Turning leftovers into lessons at Latham Ridge! Kindergarten students recently had the chance to learn all about composting as a part of their day of service. Kindergarteners rotated through stations and learned about the full lifecycle of composting, which included what can be recycled and composted, how to compost, how soil is made from composting, and more! Students even got the chance to see how their own food scraps from lunch could be transformed into rich soil for the school garden.
The Loudonville Pop-Up Shop is more than just a fun experience—it’s also a great opportunity for second grade students to learn financial literacy as they make decisions on how to spend their Edmunds’ Money or Keegan Cash. The shop "pops up" five to six times during the second half of the school year to give students a fun way to learn about budgeting, prioritizing and understanding the value of their earnings and practice with counting money. Students earn "cash" throughout the school day and then have a chance to spend that hard earned money on things like fidget spinners, colored pencils, activity books, pens and other toys. They will even face "tax day" once a year like the rest of us... getting them ready for the future! This is the eighth year of the Loudonville "Pop-Up Shop" which is supported by the PTA.
The SHS Family and Consumer Sciences Department is committed to giving back to the community! Throughout the school year, our FACS and FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) students have taken part in various service projects. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Creating hygiene bags for Joseph's House and Shelter
- Constructing cat beds, dog bandanas and toys for the Mohawk Humane Society
- Baking banana and pumpkin bread for the Sidewalk Warriors of Troy
- Baking cookies for the Shaker Road Fire Department
- Creating Valentine's cards for veterans at the Albany Stratton Medical Center
Nine Shaker High School student-athletes put pen to paper in a signing ceremony on Wednesday afternoon. The seniors were surrounded by family, friends and teammates as they made their college commitments official. Congratulations to the following student-athletes who will continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.
Abby Taylor - Cheer - University of Rhode Island
Brendan McLoughlin - Baseball - Wagner College
Andrew Lawler - Cross Country and Track and Field - Stony Brook University
Isaiah Teabout - Football - Southern Connecticut University
Sophia Torian - Wrestling - Ithaca College
Emily Dudar - Wrestling - Western New England University
Elizabeth Williamson - Wrestling - Indiana Tech
Robert DeLaCruz - Cross Country Indoor/Outdoor T and F - Canisius University
Maia DeLaCruz - Wrestling - Western New England University
Please join us in congratulating Shaker High School junior Everitt Li, who was recently invited to participate in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Event at the New York State Education Building. On Tuesday, May 6, Everitt read Governor Kathy Hochul's proclamation during the program, which honored the history, contributions, and cultural diversity of the AAPI community. Great job, Everitt!
Science shows that exercising before school helps students pay attention in school, get better grades, show up ready to learn, and do better on tests. With this in mind, for the grade 3, 4, and 5 state testing days, Latham Ridge has been hosting a "Pop-Up Running Club" before school each day. The event has been a success, with 30 to 45 kids showing up each morning of the four state testing days. As of mid-April, students have run a total of 1,452 miles so far this school year - and with each pop-up running club event, that number continues to grow. Great job to our Latham Ridge runners!
"Lights, Camera, Gallery" was the theme of the evening at Shaker High School on Thursday, May 1, as students, families, and friends gathered for the Senior Art Show. At the show, a total of 13 students shared their portfolio works, their current concentration, and their other elective work. The event was completely student run, organized, and curated by the group as a whole, overseen by instructor Genevieve Chornyak.
The movie theme was carried throughout the night, with storyboards, bloopers, and prequels sections of artwork on display. The event also featured a concession stand, red carpet, marquee with artist names, film reel guest book, and many more movie themed details. Great job to Samaita A., Toby B., Izzy D., Hans G., Luke H., Angel H., Sakthi J., Landon L., Meili L, Ava P., Marley R., Katie S., and Vivian Y. for an excellent event!
Jared Campbell had Southgate students absolutely captivated on Friday! The singer/songwriter from the Binghamton area transformed the gymnasium into a concert hall for all students K-5 on May 2. Campbell told the students that he has been performing at Southgate since 2018, which means fifth graders have enjoyed his musical styles every year! Campbell brings incredible energy, but most importantly messages of kindness, sportsmanship, respect and responsibility among other qualities. Thank you Mr. Campbell! We're already looking forward to next year!
Putting FACS skills to the test! Francis Estrella, a student from Morgan Armstrong's Textile & Design class, took what he learned in class and transformed it an official brand.
For the class, students were tasked with creating a clothing company logo and one clothing item. Francis made a beanie hat lined with silk to accommodate people that struggle with frizzy hair. He then took the project a step further, pitching his brand, which he named "Director," to a clothing manufacturer. The slogan for Director is "Your Life Is Your Movie," which Francis says reminds us that we are the boss of our lives - no one but yourself can direct this movie, also known as your life.
"I am beyond proud of him," said Armstrong. "This is exactly what it's all about!"
Blue Creek's new gardens are in! Thank you to everyone who came out to help Mr. Turcio and Mrs. Cost work on the gardens and get them looking beautiful on the Bulldogs' Day of Service. Blue Creek also unveiled new hammocks and a Little Free Library on the grounds. It was a wonderful day to kick off our NCCSD Month of Service!
These are three of Shaker High School's senior leaders in Physical Education! Congratulations to PJ Strand, Alana DeLaCruz and Karam Abdalrahman, who were recognized by the Capital Zone of the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NYS AHPERD) on Sunday, April 27. All three students were selected by their PE teachers for their high level of physical performance, scholastic achievement, exceptional leadership qualities and outstanding service to the school/community.
Congratulations to Pragna Obiddi, Evelyn Lu, Aleena Saleem, Gianna Zhang, and Ella Bagchi for their outstanding performances on the Shaker Speech and Debate Team! These members have all qualified to compete in the NCFL Nationals tournament on Memorial Day Weekend in Chicago. Pragna, Ella, and Aleena will compete in the Original Oratory Speech category, Evelyn will compete in Extemporaneous Speech, and Gianna will compete in Lincoln Douglas Debate. The success of Speech and Debate has been taken to new heights this year, with the hard work of all of its members has earning awards for the team. Great work to the Shaker Speech and Debate Team!
We have changemakers here in North Colonie! Thursday night, three of those educators were recognized at the Capital Area School Development Association's (CASDA) Annual Awards & Friends of Education Celebration.
Board of Education President Linda Harrison was recognized for Excellence in School Board Service. She is currently serving in her twelfth year as President of the Board. Mrs. Harrison was a social studies teacher at Shaker for 34 years.
Former North Colonie Superintendent Joe Corr was honored with the Friends of Education Award for his service as a social studies teacher, department supervisor and superintendent here in North Colonie. He can still be seen on the sidelines at football games and is very involved in the school community.
Farm to School Facilitator Amber Cost was also honored with the Friends of Education Award. Starting in her new position this school year, Amber will have helped to start gardens at all eight school buildings by the end of the school year. She has worked with Food Services to incorporate produce into the cafeterias and has incorporated lessons on agriculture and sustainability into the curriculum around the district.
Congratulations to all!
We have two winners! Congratulations to Elijah Goldberg and Elena Hymes. Elijah (pictured photo 1, top left photo 3) and Elena (pictured right photo 2) represented North Colonie at the state level SkillsUSA on April 23-25. Elijah won the bronze medal for his Employment Application Basic as part of Digital Media Design. Elena was elected to the statewide office in the SkillsUSA organization by the organization’s House of Delegates. Great job, Elijah and Elena!
Tiny hands, big imaginations! The William K. Sanford Town Library hosted the North Colonie Art Exhibit Reception on Tuesday, April 29. Students in grades K-5 from all six of our elementary schools were in attendance, showing off their work to friends and family. The display was filled with color and creativity, as every piece told a story — great job to our elementary artists!
Happy Belated Earth Day! Did you know the second leading cause of pollution is textile waste? Shaker High School freshman Nancy Chandra decided to tackle this problem by hosting Shaker's first ever clothing swap... on Earth Day! Nancy collected 15 bags of clothes and partnered with the Capital City Rescue Mission to donate these clothes to people in need. Around 80 people came to the event to find fresh threads and support the cause!
It was out of this world! Boght Hills first graders had a special visitor from the Museum of Innovation and Science in Schenectady today. They learned why it's light during the day and dark at night. Last week, an educator from MiSci came in to teach third graders about the phases of the moon and how and why they occur. What a cool way for our students to learn about space!
The Forts Ferry garden is coming along! Students have worked in conjunction with Forts Ferry Farm to construct garden beds which are nearly complete. The space where the garden will go is cleared out and ready for installation on May 17, during the Forts Ferry Day of Service from 9am-12pm. We hope to see you there!
Forts Ferry third graders are getting closer and closer to their trout release day! On Friday Mr. Ronald Dorn, from the Clearwater chapter of Trout Unlimited, came into speak to the students about the release day on May 14 in Saratoga Springs. Mr. Dorn showed students some of the tools they would be using, and explained some of the safety precautions and what to expect that day. Excitement is building as the trout continue to grow in their tank in Mrs. Parks' Innovation Lab!
Earlier this month, the Shaker Middle School select performing groups (Select Band, Select Chorus, Cadenza, Scherzo, Syncopella, Jazz Ensemble, and Treble Makers) - all 180 students - attended The Addams Family musical at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady. The students were buzzing with excitement, and loved the show. Audience members and Proctors staff were full of praise for their behavior and energy. It was a great night!
