Learn more about the District's progress in developing a Gifted Education policy and plan at 7 p.m. tonight at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Community Building, 3450 Lee Road. Chair of the Gifted Workgroup Alex Liston Dykema and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Terri Breeden will facilitate a Skype meeting with S. David Brazer, Ph.D., an Associate Professor at Stanford University Graduate School of Education and a co-author of the 2016 book, Striving for Equity: District Leadership for Narrowing Opportunity and Achievement Gaps. The District has selected Dr. Brazer to guide Shaker Schools in our development of a gifted education plan. Dr. Brazer will provide updates from his work with the District's Gifted Education Workgroup and answer questions from parents and community members.

All girls in grades PreK-4 are invited to Shaker's Sweetheart Dance from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, February 16 at Shaker Heights Middle School. The dance, now in its fifth year, is the brainchild of Lomond parents and District Family Liaison Billie Morgan. In the beginning, the dance was just for Lomond families, but since then, it's been opened up to girls District-wide. Last year, a crowd of 600 little girls and their dates took to the dance floor.

Girls are welcomed to attend with their fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles, male cousins, family friends or any other adult special male. Tickets are $20/couple and $10 for each additional child. Photographs and corsages can be purchased for an additional fee. The price includes pizza, drinks, ice cream, cookies and a small party favor.

Read more about the Sweetheart Dance and download the registration form.

	Kellen Young poses with his winner's certificate.

Kellen Young wore a gold medal and a broad smile after the Woodbury fifth-grade student won the school's Geography Bee on January 25. Young Kellen says he's never won anything like the Geo Bee before, but this was no fluke. "I studied online and on an app," Kellen said. "I was a little nervous, but this was fun. I feel great."

Kellen advanced to the final round of the Geo Bee after beating out a field of 62 fifth- and sixth-grade students, who were nominated after winning a mini-Bee in each of their classrooms. A total of 15 students competed in the Geo Bee finals, with four students advancing to the final round. Kellen was the only student to answer all three final round questions correctly.

Sixth-grade teacher and Woodbury Geo Bee coordinator Jessica Stephens says that Kellen will take a state qualifying test online to determine whether he will advance to the State Bee. If he does and performs well, then he could go on to the National Geographic Bee.

Kellen's teachers Sherrie Jarvie and Aquita Shepherd were so pleased for him. "He loves to engage in learning experiences and learn new things," Mrs. Jarvie said. Mrs. Shepherd added, "I think Kellen's success shows what a growth mindset and a willingness to step outside of your comfort zone can do. I couldn't be happier for him."

Congratulations to Shaker Heights High School Seniors Zachary Nosanchuk and Gabe Sekeres, and Juniors Melise Baltan-Brunet, Pawarisa Bunsophak, Christos Ioannou, and Kevin LaMonica, who were selected for Congresswoman Marcia Fudge's 11th Congressional District Youth Advisory Council.

The Youth Advisory Council provides high school students in Ohio's 11th Congressional District the opportunity to share insight about issues relevant to them and their possible solutions with the Congresswoman. Rep. Fudge, a Shaker High School Alum, created the Youth Advisory Council to promote civic engagement amongst the next generation of future leaders. Officials from her office said the student selections were based on an internal rubric.

Zachary Nosanchuk, who has volunteered on national campaigns and been engaged in local government, says that he was thrilled to be accepted to the council. He looks forward to working with the group of teens to develop the nation's political future. "As a council, we will be contributing to Congresswoman Fudge's views concerning youth on education, agriculture, economics, and more," he says. "With her position as an upstanding leader in the Ohio and US political worlds, I am proud to serve on her Youth Advisory Council."

Ring the buzzer to enter Boulevard Elementary School and Beth Day is the likely the first friendly face you'll see at the school office. For the past three years, she's been the school's administrative assistant and she's also a Shaker Schools parent, with students at Woodbury and Boulevard. Mrs. Day---who holds bachelor's degree in psychology, a master's in experimental psychology and is ABD in educational psychology---says the work is a shift from her days teaching at John Carroll, but that it's been just as rewarding. 

Read our Q&A with Mrs. Day.

Over the next three months, students in Shaker's First Class and in the PreK Early Intervention Program will learn how to express their feelings of frustration and anger with words, not actions, thanks to the anti-bullying program "My Mad Feelings." The program, presented by Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development, is taught over the course of 12 sessions and involves small-group discussion, handouts for parents and ongoing reinforcement in school and at home.

My Mad Feelings was developed by Victoria Todd, a child and adult psychoanalyst who wanted to prevent bullying by working with children as young as four years old to understand their emotions and appropriately express themselves. "Parents want their children to be kind and well-liked. But it's also important that they are able to stick up for themselves. Mad Feelings save us from those who wish to harm or take advantage of us," says Ms. Todd. "Children who are not permitted to be mad are being set up to become victims. But children need help learning how to verbally express their mad feelings in an appropriate way."

Learn more about My Mad Feelings.

	Fernway second graders preparing for Snack Attack.

But the learning that culminates with Snack Attack goes much deeper, says second-grade teacher Matt Zucca. "This comes out of our IB unit on how we organize ourselves," he explains. "We have a two-fold goal: teach the students about basic economics, good and services, and wants versus needs, but then we take it further and ask them what their responsibility is with their economic choices. They begin to understand the idea of doing good with money and making an impact with money." 

Each of the school's second grade classes, taught by Jamie Harden, Andree Hassell and Mr. Zucca, begins the unit by reading the book Beatrice's Goat, the true story of nine-year-old Beatrice, who lives in a remote Ugandan village. Her family receives a goat from the nonprofit Heifer International and, within months, is able to sell the goat's milk and save enough money to afford a luxury for young Beatrice: her education. (Learn more about Beatrice  online.)

Every year, the book successfully inspires students to host a sale and raise money for a cause. Of course, hosting a sale isn't as easy as asking a grownup to bake cookies or buy snacks to sell. 

Read more about Snack Attack and how Fernway second-grade students donated proceeds this year to a cause that's dear to one of their classmates, Desi Borstein.

	Making plarn sleeping mats in the High School upper cafeteria.

On Monday, January 15, the PTO CommUnity Builders led the Shaker Schools community in trading a day off for day on with another successful MLK Day of Service at Shaker Heights High School. The two-hour event---which engaged community members of all ages in making sleeping mats for the homeless, personal hygiene kits, no-sew fleece blankets, talking sticks and more---offered activities for all ages. "It's wonderful to see so many members of the community coming together to build community and to help the homeless," said Susan Vodrey, the High School event chair for the PTO CommUnity Builders.

Overall, the 1,500 participants in the Day of Service created:

• 1000 care kits for children and teens who are in foster care or experiencing homelessness; served by Bellefaire JCB, MetroHealth and YWCA
• Nearly 500 upcycled t-shirt bags for care kits
• 90 fleece blankets for children served by Bellefaire JCB
• 200 water bottles with flavor tabs for children served by Bellefaire JCB
• Nearly 1,300 care cards to accompany assembled items
• Six sleeping mats to be distributed by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (made from more than 3,000 plastic bags)
• Collaborative murals illustrating community building inspirations, intentions, and Dr. King's words

Read more about the MLK Day of Service. Want to help next year? Contact Stacey Hren, 330-607-4628.

• Thursday, February 8, 7-9 p.m. 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 p.m. 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, preK, 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.

Have a comment, suggestion or concern? Share it with us using our new Feedback form on the District's website, www.shaker.org . Simply choose the "Contact" drop-down menu at the top of the website and click on "Feedback." You can select the particular department you want to receive your message.  

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