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 Work Session | Monday, October 21, 5 p.m.
• K-12 Conferences (No School for Students preK-12) | Thursday, October 31
• K-12 Conferences (No School for Students preK-12) | Friday, November 1
• Election Day (Schools Closed) | Tuesday, November 5
• FACE/PTO Panel on Cyberbullying and Teen Violence | Tuesday, November 12
• Board of Education Meeting | Wednesday, November 13

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

• Shaker Preschool Post
• Boulevard Bulletin
• Fernway Forum
• Lomond Weekly
• Mercer Messenger
• Onaway Update
• Shaker Heights Middle School Memo
• Shaker Shaker Heights High School Weekly Update
• Innovative Center for Personalized Learning

Use these Quick Links to access the following District information:

• Weekly Board Packets
• Shaker.org News Feed
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Shaker Heights Schools
• 2024-25 School Year Information
• PowerSchool
• Breakfast & Lunch Menus
• Work at Shaker

Students Named National Recognition Awardees

Eights students at Shaker Heights High School were named College Board National Recognition Awardees. Ava Bribriesco, Abigail Haffke and Elise Lopez were noted as National Hispanic Recognition Awardees. Alyssa Harris, Bahji Jenkins, Carson Johnson, Jayden Levert and Winston Masiano were noted as National African American Recognition Awardees.

The National Recognition programs are a tangible way to recognize the academic achievements of African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous/Native American and first-generation college students. Eligible students are identified by high scores on the PSAT and AP exams, in addition to a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher. Many colleges intentionally recruit National Recognition awardees. Congratulations to these Raiders!

Parents to Register on ParentSquare

Parents have received an invitation to register for ParentSquare. Some of the Shaker school buildings will be using ParentSquare to sign up for parent-teacher conferences, which take place on October 31 and November 1. Registration with the ParentSquare portal is required to sign up for conferences.

Register for Superintendent's Series on Detracking

The Shaker Heights City School District is pleased to continue the Superintendent’s Series on Detracking. On Wednesday, November 6 at 6 p.m., the District will host an in-person session and an immersive classroom experience at Shaker Heights High School. Families, staff and community members are invited to learn about the District’s commitment to educational equity and its detracking efforts at this informational event. There will be four class demonstrations for community members to attend. Robyn Hegele will teach Algebra I, Keith Szalay will teach IB Theory of Knowledge, Adrienne Carson will teach AP African American Studies, and Betsy Brindza will teach fourth grade Language & Literature. Sign up for this event here.

Mountain Guide Visits Fernway Fourth Graders

Fernway fourth graders learned about the Earth's surface from a mountaineer and Shaker alumnus! Max Bond, Class of 2016, works for International Mountain Guides, where he leads expeditions up the world's tallest mountains. Max came back to his elementary school because he was inspired by a climber who spoke to his class at Fernway. The fourth graders are learning about how the world works, so Max discussed his experience with glaciers, avalanches and erosion while climbing mountains around the world, including his recent trip to Mount Everest!

From the Margins to the Center, Vol. XXIV — National Disability Employment Month

By William Warren, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program Coordinator, Shaker Heights Schools, and Trina Jones, District Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Liaison

The month of October acknowledges and celebrates several different communities and their heritage and history throughout time. Last week’s feature celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Next week’s feature will acknowledge National Italian American Heritage Month.

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 against workplace discrimination against any person with a cognitive and/or physical challenge and also to advocate for these persons to receive all reasonable accommodations that will allow them to perform any and all essential job functions. In 1990, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, 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. 

In addition to her role as District FACE Liaison, in her free time Trina Jones also serves as a champion for people nationwide who struggle with finding or maintaining employment as a result of their disability, which she refers to as “their superpower.” “I help people overcome the emotions and fears of their diagnosis, and become more informed about their condition,” said Jones, who leans on her experience with her own “superpowers” to better position others. Jones said oftentimes, some people who live with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, anxiety and other unseen disabilities, aren’t always correctly assessed and treated until adulthood and are not aware of the resources available to accommodate them in the workplace.

Jones also provides assistance in understanding employer healthcare benefits, and disability laws. Jones strongly recommends employers to invest in providing training to managers, supervisors and human resource professionals and provide written procedures and make them well-known, so that those who may be concealing their condition to remain employed feel supported and seen. 

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

Woodbury Memorabilia Auction Coming Soon

The Shaker Schools Foundation is excited to announce an online auction featuring Woodbury memorabilia! The auction will be open from November 11- 22, 2024 with over 50 unique items, such as signage, benches, framed quilts and more!  Don’t miss this chance to own a piece of original Woodbury memorabilia!

All proceeds will support the students and staff when they return to the newly renovated Woodbury building, which will serve as a middle school for grades 6 to 8. 

The online auction will be open to the public, and all items must be picked up in person; shipping is unavailable. Spread the word to your friends, neighbors, and fellow alumni!

Doan Brook Updates on October 21

Join us Monday, Oct. 21, for two updates related to Doan Brook. At 6 p.m., tune in to a virtual presentation about the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s (NEORSD) Lower Shaker Lake dam reconstruction project. Learn more and register here. At 8 p.m., listen to a presentation on the Doan Brook Restoration Near Horseshoe Lake Park by joining us for a special meeting of both Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights city councils via livestream. Landscape designers will describe improvements proposed for this park shared by Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights.

Call for Artists for Hildana Park Public Art Project

The City of Shaker Heights is seeking qualified visual artists – 18 years of age or older – to create public artwork for Hildana Park. Artists will collaborate with the Moreland neighborhood to design art that reflects the community’s history and culture. The submission deadline is Tuesday, October 22 at 5 p.m. Submit via email to Kara Hamley O’Donnell. Fill out this form to learn more about the Hildana Park Public Art Project and the Call for Artists.