Good News
The Good News is read at every Board of Education Business Meeting, highlighting news from across our district.
2024-2025 School Year
- September 2024
- October 2024
- November 2024
- December 2024
- January 2025
- February 2025
- March 2025
- April 2025
September 2024
- IHS Chorale members Emme Bateman, Olivia Croll, Owen Democko, Mason Gohringer and Elisa Pacyga sang the national anthem at the Town of Irondequoit’s 9/11 ceremony.
- Helmer Nature Center’s Butterfly Release, a new event held for the folks who run our “outdoor classroom,” was a huge hit on September 12th. Not only did more than 80 people attend, but children were engaged with crafts and by learning about why butterflies travel south.
- Staff members Chris Shellard, Mark Hertlein, Jake Shirley, Nick DiMartino, Keyana Session and Laura Wambach were all interviewed live by 13WHAM-TV and Fox Rochester as part of the opening day of school. IHS seniors Aliyah Bozkurt and Bailey Connor, as well as Superintendent Johnson, also were featured.
- Iroquois Middle School’s “Gottfried Crew,” led by fourth-grade teacher Jennifer Gottfried held its first annual “Beach Cleanup” at Durand Eastman over the summer. It was part of their “Stand-Up” class project and it was featured by WROCTV, Channel 8.
- Senior Grace Taberski spent a week in Chicago over the summer representing IHS as a student ambassador at the Hugh O’Brian World Leadership Congress. She was joined by student ambassadors from all 50 states and 12-plus countries, learning about leadership and how to become a more empowered global citizen.
- The West Irondequoit Foundation hosted three class reunion tours at IHS over the summer and next Friday hosts its fifth annual Cornhole Tournament at the Irondequoit Sports Center. The event is expected to push the five-year total raised by Cornhole to more than $70,000.
October 2024
- For the second straight time, Irondequoit High School has received a special honor as a National Banner Unified Champion School by New York Special Olympics. IHS is one of only 22 schools in the state to receive this distinction.
- Listwood Special Education teacher, Maggie Vay, was featured by WHEC-TV Channel 10 for being the first graduate of the “Pathways to Teaching” class at IHS to become a full-time educator back in our district! Miss Vay is a 2019 graduate of IHS. Mrs. Alissa-Anne George, who teaches the class now, was also interviewed for the piece.
- Next week, Briarwood elementary school teacher, Bernadette D’Amato, will be featured on WROC-TV Channel 8 as the latest Golden Apple Award winner from our district!
- Superintendent Aaron Johnson and Director of Humanities Ms. Kim Cristal were part of a Haudenosaunee flag raising ceremony at Town Hall on Friday, Oct. 11th. Each spoke about our 2022 Land Acknowledgement and curriculum used to teach about our Indigenous roots.
- The West Irondequoit Foundation recently honored longtime IHS cleaner Kerry Nealon and former West Irondequoit cleaner Dave Miller for their continued support of Alumni Tours of IHS during class reunion weekends. The Foundation also raised $16,422 at its annual Cornhole Tournament. That’s a record total for the fifth-year event!
November 2024
- WROC-TV Meteorologist James Gilbert recently visited with fourth-graders at Iroquois Middle School. They were riveted by his presentation and information! Their group picture was also featured on Channel 8!
- Ben Loomis and Isaac Nielsen qualified for the 2025 DECA International Career Development Conference in Orlando! They finished first in the state, second in the North Atlantic Region and 17th in the country in a Virtual Business Challenge. The IHS juniors also were featured on WROC-TV, Channel 8.
- Senior Jane Simon was selected for the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra, the highest-level youth orchestra in Hochstein’s four-tier program. Jane plays the flute
- On Veterans’ Day, senior Abby Myshak and freshman Evan Spatola played Taps at the town’s annual ceremony. Irondequoit DECA Club Leaders also did fall cleanup at The Sunset House and Tri-M Music Honor Society students made 16 lasagnas for the Open Door Mission.
- What a month for IHS Cross Country! The girls finished fifth in the state in Class A after capturing their first Section 5 Championship since 1982 and the Eagles also won the Monroe County crown. Senior Lizzy Tytler was the top Section 5 finisher in third. On the boys’ side, senior Luke Simon won the Section 5 Class A title and finished 24th at states. He also was named Section V’s Class A Sportsmanship winner at the state meet. Our girls runners were Katie Bauman, Kayla Holliday, Kira LaVeck, Mary Grace Roj, Aubrey Smith and Lizzy Tytler.
- Junior Brenna Scott repeated as Section 5 Class B diving champion and will compete in Friday’s state championships at the Webster Aquatic Center.
- Seven IHS student-athletes were honored at a ceremony and signed NCAA national letters of intent to play Division 1 & Division 2 athletics. Congratulations to lacrosse players Emmalynn Francis, Miles Leva, Andrew Scully and Celia Young; softball player, Abby Ras; soccer player, Casey Keller; and diver, George Ligozio.
- Seniors Ethan Rhodes, Aliyah Bozkurt and Jack Debes are among 34,000 students nationwide to earn the honor of being Commended Students in the National Merit Program for excellence on the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
- Eighth-grader Madelyn Phillips and seventh-grader Eli Lineman along with Director, Mr. Rob Line, were on Fox Rochester’s morning show to promote the Dake Jr. High School musical, Frozen Jr., that nearly sold out three of its four shows.
December 2024
- Thirty-nine IHS business students qualified for the DECA State Conference in March after strong performances in the regional competition at RIT. More than 900 students from 12 area schools competed and, as usual, IHS students flourished.
- IHS is one of just 29 schools in the country to earn a Platinum Star School Award from WISE. Schools from 49 states participated. This is given for excellence in teaching Financial Literacy. Teachers Mr. Lou DiCesare and Mrs. LaVon Bucciarelli were honored as Gold Star teachers. It’s the 15th time Mr. DiCesare has earned that distinction.
- Four deserving West Irondequoit students – Abel and Mikey from Brookview, Evan from Southlawn and Dantessa from Colebrook – participated in the annual Shop with a Cop program at Target that was organized by Irondequoit Police and Rotary.
- The Amnesty International Club at IHS raised $528 for the Rochester Refugee Resettlement Service via its Change for Change fundraiser.
- Nine students and one coach earned All-Greater Rochester honors from the Democrat and Chronicle. Girls cross country earned four first-team selections – the most of any area school – and Aaron Nobles was selected Coach of the Year. The runners were: Katie Bauman, Kira LaVeck, Aubrey Smith and Lizzy Tytler. Boys cross country runner Luke Simon also made it along with boys soccer player Bailey Connor, field hockey goalie Marley Runciman and football players Cameron Freeman and Andrew Long.
- In addition, Marley was named Monroe County Division 2 Player of the Year and IHS coach Emily Payne was named Coach of the Year. Bailey was named D2 Player of the Year and tennis players Emma Jane Chalone and Anna Harbin were selected Doubles Team of the Year in Division 2.
- Finally, junior diver Brenna Scott finished 31st in the state championships and girls cross country was 5th in the Federation Championships.
- The first ever IHS All-Alumni Bash was held on November 30th at O’Loughlins. Organized by the West Irondequoit Foundation, more than 140 grads attended and $10,000 was raised for the annual Generations of Excellence scholarships.
January 2025
- Nearly 1,000 holiday trees were donated to Helmer Nature Center for its annual Trees for Trails event on January 18th. This tradition, which started in 1976, is used to fortify the nature center’s trails to fight erosion. Special thanks to High Falls Tree Service and Irondequoit Lawn & Landscape for donating their equipment, time and expertise.
- Margaret Burns, our district’s BOCES Board of Education representative, was named this year's Champion Award recipient by the Greater Rochester Parent Leadership Training Institute. She is a former West Irondequoit School Board member.
- The emerging IHS girls cheerleading squad took first place at the Wayland-Cohocton Tournament. The Eagles junior-varsity also won and modified was runner-up. Varsity and JV also took first place in their division at a competition in Penfield in December. Four years ago, IHS didn’t even field a varsity squad
- Under the direction of Music Teacher, Mr. Falcon, 17 members of the IHS Jazz Choir sang at the Monroe County Office Building as part of the County’s annual Holiday Concert Series. Out of 12 performances by area schools, our Choir was selected to perform last before holiday recess.
February 2025
- For the second straight year, our Irondequoit Icy Eagles had the largest group at the Rochester Polar Plunge. We had 60 plungers & most were students! We raised more than $11,000 for Special Olympics, bringing our three-year total to nearly $30,000!
- In music, Tri-M Honor Society inducted 21 new members and Carter Wolowitz, Olivia Mura and Milo Eisele from the IHS Symphonic Band participated in an Honor Band event for advanced music students in our region.
- In sports –
- Junior Max Spitz finished Top 5 in both the Giant Slalom and Slalom in the Section 5 Alpine Ski Championships and was 13th and 23rd in both events at states!
- IHS wrestling placed 5th in sectionals and six boys placed, led by runners-up Cole Hoats and Colin Guidice. At SuperSectionals, Cole and Owen Smalline each took 6th.
- Ninth-graders Leo Macaulay and Luci Hawn took third place, respectively, in the first ever Section 5 Girls Wrestling Championships.
- IHS Cheerleading finished seventh in the Section 5 Class B championships.
- Finally, in indoor track, Kayla Holliday, Lizzy Tytler and the 4-by-800 relay team won races at the Monroe County Championships. At sectionals, Aubrey Smith won the 1,000 meters and the team of Kayla, Aubrey, Katie Bauman and Kira LaVeck won the 4-by-800 relay. Runners-up were Kayla in the 3,000 meters, Andrew Long in shot put and Wesley Goldsmith in high jump.
- Our district was featured in Business View magazine. The article highlighted our neighborhood schools environment, incredible staff, upcoming facility enhancements and our strong academic programming.
- For the Great Kindness Challenge, Iroquois students collected 220 pairs of socks and wrote 150 notes to five schools in Los Angeles area impacted by wildfires.
- Finally, a Pet Supply Drive at Rogers and Southlawn for Therapy Dog Gunnar’s birthday produced more than 600 items that were donated to the Verona Street Shelter in Rochester.
March 2025
- Six IHS business students qualified for the DECA Nationals! Seniors Gracie Budd, Jacob Gauthier Alena Kilminster and Aubrey Smith and juniors Ben Loomis and Isaac Nielsen are headed to Orlando in late April! Four of the six turned in strong performances at the 65th DECA State Career Conference in Rochester; Ben and Isaac qualified last fall.
- Iroquois Middle School’s Service Club collected 500-plus puppy pads and more than 170 items in all for New-2U-Rescue!
- In sports –
- Senior George Ligozio placed 12th & junior Henry Kauffman placed 23rd at the state diving championships! George is headed to Loyola University in Maryland.
- Senior Aubrey Smith finished 9th in the state in the 600 meters, senior Katie Bauman was 25th in the 1,500 and the 4-by-800 relay team of Aubrey, Katie, senior Kayla Holliday & sophomore Kira LaVeck also placed 9th at the Indoor Track State Championships! Aubrey’s time set a school record.
- The IHS Model UN group had a great day March 8th at St. John Fisher! Edwin Zheng and Mallory Denaro received honorable mentions and sophomore Rory Hickey won Outstanding Delegate!
- Forty-seven students in grades K-12 have work featured at the Artist’s Cave gallery. It’s the second straight year our students have been highlighted. Ten more from IHS are part of the annual “Behind the Student Lens” exhibit at the Image City Photo Gallery in Rochester. It starts Friday.
- More than $3,100 was raised from the 23rd annual Adam Milne Faculty Basketball Game. Mr. Milne’s widow, Jennifer Turner, made a special visit from Queens.
- One IHS team and one Dake squad qualified for the Odyssey of the Mind State Championships on April 5th in Syracuse! The IHS team qualified in two areas. The IHS team is made up of Susan Bondi, Maddie Daly, Lillian Gilbert, Bree Hunley, Thora Moore, Violet Richter and Everleigh Stoffel. The Dake squad is Mitchell Getz, Conrad Kamola, Marta Kauffman, Peter Rinella and Oliver Sherwood.
- In addition, Iroquois Middle School sixth-grader Angelina Yandow won the Region 14 Sticker and Program Cover Design Contest at Odyssey of the Mind Regionals.
April 2025
- The Dake Junior High School team qualified for the Odyssey of the Mind Worlds next month at Michigan State University. Congrats to eighth-graders Matthew Crane, Mitchell Getz, Conrad Kamola, Marta Kauffman, Peter Rinella and Oliver Sherwood.
- Track and Field standout Aubrey Smith and Alpine Skiing star Max Spitz earned first-team All-Greater Rochester honors from the Democrat and Chronicle! Junior guard Chase Leonardo was named 2nd team in basketball.
- Girls lacrosse goalie Emmalynn Francis was selected as WHEC-TV’s Scholar Athlete of the Week and was featured in a segment about her career.
- Our 13 artists published in Along magazine were featured in a news segment on Channel 8’s Generation ROC and Fox Rochester.
- Alley Armitage, Tessa Coeny, Evelyn Dean and Sara Schaubroeck earned national recognition as recipients of the 2025 DECA Emerging Leader Honor Award. They are all seniors at IHS.
- Twenty-five Iroquois and Rogers students were selected to participate in Elementary All-County Band, Ensemble, Orchestra and Chorus.
- Eight IHS students graduated from the ACE Mentor Program and four received $2,000 scholarships! The graduates are Robert Bosco, Abigail Bowen, Hunter St. John, Luca Scott, Edwin Zheng, Antonio Perez, Charles VanLoon and Carlin Scott. Antonio, Luca, Charles and Edwin earned scholarships.
- Thirty-four students from the IHS Symphonic Orchestra played music for and engaged with middle school students at the Mary Cariola Center for disabled children. It was the 25th and final time Ms. Patty Welch made the visit before she retires as a music teacher and our K-12 Music Coordinator.