Iroquois Middle School
DECEMBER 2023/ JANUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Iroquois Families:
As we look ahead to the end of the 2023 calendar year and the start of 2024, we are excited about the many new learning experiences that the New Year will bring for your children. I want to take this time to recognize all the hard work our teachers and staff continue to do throughout the school in order to create these opportunities for our students. In addition, I want to recognize all the hard work you do at home to support your children and their success here at school.
This time of year is also an opportunity to renew and recommit to those good habits that serve our students so well. Below are some things you can continue to do at home in order to help your children be successful:
Take time to talk to your children about what they are learning at school each day. Ask them about what they are reading, what new concepts they are exploring, or what writing pieces they are currently working on.
Re-establish routines for homework and studying. Have a regular place and time for your children to do homework, such as a desk or table in a quiet room. Check with them to make sure they understand their homework and use it as an opportunity to better understand the work they are doing during their school day.
Be sure that your children are reading at home. Ask them about what they’re reading and talk to them about what you are currently reading. Perhaps even read and discuss the same book. Research tells us that the more often children read for pleasure, the stronger their reading comprehension becomes, setting them up for success in high school, college and the professional world.
Encourage your children to attend school every day. The educational process requires a continuous sequence of instruction. When broken by a period of absence, this instruction can never be fully regained. The consistent contact of students with one another in the classroom and their participation in learning experiences under the supervision of a highly qualified teacher will help our students reach their full potential.
Finally, I also want to communicate that Friday Dec. 8, is a Conference Day. There will be no school for students on that day. Your child’s teacher will communicate with you directly with more information regarding these conferences.
We also know that the most successful schools feature strong parent-teacher-school ties and relationships among families and teachers that are marked by a spirit of trust and collaboration. We are grateful to you, our families, for your continued effort to work with us to best serve your children, and we ask that you do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions, concerns or feedback.
In closing, I wish you and your family a very happy holiday season and continued good health and prosperity in the New Year.
Sincerely,
Christian Zwahlen
IROQUOIS CONTACT INFORMATION
Principal: Mr. Christian Zwahlen | christian_zwahlen@westiron.monroe.edu
Secretary: Ms. Susan Glastonbury | susan_glastonbury@westiron.monroe.edu
Main office: 585-342-3450
Fax: 585-336-3042
Website: https://irq.westirondequoit.org/
Health Office: 585-336-3091
- Nurse: 585-336-0816
Transportation: 585-336-2992 | Transportation website
District Office: 585-342-5500 | District website: westirondequoit.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
DECEMBER
- Dec 1: Book Fair @ Iroquois
- Dec 8: NO SCHOOL - PARENT/ TEACHER CONFERENCE DAY
- Dec 12: BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL ELECTION
- Dec 13: Concert - 5/6 Gr Orchestra & 5/6 Gr Chorus - IHS - 7:00 p.m.
- Dec 18: Concert - 5 and 6 Gr Band Concert - IHS - 7:00 p.m.
- Dec 19: SPIRIT DAY - Team Day
- Dec 25-29: NO SCHOOL - Holiday Recess
JANUARY
- Jan 1: NO SCHOOL – HOLIDAY RECESS
- Jan 2: School Resumes
- Jan 15: NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King Day
- Jan 17: SPIRIT DAY - Disney Day
- Jan 22-26: Great Kindness Challenge
- Jan 26: 4th Grade Family Event Bingo Night - 6:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY
- Feb 9: 5th Grade Game Night - 6:00 p.m.
- Feb 14-20: Random Acts of Kindness Week
- Feb 19-23: NO SCHOOL - Winter Recess
- Feb 27: SPIRIT DAY - Blast to the Past
- Feb 28: Concert - 5th/6th Orchestra - IHS - 7:00 p.m.
- Feb 29: Concert - 6th Gr Band - 7:00 p.m.
MARCH
- Mar 6: Concert - 6th Gr Chorus - IHS - 7:00 p.m.
- Mar 15: 6th Gr Glow Party - 6:30 p.m.
- Mar 27: SPIRIT DAY - Tie Dye Day
- Mar 28: Parent/Principal Coffee - 6:30 p.m.
- Mar 29: NO SCHOOL - Spring Recess
CLICK GRAPHIC BELOW TO LEARN MORE
INFORMED DECISIONS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS
Educational interventions are targeted strategies or actions implemented to support and enhance a child's learning and development. Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tiered framework used to identify and support students who may be struggling academically or behaviorally. It involves a systematic approach of providing interventions at increasing levels of intensity based on a student's response to instruction and support. The goal of RTI is to prevent academic difficulties, identify and address learning or behavioral challenges early on, and provide targeted interventions to help students succeed. Click the PDF below to read the full story.
NEWS FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
This chart offers practical guidelines for recognizing the differences between some illnesses.
General healthcare information should not be used as a substitute or in place of contacting your child's healthcare provider.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND VACATION TO ALL
Sicilian Sesame Seed Cookies
Great with coffee or espresso!
Ingredients
· flour, about 2 & 1/3 cups
· sugar, 1/4 cup
· 1 stick butter, unsalted, chilled & cut into cubes
· 3 eggs, separated
· 2 tbsp milk
· 1 tbsp honey
· 1/2 lemon, grated zest
· 1/4 tsp salt
· 1 cup sesame seeds
Instructions
1. Combine flour, sugar and butter either by hand or by using a food processor. Mix until it resembles the texture of sand.
2. Add egg yolks, milk, honey, lemon zest and salt. Mix thoroughly.
3. Form dough into a ball, cover with plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 180 degrees-C (350 degrees-F).
5. Divide dough into four equal parts. Further divide each part into three small bits. Flatten each bit and form an almost rectangular shape of 1-cm thick. (I usually make mine about 1 ½ inch wide and 2-inches long.)
6. Add four tbsp. of water to the egg whites and mix.
7. Dip each piece of formed cookie into the egg white mix and then roll them in the sesame seeds.
8. Place in a baking pan lined with a baking sheet.
9. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Mrs. Buerkle!
NOVEMBER STAR STUDENTS
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NOVEMBER STAR STUDENTS:
Indie, Stori, Joseph, Gavin, Maeve, Coleman, Angelina & McKenzie
SERVICE CLUB
Irondequoit Community Cupboard Drive
The Iroquois Service Club Members would like to thank everyone who donated for the Irondequoit Community Cupboard Food Drive. We were able to collect over 15 boxes of non-perishable food items. We appreciate your generosity and support!
Our next project
- Golisano Children's Hospital
Service Club is collecting new toys for the
GOLISANO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
for the holiday season.
Please bring in unwrapped items Monday, Dec. 4 through Wednesday, Dec. 13. Collection boxes will be located in the main office at Iroquois.
- The hospital is only able to accept NEW items on this list
- To respect the wide range of beliefs of different families, they are not able to accept religious items
- They request gifts not be wrapped so families can choose what is appropriate for their child
LOST AND FOUND
Please ask your students to check the lost and found. We have many hoodies and coats, as well as water bottles and lunch bags.
HELMER NATURE CENTER
IPD TO ALTER GUARD STRUCTURE IN WINTER
Families:
We wanted to give you plenty of time to plan for a Crossing Guard schedule change in early 2024 that will impact some families. The Irondequoit Police Dept. has informed us that it will eliminate crossing guards at the following locations from Tuesday, Jan. 2 through Friday, Feb. 16 because of a "low-to-no student count," during that time frame.
St. Paul @ Pattonwood
Lakeshore @ Washington
St. Paul @ Westbourne
Portland @ Coronado
“It is both safer and more practical to have those crossing guards redeployed to other posts where there is a need to cross students," IPD shared with us, adding that shifting those guards to higher traffic areas during that seven-week span, such as in front of Dake Jr. HS and IHS, will enhance student safety.
If you have questions, please email IPD Crossing Guard Coordinator, Mary Beth Egeling, at megeling@irondequoit.gov. If you or anyone you know would want to be a crossing guard, please also email her to obtain more information.
CHECK/UPDATE YOUR INFO IN THE PARENT PORTAL, PLEASE
Do you:
Have a new cell phone number or switch carriers recently?
Have a new email address or new work phone number?
Need to update your emergency contacts?
Be sure to keep us informed of any changes to your numbers or emergency contact information. Update it directly on the Infinite Campus Portal, or send in a note with your child.
TO REACH THE PORTAL, Click here
WHY YOUR MOBILE NUMBER IS CRITICAL
You must have your mobile number in the MOBILE NUMBER field. Our system does NOT default even if you have just one field filled out (Home/Work/Mobile). If your mobile number is not in the correct field, you will NOT receive text messages from our school/district for emergencies (such as school closings in winter months).