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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Staggered Start of School for Students | August 21 through August 23. Click here to find out when your student’s classes begin.
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Board of Education Meeting | Tuesday, September 10, 6 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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Welcome Back!
You can find all the information you need about your student’s return to school at our 2024-2025 Back-to-School webpage. You’ll find information about schedules, start and end times, our new cell phone policy and much more.
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District Implements New Cell Phone Policy
Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, Shaker Heights Schools will implement new cell phone procedures designed to enhance student well-being, safety and academic engagement.
Developed in collaboration with administrators, teachers, students and families, these procedures require elementary students (Preschool-Grade 5) to keep cell phones and personal devices powered off and stored in their backpacks during the school day. Students in Grades 6-12 will use a Yondr pouch to store powered-off devices, which will remain locked until the end of the school day. Exceptions may be granted for health-related reasons, special educational needs or other significant circumstances.
For full details by grade level, please visit the following links: PreK-Grade 5, Middle School, High School. In case of family emergencies, families can contact the school’s main office. Classrooms are equipped with phones for immediate needs and the District has established message delivery systems. This initiative aims to reduce distractions, allowing students to focus on their academic and social growth.
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New This Year! Register for ParentSquare for Your Classroom Communications
New this year, ParentSquare is our platform for attendance notices and classroom-level communications. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with your student’s school. Teachers will also be able to use ParentSquare to send out important notifications and reminders to students at the Middle School and High School. Please ensure your contact information is up to date so you receive important updates from your child’s teachers.
All parents/guardians will receive an invitation shortly to register with ParentSquare. All classroom information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text regardless of registration completion. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices). Upon registration, parents/guardians can customize email, text and app notifications and more.
To view info about all of the District's Communications Channels, click here.
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Upcoming FACE Academy Sessions to Offer Families Info
The Family & Community Engagement team is hosting several upcoming FACE Academy sessions for both virtual and in-person learning for parents and guardians. These sessions include:
All About PowerSchool Information Session
Parents of students in Grades K-12 can access report cards, view absences, schedules and check grades online using PowerSchool. If you need an introduction to PowerSchool or need a refresher on using it, please join us for this information session.
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August 27, 6:30-8 p.m. at the Shaker Heights Public Library Main Branch, 16500 Van Aken Blvd. Register here.
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September 11, 9:30-11 a.m. via Zoom. A Zoom link will be provided to registered attendees. Register here.
Let’s Talk About Attendance
This information session will explain how regular attendance is linked to academic achievement and long-term success. It will also discuss reasons for excused and unexcused absences and potential legal consequences of chronic unexcused absences, including truancy proceedings. The session will outline available intervention programs and resources designed to support students and families facing attendance challenges.
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September 18, 9-11 a.m. via Zoom. A Zoom link will be provided to registered attendees. Register here.
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October 8, 6:30-8 p.m. at Shaker Heights Public Library Main Branch, 16500 Van Aken Blvd. Register here.
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Save the Date:
SHHS Tag Day on September 14
Tag Day is a key fundraiser for Shaker Heights High School’s music programs, where Band, Orchestra and Choir students go door-to-door in uniform, collecting donations from the community. All funds directly support the music department, with a focus on ensuring access to international travel for all students. Parent volunteers will accompany students for safety. Look for students between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday, September 14, and support the arts in our schools!
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Facilities Update
In the coming months, preliminary work will begin to transform Woodbury Elementary School into a Middle Years Building serving students in Grades 6-8 throughout our District.
This exciting project will preserve many of the beloved facets of the school, including the iconic clock tower, while transforming the rest of the building into a dynamic, 21st-century learning center.
As a result, students in Grades 6-8 will begin the 2024-2025 school year in the Middle School. Renovations of our five K-5 elementary schools will begin in approximately two years.
For the latest information about our Master Facilities Plan, visit our facilities webpage.
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Administration, SHTA Walk-Through Buildings
District administrators and representatives from the Shaker Heights Teachers’ Association (SHTA) performed their annual walk-through of District buildings August 13 to assess conditions and needs for the 2024-2025 school year.
The group toured improvements at the Middle School, Onaway Elementary Elementary School and the High School. The group also toured and inspected the new modular classrooms outside of the Middle School.
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Day Kicks Off Staff Professional Learning
Shaker Heights faculty members were welcomed back to work last week with a rousing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Day presentation from SHHS graduate Mariama Whyte (’93), a musical artist who performed on national tours of The Lion King and The Color Purple.
Ms. Whyte shared her thoughts on how empathy impacts how we communicate with each other and our students, and how empathy can impact our approach to transitions and change. The audience joined her in a rendition of the Carol King standard "You've Got a Friend."
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Moreland School Remembered
Past students and faculty gathered at the Shaker Heights Public Library August 4 to remember Moreland School. The school, which was located at the current library site, closed in 1987.
Superintendent Dr. David Glasner, Mayor David Weiss and Library Director Amy Switzer shared remarks about the school, which was the center of the Moreland community. Former students had an opportunity to record their memories in an oral history project.
A plaque and cornerstone were dedicated to commemorate the legacy of the school.
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Ludlow Groundbreaking
On August 11, the District and community partners celebrated the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Ludlow school building's transformation into the Ludlow Early Learning Center. More than 50 people attended the event, which preceded the annual Ludlow Community Association's annual summer picnic. Representatives from the GPD Group, our architectural firm on the project, and the Gilbane Building Co. also attended.
Superintendent Dr. David Glasner was joined by Board of Education Vice President Alison Bibb-Carson and Mayor David Weiss and two young learners for the ceremonial groundbreaking. Preschool Coordinator Dejunee Lawson, PTO Council President Christine Reynolds and representatives from the GPD Group architects and Gilbane Building Co. offered remarks.
The new facility, which is slated to open in the fall of 2025, is expected to double the District’s current PreK capacity.
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Save the Date: "Navigating the Shaker Schools: Then & Now" Panel Event on August 24 | |
Join us on Saturday, August 24, from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Shaker Heights Public Library's Main Branch in the Fernway Room for the "Navigating the Shaker Schools: Then & Now" panel discussion!
Sponsored by the Shaker Heights City Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee; the Shaker Heights City School District and its Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; the Shaker Heights Public Library; the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland - Shaker Heights Chapter; and the organizing team of Shaker Heights Activism, Resources, and Empowerment (SHARE), this event offers insights from parents, students and community leaders on how to succeed in the schools and champion equity.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn and engage with your community! To register, click here.
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Stay up to date by following the Shaker Schools Foundation on the following social media platforms:
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Join Us in Honoring This Year's Shaker Schools Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees on September 14
Our Shaker community and friends are invited to the 2024 Shaker Schools Alumni Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony on Saturday, September 14 at the Shaker Heights Country Club at 6 pm. Tickets are on sale now! The talented inductees include:
Dr. Andy Ellner, 1993, Jeff Epstein, 1993, Reverend Rachel Hollander, 1981, Dr. Leslie S. Kean, 1983, Jonathan (Jon) Leiken, 1990, David Warren Mason, 1971, Judy Immerman Payne, 1974, and Bishop St. Clair Walker, 2008.
Find details about our inductees and ticket information at https://shakerschoolsfoundation.org/hall-of-fame-2024/
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Recreation Plan Phase 1 Ending August 19
Monday, August 19 is the last day to enter your recreation ideas onto the online engagement platform engagement platform. You can also email ideas to Kara O’Donnell. Also, watch for a late-fall public engagement session. Thank you to the 2,600 of you who have shared ideas so far on the future of recreation in Shaker Heights. Read more.
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Take to the Lake event August 24
On Saturday, August 24 from 10 am - 4 pm, take a canoeing or kayaking lesson, paddle around on your own, try yoga by the water, or hike around Lower Shaker Lake and make a splash at this family-friendly event sponsored by Doan Brook Watershed Partnership. Registration required.
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