West Irondequoit showcases K–3 instructional model, highlights attendance and social‑emotional supports

West Irondequoit Central School District leaders and K–3 teachers presented classroom demonstrations and district data at an evening K–3 showcase, outlining curriculum changes, social‑emotional programs and steps to address chronic absenteeism.

"Our session this evening is focused on sustaining equitable instruction, curriculum, and implementation systems to promote social, emotional, and cognitive growth," said Jennifer DeWitts, principal of Briarwood and Coldwood Schools, who led the presentation. DeWitts described a K–12 instructional model the district uses to guide lesson design, culturally responsive pedagogy and student reflection.

The presentation combined short classroom demonstrations with district‑level updates. Observers saw a kindergarten Ready Math lesson focused on number sense and partner talk, a third‑grade humanities project where students reported research on other countries, and a third‑grade lesson using decomposition to find areas of rectangles. Teachers emphasized student‑centered instruction, guided productive struggle and frequent opportunities for students to explain their thinking.

District staff said the district is in full implementation of CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) and has moved this year from a Ready Math pilot into full implementation across K–3 classrooms. DeWitts described weekly teacher team planning and targeted intervention structures: after fall diagnostics, some first‑grade teams formed pull‑out groups and created weekly planning maps for warmups, phonemic awareness and application practice.

Officials gave specific measures of progress and concern. The district reported 1,019 students at the K–3 level, of whom 116 were identified as federally chronically absent (more than 10 percent of school time). At Seneca School, presenters said 33 students were classified as English‑language learners and that 15 of those E&L students met the federal chronic‑absence definition; presenters said those 15 students corresponded to 12 families. In one Brookview first‑grade cohort, staff said eight new students joined in the fall; the team reported 47 percent of that first‑grade cohort were below grade level in October and that in one listed subgroup 19 of 21 students assessed at a kindergarten level.

To address absenteeism and other barriers, DeWitts and other presenters outlined stepped interventions: increased home visits, more consistent family communication often supported by interpreters, targeted outreach tied to immunization follow‑ups, and use of the Panorama platform for progress monitoring and intervention planning. Presenters said nurses are building lists of students with upcoming immunizations to help families schedule appointments.

Professional learning was a major focus. The district described summer and ongoing training for administrators and teachers on student engagement strategies, culturally responsive practice, neurodiversity and practical classroom tools. Staff explained an engagement continuum teachers use so students can self‑assess where they are in the learning process, and they demonstrated use of Zones of Regulation as an in‑class check‑in tool that gives students vocabulary and strategies to move to a “green” ready‑to‑learn state. A school counselor and several classroom teachers described small‑group instruction, calm corners and movement breaks as examples of on‑the‑ground supports.

Assessment tools and monitoring were listed as part of the implementation system: presenters cited AIMSweb letter‑name and letter‑sound fluency progress monitoring, and said teams set March goals and adjust June targets based on interim data. Staff emphasized that coordinated team meetings (including lead teachers, special education teachers and intervention staff) are used weekly to align instruction and transfer skills between pull‑out groups and general classrooms.

Attendees asked about family engagement and continuity between home and school for SEL tools. Presenters said teachers and families have begun sharing common language (for example, calling targeted responses "red" or "green" choices) and that some kindergarten teachers reported rapid behavior improvements when families used the same phrases at home. Presenters suggested additional outreach and parent resources are part of ongoing work.

No formal board vote on these instructional items was recorded in the transcript. The event concluded with a brief Q&A and an invitation to continue the district’s work on attendance, curriculum fidelity and family engagement.

Ending: District leaders said the K–3 showcase was intended as a snapshot of classroom practice and system changes; staff signaled follow‑up monitoring, additional family outreach and continued professional learning as next steps.