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:
-
Coffee with the Superintendent | Tuesday, May 13
-
Board of Education Meeting | Tuesday, May 13
-
International Families & Friends Ice Cream Social | Thursday, May 22
-
Memorial Day (Schools and Offices Closed) | Monday, May 26
-
Last Day for Students | Wednesday, June 4
-
Professional/Clerical Day | Thursday, June 5
| | |
Click on the appropriate link below for school-level and building PTO news:
| | |
Use these Quick Links to access the following District information:
| |
Preschool Families Enjoy Open House and STEAM Night
Current and incoming preschool families recently enjoyed our Preschool Open House and STEAM Night! Families learned more about the preschool program as we prepare to open the Ludlow Early Learning Center in Fall 2025! They participated in an evening of building, problem-solving and fun! The preschool team also shared more information on the curriculum, including science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).
Do you have a child who will be starting preschool? Click here to learn more about the Ludlow Early Learning Center and enroll!
| |
Update from #FinanceFriday
Have you seen the #FinanceFriday posts on the Shaker Heights Schools Facebook and Instagram pages? If not, check them out on Fridays. We will share the same information in the Sunday eNews.
Let’s talk a little more about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on education. The pandemic disrupted student learning and development, leading to learning loss. In response to student needs, along with a state mandate to address learning loss, the Shaker Heights Schools hired new staff members, including literacy specialists, counselors, and building substitutes.
During the pandemic, the federal government distributed Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to help schools recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. ESSER funds were used to help schools reopen safely, address learning loss, improve ventilation and air quality, purchase technology for remote learning, provide summer school and tutoring, hire school counselors and psychologists, and improve student attendance.
The District has retained some of the staff members hired during the pandemic to address critical needs of our students, but the schools no longer receive ESSER grants from the federal government.
| |
Show Your Appreciation for Shaker Heights Schools Faculty and Staff!
Show your appreciation for Shaker Heights Schools employees! Check your email on Monday, May 5 for a link to send a token of your appreciation to a Shaker Heights Schools faculty or staff member. Your chosen employee will receive a personalized Certificate of Appreciation via email letting them know why you are thankful for them!
| |
Register for Raider Rainbow Run on Saturday, May 10
Join us on Saturday, May 10 for a 2-mile fun run/walk through the Shaker Heights Middle School neighborhood with color stations throughout the course. Students, families, staff, community members — anyone can participate! Whether you compete with your friends or take a leisurely stroll, stay clean or get dusted with color, the Raider Rainbow Run has something for everyone.
Event Details:
- Saturday, May 10, rain or shine!
- Upper Fields at Shaker Heights Middle School, 20600 Shaker Boulevard
- 11 a.m. — Check-in (you must register to participate in the run/walk)
- 11:30 a.m. — Ceremony (music, warm ups, welcome and more)
- 12 p.m. — Run/Walk starts
- 12-3 p.m. — Community Celebration open to all (food truck, bake sale, DJ, activities and more)
Registration is only $5, but if you want to complete the Raider Rainbow Run experience, opt for registration with an event T-shirt for $25. Don’t delay! To get a 2025 Raider Rainbow Run T-shirt, please register by Monday, May 5 at 10 a.m. ($25). Otherwise, participants can register without a guaranteed T-shirt ($5) anytime leading up to the event. Same day registration will be accepted up until 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 when the fun run/walk begins.
Register to run/walk today! Or, sign up to volunteer or staff the color stations.
Proceeds benefit SHMS PTO and are used to support SHMS students and staff through PTO programs, educational enrichment opportunities, community building and staff appreciation events.
|
Sign Up for Champions Summer Camp
Champions is offering Champ Camp this summer! Each week will have a different theme, including innovation, movement, creativity, friendship and nature. The summer camp takes place from June 16 to August 1 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lomond Elementary School (serving the Shaker Heights City School District).
The camp is available for children ages 5-12 and costs $230 per week. Contact Site Director Malika Chandler at ch001682@discoverchampions.com for more information. Enroll online at discoverchampions.com at the Lomond Elementary location. Click here for a flyer with further details.
|
Last Chance to Order Flowers From SHHS PTO Sale
Don’t miss out! There are only 2 days left to place your order through the Shaker Heights PTO Flower Sale. There is competitive pricing for beautiful plants, hanging baskets, potted planters, herbs and fillers. All proceeds benefit the Shaker schools and students. Orders close May 6 at 11 p.m. Order today!
The flower sale has become an annual tradition (for 60 years and counting!) that many look forward to year after year. It can’t happen without an army of helpers, so please join us as we build community, raise funds for our students, and grow beautiful gardens all across town. Sign up to volunteer!
For questions or help with ordering, please text Tiffany Goldstein at 216-577-5968.
| |
Senior Athletes Celebrate Signing Day
Raider Nation celebrated its final Signing Day to recognize Class of 2025 student athletes committed to continuing their academic and athletic careers at the NCAA level! Congratulations to our Shaker Raiders who participated in this Signing Day, and their families for all of their hard work, effort, and support along the way!
| |
From the Margins to the Center, Vol. XLVII — Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
By William Warren, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program Coordinator, Shaker Heights Schools
Note: The month of May acknowledges several communities and their contributions to history. During May, From the Margins to the Center will feature information and stories in observance of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month and Mental Health Empowerment/Fitness Month. This week’s feature is in observance of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
During the month of May, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion seeks to bring the contributions and cultures of our Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities from the Margins to the Center. First celebrated in 1977 during the first 10 days in May, AANHPI Heritage Month has been recognized for the entire month since 1992. In 2024, the official White House proclamation in recognition and celebration of the heritage month included the phrase “Native Hawaiian” for the first time. The 2025 AANHPI Heritage Month theme is “A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience,” honoring the legacy of AANHPI leaders committed to navigating the barriers placed before them, while making substantial contributions to the nationwide and global communities, paving the way for future generations.
This past April, 24 Shaker Heights High School students enrolled in Mandarin Chinese language class won either gold, silver or honorable mention awards at the 2025 Ohio K-12 Chinese Essay Contest. These students competed against nearly 300 other students learning Chinese from 28 other schools across Ohio. Congratulations to all the students who participated, as their achievements reflect their commitment to learning within the supportive environment curated by their teacher Dr. Raina Li, the District’s longtime Mandarin Language teacher.
Additional Resources
AANHPI programming at the Cleveland Museum of Art
ABC News profile of AANHPI Heritage Month
| | |
Stay up to date by following the Shaker Schools Foundation on the following social media platforms:
| |
Share Your Planetarium Story & Get a Free Car Wash!
After over a decade of faithful service, the Shaker Planetarium’s digital star projector is showing its age — and it’s time for a major technological upgrade to keep pace with 21st-century learning.
We’re excited to launch a fundraising campaign to replace our current system with SkyExplorer by Konica Minolta — a state-of-the-art planetarium experience known for its stunning visuals, interactive features, and cross-curricular learning opportunities.
To help support this effort, we’re collecting short reflections from staff and students about what the planetarium has meant to them. These stories will be featured as part of our campaign to show just how impactful this unique resource has been to our Shaker community.
And as a thank-you for sharing your reflection, you’ll receive a courtesy card for a free car wash from Sgt. Clean Car Wash on Chagrin Boulevard in Shaker Heights!
Whether you’re a teacher who has brought classes to the planetarium, a student or alum who remembers your first time under the stars, or if you simply want to support our vision for Shaker students — we’d love to hear your perspective.
Submit your reflection today to Marla Walker at walker_m@shaker.org and help us bring the universe a little closer to home. For ongoing updates, please follow the Shaker Schools Foundation on our social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
| |
Registration Open for Summer Youth Police Academy
Registration is now open for the Summer Youth Police Academy, sponsored by the Shaker Heights Police Department. For teens ages 14-18, the program meets for five consecutive days, June 23-27, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Police Department, 3355 Lee Road. Click here for more information.
|
Chat with the Mayor May 10
Stop by The Van Aken District Market Hall Patio on Saturday, May 10 from 10-11 a.m. to chat with Mayor Weiss. Discuss City projects, neighborhood issues, or anything else on your mind. Pick up a free native seedling courtesy of resident Nick Fletcher. In the event of inclement weather, the event will move inside the Market Hall.
| | | | |
