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:
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Board of Education Regular Meeting | Tuesday, January 13
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PreK-12 Professional/Clerical Day (No School for Students) | Friday, January 16
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Schools and Offices Closed) | Monday, January 19
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Virtual Raider Enrollment Rodeo | Tuesday, January 20
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Board of Education Work Session | Tuesday, January 27
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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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Architects Review Lomond, Mercer Interior Renovation Plans
Over Winter Break, architects were hard at work at Lomond and Mercer! Architects from GPD Group and Robert P. Madison International met with principals and building staff at Lomond and Mercer to kick off the design process for the interior renovations planned for 2027-2028. Stay tuned for more information soon!
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebrations on January 17-18
Make plans to gather with friends and neighbors to celebrate the life and legacy of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with two events this month:
- Donation Drive
- Saturday, January 17 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the parking lot at Shaker Heights Middle School, 20600 Shaker Boulevard
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At this drive-through event, donations of non-perishable food items, hygiene products, diapers and baby wipes will be collected for local nonprofit organizations. You don’t even need to get out of the car! Click here for specific items requested by the nonprofit organizations.
- Unable to drop off donations on Saturday? You can drop your donations off at any Shaker school by Thursday, January 15 and a volunteer will bring the items to the Donation Drive on Saturday.
- Community Conversation & Meal
- Sunday, January 18 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at St. Dominic School, 3455 Norwood Road
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Enjoy a free catered meal by Zanzibar Soul Fusion and a group activity geared to launch the community conversation. Doors open at 1 p.m. All are welcome! Registration for the meal is requested.
- Both events are a collaboration between the City of Shaker Heights, the Shaker Heights Public Library, the Shaker Heights Schools, the Shaker Schools Foundation and the Shaker Heights PTO.
- Learning Guide
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Follow along with this multimedia learning guide to gain a deeper understanding of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. Click here to read the Learning Guide.
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For additional information on any of these events or activities, please visit shakerpto.org/mlkday2026 or shaker.org/mlk.
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Support Shaker Sports Boosters’ Winter Fundraiser
The Shaker Sports Boosters Winter Fundraiser is coming to the Van Aken District’s Five Iron Golf! Join us on Friday, January 30 from 6-8 p.m. for good company, great fun (with raffles and prizes!) for a great cause. The cost is $55 per adult and $40 per child age 10-17. Bring family and friends, beat the post-holiday winter funk, and support Shaker athletics! Email info@shakersportsboosters.com with questions. Click here to buy tickets!
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Support SHHS Softball and Girls Basketball at Upcoming Cleveland Monsters Games
Cheer on the Cleveland Monsters and support our student-athletes! The SHHS Softball and Girls Basketball teams are partnering with the Monsters for two special fundraising nights. A portion of each ticket sold will directly benefit one of the programs — and these tickets make great holiday gifts!
Game Dates & Ticket Info:
- Wednesday, January 21 – Supports SHHS Softball
- Game Start: 7 p.m. vs. Chicago Wolves at Rocket Arena
- Ticket Price: $25
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To Purchase: Venmo @shakerschoolsfoundation and please include “SOFTBALL MONSTERS TIX” and the email address associated with your SeatGeek account.
- Tuesday, February 3 – Supports SHHS Girls Basketball
- Game Start: 7 p.m. vs. Toronto Marlies at Rocket Arena
- Ticket Price: $25
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To Purchase: Pay via Square or Venmo @shakerschoolsfoundation and please include “GIRLS BBALL MONSTERS TIX” and the email address associated with your SeatGeek account.
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Fernway Students Kick Off All-School Read
This week, Fernway Elementary students gathered for joyful assemblies celebrating kindness, inclusivity, and belonging in anticipation of their upcoming All-School Read. The event activities explored key International Baccalaureate (IB) Learner Profile traits, including Caring, Communicator, Open-Minded, and Risk-Taker.
The assemblies featured the unveiling of Fernway’s All-School Read selection, Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan, and included kindness activities, student singing, special artwork by Fernway parent and illustrator Brenna Rudary, and a schoolwide gratitude challenge. Thank you to the Fernway PTO and Shaker Heights Public Library for helping create such meaningful learning experiences for our students!
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By William Warren, Student Program Coordinator, Office of Inclusive Excellence and Engagement, Shaker Heights Schools
January 11, 2026
Happy New Year from the Shaker Heights Schools Office of Inclusive Excellence and Engagement! We hope that 2026 is off to a fantastic start for you and yours, and we look forward to continuing our From The Margins to the Center (FMC) series. This week and next week’s features will be centered around the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in advance of the observance of Martin Luther King (MLK) Day on Monday, January 19.
Dr. King would have celebrated his 97th birthday on Thursday, January 15. Since 1986, the third Monday in the month of January has been designated as a federal holiday to commemorate and remember Dr. King’s life, work and legacy as a tireless advocate for civil rights. Congressional support for a day of observance in King’s honor goes all the way back to the days following his assassination in 1968, yet several bills to make such a holiday into law failed to receive the required two-thirds vote in Congress. Singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder’s own path into activism was inspired by King, and he made it his mission to advocate for MLK Day, hosting a rally in Washington, D.C. on King’s birthday in January 1981. Later that year, Stevie released “Happy Birthday” in honor of Dr. King, and the song’s popularity helped to generate public interest in making MLK Day a national holiday. Today, “Happy Birthday” remains one of Stevie Wonder’s most popular songs; he’s performed it for Nelson Mandela, Michelle and President Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey and most recently, Vice President Kamala Harris. So the next time you hear the Stevie Wonder version of “Happy Birthday” sung at someone’s birthday party, think about the impact this popular song has had on cementing Dr. King forever in American history.
Additional Resources
Sources for Discovering Hidden Historic Figures
CNN interview w/ Stevie Wonder on the importance of MLK Day
How Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” Helped Form Martin Luther King Day Holiday
“Happy Birthday” record sleeve featuring a message written by Stevie Wonder
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Stay up to date by following the Shaker Schools Foundation on the following social media platforms:
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Tickets on Sale for A Night for the Red & White
Happy New Year, Shaker families! Are you ready to put the FUN in fundraiser? Kick off 2026 with an unforgettable night of creativity, community, and Shaker pride at A Night for the Red & White. Tickets are on sale now!
Enjoy inspiring student performances, PreK-12 artwork, exciting raffles and a silent auction, great food, and dancing with Gumbo Dance Party, all while supporting Shaker students. And get ready… our amazing raffle prizes will be revealed soon. You won’t believe what’s coming! A Night for the Red & White is Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m. at The Agora Theatre & Ballroom.
Make it a night out, invite a friend and celebrate Shaker spirit together! Discounted tickets are available for staff, first-time attendees, and young alums!
Together, we Educate, Empower, Explore, and Engage! Click here to learn more!
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