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!
Thursday night was the annual NCCSD Physical Education Leadership Awards! PE Faculty members selected representatives from grades 5-12 who have demonstrated exemplary leadership and effort in PE classes. 48 students in total were honored in front of family and friends in the Shaker Middle School auditorium. Congratulations to all! For a full list of student winners, click on the link in our bio.
Shaker Middle School sixth grader Natalie Cehowski is being recognized as the April North Colonie Kids Care recipient for her kindness and inclusivity. Natalie was nominated by Ms. Brook Greco, a Shaker Middle School music teacher, who was also one of the directors of the SMS musical “Willy Wonka” this spring. Natalie was a member of the cast and emailed Ms. Greco to ask if they could do a performance for the five communications classes which is made up of about 35 special education students. Natalie didn’t stop there. She continued to follow up with emails and in person conversations with Ms. Greco until they could make a concrete plan to perform for her classmates. Ms. Greco says it was truly Natalie’s suggestions and perseverance that made this special performance possible. Congratulations Natalie!
Over April break, 30 students explored Spain with their chaperones Jessie Morgan, Kelly Mattice, Jaimie Weiss and Lauren Sheeler. Students were able to practice their Spanish skills while experiencing the culture and visiting inspiring historical sites. Places visited included the Prado museum in Madrid, the Roman aqueduct in Segovia, the cities of Toledo and Mijas and the Cathedral of Sevilla, the third largest in the world. Students also visited the Alhambra of Granada and the Mezquita-Cathedral of Córdoba which are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A day trip to the British overseas territory of Gibraltar was another highlight where students got up close with the Barbary Macaque Apes, the only wild primate population in Europe. During the trip many churros were eaten and miles covered, but the open minds and new friends made were the favorite things the students brought home with them.
We have a winner! Congratulations to Shaker High School senior Catherine Cheng who has been selected as a winner of the National Merit 3M Scholarship. Catherine was among more than 16,000 students across the country who scored in the top one percent on the PSAT exam. She is one of approximately 770 corporate-sponsored award winners announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation today.
In addition to Shaker Select performing in Hartford on Thursday, Shaker senior Mia Sorrentino and junior Isabel Yang will be performing there this weekend. Both students were accepted into the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Eastern Division All-Eastern Music Festival. Mia will perform with Treble Chorus while Isabel will perform with Mixed Chorus. Only three students were selected from the 82 school districts in this NYSMMA zone and Mia and Isabel are two of them. What an incredible accomplishment! Congratulations!
It's Transportation Staff Appreciation Day! All of our transportation staff members were celebrated Monday with a breakfast with Superintendent Kathleen Skeals. Today, there was a luncheon held at the bus garage for all bus drivers, bus aides, mechanics and other transportation staff members. Thank you for everything you do for the students and staff in our district!
Applications to request a mail-in ballot for the upcoming school budget vote are now open! The deadline to request a mail-in ballot online is May 12 at 4 p.m. Any requests after that time must be made in person at the NCCSD Central Office at 91 Fiddlers Lane. Ballots must be received by the district clerk by 5 p.m. on the day of the election (May 20, 2025).
Shaker Select is headed to Connecticut this week! The group has been chosen to perform in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Eastern Division Conference in Hartford on Friday. Shaker Select is one of the seven NYS ensembles chosen to perform at the conference and is the lone upstate public school represented. Congratulations Shaker Select!
