For the 16th time, the North Colonie Central School District has been named a “Best Communities for Music Education” by the NAMM Foundation. The award recognizes school districts and individual schools for their leadership and equity in music education, with more than 1,000 schools and school districts from across the country receiving this honor this year. Congratulations to our North Colonie musicians for this great accomplishment and thank you to the North Colonie community for your continued support of our music education programs.
We know it’s May now, but we were so blown away by all the support that we decided to wait a little longer to announce the winner of the North Colonie March Madness 2026 Challenge.
Thank you to everyone who supported their school and, in turn, our district. Every building did an incredible job, but three schools really stood out: Boght Hills placed third with $593, Shaker Middle School came in second with $700, and for the second year in a row, Southgate took first place with $1,155. Congratulations to the Gators on earning another banner and the bragging rights that come with it.
Most importantly, every dollar raised stays right here at North Colonie to support students and families in need through United Way. Thank you to every donor, family, and school community that helped make this districtwide challenge such a success.
Thank you to everyone who supported their school and, in turn, our district. Every building did an incredible job, but three schools really stood out: Boght Hills placed third with $593, Shaker Middle School came in second with $700, and for the second year in a row, Southgate took first place with $1,155. Congratulations to the Gators on earning another banner and the bragging rights that come with it.
Most importantly, every dollar raised stays right here at North Colonie to support students and families in need through United Way. Thank you to every donor, family, and school community that helped make this districtwide challenge such a success.
The Shaker High School Neuroscience Club recognized Brain Awareness Week (March 16-22) by giving back to their community. For the week, which is a national initiative dedicated to promoting brain health and neuroscience education, the 11 members of the Neuroscience Club organized a schoolwide donation drive and fundraiser. Led by SHS juniors and Neuroscience Club co-founders, Nirvana Monsur and Aleena Saleem, the club raised over $500 for the Alzheimer’s Association and the Parkinson’s Foundation. The club also collected over 1,200 donated items from SHS classes, including fidget toys, blankets, pillows, cozy socks, and stuffed animals. These donations were distributed across multiple care units at Albany Medical Center, including the Neuroscience ICU, Neuroscience Progressive Care Unit, Neuroscience Medicine Unit, and Pediatric Neurology, with additional support extending to patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as to patient care units within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Great job, Neuroscience Club!
Go Mrs. Murray! On Friday, May 15, the University at Albany presented Freshman Seminar teacher Kim Murray with their "Exceptional Mentor Award" at the 2026 CEHC (College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security & Cybersecurity) Awards Recognition Ceremony. We are so proud of you and are grateful to the dedication you show all of our students everyday. Congratulations!
Reminder: There is no school on Friday, May 22 and Monday, May 25.
Fresh off her selection as the inaugural winner of the New York State of Poetry Prize, Shaker sophomore Sima Amiri was honored at the Capitol on Monday, May 18. Sima was joined by her family as New York State Senator Jake Ashby presented her with a state resolution for her achievement.
Superintendent Kathleen Skeals, ELA District Supervisor Chelsea Murphy and SHS teachers Siobhan Matrose and Kim Murray also took part in the celebration with Sima. Senator Ashby took the group on a tour of the Senate chamber, where there were plenty of photo opportunities. Later, Sima was recognized during a session in the New York State Assembly thanks to Assemblymember Mr. Phil Steck. Congratulations once again Sima! Your work is being recognized far beyond the walls of Shaker High School.
Superintendent Kathleen Skeals, ELA District Supervisor Chelsea Murphy and SHS teachers Siobhan Matrose and Kim Murray also took part in the celebration with Sima. Senator Ashby took the group on a tour of the Senate chamber, where there were plenty of photo opportunities. Later, Sima was recognized during a session in the New York State Assembly thanks to Assemblymember Mr. Phil Steck. Congratulations once again Sima! Your work is being recognized far beyond the walls of Shaker High School.
Congratulations to the Shaker Rowing Association (Shaker Crew), whose team earned top finishes at the New York State High School Championships Regatta. The girls junior quadruple sculls placed second and the boys junior double sculls placed fourth, allowing them to advance to compete in the national competition at the end of this month in Nashville. Best of luck to these teams!
Thank you to the North Colonie community for supporting the 2026-27 budget! North Colonie residents voted to approve the budget, 1,103 yes votes to 355 no votes. Dr. Nicholas P. Comproski was re-elected to his seat and Janet Appe was elected to the open seat of Mary Nardolillo. Learn more on our website at northcolonie.org/news.
The following Shaker High School students were recently recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English. Earlier this year, the Shaker Writing Center sponsored workshops to encourage students to submit their writing in response to the 2026 NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing topic: the Joy and Power of Reading.
A panel of Shaker High School English teachers read through all submissions and nominated these four students’ work to be considered by the national committee. All four of Shaker’s nominees were recognized at the national level.
Simrah Ahmed - First Class (Highest National Honor)
Ella Bagchi - Superior
Evelyn Lu - Superior
Shreya Rozario - Superior
The NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing is a school-based writing program established in 1957 to encourage high school students to write and to recognize some of the best student writers in the nation. 689 sophomores and juniors were nominated from across the country and around the world. Independent judges evaluated each submission holistically on content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development, and style. Congratulations to all of our winners from SHS!
A panel of Shaker High School English teachers read through all submissions and nominated these four students’ work to be considered by the national committee. All four of Shaker’s nominees were recognized at the national level.
Simrah Ahmed - First Class (Highest National Honor)
Ella Bagchi - Superior
Evelyn Lu - Superior
Shreya Rozario - Superior
The NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing is a school-based writing program established in 1957 to encourage high school students to write and to recognize some of the best student writers in the nation. 689 sophomores and juniors were nominated from across the country and around the world. Independent judges evaluated each submission holistically on content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development, and style. Congratulations to all of our winners from SHS!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Join us in spreading awareness by wearing green on Thursday, May 21. Let’s show our support!
Budget voting day is here! Our annual North Colonie CSD school budget and Board of Education election vote will take place today, Tuesday, May 19, until 9 p.m. Voting will take place at Central Office (91 Fiddlers Lane, Latham, NY 12110).
Please note that all mail-in ballots must be received by the school district clerk by 5 p.m. today in order to be canvassed.
The Shaker Chess Club, led by Advisor Mr. Rodriguez and President Nirvana Monsur, hosted the Inaugural Shaker High School Chess Tournament in collaboration with The Right Move on Saturday, May 9. Nearly 100 players from across the Capital Region joined us for a full day of strategy, competition, and community.
Congratulations to freshman Ethan Chen, who achieved a perfect 4–0 score to win 1st place in the Knight (K–12) Section, and to sophomore Jiashen Li, who secured 2nd place. Junior Jiayi Chen also represented Shaker as a competitor, while junior Nirvana Monsur served as the Chief Assistant Tournament Director and Event Organizer.
Congratulations to freshman Ethan Chen, who achieved a perfect 4–0 score to win 1st place in the Knight (K–12) Section, and to sophomore Jiashen Li, who secured 2nd place. Junior Jiayi Chen also represented Shaker as a competitor, while junior Nirvana Monsur served as the Chief Assistant Tournament Director and Event Organizer.
North Colonie CSD and the Shaker High School Business Education Department would like to congratulate Arianna Hoffman and Gabriel Sericolo for being recognized as the 2025-2026 Outstanding Business Education students of the year. This honor was awarded to both students for their academic achievements, outstanding citizenship and positive attitudes in their business courses.
In May, Arianna and Gabriel attended an awards dinner at The Holiday Inn Express in Latham, joined by their parents and teachers Antoinette Randall and Lauren Squadere. Arianna and Gabriel were among students from 16 area schools who were recognized as outstanding business students for the 2025-2026 school year. This event was hosted by the Business and Marketing Educators' Association of the Capital District (BMEA). Congratulations, Arianna and Gabriel!
In May, Arianna and Gabriel attended an awards dinner at The Holiday Inn Express in Latham, joined by their parents and teachers Antoinette Randall and Lauren Squadere. Arianna and Gabriel were among students from 16 area schools who were recognized as outstanding business students for the 2025-2026 school year. This event was hosted by the Business and Marketing Educators' Association of the Capital District (BMEA). Congratulations, Arianna and Gabriel!
Shaker High School is home to one of this year's Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizen Award recipients! Senior Joelle Hannoush was honored at the Pruyn House on Tuesday, May 12, along with a recipient from Colonie High School. The DAR Good Citizens Award and Scholarship Contest was created in 1934, to encourage and recognizes high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in their homes, schools and communities.
Joelle was chosen for this award by her teachers for her activism and involvement in the school community and beyond. The President of SOS (Students Organized for Service), Joelle helped grow club membership from 12 students to more than 120. She organized two Red Cross blood drives a year, and coordinated student volunteers for the Northeast Regional Food Bank and Bring on the Spectrum (BOTS). As class president the last two years, Joelle has worked hard to foster a sense of community among her fellow Class of 2026 graduates. In 2025, Joelle organized and led a team of 12 students in raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, personally raising $87,000 by soliciting donations from local businesses, holding a girls lacrosse clinic and collecting gift cards and items for raffles and auctions. Her teachers and club advisors call Joelle a natural leader and now she is also a Good Citizen Award recipient! Congratulations Joelle!
We have some amazing artists here at North Colonie CSD! From the art show at the Town of Colonie Library to our Advanced Senior Art Reception and Secondary Art Reception at NYSUT, North Colonie student artwork has been on display across the town! Thank you to Omar Williams and the Shaker Middle School Jazz Ensemble for their performance during the NYSUT event. For more photos and student artwork, visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NorthColonieCSD
Before the Class of 2026 calls it a career here in North Colonie, we celebrated the Senior Awards Program on Thursday, May 14. Hundreds of students were honored with awards and scholarships for their academic achievements in all subject areas, athletic achievements, community service, and extracurricular activities.
Toward the end of the program, the National Merit Scholarship Letter of Commendation students and National Merit Scholarship Finalists were called on stage as well as our 2026 Honor Graduates and National Honor Society inductees.
The night ended with the dedication of the 2026 Shaker High School yearbook to Assistant Director of Pupil Services Mrs. Crystal Fox, who has worked in North Colonie for more than 16 years.
Congratulations to all of the seniors and the teachers, staff, family members and friends that have helped them along the way! View the program from the event on our website at https://aptg.co/35vCNj.
This month, Shaker High School junior Shreya Sharath is being recognized as the May North Colonie Kids Care recipient. Shreya was nominated by Shaker High School Student Assistance Counselor, Mrs. Stacey Angell, for her work as the founder of GleeBoxx.
Gleebox is a youth-led nonprofit initiative, grounded in the belief that small acts of kindness can create powerful change. Guided by the idea that no individual should feel defined or diminished by their circumstances, GleeBoxx creates thoughtfully curated care packages that combine essential items with personalized touches such as handwritten notes and small, joyful additions. Through this work, Shreya not only addresses immediate needs, but also fosters a sense of dignity, connection, and belonging among recipients. Shreya is currently organizing a large-scale drive to distribute 240 GleeBoxx care packages to elementary school children here in North Colonie. It’s an effort that reflects both her organizational skills and her unwavering dedication to serving others.
Shreya’s work through GleeBoxx is not only changing lives in our school community, but also reshaping how people think about giving—emphasizing empathy, dignity, and human connection. We are proud and honored to call Shreya one of our own here in North Colonie. Congratulations Shreya, you are so very deserving of this honor as a North Colonie Kids Care recipient.
Gleebox is a youth-led nonprofit initiative, grounded in the belief that small acts of kindness can create powerful change. Guided by the idea that no individual should feel defined or diminished by their circumstances, GleeBoxx creates thoughtfully curated care packages that combine essential items with personalized touches such as handwritten notes and small, joyful additions. Through this work, Shreya not only addresses immediate needs, but also fosters a sense of dignity, connection, and belonging among recipients. Shreya is currently organizing a large-scale drive to distribute 240 GleeBoxx care packages to elementary school children here in North Colonie. It’s an effort that reflects both her organizational skills and her unwavering dedication to serving others.
Shreya’s work through GleeBoxx is not only changing lives in our school community, but also reshaping how people think about giving—emphasizing empathy, dignity, and human connection. We are proud and honored to call Shreya one of our own here in North Colonie. Congratulations Shreya, you are so very deserving of this honor as a North Colonie Kids Care recipient.
You're invited! Shaker High School is holding Senior Award Night TONIGHT (Thursday, May 14) at 7 p.m. The event will be livestreamed on YouTube at https://youtube.com/live/G-kwZJY0cUo?feature=share
There was plenty of sunshine and lots of smiles at Unified Field Day last week! Unified athletes from Shaker High School visited the @ShenendehowaCSD campus for a day filled with games, friendly competition, and lots of cheers.
Please join us in congratulating North Colonie CSD Board Member Mary Nardolillo and Shaker High School Hall Monitor Mary Kay Smollin on receiving awards from the Capital Area School Development Association (CASDA)! On April 30, the two were among those honored at the CASDA Annual Awards and Friends of Education Dinner.
Nardolillo was given the Excellence in School Board Service Award for her time on the North Colonie Board of Education and her dedication to creating opportunities and positive outcomes for students. Smollin was given the Friends of Education award for her unwavering commitment to enriching the lives of students and strengthening the North Colonie community.
During the evening, it was noted that both Nardolillo and Smollin have worked tirelessly - often behind the scenes - to support our district and ensure our students thrive. Congratulations Ms. Nardolillo and Ms. Smollin! North Colonie is lucky to have you!
Nardolillo was given the Excellence in School Board Service Award for her time on the North Colonie Board of Education and her dedication to creating opportunities and positive outcomes for students. Smollin was given the Friends of Education award for her unwavering commitment to enriching the lives of students and strengthening the North Colonie community.
During the evening, it was noted that both Nardolillo and Smollin have worked tirelessly - often behind the scenes - to support our district and ensure our students thrive. Congratulations Ms. Nardolillo and Ms. Smollin! North Colonie is lucky to have you!
