Iroquois Middle School
OCTOBER 2022 NEWSLETTER
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Iroquois Families:
We have been so excited to welcome you and your children back for the 2022-23 school year! It is a great honor to serve as the principal of Iroquois School and to work with your children every day. I want to extend a warm welcome to those of you who are new to Iroquois. We are excited to get to know you and your children and begin to build the kinds of relationships that we know are so important in supporting student learning and achievement. I thank you for your commitment to your children and for sending them to us so prepared to continue their journey as life-long learners.
I would especially like to welcome our newest members of Iroquois—our incoming fourth-grade students. Fourth grade is a transition year for our children. Change can sometimes be challenging, but change can be also be rewarding and energizing as we help children grow and embrace new milestones.
Indeed, in order to support students in making a smooth transition from one grade to the next, faculty members worked diligently over the summer. Their work included planning and staff development, as well as curriculum writing and alignment. Our School Based Planning Team met to review our student performance data and to set goals for the 2022-2023 school year as well as the action steps we will use to achieve those goals. We continue to focus on ensuring that all students have access to high levels of learning, engagement, and rigor and that all students feel welcomed, nurtured, and inspired here at Iroquois School.
Our ultimate goal is always to meet the particular needs of each child, challenging our students to set their own goals for achievement and work hard to achieve those outcomes. Every staff member is charged with this over-arching target and each of us works to identify and implement specific instructional strategies that will help us get there. We believe that each child belongs to all of us—and, as such, we will work diligently to ensure that we meet the needs of each and every student.
Thank you, again, for all your continued support as we build lasting relationships to support student learning and achievement here at Iroquois. I look forward to seeing you throughout the school 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: 585-336-0804
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
OCTOBER
- Oct 7: Go Home Early Drill
- Oct 10: NO SCHOOL – INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY/COLUMBUS DAY
- Oct 11: School Picture Day
- Oct 13: Curriculum Night 5:30 p.m.
- Oct 21: Parent/Principal Coffee 8:00 a.m.
- Oct 24-28: C.A.R.E. Week
- Oct 27-28: PTSA Halloween Obstacle Course
NOVEMBER
- Nov 10: Parent-Teacher Conference Day
- Nov 11: NO SCHOOL – VETERAN’S DAY
- Nov 15: School Picture Make Up Day
- Nov 18: NO SCHOOL – THANKSGIVING RECESS
- Nov 28: Book fair week
DECEMBER
- Dec 1: Book Fair Family Event
- Dec 13: 5th Gr Orchestra, 6th Gr Orchestra & 5th/6th Gr Chorus Concert @ IHS 7:00 p.m.
- Dec 19: 5th Gr Band & 6th Gr Band @ IHS 7:00 p.m.
- Dec 26-30: NO SCHOOL – HOLIDAY RECESS
Happy Fall from the Office of Instruction! The excitement during the start of the school year has been amazing. Students have shown up ready to learn and teachers/staff are equally energized to provide authentic and positive learning experiences for our students. We wanted to share our district’s work regarding Heritage Months. In alignment with our Strategic Plan and the New York State Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Framework, we want to promote environments in which diverse cultures, languages, and identities are reflected, represented, and valued. To support this, last school year we brought together a group of administrators, teachers, community members and the Director of Diversity and Equity Planning from Monroe BOCES. The goal of this group was to provide visible opportunities for a students’ backgrounds to be celebrated through Heritage Months, such as Hispanic/Latine (Sept./October), Native American Heritage Month to honor Indigenous People, Black History month (February) and Arab American month (April). As the group continues to grow resources, we will continue to add celebrations. Each month, a menu of resources will be cultivated through our group and shared with each school building.
OCTOBER IS WELLNESS MONTH
October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. During the month of October, we encourage students, staff and community to strengthen their healthy habits by trying new strategies. Your family is encouraged to use the attached Wellness Calendar (or see the graphic below) as a resource to start conversations and increase wellness strategies. Feel free to use the calendar in a way that makes sense for your family!
REMINDER: GO HOME EARLY DRILL IS OCTOBER 7
Friday, October 7th is the state-mandated “Go Home Early Drill.” It starts a three-day weekend. All students are released 10 minutes early. If you pick up your children at school, please arrive 10 minutes early, and expect students who ride buses to arrive 10 minutes early. The K-6 Extension Childcare Program will open early and remain open until 6 PM. Crossing guard schedules also will accommodate the time change.
FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE
Outdoor Recess
We will continue with outside recess until the temperature drops below 40°. Please have your children dress appropriately.
Attendance - students absent, tardy or picked up early
Please let the health office know if your child is going to be absent, tardy or will be picked up early. You may call or email the Health Clerk @ 336-3091 or at jill_bellanca@westiron.monroe.edu
5th and 6th Grade physicals
5th Grade: NYS mandates an updated physical completed by your child’s pediatrician to be on file in the health office. If you haven’t done so, please send it in with your child or email the nurse at mimi_buerkle@westiron.monroe.edu
6th grade: If you child has a new physical this school year, please send a copy to the health office. This year’s physical will be good for 2023/24 school year, and it will qualify for a fall sports physical at Dake Junior High School.
SEL SPOT ( SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING)
EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
Parents/guardians,
Do you:
Have a new cell phone number or email address?
Have a new work phone number?
Need to update your emergency contacts?
Be sure to keep your child's school informed of any changes to your phone numbers or emergency contact information. Update info directly parent portal or send in a note with your child. Thank you!
UPCOMING EVENTS AT HELMER NATURE CENTER!
Please click this link to read Helmer Nature Center’s latest newsletter and learn more about its two big events this fall that are right around the corner. Stay up to date on events at Helmer, our school district's "outdoor classroom," via its Facebook page or the district website.
Fall Harvest Festival
Date: Saturday, Oct. 8th
Details: Games and activities, crafts, pony rides, live music and demonstrations including a blacksmith, water rockets and HNC animal encounters!
Owl Prowl
Dates: Oct. 21-22
Details: “Who” wouldn’t want to learn more and try to meet up with our feathery friends during a night-time walk?