Mark your calendars! North Colonie CSD will be at the Capital Region Virtual Career Fair this Wednesday, July 9. The event will feature a variety of open positions in the district, including teachers, keyboard specialist, aides, bus drivers, and more. Pre-register and learn more here: https://nysdolvirtual4.easyvirtualfair.com/. Find open positions at North Colonie at NorthColonie.org/Employment. Be sure to stop by the North Colonie virtual booth and say hello!
Congratulations to the Shaker Writing Center (SWC) for being recognized as a New York State English Council (NYSEC) 2025 Program of Excellence! And congratulations to Siobhan Matrose for being named the NYSEC Educator of Excellence (Secondary School) for her work with the SWC. Starting the SCW in 2014, Matrose has promoted writing as a way of thinking, connecting, and being. Her work with the SWC has guided students to become leaders and in turn, writing consultants.
"For over a decade Ms. Matrose has quietly grown an enduring, brave space within which students don’t just develop a piece of writing, but grow as writers, learners, and citizens," said NYSEC Past President Christopher Mazura.
Through her guidance, students who work in the SWC are empowered to support their peers, focusing on the writer and the story, versus the pressure of perfection and the writing itself. For each 30 minute session, the writing consultants dedicate their time and efforts to help their peers craft their voice and the success speaks for itself.
Congratulations to Siohban Matrose, the writing consultants of the SWC, and the North Colonie community on this amazing accomplishment!
That's a wrap on the inaugural year for the Latham Ridge Running Club! To celebrate the success of the club, the Latham Ridge Running Club Awards were held for runners in grades K-5 on Wednesday, June 25. Runners who had good attendance for the year were honored with a medal. Runners also received awards in the following special categories Golden Sneaker Award (Top Overall Milage), Silver Sneaker Award (2nd Overall Milage), Top Female Runner (For Each Grade), Top Male Runner (For Each Grade), Most Improved Runner (For Each Grade), Respectful Runner Award (For Each Grade), Family Fun Award (Top Sibling Combo), Running Club Cup Grades K-2, and Running Club Cup Grades 3-5. Great job to our runners!
Monday marked Blue Creek Principal Chris Turcio’s first (and probably last) taping! After students crushed their fundraising goal, raising more than $17,000 for the annual fun run, every class got to add a piece of tape to stick him to the wall. He didn’t stay up for long (just one second without the foot holds!), but the impact is sure to stick for longer. Way to go, Blue Creek!
The school year might be over, but we're not done celebrating our students and their efforts as part of our North Colonie Month of Service! Latham Ridge spread their grade level projects out over a six week span. Kindergarten students learned about recycling and composting. First graders made care packages for a shelter. Second graders made a compost bin for the school. Third graders planted a "mini forest" near the playground and built bird houses which were place around the Latham Ridge campus. Fourth graders made dog and cat toys for a shelter and fifth graders have helped all the other grades. What a difference our Panthers made during the NC Month of Service! Great work everyone!
So, about yesterday... how much fun was that??? Congratulations again to the Class of 2025! We wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors. We can't wait to see what's next! Once a Bison, always a Bison. #classof2025
Cheering for change. Earlier this year, four Shaker High School juniors proposed a Unified Cheer Team and turned it into a reality. Ava Lindley, Isabella Valentine, Nevaeh Harrison and Carly Darmetko created a place for everyone! For their remarkable work they were chosen as this month’s North Colonie Kids Care Recipients! For more on their remarkable journey, go to the link in our bio!
Nothing could stop these grads — not even the heat! Shaker Middle School held their 8th Grade Recognition Ceremony for the Class of 2029 on Wednesday, June 26. Almost 500 students were presented at the front of the gym, making the day a success. Congratulations to the Class of 2029!
The final stop on this year’s Senior Walk Throughs took place at Menands School Wednesday. Lined with cheering students and staff, the hallways came alive with celebration and pride. After the walk, seniors got to relive memories before moving on to new adventures. Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
The Latham Ridge Senior Walk Through was Wednesday morning! The halls were filled with students and staff cheering on the seniors as they walked through their former elementary school. After the walk, the seniors gathered on the playground for a group photo!
Another day, another Senior Walk Through! Wednesday morning, graduating Shaker seniors strolled the halls of Forts Ferry, where they attended elementary school. The Lions threw quite the celebration! There was a bubble machine, streamers and signs galore to go along with congratulatory signs and cheers from current students and teachers. At the end of it all, the graduates took a group photo on the playground and some took one last ride on the swings.
Mrs. Maryann Pelletier is retiring after 39 years of service in the North Colonie Central School District, 35 of which was spent at Loudonville Elementary School. She started her career as a noon aide and educational aide at Latham Ridge before moving to Loudonville and eventually taking a role as a full-time clerical aide. Mrs. Pelletier has a seven-year-old therapy dog named Maggie who she brings to Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital to visit patients every other week. She hopes to bring Maggie to more school events in the future. In retirement, Mrs. Pelletier also plans to read, garden, go camping and spend time with her children and grandchildren.
Most Rewarding Part of My Job: “Really enjoy interacting with the kids when I can. The teachers are like my second family. The staff here is really like my second family. We support each other through good and bad and I think that’s why I just feel very close to everybody.”
Fun Fact: “I’m a Christmas fanatic. I have a huge Christmas village that I put up in November and don’t take down until February. My whole house is head to toe Christmas during the season.”
The Blue Creek Bulldogs finalize our 2025 Senior Walk Throughs for the day. They celebrated with warm hearts and even warmer weather and cooled down with ice pops outside afterward! Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
The Boght Hills Senior Walk Through was Tuesday as well! The halls were lined with students and staff, cheering on the seniors as they walked through their old elementary school. Following the walk, graduating seniors gathered outside for refreshments and took a class photo on the old playground one last time! Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
It's time for the Loudonville Senior Walk! The halls were lined with students and staff, cheering on the seniors as they walked through their old elementary school. Following the walk, students were welcomed into the auditorium to walk across the stage one last time and view a slideshow featuring photos from their time at Loudonville. Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
ARRR you ready for this? Fourth graders at Latham Ridge had a pirate-themed day last week to end their ELA unit on the book "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson. The day was full of learning, creativity, and pirate adventure. Students participated in pirate-themed learning activities, took part in a treasure hunt around the school, and dressed up in pirate-themed clothes. Students also participated in creative writing, read about pirates, and completed a math escape room.
Another day, another North Colonie CSD Transportation award! Congratulations to Melisa Glodich, who has been named the New York Association of Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) School Bus Attendant of the Year for 2025! A bus aide with the district since 2018, Melisa will receive the award on July 15 at the NYAPT Summer Conference in Saratoga Springs. "Melisa exemplifies all the good qualities of being a bus aide. She has terrific attendance. She is kind, caring, attentive, and compassionate," said NCCSD Director of Transportation Denise Towne.
A Waterford native, Glodich says she has always loved children. “Forming strong, trusting relationships with special needs children and their families is incredibly rewarding. I love being a supportive presence in their lives and journey. Interacting with children with diverse needs and learning about their unique characteristics can be a valuable and enriching experience,” she said. Congratulations Melisa and thank you for your service to our students here in North Colonie!
That's a wrap on the Southgate Senior Walk! On Monday, June 23, Shaker High School seniors who graduated from Southgate Elementary School donned their caps and gowns to walk the school halls one last time. Seniors were greeted with cheers, signs, and high-fives from the Southgate students lining the halls. Congratulations to the Class of 2025! And remember, "Once a Gator, always a Gator!"
Shaker Middle School sixth grader Cam had an idea to make someone's day better and made it happen! Cam partnered with the SMS Latino Student Alliance to host a blanket drive, collecting blankets to donate to Albany Medical Center to help kids of all ages feel warm and comfortable. Cam and the Latino Student Alliance worked together to divide up tasks such as creating promotional materials, labeling collection boxes, and making announcements to the school. The assignment was a success, with the students collecting almost 80 blankets. Staff from Albany Medical Center stopped by SMS to pick up the blankets and thank the students for their hard work. Great job, students!
After 13.5 years, Nancy Mason is wrapping up her time in the North Colonie CSD Central Office. Working at North Colonie was an easy choice for her, as it put her within close proximity to not only her home, but also her granddaughter who graduated from the district in 2018. The familial ties have only added to her enjoyment of her time with the district.
“I like the people in the building,” said Nancy. “I’ve made some really good friends here.”
In her free time, Nancy enjoys reading, participating in Bible studies, crafting, bird watching, counted cross stitch, and card making. In retirement, Nancy hopes to travel more. She visited Ireland in 2017 and Israel in 2019, but has yet to travel internationally since COVID.
Nancy is well-known throughout the Central Office for her thoughtful and beautifully creative cards. Her daughter offered the following on Nancy’s hobbies, sharing, “My mom enjoys making sure each life event is celebrated with a card for people in her circle, because everyone deserves to know they are special on their special day with a greeting from her creative space.”
Most Rewarding Part of My Job: “Greeting the visitors and staff, and students, and making them feel welcome.”
Fun Fact: Nancy can often be found wearing fun socks with unique designs, though she clarifies that “they have to match.”
