Get to Know Us! (streaming video)

Since the construction of its first school building some 80 years ago, the Shaker Heights City School District has grown into one of the finest public school systems in the United States. Families from all over the United States seek out Shaker Heights because of its outstanding schools and distinctive programs.

The Shaker schools currently serve approximately 5,600 students in eight buildings: five K-4 elementary schools; Woodbury Elementary School (grades 5 and 6); Shaker Middle School (grades 7 and 8) and Shaker Heights High School (9-12).

An evaluation by the Ohio Department of Education noted: “The exemplary character of this school district does not happen solely by chance or by the good fortune of factors that favor educational quality. It is the result of outstanding leadership and long-range planning at the administrative level, both at the district level and at each of the buildings. It is associated with high expectations of staff and students. It reflects the continuing priority to bring outstanding teachers to the district and to support them as professionals. It is achieved through shared decision-making, commitment to achieving outcomes, and high community involvement. It represents attending to the needs of each child without ever losing the focus that student learning is the ultimate criterion that keeps faith with the primary mission of the schools. That Shaker Heights maintains its educational excellence through changing times and conditions is a testament to never resting on laurels, but continually striving for improvement.”

We invite you to visit our schools and see for yourself why they are such a source of pride in our community.

Distinctive Programs
In Shaker Heights, we don’t believe that one size fits all. In addition to our strong core academic curriculum, students receive instruction from specialists in art, music, physical education, and library use. Extra help and extra challenges are available to all children who need them, from kindergarten through 12th grade. Here are a few examples:

Advanced Placement
Advanced placement courses are offered in 15 subject areas at Shaker Heights High School. One-third of students take one or more AP Courses. Increasing numbers of Shaker students are taking AP exams and 90% of their scores are 3 or higher, making the students eligible for college credit.

Co-curricular Activities
Co-curricular Activities are considered an integral part of school life and child development. They are carefully coordinated and scheduled to complement, not compete with, the academic program. Co-curricular activities include outstanding programs in vocal and instrumental music, theater, community service, and an unusually broad array of interscholastic and intramural athletics for men and women.

Award-winning Library Media Program
Teaches students library use and research skills, reinforces the curriculum, and helps prepare students at all grade levels for the Information Age.

Students with Special Needs
are served in regular classrooms to the degree possible, with appropriate support from specialists and aides. Teachers are always available after school to give students extra help, and targeted tutoring programs serve students with specific needs.

Faculty
Shaker’s faculty members are nationally known for their professionalism and scholarship. More than three-quarters of our teachers hold master’s degrees, and several hold or are working toward doctorates. They average about 17 years’ experience, with a healthy mix of young new talent and seasoned professionals.

In the elementary grades, the average class size is about 23. While most elementary classes are self-contained for the core academic subjects of language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science, some teachers work in teams. In addition, children receive regularly scheduled instruction from specialists in art, music, physical education, laboratory science, library use, and academic enrichment.

Specialists in reading, science, mathematics, school psychology, and special education are available to support the work of the classroom teacher. School nurses play an important role in preventive health education, in addition to attending to the needs of ill or injured students. When all these professionals are included along with classroom teachers, the student-teacher ratio is about 13 to 1.

At the Middle School and High School, each teacher is a specialist in his or her subject area, and teachers frequently work in teams. Each student is assigned to a counselor who helps in course selection and other academic areas, as well as in the student’s personal development.

Honors & Awards
Over 90 percent of Shaker’s graduates go immediately to higher education, including some of the most selective institutions in the United States. Shaker students consistently score significantly above national averages on the Scholastic Aptitude Test and other standardized tests.

In just the past few years, the Shaker schools have received two Venture Capital Grants from the Ohio Department of Education; three consecutive “What Parents Want” Awards from SchoolMatch, a nationwide referral service; and “Best in Ohio” high school designation from Redbook magazine.

Numerous students have also won high honors, including a Presidential Scholar and Tandy Scholar in the Class of 1995 and the Class of 1997; award-winning science and math teams at Woodbury and Shaker Middle School; and high finishers at the national level on competitive foreign language examinations. The High School’s student-run newspaper and literary magazine consistently win top national awards. About 15% of each Shaker senior class in the past three years has earned recognition from the National Merit and National Achievement scholarship programs – compared with 2 percent nationwide.

Facilities
Our schools were designed to complement the natural and architectural beauty of Shaker Heights. Facilities include eight school buildings, mainly of Georgian design; at least one multimedia computer in every classroom; a fast-growing computer network with access to libraries and the Internet; computer laboratories in schools serving grades 5-12; a planetarium; two indoor pools; newly equipped playgrounds; and spacious athletic fields.

Site Map  |   September 23, 2008