North Colonie Central Schools -

Friday, March 27 marked the conclusion of the "One School, One Book" month long reading challenge for Latham Ridge. Students took part in a day of celebrations, with a morning assembly that included a student from SHS playing the bagpipes and Mr. Thiell reading the final chapter to the school. Throughout the day, students played Highland games, created their own Tartan patterns for an art project connected to the upcoming Ridge Gala, watched "The Water Horse," and engaged in many activities in their classrooms that connect to the story and the history of Scotland. It was a great day of celebrations, marking the successful completion of the reading challenge. Great job, Panthers!

A group of Shaker Middle School sixth graders has a lot more knowledge about mummies! That’s thanks to several visits by Janine Moon from the Albany Institute of History and Art over the past two weeks. Ms. Moon, the Education Manager for AIHA, presented Ancient Egypt: Mummies on the Move, for the students of Ms. Meade, Ms. Silver, Ms. Ackerly and Mr. Futia. Our students had a lot of great questions about Ancient Egypt and Ms. Moon answered every one of them! She brought ancient tools to show off and students got to make a Shabti out of model magic clay and decorated it.

The Albany Institute is the legal guardian of two mummies, which means it is their responsibility to take care of those mummies. They sign a contract with specific terms like making sure the mummies are under plexiglass and have specific temperature and humidity requirements for their protection. Thank you to Ms. Moon and the Albany Institute of History and Art for the fun and educational experience!

Prom season is almost here, and we’re excited to support our students once again. On Monday, 4/6 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, NCCSD is hosting our annual Free Prom Attire Giveaway. All students are invited to browse our collection in G103 (Chorus Room), entering through the Auditorium Entrance. We’ll have over 100 dresses and some men’s formalwear available, all in great condition, with some brand new and never worn items. Everything is completely free and yours to keep. We had a great turnout last year and hope to see even more students this time!

We are also accepting donations, so if you have gently used formalwear to share, please drop it off at the Shaker High School main office.

Our classrooms have changed so much in just 14 years, and so have the ways our students explore and create. Some things, like curiosity and energy, never change!

Have photos from the last 75 years? Send them to us at communications@nccsk12.org. We’d love to see them! #NC75 #ThrowbackThursday

For the past few weeks, Mrs. Hoffman, Mrs. Nolett and Mr. Zitolo’s physics students spent time engineering cardboard boats that finally hit the water on Monday, March 23 and Tuesday, March 24. Students competed across three categories including Best Theme, Most Buoyant, and Fastest Race Times. Huge shoutout to all participants for their creativity, teamwork, and determination, great job!

Second grade students at Latham Ridge had a special visitor last week from the Irish American Heritage Museum. Museum Director Michael Clarke visited the school to talk about Irish immigration, including the Great Famine, push/pull factors, and Irish traditions. With his accordion, Clarke shared Irish music for the group as he talked about the history of the Irish and his own story. Students were quick to clap, tap their feet, and sing along to the music. Thank you for stopping by, Mr. Clarke!

Congratulations to SMS student Livia Lu SHS student Gianna Zhang for their winning submissions in the Albany County Legislature essay contest! The contest, a part of the commemoration of Women’s History Month, invited students across all grade levels to reflect on what a sustainable future looks like to them. Congratulations Livia and Gianna!

Families and students gathered at the Empire State Plaza K-8 Abstract Expressionism Art Show reception on Thursday, March 12 to celebrate the creativity of young artists from across the region. Students proudly shared their work while exploring inspiring pieces from the Rockefeller collection on the concourse. Local children’s book author and illustrator Liz Zunon delivered an engaging keynote, encouraging students to keep creating and expressing themselves through art. Congratulations to all the students who shared their work!

The SHS Shaker Character Award for Quarter 2 honors students who exemplify self-awareness, self-advocacy, and emotional resilience each and every day. These outstanding students were nominated by their teachers for the positive choices they make, the way they support others, and their commitment to personal growth. Their actions truly make a difference in our school community! Join us in celebrating our Shaker Strong Character Award winners for Quarter 2. We are incredibly proud of all they’ve accomplished!
Oliver Aiossa
Arek Bardakjian
Sam Behrens
Faith Brate
Mikayla Brice
Noli Ceccucci
Nealy DeBiccari
Makayla Jackson
Nana Kyiretwie
Gaven Li
Yanitcia Pino-Mercado
Anthony Walls
Javeria Zahid
Gianna Zhang