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.”
Splash Zone Alert! On Tuesday, Blue Creek Principal Chris Turcio took the plunge—again and again—as every grade had a chance to splash him! The reason? Blue Creek Elementary raised $3,278 for the Read for Ronald McDonald House campaign, surpassing the original goal of $2,750. As part of the Principal Challenge, top fundraisers earned the chance to aim for the dunk tank target. Even missed throws didn’t stop the fun! Many students made sure Principal Turcio got soaked by running up to hit the target, which dropped a bucket of water on his head! Congratulations to all the students and staff for their amazing support of a great cause!
Earlier this month, Lam Research generously donated backpacks filled with school supplies for students in grades 3 through 5. This year, six boxes of backpacks and supplies were delivered to North Colonie and other schools across the Capital Region. These backpacks will be distributed to students in need throughout the district. Thank you, Lam Research, for your thoughtful and impactful donation!
Monday was the final day of classes for Shaker High School students and it ended with a roar! The annual Dino and Friends Parade brought big smiles as teachers from every department (Social Studies, English, Math, Science, Special Education, ENL, Guidance, and Administration) dressed in inflatable costumes to cheer on students wrapping up the school year and heading into exams. Thank you to our incredible staff for making the day so memorable. And to the Class of 2025, congratulations! Soon, we will be celebrating your graduation!
Congratulations to North Colonie Bus Driver Marsha Bejian! Marsha has been named the 2025 AAA Hudson Valley Safe School Bus Driver for the district. The award is given to a school bus driver from each school district throughout the Capital Region by the AAA Hudson Valley. The Safe School Bus Driver award recognizes drivers who present themselves in a positive and safe manner, while following all regulations set forth by the agencies that govern transportation. Marsha was given her award during the award ceremony on Wednesday, June 18. Congratulations, Marsha! Thank you for all you do to keep our students safe!
Wednesday afternoon was a time of farewells and well wishes at Central Office. Five members of the staff are moving on to the next chapter of their lives! We are so grateful for all they have done to help keep our district running smoothly. Their kindness, dedication, and compassion have left a lasting impact—and while we’re sad to see them go, we’re excited for what lies ahead. Thank you, Pam, Wendy, Nancy, Pam, and Kathy! You will be missed!
Congratulations to the Shaker High School Hall of Fame Class of 2025! On Monday, June 16, seven new members were inducted into the SHS Alumni Hall of Fame. SHS student government members Pranjal Yadav and Regan Morrissey read the biography of each of the inducted alumni, sharing with the audience their accomplishments. Following this, each member offered some brief remarks on their time at Shaker. Read their remarks on our website here: https://www.northcolonie.org/article/2274095
View the alumni bios here: https://www.northcolonie.org/halloffame
