February 9, 2025

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 Meeting | Tuesday, February 11 
  • K-12 Conference Day (No School for Students PreK-12) | Thursday, February 13
  • K-12 Conference Day (No School for Students PreK-12) | Friday, February 14
  • Presidents’ Day (Schools and Offices Closed) | Monday, February 17
  • International Families and Friends Activities Night | Wednesday, February 19
  • Board of Education Work Session | Tuesday, February 25
  • Board of Education Meeting | Tuesday, March 4
  • A Night for the Red & White | Saturday, March 8

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

Use these Quick Links to access the following District information:

Members and friends of the Latin Club sort books on a table at the Cleveland Kids Book Bank.

Members and Friends of Latin Clubs Volunteer at Cleveland Kids Book Bank


Nearly 20 members and friends of the Shaker Heights Middle School and High School Latin Clubs volunteered at the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank. Students sorted books into age-appropriate categories (such as picture books, short chapter books, young adult novels) to be donated to children around the Greater Cleveland area. We are so proud of our Shaker students for volunteering in their community!

This colorful, groovy graphic is an invitation to A Night for the Red & White.

Hip Hip Hooray — We’re Only 1 Month Away from A Night for the Red & White


It’s going to be an unforgettable evening as we come together to support our incredible Shaker students! We can’t wait for all the fun and the opportunity to raise big funds for a great cause. View this awesome video from our administrators, teachers, staff, and students! We send them a huge thank you for helping the Foundation spread the word about this amazing event. Let the countdown begin!


A Night for the Red & White:

  • Date: March 8, 2025
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Venue: Agora Theater and Ballroom


Join us for:

  • Delicious appetizers, dinner, and cocktails
  • Live music and DJ by Gumbo Dance Party
  • Performances by Shaker students
  • K-12 Art Show
  • Online Silent Auction & Raffle


Buy your tickets today! All proceeds will support initiatives across all grade levels — from Pre-K through 12th grade — that will help us Educate, Empower, Explore, and Engage Shaker students!


Visit shakerschoolsfoundation.org/redandwhite for tickets! *Discounted tickets are available for first-time guests, young alumni, and Shaker staff. We can’t wait to see you there!

Open Seat on District’s Finance and Audit Committee


The Shaker Heights Schools has an open seat on the Finance and Audit Committee. This committee provides strategic advice to the Board of Education on budget and financial activities to support sustainability, transparency, equity and communication of these matters to the community at large. An applicant must live within the boundaries of the Shaker Heights City School District. Applicants should have an interest in data-driven decision making to review the annual budget, make recommendations on long-term capital plans, and assist the District in educating the public on school finances. If interested, please reach out to Treasurer Donté Hayes at hayes_d@shaker.org.

MAP Results Now Available


January MAP results are now available in the Test Results section of the PowerSchool portal.

Shaker Heights Schools Spotlight Section Headline
Guest speaker Dr. Kim Bogan talks to the MAC Sister Scholars and Girls Empowerment Group at Mercer Elementary School this week.

Guest Speaker Inspires MAC Sister Scholars, Girls Empowerment Group


Students in MAC Sister Scholars and Girls Empowerment at Mercer Elementary School were thrilled to hear from a guest speaker this week! Dr. Kim Bogan shared an inspirational story on how she pursued multiple careers, including working as a psychiatrist, health and wellness coach, model, and flight attendant. Dr. Bogan asked the students to share positive traits about themselves, and the girls said they are intelligent, kind, and helpful to their friends and families. This experience helped to empower our students and encourage them to pursue their dreams!

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Section Headline

From the Margins to the Center, Vol. XXXVII — Adrienne Carson and the AP African-American Studies Class


By William Warren, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program Coordinator, Shaker Heights Schools


The 2024-2025 school year marks the first time that the Advanced Placement (AP) course in African-American Studies (APAAS) is being offered to juniors and seniors at Shaker Heights High School. This course has been in development since 2017 and has already been banned in states like South Carolina and Florida, despite its curriculum being developed and vetted by dozens of higher education Black Studies professionals. I had the opportunity to visit the 1st and 2nd period classes, taught by Individuals and Societies (I&S) teacher Adrienne Carson, and speak with the students about their experience thus far and what they’ve learned about Black history and themselves. Juniors Jacire Eaddy and Darrius Coleman both said they’ve learned about the humanity of enslaved Africans, and how they felt being deliberately separated from their families and forced to work a foreign land. Senior Lilah Raddock said that she’s learned how important terminology is in recording the Black experience; to not refer to enslaved Africans as just “slaves,” but to acknowledge their human existence, not just their living conditions. Several students said their previous history classes never taught them about Queen Nzinga or the South Carolina rice paddies, better known as “Carolina Gold.”


Several students remarked about Ms. Carson’s teaching style and methods. Junior James Wood said he’s never had a teacher like Ms. Carson who “helps to instill confidence in me.” Senior Matthew Jones remarked how Ms. Carson uses positive affirmations to uplift her students in the classroom, “this is my first time having a teacher who knows how to make the day better.” Junior Cailah Fountain likes how Ms. Carson “makes sure each student gets something out of the day’s lesson.” 


Ms. Carson remarked that “the most important point I want my students to walk away with is the fact that Black history is American History. African Americans are at the start and heart of our nation’s history, as were the Native Americans whose land was taken to build the nation we live in today. Cultivating a fuller and more accurate understanding of U.S. history that includes the contributions of Americans of African descent is crucial for understanding how past history is still actively impacting our present times. It’s not Black history that needs to be included, it’s that the exclusion of our real contributions needs to end. That’s why I love teaching this course. And why I work to teach a fuller story of how African Americans directly contributed to our nation’s independence, wealth, culture and global prominence since the time of our arrival.” 


Additional Resources

“What is African American Studies”- APUSH Slides YouTube presentation

Signal Cleveland article on Lakewood High School students enrolled in APAAS

Shaker Schools Foundation logo


Stay up to date by following the Shaker Schools Foundation on the following social media platforms:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

This is the logo for Shaker Schools Alumni.

Alumni Hall of Fame Nominations Open!


Know of a deserving Shaker Alum who should be nominated for the 2025 Shaker Schools Alumni Hall of Fame? Nominate them today! Anyone may nominate a Shaker alum for this honor. Please share with everyone! The nomination form is available at shakerschoolsfoundation.org/alumni and here! Nominations will be accepted online until April 7, 2025.

Pool Passes Available Starting February 14


Get the best deal of the year on your Thornton Park pool pass with early-bird pricing February 14 to March 13. More information available in the recreation catalog or through the Recreation Department’s online registration system. 

Community Meeting: Lynnfield/Lomond SSO Project February 26


Join your neighbors on Wednesday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. to learn more about the upcoming Lynnfield/Lomond Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) project. This major infrastructure project will address sanitary sewer overflows in the Lomond neighborhood. The meeting will take place in the auditorium at Lomond Elementary School, 17917 Lomond Blvd.