fun on the ice during the Friday Night DJ Skate January 12 from 7:45-9 p.m. at Thornton Park Ice Arena. Public skating admission and fees apply.
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Shaker Heights Small Businesses Awarded Microgrants
Nine businesses in Shaker Heights have been awarded grants that promote creative, innovative projects and collaborations as well as leadership in the local business community. This new incentive, the Shaker Heights Business Microgrant, was created by the City of Shaker Heights Economic Development Department and Shaker Heights Development Corporation (SHDC).
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