April 2026 News to Know...

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We hope you had an enjoyable and relaxing spring break! This is the time of the year when things really pick up and get busy at school, so please make sure to check out the list of important dates below.

The week before spring break brought a lot of excitement as students celebrated meeting the fundraiser goal in this year's PTO Read-a-Thon! Students were thrilled to watch us kiss a pig! Click here if you would like to see the video: Chief the Pig visits Indian Landing. Chief was brought to us by Pigs on Plank, a 501(c)3 nonprofit mini-pig rescue located in Webster. Their mission is to rescue mini -pigs in need of homes, connect them with their forever homes, and provide education about mini-pigs to the community.

Later this spring, our Indian Landing teachers will meet for placement meetings as we prepare for the 2026-2027 school year. We value the perspective of our parents and guardians and will be asking you to share your thoughts. Early next week, all families will receive a parent input form sent through Parent Square. The purpose of the form is for you to share information about your child that will assist us in determining the "best fit" classroom placement for the 2026-2027 school year. Please see below for more details regarding the placement process.

We look forward to seeing you at some of our upcoming events this spring!

Sincerely,

Marcie Ware

Principal

Eric Traugott

Assistant Principal

• Thursday, April 9th— PTO meeting; 7:00 PM; Virtual
• Friday, April 17th— PTO BINGO Night; IL Cafeteria
• Monday, April 20th and Tuesday, April 21st — NYS ELA testing in grades 3-5; testing starts at 9:40 AM.
• Wednesday, April 22nd — IL celebrates Earth Day! Wear blue and green!
• Tuesday, April 28th— Partner's Pride Assembly; 9:20 AM; Wear IL gear or red & black to show your pride!
• Thursday, April 30th — 5th grade NYS Science assessment; 9:45 AM

Looking ahead—

• Monday, May 11th and Tuesday, May 12th — NYS Math testing in grades 3-5; testing starts at 9:40 AM.
• Thursday, May 7th — Indian Landing Spring Concert; 7 PM PHS Auditorium
• Thursday, May 21st — Arts in Ed Night & PTO Ice Cream Social; 6:30 PM

In April we honor Disabilities Awareness, Autism Acceptance, Arab American Heritage, Scottish American Heritage, and Earth Day (4/22). We will focus classroom lessons on Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM). Although typically celebrated in March is being highlighted in April along with Autism Acceptance. DDAM was recognized in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan to increase public awareness of the needs and the potential of Americans with developmental disabilities and to provide encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives. The month focuses on the importance of understanding and celebrating differences, promoting inclusivity and providing opportunities to learn about various disabilities, we also hope to encourage your children to participate in a respectful dialogue so that we can address common misconceptions and stereotypes about disabilities. Students in grades K-2 will be reading “Something to Say About My Communication Device” – a short story on how to interact with non-speaking children using a communication device. They will also discuss a variety of ways that people can communicate. Students in grades 3-5 will read “All the Way to the Top” – a story about Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins a woman with Cerebral Palsy, who at age 8, climbed the steps of the Capital Building in support of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Students will also hear about the rest of April’s celebrations on the morning announcements starting with Autism Acceptance. In 1972, the Autistic Society established National Autistic Children’s Week as part of its efforts to educate people about autism spectrum disorders and how to support autistic people. During the 2010’s there was a shift in language from Autism Awareness to Autism Acceptance. The term acceptance emphasizes the importance of not just knowing about autism but actively accepting autistic people as valued members of our community.

April is also Arab American Heritage month. Arab American Heritage month started to spread in 2017 but it was only 5-years ago, in 2021, when President Biden issued a proclamation acknowledging the month. Although the month is relatively new, it acknowledges a cultural history dating back as far as 1527 and it is estimated that more than 3.7 million Americans are a part of this community.

Scottish-American Heritage month is recognized in April as well. Scottish-American Heritage Month honors the estimated 20–30 million Americans with Scottish ancestry and their significant contributions to U.S. culture, science, and politics. The month features cultural events, wearing tartans, and celebrating National Tartan Day on April 6th.

Finally, Earth Day. Earth Day is celebrated on April 22. Earth Day is an annual global event celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection, first held in 1970. It unites over one billion people across more than 193 countries to focus on climate action, sustainability, pollution reduction, and reforestation.

At Indian Landing we will be learning more about Earth Day and this year's theme Our Power, Our Planet through morning announcements. We will also hold our annual Earth Day Walk during the school day with our Buddy Classrooms. If you want to learn more at home, check out these fun activities: Kids Discover Earth

Student placements are done by a team consisting of the principal, classroom teachers, and professional support staff. The Placement Team takes into account the academic, social, emotional, and learning environment needs of every student as we strive to create well-balanced classrooms. During the placement process, the team reviews a variety of data sources, as well as input from teachers, staff and parents. This information is then used to determine student placement.

All families will receive an electronic parent input form the week of April 13th through Parent Square. The purpose of the form is for you to share information about your child that will assist us in determining the "best fit" classroom placement for the 26-27 school year. Please note that we are not able to honor requests for specific teachers. All families are strongly encouraged to complete a form for each child as a way to give insight to our team during the placement process.

Mrs. Ware will review each form before the grade level placement meeting. All forms will be submitted electronically and go directly to the principal. In an effort to make sure no input is missed due to sheer volume, parents are asked to use the online form rather than sending an email. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Ware directly.

Yearbooks orders are now being accepted! The 2025-2026 yearbook includes all Indian Landing students in grades K-5. Yearbooks cost $16.00 each. Online purchases only. If you are ordering yearbooks for multiple children, please place a separate order for each child so the yearbooks are delivered to the correct teacher.

Please note: The deadline for ordering a yearbook is Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 8:00am.

Link to order:

https://link.entourageyearbooks.com/my/IndianLanding26 .

Please note that this link is not supported by Safari. For best results, please use Chrome as your browser.

If you have questions, please contact our Yearbook advisor Jaelyn Green at jgreen@penfield.edu.

Join us for an evening of networking and opportunity. Meet the community partners who are shaping the next generation of our workforce, in the trades and the professions, through mentorship. Whether you’re a student looking for a spark, a parent exploring options, or staff supporting the journey, this night is for you.

"The Penfield Education Foundation invites you to join us for our annual 5K run on April 19th to support educational grants and scholarships for all Penfield students."

Sunday April 19th - 9:00am Start Time

Race Info and Sign Up Link: https://app.jotform.com/223253406431143

The Indian Landing (IL) Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is a partnership of parents, guardians, teachers, and administrators committed to supporting and enhancing the educational and social growth of all students at Indian Landing Elementary School.

Now that we are into the second half of the school year the PTO is hard at work planning fundraisers and several events such as Bingo Night, Talent Show, the Ice Cream Social, our Square One art fundraiser, and our legendary IL Carnival. We are in need of volunteers and coordinators... please consider becoming involved!

Want to learn more? You are welcome to join us at our next meeting! Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Indian Landing Library or virtually. Please check out the PTO website for more information.

Website: indianlandingpto.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndianLandingPTO

Our district's goals continue to focus on developing and supporting the whole student. Our approach to positive behavior support will emphasize the idea of Be a Partner! Students will learn specific expectations focused on these key concepts- Be Respectful. Be Responsible. Be Safe. Be Kind.

These ideas are a part of what we do each and every day, and our staff will continually be looking for ways to acknowledge students who are respectful, responsible, safe and kind. Students will receive Partner's Pride stickers as recognition from adults in the building and on the bus. Students who receive stickers will be eligible for random prizes such as bracelets, keychains, and t-shirts. Once a month, we will be recognizing "Partners Proud Moments". Students selected for this honor can be selected by their teacher for any reason- a positive attitude, responsible behavior, overcoming a difficulty, or meeting a personal goal are just a few examples of reasons why a student may be selected for a Partner's Proud Moment. These students receive an Outstanding Student certificate, as well as a special star pin.

Indian Landing has Twitter and Facebook accounts! Please follow us on Twitter at @ILPrincipal or on Facebook at Indian Landing Elementary School as we share important updates and celebrate the amazing learning that is taking place each and every day! *Please note that these accounts are not intended to be a form of two-way communication. If you have a specific question or concern, please email or call the teacher or principal directly.

The Principal’s News to Know newsletter will be sent each month by email. To ensure that you receive the newsletter, please make sure that you have a working email address on file with the district. The newsletter will also be posted to the Indian Landing School page on the district website under the “Principal’s Page” tab. If you would like to request a paper copy, please submit a note to the Main Office and we will be sure to get one to you.

Email: Principal Marcie Ware mware@penfield.edu

Assistant Principal Eric Traugott etraugott@penfield.edu
Website: http://www.penfield.edu/IndianLanding.cfm?subpage=30142
Location: 702 North Landing Road, Rochester, NY, United States
Phone: 585-249-6900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndianLandingElementarySchool/
Instagram: @indianlandingelementary