Briarwood

Dear Families,

With the holiday season quickly upon us, we take different opportunities this time of year to be thankful, to celebrate and to enjoy family traditions. In West Irondequoit, we strive to ensure all cultures are affirmed through intentional curriculum, teaching approaches that meet the needs of all students and celebrations that honor all cultures and traditions.

Our school comes together each December to experience different traditions and celebrations. Our students learn through music, art and literature. When children learn about different holidays and cultural traditions, they gain more than just knowledge – they develop empathy, respect and curiosity about the world beyond their own experiences. Whether it’s learning about Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas or other celebrations, understanding these customs helps them appreciate the richness of human traditions and the values that connect us all. Our music teacher, Mr. DenBleyker, prepares our students to sing songs celebrating a variety of these different holiday traditions. Students learn about the importance of each celebration through song, read-a-louds and videos.

Similar to the work happening in music classes, each special area teacher ensures that their curriculum is reflective of all cultures. For example, art projects reflect diversity and our Library Media Specialist, Ms. Flood, incorporates read-a-loud stories from multiple perspectives so students hear a variety of experiences. As a school community, we will continue to celebrate the with our annual Singalongs on:

· Date: Thursday, Dec. 19th

· Location: Briarwood School, 215 Briarwood Dr.

We ask that family members of Kindergarten and second-grade students join us at 9:45 a.m. and that family of our first- and third-graders join us at 2:15 p.m. As a reminder, all students will be singing in each performance.

I want to wish everyone the happiest of holidays. May your days be filled with warmth, laughter, and cherished memories. Let’s take this time to reflect on our blessings and look forward to the new year with hope and joy. Please note: There is no School Newsletter in late December. The next one you’ll receive is in late January. This edition covers December and January.

Happy Holidays,

Jennifer DeWitz

Principal: Jennifer DeWitzl | Jennifer_DeWitz@westiron.monroe.edu

Secretary: Amber Kash | Amber_Kash@westiron.monroe.edu

Main office: 585-336-1610

Fax: 585-336-1611

Website: westirondequoit.org/briarwood_school

Health Office: 585-336-1618

· Nurse: Lisa Marrapese

Transportation: 585-336-2992

District Office: 585-342-5500 | District website: westirondequoit.org

Social media: Follow @BrennaFarrell9 on X/Twitter and @WestIrondequoit

• 12/10 : Promise Project 2027 Vote (learn more)
• 12/19 : Briarwood Winter-Sing-Along

• 12/23 - 1/5 : NO SCHOOL- Holiday Recess

• 1/06: School Resumes
• 1/10: PTSA Talent Show 5:30 pm
• 1/15 - 2/12: PTSA Wintry Wednesdays
• 1/20: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr Day
• 1/29: NO SCHOOL - Lunar New Year

FEBRUARY

• 2/17-2/21: NO SCHOOL - Winter Recess

FULL CALENDAR: westirondequoit.org/briarwood_school

On Tuesday, Dec. 10th, 2024, West Irondequoit CSD residents are being asked to participate in a Capital Project Vote from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. The project would have NO TAX IMPACT because we would use a combination of existing capital reserves and state aid to fund it, along with $1 million from the NYS Assembly. The two propositions to consider:

• Proposition 1: Renovating the Pinegrove Learning Center (Pre-K classrooms & more)
• Proposition 2: Multi-Purpose Turf Athletic Fields (IHS/Dake) and a JV baseball field (Iroquois Middle School)

These propositions are connected, meaning the enactment of Proposition 2 is dependent on Proposition 1 passing. If Prop 1 does not pass, Prop 2 will not be enacted regardless of the vote. Note: Prop 1 could pass without Prop 2 passing.

We invite you to explore more on the Promise Project 2027 Vote page on the district site. It includes pictures, graphics, renovation/funding breakdowns and more. Questions? Join us at a Public Information Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at District Office at 6:30 p.m. The Dec. 10 vote is also at District Office, 321 List Ave. We are excited about what we feel would be important enhancements to further academic and athletic excellence for our students.

Over the last four years, our district has worked diligently to craft a guaranteed experience for all K-4 students that will engage them in meaningful and celebratory classroom experiences for our Heritage and Identity Celebration Months.

Last spring, we presented our work for K-4 Celebration Months to our Board of Education for approval, enabling us to require this implementation in all K-4 classrooms as part of our guaranteed curriculum. Prior to bringing the texts to the Board, each went through a thorough vetting process, which included:

• Piloting texts in classes
• Meeting with building leaders, teachers, and families for feedback
• Review by the DEI Coalition Curriculum Committee
• Surveys to the community

With the Board’s approval, we were able to purchase our texts and, last spring, all K-4 teachers received their complete Strong Voices Text Kits. And after much thoughtful and collaborative planning, this year our Strong Voices Project for Heritage & Identify Celebration Months is in full swing! The graphic below shows our district calendar of Celebration Months.

To support the implementation of this work, representatives of our K-4 teachers have worked to build book guides to support teachers in prompting meaningful and appropriate classroom discussions about that Celebration Month. The goal of this work is to ensure that, at minimum, every student is engaged in a meaningful learning experience to build awareness of and celebrate the diverse identities in our broader community. Additionally, many of these texts have been built into our Humanities curriculum to provide greater continuity of learning experiences.

We are so excited for this work to finally reach our students! For more information, please review our Family Guide to the Strong Voices Project, linked here: Strong Voices Heritage Months FOR FAMILIES.pdf

PASSN (Parent Advocates for Students Services Network) is a subcommittee of the West Irondequoit Central PTSA. The group meets monthly on Mondays at the Irondequoit Public Library. Meetings promote support and collaboration for parents/guardians of special needs students. Our community is invited to attend any upcoming meeting – schedule below.

· Dec. 16, 2024

· Jan. 13, 2025

· Feb. 10, 2025

· March 10, 2025

· *April 14, 2025

· May 12, 2025

· June 9, 2025

*Note: A vote will be taken at the December meeting on whether to cancel the April meeting due to Spring Break. Childcare is usually available at most meetings.

There is a lot going on the next few months at Helmer Nature Center, 154 Pinegrove Ave.

Dec. 12: Trim-a-Tree for Wildlife!

Join us for activities and crafts! Make pinecone bird feeders and edible garland at this hands-on event to trim our outdoor space with treats so our wildlife have food this winter. Children can decorate their own melted snowman cookie & enjoy it with hot cocoa! Bring some fun creations home, including your own pinecone bird feeder! Cost is $5 per person ($25 family max). There are two sessions: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (pizza available at afternoon session).

Dec. 26 – Jan. 18: Trees for Trails!

Leave your used holiday tree in HNC’s parking lot when you’re done with it and we turn it into wood chips to control erosion and fortify our trails. Please remove bags, ornaments, wire, etc.; whole trees only (no clippings); no yard waste or debris. If you wait until Jan. 18th, volunteers will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to unload your tree from your vehicle. Prior to that when leaving trees, please face trunk side toward parking lot. Special thanks to High Falls Tree Service and Irondequoit Lawn & Landscape! This tradition started in 1976!

Evening Snowshoe!

· Monday, Jan. 13: 6:30 – 8 PM, Teens & Adults Night (full moon)

· Thursday, Jan. 16: 6-7 PM, Family Night

Join us on a guided snowshoe hike through HNC’s snow-covered trails. Enjoy the winter silence under the moon. Follow wildlife tracks and maybe hear an owl or coyote! Afterward, warm-up inside with a tasty treat and hot beverages. Price: $5 HNC members; $7 others (includes snowshoe rental, basic snowshoe instruction & refreshments. You MUST REGISTER three days in advance. Call 585-336-3035 or email HelmerNatureCenter@gmail.com.

Feb. 1: Team Trivia

Participate in a battle of wits against other teams for fun and prizes! This happens Saturday, Feb. 1 at Irondequoit High School. Proceeds support HNC, our outdoor classroom! There will be many door prizes, so you don't have to win at trivia to go home with something fun! It’s $90 per table (6 players). Look for more details on the HNC Facebook page!

It can be hard to know when to send children to school if they tell you they don’t feel well. There are times when keeping them at home to rest or calling for an appointment with your healthcare provider is recommended. Please keep your child home and/or contact your child’s physician for:

· Fever greater than 100.4" (taken by mouth)

· Vomiting and/or diarrhea within the last 24 hours

· Severe sore throat along with fever and feeling ill for more than 48 hours (or after known exposure to Strep throat infection)

· Honey-crusted sores around the nose or mouth or rash on other body parts

· Large amounts of mucous (liquid) from the nose with face pain or headache

· Severe ear pain or fluid coming from the ear

· Severe headache, especially with fever

If your child has a fever, it’s not a good idea to give them medicine such as Tylenol/Advil and send them to school because as soon as the medicine wears off, the fever may return and you’ll be called to pick up your child.

Please keep children home for 24 hours after the fever ends or they’ve completed 24 hours of medication, if prescribed by your healthcare provider.

If you find your child is frequently asking to stay home, if they are falling

behind or appear anxious about school, or if there doesn’t appear to be any physical symptoms, contact your school nurse & healthcare provider to discuss concerns. Remind children to throw away used tissues, cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, keep their hands away from their face, and to wash hands often with soap and warm water will help keep everyone healthier. Click this link for more resources on the district website.

The Rochester Americans and Knighthawks are offering a ticket deal during the Thanksgiving holiday week. Seats start at $15. You must use the promo code: westirondequoit1. The Amerks take on Cleveland on Wednesday, Nov. 27th and the Knighthawks open their season Saturday, Nov. 30th vs. Las Vegas. You must use the special links below:

· Amerks tickets: fevo-enterprise.com/group/202425317

· K-Hawks tickets: fevo-enterprise.com/event/Homeopener88

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 on the Parent Portal, or send in a note with your child.

Thank you!