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 Work Session | Tuesday, October 28
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PreK-12 Conferences (No School for Students) | Friday, October 31
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PreK-12 Conferences (No School for Students) | Monday, November 3
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Election Day (Schools Closed) | Tuesday, November 4
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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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SHHS Students Celebrate Moon Festival
Students in Mandarin classes and the Asian Culture Club celebrated the Moon Festival this week! They learned about the legendary story of the Moon Lady, as well as the traditions and cultural significance of the Moon Festival, which is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in China. Students tasted mooncakes, drank Chinese tea and shared festive treats while watching performances and enjoying each other’s company!
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Update from #FinanceFriday
Let’s take a minute to review a state law with a significant impact on school funding. Ever heard of House Bill 920?
This Ohio law prevents school districts from automatically collecting more tax revenue when property values rise. HB 920 (passed in 1976) freezes tax revenues at the amount approved by voters, meaning schools do not receive additional funds due to inflation or property appreciation. Even as the costs of operating the District go up, our revenue does not keep pace. This means districts must seek additional levies at regular intervals to keep up with rising costs.
The last time Shaker was on the ballot for a full operating levy was 2014. That means we are still operating the District using the same base of local funding that was approved by voters 11 years ago — despite rising costs in areas like employee compensation, transportation, technology and instructional materials. As a result, the District has had to rely more heavily on its reserves to maintain high-quality programming and services for students.
Stay tuned for the next installment of #FinanceFriday!
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Annual Update Support on October 25
If you need assistance with completing your Annual Update online, the Registration Department and Office of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) will offer support on Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on the second floor of the Shaker Heights Main Library, in the Malvern Room. Call 216-295-4321 for help or to schedule a different time.
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Take the Aramark Student Nutrition Survey
The Department of Student Nutrition is launching its first student viewpoint survey of the 2025-2026 school year. Students are encouraged to take the survey so Aramark can gather information and better serve the needs of the students and families. Click here to take the survey.
Aramark Student Nutrition is offering a free cookie to the students of the building with the highest percentage of participation as an incentive to encourage all students to participate.
The survey will be open through October 31.
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Fall in Love with CTE Fair on October 18
The Heights Consortium will host the annual “Fall in Love with CTE” Fair on Saturday, October 18 from 12-4 p.m. at Cleveland Heights High School. This community-wide event brings together students, families, educators, and local business partners to showcase the value and impact of Career-Technical Education (CTE) across the consortium districts.
The fair is open to students, families, educators and community members across the Heights Consortium, including Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights, Maple Heights and Warrensville Heights. Activities include raffles and prizes, free food and snacks, live music, games and interactive demonstrations of CTE pathways.
Local businesses and organizations are invited to host tables, provide hands-on workshops or sponsor event activities to help students explore career pathways and future opportunities.
CVS will also be on-site offering flu and other vaccinations for interested families (insurance billed directly).
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Assessment Update
Students have completed the following assessments. For more information, click on the name of the assessment.
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Kindergarten: Kindergarten Readiness Assessment - Revised. Teachers will share the results with parents.
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Grades K-5: AIMSwebPlus screening. Results will be shared with parents within the next few weeks.
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Grades K-8: MAP testing. Results are available in Test Results in the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
The following assessments are either currently in progress or will be administered later in October or in November.
Information about all of the assessments and our district assessment calendar can be found on the testing page of shaker.org.
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Sign Up to Co-Chair the Flower Sale
The beloved Flower Sale has helped to make Shaker beautiful for over 50 years, but we need your help to keep this annual spring tradition going. The 2026 Flower Sale Committee is looking for Co-Chairs! This important event has grown from a small geranium sale which began in the late 1960s to the large annual sale it is today. In addition to beautifying our city, it raises money for the schools and is supported by the entire Shaker Heights community. To learn more, text Tiffany Goldstein at 216-577-5968.
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Support Shaker Athletics at Boom’s Pizza
Raider Nation and Boom’s Pizza at the Van Aken District are excited to partner on a "Round Up + Give" initiative for the entire month of October in support of Shaker Heights Athletics. Customers are encouraged to visit Boom’s Pizza in Shaker Heights and round up on their orders. Boom’s Pizza will donate all of those "Round Up" proceeds directly to Shaker Athletics. Thanks to Boom’s Pizza for their generous support of Raider student athletes!
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Diploma Programme Students Attend CWRU Ethics Award Ceremony
The IB Diploma Programme (DP) students studying Theory of Knowledge had a fantastic experience this year at the Inamori Ethics Prize events at Case Western Reserve University. As part of its mission to foster ethical leadership around the world, Case’s Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence presents the Inamori Ethics Prize annually to an individual who has demonstrated exemplary ethical leadership.
This year, the award was presented to Oscar Chacón, a tireless advocate in human rights and dignity in immigration. Mr. Chacón took time out of this celebration to have a special, exclusive conversation with our students! The conversation helped develop our students as “Inquirers,” one of the IB Learner Profile attributes!
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From the Margins to the Center, Vol. LV — The Hidden Figure of National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Justin Dart, Jr.
By William Warren, Student Program Coordinator, Office of Inclusive Excellence and Engagement, Shaker Heights Schools
October 12, 2025
The month of October acknowledges and celebrates several different communities and their heritage and history throughout time. Features observing National Indigenous People’s Day, and National Italian American Heritage Month will be released this month — stay tuned! This week, we will acknowledge National Disability Employment Awareness Month and its hidden figure — Justin Dart, Jr.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a time to acknowledge the value added to workplaces nationwide by persons with disabilities, both seen and unseen. It is also a time to advocate for these persons to receive all reasonable accommodations that will allow them to perform all essential job functions. In 1990, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which has significantly improved access to services, spaces and environments for disabled persons, as well as increasing the number of persons with disabilities who are gainfully employed.
Justin Dart, Jr. is considered the “godfather of ADA.” Dart was born in 1930 to a wealthy family, as his grandfather, Charles R. Walgreen was the founder of the global pharmacy chain Walgreens. At the age of 18, Dart contracted polio, which left him confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. After graduating from the University of Houston and managing a successful business career, he left the corporate world and turned to disabled persons activism. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed Dart as the Vice Chair of the National Council on Disability. During a nationwide tour to meet with other disability activists, Dart saw first-hand how much of the U.S. infrastructure was not suited to accommodate wheelchair-bound individuals, which led to the Council drafting legislation calling for an end to the discrimination against disabled persons, which eventually became the ADA. Dart received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998. Despite being denied an education license due to his disability from the University of Houston, when the school established the first student disabilities center for a major Texas college, it was named the “Justin Dart, Jr. Student Accessibility Center.”
Additional Resources
The Center for Disability Rights profile of Justin Dart Jr.
2017 National History Day student documentary on Justin Dart Jr.
Sources for Discovering Hidden Historic Figures
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Stay up to date by following the Shaker Schools Foundation on the following social media platforms:
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Support the SHHS Planetarium
For over 50 years, the Shaker Heights High School Planetarium has been a gateway to the universe, inspiring curiosity and a love of science for PreK-12 students.
Each year, more than 10,000 students explore the cosmos through immersive, hands-on STEM experiences. Thanks to the support of our donors, the Shaker Schools Foundation has played a key role in fostering these experiences. Now, we’re upgrading to the state-of-the-art SkyExplorer projector from Konica Minolta, which offers stunning visuals, a wide field of view, and interactive navigation for an even more engaging journey through the stars. Your donation will play a vital role in ensuring every student can access valuable educational resources that foster a lifelong interest in science and exploration. Every gift, from $100 to $5,000, helps our students reach for the stars.
Donate Today!
| | Quick Links: Opportunity Assistance, Enrichment Grants, Donations, More Info! Please follow the Shaker Schools Foundation on our social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. |
Register for Learn to Skate classes at Thornton Park
Registration for the second fall session of Learn to Skate classes is now open. Classes run from Tuesday, October 14 through Saturday, November 22. Classes for children ages 18 months and older and adults will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Registration is available online. Questions? Email Katie DiFranco at kaitlin.difranco@shakerheightsoh.gov.
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Reserve a space for the Veterans Day Cemetery Tour
Did you know Warrensville West Cemetery is the final resting place of veterans from five wars? Join the Shaker Historical Society, Shaker Heights Public Library, and City of Shaker Heights on Saturday, November 8 at 10:30 a.m. for a cemetery tour to hear the stories of local veterans and to learn more about the Warrensville West Cemetery Historic Preservation Master Plan. Please register.
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