Weekly Update from the Office of the Superintendent
Volume 1, Issue 30 (February 5, 2021)
Focus on Safety:

With students back in school, it is important to continue to focus on safety. We have been consistently reinforcing all of the safety precautions that minimize the spread of COVID-19, such as always wearing a mask, staying socially distant, staying home when sick, completing the daily health screening, checking temperatures each day, and washing hands frequently. It is important that we continue to follow these precautions.

We must also focus on safety in all other areas, especially pedestrian safety. Arrival and dismissal are some of the most challenging circumstances from a safety standpoint. This is the case in all school districts, not just Ken-Ton, but I ask all of our families to help our schools promote pedestrian safety in our students. This is especially important during the winter months. You can help by teaching your children the importance of following these pedestrian safety guidelines:
The Ken-Ton School District Parent Cabinet met for the third time on Wednesday, February 3. The Parent Cabinet is a new organization that includes leaders and representatives of all the parent/teacher organizations in the District: PTAs (Parent/Teacher Associations), HSAs (Home School Associations), District PTSA (Parent/Teacher/Student Association), and SEPTO (Special Education Parent Teacher Organization).
  • See, and be seen
  • Pay careful attention to your surroundings and always look both ways before crossing
  • Make eye contact with drivers to ensure that they can see you
  • Use crosswalks
  • Never step suddenly into traffic

Consider Hybrid:

On the topic of safety, I encourage all VLA (Virtual Learning Academy) families to consider transitioning your child to hybrid in-person attendance. We are still in a pandemic, and we have a long way to go before we will no longer face the risk of infection in our daily lives. However, schools have proven to be some of the safest places in our community. The reason for this is because schools are highly structured environments. Extensive safety precautions are consistently enforced, especially masks, distancing, and symptom/fever screening.

Our teachers have done an amazing job educating students at home, but there is no replacement for in-person instruction. We know that there is and will be a negative impact from the loss of in-person instruction during the pandemic, but we want to minimize this impact as much as possible and do whatever we can to keep our students progressing academically.

To all of our VLA families, please give it some thought. We want you back! Safety will always be our highest priority, and we will always do whatever we have to in order to keep our students safe. If you are considering returning, you can contact your child’s school. Please be aware that the process may take a week or so because of scheduling and transportation planning.

34th Jerry Starr Ken-Ton Schools' SleepOut:

The 34th Annual Jerry Starr Ken-Ton Schools’ SleepOut is finally upon us! The event will take place this evening. I will join a limited number of participants in sleeping outside the Administration Building at 1500 Colvin Blvd. to raise money for families in need and to raise awareness of the importance of giving back to our community. Some have asked whether the event will be postponed because of the winter storm that has been forecasted for our area. It will proceed as scheduled. The SleepOut is an all-weather event. Participants sleep outside in refrigerator boxes as a reminder that so many homeless men and women are forced to sleep outside if they have nowhere else to go.

We have already raised thousands of dollars but we need everyone’s continued support to help us meet our $10,000 goal. There will still be opportunities to donate in the days ahead:
  • Cash/checks made payable to Ken-Ton Schools - E.T.C. can be sent to Kenmore West High School (33 Highland Parkway, Kenmore, NY 14223)
  • You can also donate online through a GoFundMe which you can find at www.ktufsd.org/sleepout

Please visit our Facebook page later this evening (www.facebook.com/ktufsd) for a video announcement. A very special thank you to Steve Ash, SleepOut coordinator and leader of Educators Totally Committed (E.T.C.), and to our friends at the Kenmore Teachers Association, Kenmore-Tonawanda School Employees Association, and Kenmore Administrators Association, and to all those who have supported this effort this year.

Report Cards:

Second-quarter report cards for middle and high school students are now available for viewing on the Parent Portal (elementary schools follow a trimester schedule, so second-trimester report cards will be posted after March 19). Hard copies will be mailed for students with academic concerns. I encourage all families to take advantage of this opportunity to see how your child is progressing academically. Thank you for partnering with us as we all work together to guide our students to success.
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
February is Black History Month. Each Friday in February, we will focus on a prominent and significant individual in the Civil Rights Movement. This week, we will focus on James Meredith, who became the first African-American student admitted to the University of Mississippi. It was a significant moment for the Civil Rights Movement.

Mr. Meredith graduated high school in 1951 and then served in the U.S. Air Force for nine years before applying to the University of Mississippi. He was 28 years old at the time and was more than qualified to be accepted into the school based on his academic record and service in the military. His application was denied twice. With support from the NAACP, Mr. Meredith filed a lawsuit against the college challenging the denial of his application. Ultimately, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Mr. Meredith had the right to enroll, a decision that was affirmed by the Supreme Court. There were many subsequent attempts by the State of Mississippi to prevent Mr. Meredith from enrolling, but he persisted.

With support from the Kennedy Administration, which dispatched U.S. law enforcement and military personnel to accompany him, Mr. Meredith arrived on campus to register. Rioting and violent clashes followed, but order was restored after the deployment of the Mississippi National Guard and federal troops. Mr. Meredith faced harassment from his classmates during his two years at the University of Mississippi, but he persevered, and more and more African-American students were admitted. Mr. Meredith graduated in 1963 with a degree in political science.

This turned out to be a pivotal moment for the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. Meredith’s goal had been to pressure the government to enforce civil rights for all African Americans. In his famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called Mr. Meredith a hero of the civil rights movement. Mr. Meredith went on to become a prominent civil rights figure, writer, and advocate, and he continues to advocate on behalf of African-American civil rights to this day.
RECOGNITION: BRETT BANKER
This week, we are proud to recognize Brett Banker, who has served as our Director of Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Athletics for 27 years. As Athletic Director, Mr. Banker works constantly during the school year to facilitate sports in Ken-Ton Schools – everything from providing supplies/equipment and coordinating matches/practices to recruiting, training, and supporting Ken-Ton’s approximately 175 coaches and assistant coaches. He also supervises physical education, health education, school nurses and medical operations, facility usage, and wellness initiatives.

Brett Banker first came to the Ken-Ton School District in 1992 with a combination of high school- and college-level athletics experience. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in PE and a Master’s in Athletic Administration from Springfield College and began his professional career as a teacher, coach, and trainer at a secondary school in Vermont. He began working in athletics administration at his alma mater, Springfield College, then became the Assistant Director of Athletics at Penn State-Behrand.

Mr. Banker has had an exemplary career in athletics administration and has earned statewide and national recognition. He was a recipient of the Dr. James Rusin Memorial Award for his support for WNY Girls Hockey. He is President of the NYS Athletic Administrators Association (NYSAAA) and is the first Athletic Director to serve three terms as Section VI President. He recently earned his certification as a Master Athletic Administrator by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and was one of only 30 athletic directors in the country chosen to spend this year in the NIAAA Cohort Leadership Program.

Mr. Banker has been instrumental in developing Ken-Ton’s athletics programs, which now span 46 varsity sports. He has also been instrumental in guiding not just Ken-Ton but also Section VI and NYSAA, through the pandemic. We are proud to recognize Banker and the entire Athletics Office team, which includes Leah Canestaro, Deanna Diamond, and Marie Whitney, for the exceptional job they do.
Thank you for reviewing this information. As always, we remain Ken-Ton Proud, Ken-Ton Strong, and Ken-Ton Moving Forward!

For previous editions of the Ken-Ton Weekly Connection, visit www.ktufsd.org/connection