Dake Junior High School
OCTOBER 2022
FROM THE INTERIM PRINCIPAL
Greetings Dake Families,
My name is David Dunn and I will be the interim-principal at Dake as the district begins its search for a new principal. I recently retired last June from Fairport where I taught 7th and 8th grade math for 18 years and was principal for the past 27. In my first week at Dake, I enjoyed my time trying to get to know as many people as possible. I have been very impressed with every aspect of Dake Jr. High from the commitment and dedication from the staff to the high level of engagement and positive energy from the students.
It didn't take me long to get back in the groove of being a principal as middle schools tend to be very active from the minute the first staff and students arrive. I have met so many wonderful people in such a short period of time and will do my best to make sure this year is amazing for your child.
Just coming off Homecoming Week, I was able to witness firsthand the rich tradition of pride and excellence that West Irondequoit has enjoyed for many years. Fall sports are in full bloom with students participating at the modified, JV and varsity levels of numerous sports. I am proud of the fifteen 8th graders that are currently playing at the high school level. I enjoyed watching our Dake boys soccer team play against my hometown Martha Brown boys last Saturday. Both teams enjoyed a healthy competitive contest. The afternoon football game at IHS was filled with a great deal of community pride and spirt for the hometown Eagles. There is nothing like Homecoming to bring a community together!
We continue to engage in work at the building level to align our year-long goals with the district's Strategic Plan which can be found on district website. We have been busy analyzing various sets of data to inform next steps for instruction and response to intervention. There will be a K-12 presentation to our Board of Education in October.
It was great meeting everyone at Thursday's Open House. I did my best to meet as many parents as possible. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about that night or any aspect of school life at Dake Jr. High. Thank you for your continued support for your student and the Dake community!
Be well,
David Dunn
DAKE CONTACT INFORMATION
Interim-Principal: David Dunn | david_dunn@westiron.monroe.edu
Asst. Principal: Joyce Akwaa - Grade 7 | joyce_akwaa@westiron.monroe.edu
Asst. Principal: Nicholas DiMartino - Grade 8 | nicholas_dimartino@westiron.monroe.edu
Main office: 585-342-2140
Fax: 585-336-3034
Secretary: Cindy Schmidt | cynthia_schmidt@westiron.monroe.edu
Website: https://dk.westirondequoit.org/
Health Office: 585-336-2964
- Nurse: Bonnie Morrison
- Health clerk: Paula Seeger
Transportation: 585-336-2992
District Office: 585-342-5500 | District website: westirondequoit.org
October
- 6 - BOE Study Session - 7:00 p.m.
- 7 - Go Home Early Drill
- 8 - Helmer Nature Center Fall Harvest Festival - 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- 10 - NO SCHOOL - Indigenous Peoples' Day / Columbus Day
- 11 - WICPTSA Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
- 20 - BOE Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
- 25 - School Picture Make-up Day
- 3 - BOE Study Session - 7:00 p.m.
- 8 - WICPTSA Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
- 10 - NO SCHOOL - K-12 Conference Day
- 11 - NO SCHOOL - Veterans Day
- 17 - BOE Meeting
- 17 - 20 - Dake Musical
- 23-25 - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Recess
- 27 - Report cards available this week
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.
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 (November), 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.
To learn about this, including the mission and vision of the group, please click the PDF below.
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: 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: 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?
Order Dake Jr. High spiritwear through the link below. The store will close on October 8th (this is different from the original date of 10/2). No orders will be accepted after this date.
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! SEE MORE AT THIS LINK
JOIN THE WICPTSA!
See the attached flyer from the PTSA for membership information.
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 on the Parent Portal, or send in a note with your child. Thank you!