Irondequoit High students showcase project-based pilots, art pathway at board study session
March 06, 2026 | WEST IRONDEQUOIT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York
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The WEST IRONDEQUOIT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Board of Education’s March 5 study session featured student presentations and teacher-led summaries of pilot projects at Irondequoit High School.
Students described a range of culminating projects: a podcast built around themes in a class novel, letters written from historical perspectives for a humanities unit on Rome, an engineering “egg-drop” design challenge that applied momentum concepts, and an AP Psychology assignment that tasked students with caring for a surrogate infant (an egg) and keeping a reflective photo journal. One student identified herself as Kylie Christiansen and summarized her class’s letter-essay assignment: “I’m Kylie Christiansen, and in my class we wrote, like, letter essays.”
Teachers said the work is intentionally aligned to the district’s Portrait of a Graduate and to New York State shifts toward inquiry and project-based assessments. An art teacher who described the new portfolio pathway said the IAP formalizes research, planning and documentation of student artwork, creating a multi-year record students can present for evaluation and potential advanced study. “It formalizes that process of researching, sketching, planning, and documenting student artwork, and showing that growth along the way,” one teacher said.
Administrators highlighted programs intended to improve belonging and reduce absenteeism, including success mentoring and a student-led Rock to Change summit on race. Staff said success mentoring targets seniors identified as at risk, pairs students with mentors for quarterly check-ins, and involves families and counselors in planning. Students and advisors described Rock to Change as a decade-old, student-driven summit the district will co-host this spring.
Board members and audience members praised the students’ work and connections to real-world skills. The board’s presiding member called the evening a chance to see students “insanely passionate” about their projects and noted the presentations illustrated the district’s instructional goals.
The presentation concluded with a brief reflection activity for attendees and an invitation for feedback; the board thanked teachers, students and staff for the work that went into the evening’s showcase. The study session moved on to the regular business agenda after the presentations.
What’s next: The board will consider routine minutes and personnel items at future business meetings; the district’s next study session is scheduled for April 9.
Students described a range of culminating projects: a podcast built around themes in a class novel, letters written from historical perspectives for a humanities unit on Rome, an engineering “egg-drop” design challenge that applied momentum concepts, and an AP Psychology assignment that tasked students with caring for a surrogate infant (an egg) and keeping a reflective photo journal. One student identified herself as Kylie Christiansen and summarized her class’s letter-essay assignment: “I’m Kylie Christiansen, and in my class we wrote, like, letter essays.”
Teachers said the work is intentionally aligned to the district’s Portrait of a Graduate and to New York State shifts toward inquiry and project-based assessments. An art teacher who described the new portfolio pathway said the IAP formalizes research, planning and documentation of student artwork, creating a multi-year record students can present for evaluation and potential advanced study. “It formalizes that process of researching, sketching, planning, and documenting student artwork, and showing that growth along the way,” one teacher said.
Administrators highlighted programs intended to improve belonging and reduce absenteeism, including success mentoring and a student-led Rock to Change summit on race. Staff said success mentoring targets seniors identified as at risk, pairs students with mentors for quarterly check-ins, and involves families and counselors in planning. Students and advisors described Rock to Change as a decade-old, student-driven summit the district will co-host this spring.
Board members and audience members praised the students’ work and connections to real-world skills. The board’s presiding member called the evening a chance to see students “insanely passionate” about their projects and noted the presentations illustrated the district’s instructional goals.
The presentation concluded with a brief reflection activity for attendees and an invitation for feedback; the board thanked teachers, students and staff for the work that went into the evening’s showcase. The study session moved on to the regular business agenda after the presentations.
What’s next: The board will consider routine minutes and personnel items at future business meetings; the district’s next study session is scheduled for April 9.
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