Reminder: No school on Monday, Oct. 20 for K-12 Superintendent’s Conference Day and in Observance of Diwali.
about 17 hours ago, North Colonie Communications
reminder: no school monday, oct. 20 For K-12 Superintendent’s Conference Day and in Observance of Diwali
Welcome to our exchange students from Costa Rica! The group of students from Humboldt High School arrived on Monday, October 13 to a welcome from Shaker High School students and host families.

This week, the group took a trip to Albany to visit the Capitol building, NYS Museum and the Corning Tower. They also took a day trip to Lake Placid to see the Olympic Center and High Falls Gorge on a beautiful fall day. On Friday, students attended SHS Spanish classes during the day before heading the varsity football game as part of "The Barn" student section at night. Pura vida!





about 22 hours ago, North Colonie Communications
A group of exchange students from Costa Rica posing at the airport.
A group of students from Shaker welcome Costa Rican exchange students with welcome signs at their arrival.
Students sit around a table eating breakfast together.
Students pose in front of the NYS Capitol building and I Love NY sign.
People pose on a stairway with a beautiful gorge behind them.
Students play with snow/ice on the ground from outside a winter sports venue.
A large group poses in front of the Olympic ski jumping venue in Lake Placid.
Costa Rican exchange students meet with students in Spanish classes at Shaker High School.
An image of a sweatshirt with the two logos involved in the exchange program.
A large group poses in front of the Olympic Center in Lake Placid.
The competition was fierce between Unified Bocce and the Shaker High School faculty Friday afternoon! Our Unified athletes, in their home blues, showed their teachers and administrators a thing or two about the sport. With four matches taking place simultaneously, there was plenty for students and staff in the crowd to cheer about!
1 day ago, North Colonie Communications
A Unified bocce team and faculty team pose before their match.
A player rolls the bocce ball down the court as teammates and opponents look on behind him.
A faculty member lofts the bocce ball and watches it roll.
A student rolls a bocce ball from his wheelchair and watches it roll down the court.
A Unified bocce coach celebrates a great shot with his arms in the air.
Dozens of students sit on the grassy hill and watch the competition.
A Shaker faculty member tosses the ball as others behind him watch.
A Shaker faculty member tosses a bocce ball as others behind her watch.
A Unified bocce player takes aim with a bocce ball in hand.
A Unified bocce team and faculty team pose before their match.
Thursday afternoon at Forts Ferry, second graders got their hands dirty learning how to plant garlic, just in time for spooky season! With help from Innovation Lab teacher Ms. Park, Farm to School Facilitator Ms. Cost, and Jamie from Forts Ferry Farm, students learned how food grows from the ground up. The district’s six gardens continue to bring lessons in sustainability, nutrition, and community to life, one clove at a time.
2 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Garlic beds at Forts Ferry
2nd Grade class plants garlic
2nd Grade Forts Ferry student helps plant garlic
2nd Grade Forts Ferry students helps plant garlic
Mrs. Cost with Jamie from Forts Ferry Farms
2nd graders at Forts Ferry
2nd Grade student with Mrs. Cost
It’s National School Lunch Week! Over the last 75 years, our Food and Nutrition Services team has been nourishing generations of students. Thank you for all that you do!

Have any other photos from the last 75 years? Send them to us at communications@nccsk12.org. We love to see them! #NC75 #throwbackthursday
3 days ago, North Colonie Communications
1959
2024

Spot the Bison! The Bison’s been busy brewing something big! Keep an eye out on our socials… soon, you’ll have a chance to help decide what we’ll be calling our Bison!

3 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Find the Bison!

What a day at the Districtwide 4th & 5th Grade Cross Country Meet at Colonie Town Park! Students tackled the one mile course with determination, cheered on by families, friends, staff, and members of the boys and girls Shaker varsity cross country teams. And a special highlight, Mr. Austin came out of retirement to emcee the meet, keeping the energy high from start to finish!

4 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Boys Cross Country Team cheers on fourth graders
Neck and neck run to the finish line by the fifth grade girls
Fourth grade boys race
Fourth grade girls race
Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams welcome the fourth and fifth graders
Parents, guardians and, staff cheer on students
Mr. Austin comes out of retirement to emcee the cross country meet!
Principal Turcio with Blue Creek students
Physical Education Teachers
Students play Uno while waiting their turn to race

Get ready to “Taste the World” during National School Lunch Week, October 13–17, 2025. Join us in celebrating global flavors and nutritious meals served right in our school cafeterias.

5 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Taste the World - National School Lunch Week
This week we celebrate Board of Education Recognition Week! Thank you to our dedicated board members, Linda Harrison (President), Matthew Cannon (Vice President), Nicholas Comproski, Michelle Dischiavo, Ayesha Geter, Samuel Johnson, Mary Nardolillo, and Melissa Veino, for their leadership, commitment, and continued support of our students, staff, and community.
5 days ago, North Colonie Communications
BOE Recognition Week
Shaker Middle School eighth grade student Livia Lu was invited to perform at the Colonie Town Board meeting on Thursday, Oct. 2. Livia played the piano at the meeting as a part of a new initiative, introduced by Colonie Town Supervisor Peter Crummey, to showcase outstanding student musicians. Livia was the first student this year to be recognized. Great job representing SMS and the district, Livia!
7 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Livia Lu with Town Supervisor
Livia Lu with Town Supervisor
Hooked on learning and fishing! Just last year, five students asked Shaker Middle School Principal Mr. Chamberlain if they could start a fishing club. One year later, that idea has grown into a group of nearly 80 students, many of whom had never even held a fishing pole before. The club enjoys catch and release trips each season, and on Wednesday afternoon, they cast their lines at the Town Hall pond. This marks the final trip of the fall, but they’re already reeling in excitement for spring!
8 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Town Hall Pond
SMS Student caught fish
SMS student helps fellow student by offering a fishing lure
SMS Student caught fish
SMS teacher and fishing club advisor shows student how to properly hold a fish
SMS Student caught fish
SMS Student caught fish
Town Hall Pond
Reminder: No school on Monday, Oct. 13 in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day and Columbus Day.
9 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Reminder: No School Monday, Oct. 13
Fall Family Festival is just hours away! Join us tonight from 5-7 p.m. at the Shaker High School inner courtyard for fall related fun, crafts, music, art and more!

Earlier this week, Blue Creek kicked off the fall festivities with the Inaugural Apple Festival & Cookout! It included plenty of food, fun and fall related activities just outside of the Blue Creek Garden and Apple Orchard. Thank you to everyone who came out for the event! We hope to see you at SHS tonight!
10 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Three students stand behind a table with food on it.
A group of people sits at a table with food in front of them.
An image of a hand painting half of an apple black to use it as a stamp.
Someone from Capital Roots stands behind a table with apples on it.
A student paints an apple as part of a fall activity.
Staff members work a table with fall activities.
A young child learns the difference between compostable and non-compostable waste.
A group of people seated at a table smiling with food in front of them.
Two people pose at a table with food in front of them.
Shaker High School German Club celebrated Oktoberfest today, but this year the event was extra special as our German exchange students were there to celebrate with us! Danke schön to all who joined us for the celebration! The festivities included plenty of delicious food, a donut eating contest, fun crafts, and (of course) plenty of music and dance with a few rounds of musical chairs. Prost to new friendships, shared cultures, and great memories!
11 days ago, Katie Jensen
German exchange Oktoberfest
German exchange Oktoberfest
German exchange Oktoberfest
German exchange Oktoberfest
German exchange Oktoberfest
German exchange Oktoberfest
German exchange Oktoberfest
German exchange Oktoberfest
German exchange Oktoberfest
Congratulations to Shaker High School alum ('71) and former Athletic Director Dave Herman on his induction into the Capital Region Track, Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame this past weekend! Herman was celebrated among 10 athletes and coaches in the eighth class of inductees on Saturday, October 4, at the Albany Marriott in Colonie.

Herman established 12 school records in his time at Shaker and dominated Section 2 in his signature event, the low hurdles. In his senior year, he was selected as New York State Indoor Track Athlete of the Year (1971). Herman received a full scholarship to the University of Florida and during his freshman year, set a school record for the indoor 70-yard low hurdles and placed fifth in the outdoor 440-yard intermediates at the Southeast Conference Championships.

11 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Shaker alum and former Athletic Director Dave Herman speaks with another gentleman at the ceremony.
An image of nine of the 10 people inducted into the Capital Region Track, Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame.
Shaker alum and former Athletic Director Dave Herman shakes hands as he holds his induction plaque.
Eight people sitting around a dinner table.
Shaker alum and former Athletic Director Dave Herman speaks at a podium during his induction ceremony.
Shaker High School is proud to announce 21 of its seniors have been named Commended Students in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. Each of these talented seniors received a letter of commendation from Principal Marcus Puccioni in honor of the recognition. This group is among 34,000 Commended Students throughout the country who placed in the top five percent of the 1.5 million students who entered by taking the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Congratulations to the following students:

SURYA BOMMASANI
VARUN CHAGANTI
YUNHAN CHEN
FAHIM FIDA
EMMA FREED
YIROU KAO
DEEPAK KILAPARTY
HANA KIM
SANJANA KOLLI
ANGELA LI
EVERITT LI
SAMYA MADHUKAR
SHAYLA MIEU
AYDAN SHAHBAZLI
FARAZ SHAIKH
SNEHA SINHA
ANGAD TENDULKAR
ISHIKA YALAMANCHI
EMILY YANG
ISABEL YANG
RUI ZHENG
12 days ago, North Colonie Communications
An image of 21 Shaker seniors who have been named Commended Students posing together with SHS Principal Marcus Puccioni.

On Saturday, October 4th, the Shaker High School 11-12 band proudly performed at the Honor Flight ceremony at Albany International Airport.

This powerful event honors veterans with a trip to Washington, D.C., to visit monuments and memorials dedicated to their service. Many veterans personally thanked our band members for the moving performance of military marches bright and early in the morning.

13 days ago, North Colonie Communications
students playing instruments at honor flight ceremony
veteran at the honor flight military ceremony
Honor Military flight ceremony
students playing instruments at honor flight ceremony
Willkommen! On Wednesday, twenty-three German students arrived in Latham while twenty-two Shaker students set off for Germany as part of the German student exchange program. Now in its twentieth rotation since beginning in 2006, the program offers students the chance to experience a new culture by traveling abroad and living with a host family. One of the German teachers shared, “It is a friendship that has spanned generations... and we hope it will live on forever.” For many of the visiting German students, this is their first trip to the United States. They are eager to explore New York, including a visit to New York City on Monday!
14 days ago, North Colonie Communications
All the German exchange students
Shaker High teachers and German teachers
German students meet Mr. Puccioni, Mr. Spofford and Ms. Newidomy
Shirt with students names
Students enjoy breakfast and teachers chatting
German exchange students and teacher present Mr. Puccioni with a sweatshirt from their school
Bob Pollaro talking to German exchange teacher
German exchange students enjoying breakfast and chatting with their teacher
Donuts with a cute drawing welcoming the German exchange students
Shaker kids are doing great things! SHS senior Elena Hymes was one of two students from Capital Region BOCES invited take a trip to the nation's capital to gain leadership and professional skills. Representing New York State, Hymes (pictured left) and her peer Malachi Plaza (pictured right) joined 500 SkillsUSA officers from across the country for the SkillsUSA Washington Leadership Training Institute. Read more on our website at https://www.northcolonie.org/article/2449767
15 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Skills USA Kids
Skills USA Kids
Skills USA Kids
Homecoming weekend is here! Shaker High kicked things off with an epic pep rally full of games, performances, and of course the Bison (still nameless by the way, but stay tuned). The fun continues tonight with the Club Parade and Shaker football vs. Albany Falcons at 7 p.m.!
16 days ago, North Colonie Communications
Shaker Cross Country team walking into the pep rally
Sound and Lights Club
Shaker cheerleading performs
Girls varsity Field Hockey versus girls varsity soccer
SHS teachers win the game!
Superintendent Skeals with the Bison
Varsity boys soccer team watches the senior boys dance
Senior Jack Majewski sings
Mr. Fountain with student choreographers for the senior boys dance
Mr. Couture with the Barnyard