About Shaker High School

Welcome to Shaker High School – Home of the Bison!

Shaker High School is a secondary school of distinction and has been nationally recognized for the academic success of our students.

At Shaker, students are offered a comprehensive education in an environment that promotes tolerance and understanding of all.

There are many course offerings and extracurricular opportunities for students to choose from and participate in, including 70 clubs and 28 interscholastic sports.

Through their instruction and involvement in school activities, students are best prepared for post high school opportunities in higher education and their career choices.

Vision Statement

Our enduring vision is, and will continue to be, to maintain a safe and wholesome school environment — one that constantly improves our comprehensive educational system, providing opportunities, services and instruction of the highest quality and value to all children. Therefore, we have developed programs designed to enable all of our students to succeed academically and socially as well as be prepared for the demands of the global workplace. To that end, students need to understand the fundamental principles of economics and economic systems. They must acquire this necessary knowledge in order to be contributing and successful citizens in a democratic society. To achieve these goals, they must become independent learners, mastering core academic and technological skills. This mastery will enable them to solve problems and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. We must also encourage Shaker students to foster life-long reading and critical thinking habits, as well as gain knowledge of a foreign language and the fine arts. Lastly, they should learn to embrace healthy lifestyles and activities, exercise civility and self-discipline, demonstrate respect for others, and make sound decisions.

Shaker High School
445 Watervliet-Shaker Rd. Latham, NY 12110
Phone: (518) 785-5511
Fax: (518) 783-5905

Principal: Marcus Puccioni
Taft Hall Principal: Brian Spofford
LaFollette Hall Principal: Nikki Newidomy

High School Deans

Taft Hall Dean: Morgan Flynn
LaFollette Hall Dean: Garrett Couture

Attendance Office

Please use our Absence Reporting Form to notify the attendance office of student absence.

Grades 9 & 10
Phone: 518-785-5511 x 3410
Email the LaFollette Attendance Office.

Grades 11 & 12
Phone: 518-785-5511 x 3439
Email the Taft Attendance Office

Building Hours

The doors to Shaker High School open at 7 a.m. for students who arrive by bus. Breakfast is available to students in the LaFollette dining hall. Afternoon dismissal begins at 2:17 p.m.

Parents and other visitors are always welcome; however, for safety reasons all visitors must report to the front desk to sign in before proceeding to any other part of the school.

Drop-Off Procedures

In an effort to accommodate the traffic flow into the high school, the following student drop off procedures are in place:

  • The current student drop off loop will be closed to vehicles from 7 – 7:30 a.m. on school days.

  • Parents dropping off students will be directed into the bus loop to drop students at the sidewalk, and then should continue through the bus loop, back out onto the Shaker driveway to exit the school grounds.

  • Access to the small loop will be blocked by traffic cones, and school staff will be present to direct vehicles into the bus loop.

Only district-owned vehicles & district staff are permitted to turn right towards the back of the high school & bus garage.

2024-2025 High School Bell Schedule

Warning Bell

7:30 a.m.

Block 1

7:34 – 8:58 a.m. (84 min.)

Block 2/HR

9:05 – 10:34 a.m. (89 min.)

Mini 1: 9:05 – 9:45 a.m.
Mini 2: 9:49 – 10:34 a.m.

Block 3

10:41 – 12:35 p.m. (114 min.)

Mini 1: 10:41 – 11:21 a.m.
Mini 2: 11:25 – 12:05 p.m.

1st Lunch

10:41 – 11:11 a.m.

2nd Lunch

11:23 – 11:53 a.m.

3rd Lunch

12:05 – 12:35 p.m.

Block 4

12:42 – 2:06 p.m.

Mini 1: 12:42 – 1:22 p.m.
Mini 2: 1:26 – 2:06 p.m.

Extra Help:

2:06 – 3:08 p.m. (T, W, Th)

Rotations - April to June 2025

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

4/28

4/29

4/30

5/1

5/2

DAY 6

DAY 7

DAY 8

Day 1:

Day 2:

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

5/5

5/6

5/7

5/8

5/9

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 7:

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

4

5/12

5/13

5/14

5/15

5/16

Day 8:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

4

5/19

5/20

5/21

5/22

5/23

Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 7:

Day 8:

Day 1:

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

4

5/26

5/27

5/28

5/29

5/30

MEMORIAL DAY

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

(All-Employee Holiday)

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

6/2

6/3

6/4

6/5

6/6

Day 6:

Day 7:

Day 8:

Day 1:

Day 2:

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

4

6/9

6/10

6/11

6/12

6/13

Day 3:

Life Science: Biology & Earth & Space Sciences Regents No Classes in Session

Geometry Regents - No Classes in Session              

Day 4:

Day 5:

1

1

1

2

2

2

3

3

3

4

4

4

6/16

6/17

6/18

6/19

6/20

Day 6:

FINALS/ REGENTS

FINALS/ REGENTS

Juneteenth Observed

FINALS/ REGENTS

1

2

3

4

6/23

6/24

6/25

6/26

6/27

FINALS/REGENTS

FINALS/REGENTS

FINALS/REGENTS

Rating Day

Graduation @ MVP 4pm

Lunch Schedule

First Lunch
10:41-11:11a.m.
Move to class 11:07 a.m.
(Block 3 11:11 a.m.-12:35 p.m.

Split Lunch
11:23-11:53 a.m.
Move to class 11:49 a.m.
(Block 3 10:41-11:23 a.m., 11:53-12:35 p.m.

Last Lunch
12:05-12:35 p.m.
(Block 3 10:41 a.m.-12:05 p.m.

Upper A

Upper J

Upper C

Lower A

Lower J

Lower C

B

Upper M

D

Upper K

Lower M

G

Lower K

Lunch Schedule Exceptions:

  1. Senior Classes (any class with 50% or more seniors) will always eat last lunch (12:05-12:35 p.m.) and have class from 10:41 a.m.-12:05 p.m.

  2. Mini Block Classes (PE/Mini SH and Freshman Seminar) will always eat last lunch (12:05-12:35 p.m.) and have class from 10:41 a.m.-12:05 p.m.

Code of Conduct

View the district’s policy on Student Conduct and Discipline (5300).

Driver’s Education

North Colonie does not offer Driver Education, but Driver’s Education is offered at both HVCC and SUNY Schenectady. Please visit their websites for specific information.

Student Handbook

Student Newspaper

The Shaker Bison is the official school newspaper for Shaker High School. The team consists of over 30 students who work to uplift and amplify the voices of members in our school community.

We aim to promote the sharing and diffusion of student perspectives. The Shaker population is built from countless interesting and unique individuals, with a diverse range of thoughts and ideas. Print copies of the paper can be found in the library and in various locations in the hallways throughout the school.

All students of Shaker High School are welcome to submit their works to The Shaker Bison, via email.

Email The Shaker Bison | Instagram: @theshakerbison | Twitter: @shakerbisonnews

Tardy Policy

Once a student accrues their fourth unexcused tardy, and every unexcused tardy thereafter, they will be assigned a lunch detention for the day on which they are tardy. Failure to comply with these consequences will result in further disciplinary measures. Students will still have the opportunity to have their lunch during their assigned lunch detention.

This policy is in place to reinforce the importance of being to school on time, while giving consequences to students in a timely manner. We appreciate your support of our efforts to ensure that students are coming to school ready for instruction.

Writing Center

Since 2014, the Shaker Writing Center has been committed to helping to create better writers, not only better writing. Our writing consultants, who have completed at least one semester-long internship to train, provide feedback, ask questions, and work alongside writers without judgment.

Far from being a “fix-it shop” where student writers bring their work to get remade by others, the Shaker Writing Center is meant to be a safe place for students to get a sense of the impact of their ideas and words. Our writing consultants have the experience, the resources, and the strategies to ask the right questions and promote reflection in their peers.

The Shaker Writing Center aims to serve the entire North Colonie community, including writers

  • of all grade levels,

  • in all subject areas,

  • and at all skill levels.

The center encourage writers to come at any stage in the writing process (understanding an assignment, brainstorming, crafting a thesis, composing a draft, revising a draft, and editing a final piece). Writers who come for a school assignment should bring all relevant materials from their teachers and should be ready to take responsibility for their own work. Teachers may refer students, but we encourage students to come on their own as desired.

Nursing Notes

Health Office

Melissa Bulson, RN
Phone: 518-785-5511 x 3380
Fax: 518-785-2767

Kimberly Riley, RN
Phone: 518-785-5511 x 3378
Fax: 518-785-2767

Shawn-Amy Bazargan-Lari RN
Phone: 518-785-5511 x 5686
Fax: 518-785-2767

Peg Pallotolo, Health Office Assistant
Phone: 518-785-5511 x 3379
Fax: 518-785-2767

View the Nurse Page