R.I.S.E. Project

WINTER 2026: The final touches to the project were put in place in early January, as an I-Eagles logo was affixed to the bridge/walkway connecting IHS to Dake Jr. HS (see video) and the Rogers Middle School/Southlawn Library Media Center neared completion toward the middle of January.

FALL 2025: The bridge/walkway between IHS and Dake is now open for foot traffic and the D.O.E.S. building at 330 Pattonwood Drive is charging toward the finish line! In fact, we're hosting an Open House on Monday, Oct. 6th from 4-6 PM for residents or staff to tour the new space for our maintenance crew, mechanics and grounds crew workers.

SUMMER 2025: The new Library Media Center at Iroquois Middle School will be ready for the start of the 2025-26 school year and it looks amazing! (watch the video). It's state of the art! Work continues at our D.O.E.S. building and on the bridge/walkway connecting IHS and Dake. However, the walkway will not be ready for the start of the school year. The Library Media Center at Rogers Middle School is beginning to be "built out" and should be ready to open in the winter. Finally, new rigging for lighting in the IHS Auditorium and new doors at Dake Jr. HS were installed.

APRIL 2025 - Work has progressed on schedule for the $19 million R.I.S.E. Capital project since receiving NYS Education Dept. approval in July 2024. New middle school playground installations were at Iroquois and Rogers were completed last summer. Work at our renovated Department of Environmental Services building (330 Pattonwood Drive) and the walkway connecting Dake Jr. HS and Irondequoit HS is ongoing. The Iroquois and Rogers/Southlawn Library/Media Center renovations are also well under way. 

Winter 2025-26:

• Project closeout

 

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• Complete Rogers/Southlawn Library renovation

 

 

 

 

Fall 2025:

• Complete second-story walkway between Dake Jr. HS & IHS
• Complete IHS Auditorium rigging/lighting replacement
• Complete HVAC equipment replacement at Dake, IHS & Iroquois

 

 

 

 

Summer 2025:

• Begin IHS Auditorium rigging/lighting replacement
• Replace HVAC equipment at Dake, IHS & Iroquois
• Complete D.O.E.S. work at Pattonwood site
• Complete Iroquois Library renovation 

   

Spring 2025:

• Begin Rogers/Southlawn Library Renovation (started April 7, 2025) 

   

• Complete Dake interior door replacement
• Continue work on second-story walkway between Dake Jr. HS & IHS

   

Winter 2024-25:

• Replace Dake interior door replacement
• Begin Iroquois Library Renovation (March 2025 video update) 

   

Fall 2024:

• Begin Dept. of Environmental Services Lakeview site renovations at 330 Pattonwood Drive
• Begin second-story walkway between Dake Jr. HS and IHS (READ MORE - Sept. 25)

August 2024:

• Installed playgrounds at Rogers and Iroquois middle schools (watch video)
• Replaced HVAC at Rogers

   

June 2024:

• Work is set to begin on a new middle school playgrounds. Click here to see more upcoming work

August 2024:

• Due to a backlog of statewide submissions, we are still awaiting approval from the NYSED on starting work on the R.I.S.E. Capital Project (approved May 2023).

January 2024:

The R.I.S.E. Capital project is currently under review by the NYS Education Department, which has experienced a backlog of submitted capital projects. The delay in the review will likely cause us to change when we bid the project and when the work will actually start. We originally planned for work to commence in the late spring 2024 but the NYSED delay may result in the work beginning late summer instead. Once we have approval of the submitted plans, more information regarding the timeline of bidding, construction, etc. will be determined. 

July 2023:

The R.I.S.E. Project passed alongside the Budget Vote on May 16, 2023. In the months following, the District began work with architects, engineers and construction managers to formulate detailed plans for submission to the State Education Department (SED) for review. Included in the planning were a variety of stakeholders who provided key information and perspectives of the various project elements. That included staff, faculty and students. Now the architects and engineers are working to bring that input to life. The following is a list of next steps in the project:

• May - October 2023: Design Phase
• October - January 2024: SED Review
• January 2024: Bidding
• Spring 2024 - Fall 2025: Construction

May 2023:
On May 16, 2023, district residents approved the R.I.S.E. Project (1,183 YES votes; 850 NO votes).

April 2023:

In recent years, West Irondequoit CSD analyzed the state of its facilities, infrastructure and learning spaces. After working with strategic partners and receiving community feedback, we developed a multi-phase, long-range Capital Improvement plan – more of a vision, really – and the first leg is this year’s R.I.S.E. Project. 

Having no tax bill impact was the result of smart planning, fiscal responsibility and by leveraging our capital reserve funds and state aid. R.I.S.E. will make dramatic improvements to areas of need. It will revolutionize outdated Library Media Centers, bringing us up to speed with other schools. It will enhance safety and security in a variety of ways, and it will help us make necessary upgrades to facilities and systems. It will improve our schools and the learning experience for students, staff and our community.

For more information, contact Assistant Superintendent for Finance, Mr. James Brennan at email