Superintendent Update
West Irondequoit CSD update from Aaron Johnson
JUNE 21, 2023
Dear Families,
Sitting down to craft this message, I can't help but smile. This school year was fulfilling on so many levels. It feels like we're back fully, as evidenced by the bustle at our buildings with activities like Field Days, Moving Up and Graduation ceremonies, Arts Fest, Flag Day, concerts, plays and so much more. Students and staff are reporting an increased sense of safety thanks to the actions of the district and our staff, and most important - student achievement is climbing! Faculty tackled significant curricular advancements with tremendous support from our mental health teams and academic interventionists. It was a concerted team effort underpinned by your encouragement at home. A few points we must celebrate:
- 88% of our graduating seniors participated in college-level coursework during in high school
- Almost 95% accessed coursework in Fine Arts and Music
- Grades K-2 are demonstrating early literacy skills at or above pre-pandemic levels (see item below for more on the significant impact of Federal Stimulus Funds)
- More than 90% of students taking the ELA Regents examination passed, with more demonstrating Mastery (76%) than in the past four years
Those are just a few highlights and this Sunday we will celebrate the 100th commencement in Irondequoit High School history! We also accomplished a considerable amount of progress in our District Strategic Plan. Year 2 yielded gains in our instructional framework, curriculum development, communication systems, continuum of student services, restorative practices, social-emotional learning, health and safety and more. I recently read this quote: "What its children become, that will the community become." Thank you for your continued belief in our children. They are OUR future.
Please read below for more updates from our team, in particular, the next item on Community Feedback. And if you missed any of our recent celebrations in person, go to our Facebook, YouTube and Twitter platforms. On behalf of our staff and Board of Education, we wish you all a glorious summer!
In partnership,
Aaron R. Johnson, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools
SEEKING YOUR FEEDBACK
Dear West Irondequoit Families,
We seek your feedback on our use of Federal Stimulus relief money received via two federal funds following the pandemic. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts, ideas and considerations as we look ahead to 2023-24. What have we done well? What are some important opportunities for us to consider?
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE SURVEY
Please share as many thoughts as possible. The survey closes July 3rd. Note: This survey is confidential (your thoughts will be shared with others, but not your identity). We ask that you please be respectful and do not use names in this ThoughtExchange (these thoughts will be removed from the discussion).
You will see and rate thoughts others have shared (5 stars = strongly agree, 1 star = strongly disagree). Here's how it works:
- Answer a question
- Share your thoughts
- Rate thoughts shared by others
- View thoughts important to the group
Thank you for participating in this important discussion!
FEDERAL STIMULUS IMPACT
Below are a few of the significant gains we've seen in the past two years from our use of Federal Stimulus Relief funds:
- At the K-2 level, we purchased CKLA, a reading program designed to support the science of reading. At the end of the 2021-22 school year, 59% of current second grade students were reading proficiently. At the end of this school year, 76% of the same cohort of students are now reading proficiently.
- We added three reading and math intervention teachers at the elementary level. With this added support, we were able to dismiss 32% of K-6 students from intervention services. This puts us at 80% of K-6 students not requiring intervention services, which is a research-based goal all districts aim for when providing intervention services.
- At the secondary level, we added a behavioral support specialist at Dake, as well as a 7-12 social worker across both Dake and the High School. At Dake, we saw suspensions decrease in days by more than 100; at IHS, that number decreased by more than 400 days.
- Hundreds of students (150 this year alone), K-12, have been supported this year and last through the use of the K-12 Intensive Tutoring Before and After School program.
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
STUDENT SERVICES TASK FORCE UPDATE
This school year, a task force comprised of a multi-disciplinary group of K-12 staff engaged in responding to the Student Services analysis completed in Spring of 2022. The focus of their work was professional learning for student services staff, entry and exit guidelines, CSE processes and the K-12 continuum of services. Regarding the K-12 continuum of services, the analysis drew attention to gaps within the continuum, specifically at the K-6 level. Through the work of the task force and district leadership, and using funds through the Federal Stimulus Grants, this school year we were able to identify areas at the K-6 level to expand our continuum for next school year. We are adding 8:1:1 self-contained classrooms and consultant teacher services at the elementary level. These will allow us to better meet student needs within the least restrictive environment.
We will continue to develop a plan to expand our continuum even further across K-12. This may include additional levels of support at K-6. At grades 7-12, we are investigating ways we can enhance transition supports for students as we prepare them for post-high school to be college and career ready.
The task force will convene again next school year to move forward this great work!
TUTORING CENTER UPGRADE
As part of the district’s reacquisition of the community center on Pinegrove, we are excited to have the opportunity to expand the supports we provide to students through our district-based Tutoring Center. Currently, our Tutoring Center resides at the TLC on Cooper Road. The TLC Tutoring Center is a place to support students who may be out of their regular instructional program due to suspension, pending an alternative educational placement, have a specific medical need and/or credit recovery to support progress toward graduation.
Over the summer, rooms at Pinegrove will be renovated so that we can ensure our tutoring services are robust enough to meet the tutoring needs of all students. We will be able to service long-term needs at Pinegrove, while continuing to support short-term needs at the TLC on Cooper Road. The additional space will also allow us to be more flexible in supporting both K-6 and 7-12 students.
URMC PARTNERSHIP
Starting in May of this school year, we began a consultation collaboration with the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), specifically the division of developmental behavioral pediatrics. The UMRC consultation program has existed for more than 30 years with a goal of partnering with school districts to build capacity to support student behavior. Consultation services for West Irondequoit will include 1:1 student support, as well as on-site visits to provide feedback and learning to our staff working with students. Our district contact, Dr. David McAdam, is a doctoral-level behavior analyst. We have already met with him to plan for our 8:1:1 elementary classrooms, as well as provide consultation for student support. We are excited to continue with this consultation in the 2023-24 school year to support our students behavioral and social-emotional well-being.
REGIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL AT DAKE
As you drive by Dake Jr. HS this summer, you may notice that it’s a bit busier than normal. This is due to Dake being the site for Monroe 1 BOCES Regional Summer School. The Regional Summer School program is run by BOCES with a focus credit recovery for secondary students. Typically, this program runs out of the East Irondequoit School District. However, this summer their buildings are experiencing renovations and were unable to hold Regional Summer School. The program will run at Dake weekdays from July 10 – Aug 17 from 8:30-12:30. Students from other Monroe County school districts will attend and arrive and dismiss from the front bus loop.
Students are identified for BOCES Regional Summer School at the building level at each Monroe County school and space is dependent on staffing.
R.I.S.E. CAPITAL PROJECT UPDATES
- May - October 2023: Design Phase
- October - January 2024: SED Review
- January 2024: Bidding
- Spring 2024 - Fall 2025: Construction
STUDENT INPUT FOR R.I.S.E. PROJECT!
Two R.I.S.E. Project enhancements are new age-appropriate playgrounds and re-imagined and redesigned Library Media Centers at Iroquois and Rogers middle schools. Students have been part of the planning process! They have been in meetings and given feedback to administrators and our design partners.
“It was exciting to meet with the architects and designers who are going to be building the new library,” said Mitchell Getz, an Iroquois sixth-grader (pictured) who is moving on to Dake. “I think architecture is really cool, so for me to meet with people who are doing that type of work was a new experience and a cool experience."
He thinks students will be happier with the new space.
“I'm excited because more kids will be able to enjoy a library that will look more colorful, be more fun and will make more kids want to use and come back to it,” he said.
LOCKDOWN RESPONSE
- Communication (Notifications, Incident Command, Radios and Cell phone use)
- Response to Law Enforcement (What to expect)
- Secure Bathrooms
- Audible Notification
- Street Level Windows
- Training (Substitutes, Standardized Manuals, All Staff)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: public_info@westiron.monroe.edu
Website: westirondequoit.org
Location: 321 List Avenue, Irondequoit, NY, USA
Phone: 585-342-5500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestIrondequoitCSD
Twitter: @WestIrondequoit