West Irondequoit Communication Plan

2024-2025

The purpose of our district’s Communication Plan is to ensure that all families and our community are kept updated in a timely manner on key information happening in our classrooms, schools and district-wide and in alignment with the district's mission, vision and Strategic Plan.

WICSD Organizational Structure

Board of Education

Matthew Sullivan, President

Victoria Bournival, Vice President

Melissa Bohrer

Kate Copeland

Kevin Schoepfel

John Vay

Tamara Wall

District Administration/Leadership

Aaron R. Johnson, Ed. D, Superintendent

James Brennan, Assistant Superintendent/Finance

Brenna Farrell, Assistant Superintendent/Human Resources

Chrissy Miga, Assistant Superintendent/Instruction

John Conti, Executive Director of Operations

Kimberly Cristal, Director of Humanities

Jeff DiVeronica, Director of Public Information

Betsy LoGiudice, School Lunch Director

Orlando Marrero, Director of STEAM

Mary Jo Nugent, Director of Transportation

Brendan O'Toole, Director of Health, Phys. Ed & Athletics

Chris Shellard, Director of Safety & Security

Casey Wagner, Director of Technology

Phil Ortolani, Director of Equity and Wellness

Student Services

Amy Donk, Grades 7-12

Joanna Rowe, Grades K-6

Building Leadership

Irondequoit HS (9-12)

Alecia Zipp-McLaughlin, Principal

Assistant Principals: Mark Foster, Sonja Griffin, Casey Nelan

Dake Junior HS (7-8)

Carol Stehm, Interim Principal

Assistant Principals: Joyce Akwaa and Alexa Hogestyn

Iroquois Middle School (4-6)

Christian Zwahlen, Principal

Rogers Middle School (4-6)

Nick DiMartino, Principal

Cody Rogers, Asst. Principal

Briarwood & Colebrook schools (K-3)

Jennifer DeWitz, Principal

Brookview & Seneca schools (K-3)

Alicia Spitz, Principal

Listwood & Southlawn schools (K-3)

Jacob Shirley, Principal

Introduction

The West Irondequoit CSD believes that effective communication is important. The district must be able to communicate its mission, vision and Strategic Plan to all stakeholders effectively and efficiently. A communication plan can help our Board of Education, administrators, faculty and staff, parents/guardians, students and community at-large stay informed of important updates, news, goals, events and changes. It also provides a clear strategy for how communications should be delivered, who should receive them, and when they should be sent. It helps ensure that everyone is on the same page and promotes transparency and trust between the district and various stakeholders, including our parents/guardians, students and the community.

This plan includes key strategies tailored to our district's needs. It identifies specific communication channels and strategies for using those. When stakeholders know the locations and methods in which the district communicates, it decreases confusion and miscommunication. Feedback from a 2022-23 survey of parents/guardians has helped inform us about how, how often and when families want communication to be delivered.

As always, we are open to your input. If you have questions, thoughts or suggestions, please reach out to your Principal(s) for needs or concerns at the building level or at the district level, you can email the Public Information Office at public_info@westiron.monroe.edu or call (585) 336-3067.

WICSD Mission Statement

The West Irondequoit CSD partners with our community in providing a comprehensive educational experience that balances high expectations, diverse opportunities, intellectual growth, and personal responsibility. Our community welcomes each child, nurtures each mind, and inspires each other to peak performance.

Core Commitments

We are committed to partnering with our community to:

Provide challenging curricula and embrace authentic experiences that complement the academic achievement of each student.
Foster the emotional and physical wellness of all students.
Encourage students to embrace creativity, welcome challenges, learn from setbacks, and develop resilience as integral parts of lifelong learning.
Maintain a working environment that draws and retains knowledgeable, creative, dedicated, and caring professionals.
Balance resources and educational needs to promote a fiscally sound and financially stable educational program.
Provide students opportunities to explore possible careers, develop future paths, and hone 21st century skills for global citizenship.

Code of Conduct

To access the Code of Conduct, click here
A summary of the Code of Conduct is sent to all families via postal mail prior to the start of the school year and distributed to each student on the first day of school.
The full version of the Code can be printed off of our website.

Board Policy

To access Board of Education policies, click here
Find meeting information, bios on board members, links to board meeting videos and more on the district site under Board of Education

Strategic Plan - "Choosing to Rise"

Our Strategic Plan is a living document that is used to communicate the district’s goals and priorities. This plan ensures that all stakeholders are working toward common goals and focuses the district’s energy and resources to complete them. In 2021, the WICSD and Board of Education committed to a five-year Strategic Plan (2021-26). This process was data-driven, inclusive of district stakeholders, and focused on the priorities that will help the district succeed.

To read that plan and supporting documents, click here
Find it on the district website under the District tab

Staff Directories

Cyber security for schools has become a major concern in recent years as cyberattacks on districts have increased. As a result, many schools have removed email addresses from their websites. In West Irondequoit, we no longer provide email addresses of staff members on our site, however, each person is reachable and searchable by going to the Staff Directory page. Simply enter their name or school in the appropriate field and click “SEARCH DIRECTORY.” You also can search a particular building/school by clicking on the “Location” button.

Parents/Guardians also have access to their children’s teachers through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Community members can reach out to the specific school site or district office using phone numbers provided on the website or on the last page of this booklet.

Preferred Method of Communication

The WICSD Preferred Method Chart is intended to provide a quick reference to what method of communication the district will use based on the type of communication. The information being sent will determine who will receive the information using these methods of communication. All emergency alerts and school closings will be sent to the Emergency Contacts listed in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

To access the IC Parent Portal, click here
Find it on all school websites under the Parents/Students tab

It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to make sure information such as phone numbers and email addresses in the IC Portal are kept current. Without current information, phone calls, emails and text message alerts may not be delivered, including teacher’s names, class schedules and bus information. The district encourages families to review their portal information at the start of each school year. For additional information, contact the secretary in your child’s school.

For emergencies, the district will use its Mass Notification system to inform families via:

Phone call, text message and/or email
Pop-up alerts on the district websites (westirondequoit.org & school sites)
Social media channels, if possible, specifically Facebook (click here) or search “West Irondequoit CSD” on Facebook.com)

Point of Contact Progression

It is critical for our families and the community to reach out to us when they have questions or concerns. Please allow for a reasonable response time, particularly if your communication arrives after the school day. If information is not available through primary channels as illustrated in the Communication Preferred Method Chart, the next step is to contact the district. But it is important to start communication inquiry with the person who is closest to and has the most information about the situation. The Point of Contact Progression Chart below provides a progression of contacts that can be used to effectively gather information and work through situations. When contacting the district, please use this chart. Staff will address questions/concerns and/or direct calls as needed.

The Safe School Helpline is a confidential way for anyone to report information about situations that might impact safety at our schools. Call the number below 24/7 to report concerns about unsafe, threatening or potentially disruptive activities/situations. Examples include thoughts of suicide or self-harm, violence, weapons, bullying, drugs and alcohol, and theft. Report by:

Calling 800-418-6423 (ext. 359)
Texting “TIPS” to 66746
SafeSchoolHelpline.com

District Website

The district website at westirondequoit.org is the hub to share important information, as well as a space to recognize student and staff achievement. The calendar on the district site includes key events across our schools. There is also a calendar filter if users want to view events specific to one school. The site is translatable to multiple languages (bottom right corner of any page). Use the drop-down function on the tabs across the top to find different pages, departments, etc.

Look for the latest and archived News on the district site, as well as agendas, minutes and videos of Board of Education meetings. A staff directory, lunch menus and links to important platforms such as Infinite Campus are also readily available, as are links to our Safe School Helpline, Red Flag Reporting and more in terms of reporting an issue (look for REPORT A PROBLEM at the top).

School Websites

Each school has its own website, which includes names/pictures of administrators, its School Calendar, Handbook and School-Based Plan. There are links to School Newsletters, which are emailed to families monthly. Sites may also include listings of clubs and activities, school trips and more. We expect to add more school-specific information beyond just calendars, such as event and student news, as staff become more familiar with our website’s functions.

Social Media

While our district website is the primary source of information for our parents/guardians and community, West Irondequoit is also very active celebrating school, student and staff achievement via its district Facebook page. Posts may promote upcoming district, school and community events, job opportunities in our district, photo albums/galleries, videos and more.

Videos of music performances, school plays, athletic events, Board of Education meetings and student/program features are posted on the district YouTube channel, which has more than 3,000 subscribers (linked: https://bit.ly/WICSD_YouTube). Irondequoit HS, Dake Jr. HS, and Iroquois and Rogers middle schools each have daily morning shows and their own YouTube channels.

West Irondequoit is cognizant that social media should not be the primary source of information from the school district because it may not reach all district stakeholders. The district website or direct email communication is the primary source of information.

Some schools may have their own social media accounts. Accounts operated by employees or students must be approved by the district and use communication that aligns with its objectives and standards. Groups such as a PTSA or others that work to support our schools are not official representatives of the district. Requests by student groups, including athletic teams, to operate social media accounts that represent our schools are reviewed and approved by the administration and start with the employee’s immediate supervisor (building principal, athletic director, etc.).

Communication Protocols and Expectations

West Irondequoit produces three annual newsletters called “The Quote,” that are sent via the postal service. One is for Back-to-School in September, another in March focuses on Curriculum & Instruction and a third in May is to share information about the annual District Budget Vote and Board of Education election.

Emergency Communication: If there is an emergency at school, expect a phone call, email or text message from the district or principal that same day. For urgent situations, the district will use its Mass Notification system to inform families. It may also use:

Pop-up alerts on the district websites (westirondequoit.org & school sites)
Social media channels, if possible, specifically Facebook (click here) or search “West Irondequoit CSD” on Facebook.com)

Important note: We may use text messages to direct families to emails or websites where more information can be found. This is why it is supremely important to make sure parent/guardian phone numbers are correct and in the correct fields in their Infinite Campus Portal profile.

For weather-related, early morning school closings, the district will make every attempt to communicate information by 6 a.m. via its Mass Notification system, websites, social media and the local news/TV stations.

Classroom Communication: Teachers design their own communication plan for parents/guardians, but it is expected they will provide regular updates by phone, email or applications such as Remind or Seesaw.

School Communication: Principals/secretaries are responsible for communicating with families about important information or special events in their schools. This will be done using our Mass Notification System.

Monthly Newsletters: These are put together by each school and emailed to families just before the start of each month. We use a mobile-friendly, digital format that fits the size of the user’s device and is easily translatable into many languages. Newsletters will always include a letter from the Principal, a list of upcoming events, a link to the Lunch Menu and other news, information and pictures.

If a printed version of the monthly newsletter is preferred, parents/guardians may request it from their school secretary. Newsletters emailed home can be easily downloaded as a PDF and printed.