Superintendent Update

Hello families:

As we move through this final stretch of the school year, there’s a natural rhythm that takes hold across our schools that includes a blend of reflection, celebration, and closure. Thanks to our dedicated staff, classrooms are alive with milestone moments, from culminating projects to concerts, ceremonies, and the everyday experiences that bring students, staff, and friends together one last time before summer begins. It’s a meaningful season, and one that reminds us how much growth and accomplishment can happen in just one year. I also want to extend my sincere appreciation to our entire community for your support in our recent budget vote. With more than three-quarters of voters approving the budget, and strong support for the small capital improvement proposition to address roof and ceiling repairs, as well as our proposition regarding the energy performance contract and the additional state aid tied to it, we are in excellent shape to continue caring for our facilities at a level that our community expects while advancing sustainability efforts that will benefit our students and society for years to come. It provides an exceptional model for our children and others.

Right now, our focus remains squarely on celebrating students and wrapping up this school year. When the dust settles, we look forward to sharing more about what’s ahead, including progress on our next five-year strategic plan and the development of a comprehensive master facility and capital improvement plan to ensure our buildings and grounds reflect the evolving needs of our students, families, and community. We’ve also heard your feedback regarding student technology use and screen time, particularly in our younger grades, and our teams are actively working with our technology advisory committee to explore this area next year. In addition, we’re excited to begin rolling out ParentSquare as a centralized, one-stop platform for family-to-school communication, with even more details coming soon. Finally, I want to thank our food service team for their work in revitalizing our lunch program; beginning next month, families will have access to expanded information about ingredients, nutrition, and allergy considerations through the monthly school lunch menus.

As writer and teacher Margaret J. Wheatley reminds us, “There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about." For our community, thank you for making it clear that our children remain at the core.

In partnership,

Aaron R. Johnson, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools

Our Board of Education approved three new administrative appointments at Thursday's Board of Education meeting. They are:

• Claire Hamilton, Assistant Principal, Dake Jr. HS
• Tyler Johnson, Executive Director of Operations, District-wide
• Kyra Stephenson, Director of Helmer Nature Center

Please join us in welcoming them! Read more about them via this link.

Thanks to the hard work of our Food Services Department, we are pleased to announce some enhancements to the School Lunch Menus on our website. They include the addition of information for nutrition and ingredients, which includes allergens.

Tap the link above to go to the Menus page or go to westirondequoit.org. On desktop, click Departments, then Food Service, then Menus. On mobile devices, tap the three lines at the top right (then Departments, then Food Service, then Menus).

Once on the menu page, scroll to your school and tap the link. On mobile devices, you’ll be prompted to stay on mobile or continue to desktop. We recommend desktop. Note: If you choose mobile view, you need to type in the school name, not our district.

In desktop mode, hover over or click any menu item to see the nutrients; click the magnifying glass to see a summary of all menu items for that day. Note allergen symbols listed all the way to the right. If you have questions, please call (585) 336-3063.

As warmer weather arrives, we’re seeing an increase in the use of e-bikes, e-scooters, and golf carts around our school grounds. We want to remind everyone again that motorized bicycles and scooters are prohibited on school grounds and should not be ridden on school property at any time, including during the school day, in the evenings, or on weekends. Students and visitors are expected to walk their e-bikes and e-scooters while on campus to ensure everyone's safety on our grounds, including their own.

Additionally, registered golf carts must be operated by licensed drivers as motor vehicles and remain in designated driving and parking areas. They should not be driven on sidewalks or pedestrian pathways. We share this reminder after a recent close call involving an e-bike and a motor vehicle, underscoring the importance of these expectations. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.

We appreciate your partnership in reinforcing these guidelines with your children and ask that all riders wear helmets at all times, wherever they ride. Thank you for helping us keep our school community and children safe.

West Irondequoit and the Monroe County Clerk's Office are hosting a Family Passport Night on Wednesday, June 17 from 3:30-7:30 p.m. at the Evans & McGraw Teaching Learning Center, 45 Cooper Road. You must pre-register for an appointment with this link.

⭐2 IMPORTANT NOTES ⭐

1. You must have a check or money order for each U.S. Department of State fee ($100 for age 15 and younger; $130 for 16 and older). For example, a family of 4 needs 4 separate checks/money orders. Remaining Monroe Co. processing and picture fees can be paid with credit, debit, check or cash.
2. Also, for children 15 and younger, both parents/guardians must be present.

For required documentation and more details: monroecounty.gov/clerk-passports

West Irondequoit Community Education offers a variety of options for you and your family, and Spring/Summer registration is now open! Sign up for your favorite programs. Please note: Swim lessons have a separate registration date. See more via this link.

Check out its summer camp offerings, too! New this year: cheerleading, Sandlot Sports Camp, SmashBall (Intro to Volleyball), Tennis and Wrestling. Don’t miss out on the fun. See the links below for camps and more:

View the catalog
Register here

FOR SWIMMING
Summer Registration Opens: May 13

Email: public_info@westiron.monroe.edu
Website: westirondequoit.org
Location: 321 List Avenue, Irondequoit, NY, USA
Phone: 585-342-5500

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