Back-to-school at Shenendehowa as district nears 75th anniversary

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- K-12 students at Shenendehowa Central Schools hit the books Wednesday for the first day back. Later this school year, the district will celebrate its 75th anniversary.

Something new is rolling into the district this year: Electric school buses. The district welcomed its first EV into its fleet a couple weeks prior to the start of the new school year. According to the district, the Shen Transportation Team is hard at work getting prepared to start utilizing them. A legally-required transition in New York State means gas-powered buses are banned for purchase starting in 2027.

Superintendent Dr. L. Oliver Robinson is looking forward to May, when the district will celebrate its 75th anniversary. On May 8, 1950, the board voted to name the district Shenendehowa based on an old Dutch map that designates the area the district intended to purchase as Shenendahowe, according to Shen's website.

While a number of Capital Region districts are updating their cell phone policies, requiring students to put their phones in designated pouches at the start of the school day, Shen's policy will remain the same as it has been. Students will be instructed to keep phones on silent and "put away" during class.

For high school football enthusiasts, the start of school means the start of the season! Week 0 in Section 2 kicks off Friday, with a league rivalry matchup of Shen at Shaker. It's NEWS10's 1st & 10 Game of the Week: Shenendehowa at Shaker.