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Weekly E-Newsletter from the Superintendent of Schools
Volume 3, Issue 14 (December 9, 2022)
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UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT | |
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SPIRIT OF GIVING
With the holiday season in full swing, the spirit of giving is evident in our schools. Students, staff, and families continue to forge a legacy of generosity and service to our community. We are seeing countless examples of this including food drives, toy donations, gift giving, community service initiatives, direct support for families in need, and spreading holiday cheer throughout the community. Here are just a handful of highlights:
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On Saturday, the Kenmore West High School Community Club held its annual holiday party for approximately 130 students from all five elementary schools as well as their families. The event featured a fun-filled day of arts and crafts, a mitten tree, a pizza lunch, cupcakes, cookie decorating, a visit from Santa, gifts for each student, and much more. This was all thanks to the hard work and dedication of Kenmore West students and staff who contributed to make the event such a success. This included the National Honor Society and a total of 75 students/staff who volunteered during the party.
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Kenmore East High School recently wrapped up its 19th “Gobblin’ Up Hunger” food drive, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of items donated to Feed More WNY (formerly the Food Bank of WNY) since its inception. The food drive is coordinated each year by the Kenmore East Student Congress. Students in the National Honor Society and the Seal of Civic Readiness program spent several days packing more than 150 boxes of food that will be delivered to families in need. They also collected enough items to maintain a supply of food to be used as a food pantry for the coming year. Students are able to donate items in the name of an individual teacher. The one with the most donations is recognized as the “Biggest Turkey,” who then has the honor of wearing a turkey costume for the day. Congratulations to this year’s “Biggest Turkey,” science teacher Keith Brophy.
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Hoover Middle School coordinated its own food drive in November for charities across Western New York. The school provided incentives for grade levels that collected the most items. These students were able to use their "Dragon Scales" tickets they earn for a chance to dump a bucket of “mystery stuff" on a staff member during an assembly on Friday, December 2nd. Some very brave Hoover Middle staff members volunteered to have buckets of various substances dumped over their heads: water, spaghetti and sauce, fruit cocktail, milk/cereal, and Thanksgiving leftovers (only expired food which couldn’t be donated was used for this activity). It was a fun experience students will never forget.
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There are numerous efforts at Hoover Elementary School to help the community and families in need. The biggest is called “Hoover Helping Hands,” a mammoth undertaking which was spearheaded by school social worker Susan Sperrazza. Through this annual initiative, the school connects with individual families in need in the community and helps them in a variety of ways, from providing Thanksgiving dinner and gifts to helping out with school supplies. It’s inspiring to see the entire school embrace the spirit of this initiative.
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Lindbergh Elementary School has set up its annual Giving Tree in the main foyer and has initiated a school-wide effort to collect items for the Ken-Ton Closet. This includes everyday necessities for families in need such as toothpaste, shampoo, soap, deodorant, and underwear. It’s amazing to see the number of donations that continue to pile up each day.
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At Holmes Elementary School, the Holmes Helper Committee identifies students in need and provides them gifts for the holidays which are provided by donors. The school partners with multiple local organizations such as Linde and New Story Church in addition to school staff who donate a generous amount of gifts to our school. With their help, the school is providing gifts to approximately 115 students this year. The school is also collecting items for the Ken-Ton Closet and has one anonymous staff member who knits hats/gloves for students. | |
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Again, these are only a handful of examples. The extraordinary generosity of the Ken-Ton School District community is a year-round endeavor but is especially on full display this time of year. These activities exemplify the kindness and generosity of our community. I want to commend our staff for leading these efforts and embracing the importance of inspiring our students to lead a life of service.
EMERGENCY DAYS
As you know, the recent winter storm necessitated the use of two emergency days for the Ken-Ton School District. We began this year with four emergency days in our calendar. Under normal circumstances, we would only have two remaining days. However, school districts across Western New York have been informed that, because a State of Emergency was declared by Gov. Cathy Hochul, these two days will not count against our school district for the purpose of reaching the minimum 180 days of attendance. This means we still have four emergency days remaining.
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PEARL HARBOR DAY
Pearl Harbor Day was observed on Wednesday, December 7th. This commemorated the 81st anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which propelled the United States into World War II. This is a yearly day of remembrance for those who lost their lives in the sudden attack on the headquarters of the United States Pacific Fleet on December 7th, 1941. It was one of the deadliest events in U.S. history with an estimated 2,400 lives lost. On this day, we recognize the courage, honor, and sacrifice of all those men and women who served their country and lost their lives in the attack.
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As children and teenagers grow up and begin using the internet more and more independently, it is essential that they learn to use it in an appropriate, safe, and secure way. It is also essential that families monitor student usage and maintain safeguards to protect them online. One important aspect of this is to recognize the dangers that can inadvertently be stumbled upon through search engines. Without intending to, students can run into bad information, dangerous content, or inappropriate material. It is so important for families to utilize “safe search” tools. Most reputable browsers offer safe search options and parental controls such as those provided by Google, which you can learn more about here. Any browsers students have access to should have age-appropriate safe search settings in place which are protected by a password so they cannot deactivate them.
There are many other ways families can help children become smart, confident, and healthy online explorers. Safe Search Kids provides the following internet safety tips for families:
- Do not allow computers or laptops in their bedrooms. Computers should be in an open area of the home.
- Do not allow computer use when adults are not at home and restrict it after adults have gone to bed.
- Restrict the use of smartphones and tablets to open areas of the home. If you allow the use of these devices in their bedrooms, implement strict guidelines about keeping the door open and restrict use after adults have gone to bed. It is important that students have a cut off time for electronic use.
- Educate yourself about social media and the risks associated with it. This includes basic safety as well as teaching children and teenagers how to handle peer pressure.
- Keep the lines of communication open at all times to discuss the various aspects of internet safety. Be open to learn and work together on guidelines.
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SCHOOL & DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS | |
Each week, we will highlight some of the exciting things taking place in the district. Be sure to follow the Ken-Ton School District on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@ktufsd) for more school highlights! | |
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Middle/High School Students Focus on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
On Tuesday, District Leadership Council (DLC) representatives from middle/high schools and the Big Picture Program came together for their first meeting of the year to discuss this year’s theme of “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” Students had in-depth conversations and discussed ideas for implementing all three topics into their respective schools. The team was led by Board of Education student representatives Maria Colosimo from Kenmore East and Tilynn Robinson from Kenmore West, who will give a presentation on the students’ discussions at next week’s Board of Education meeting. The DLC was created three years ago and the group continues to make a difference and provide a voice for their peers. Click here to read the story.
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New Farm to School Program Opportunities for December
Pictured here are four Edison Elementary School students enjoying delicious homemade baked apples they received through the Farm to School Program in November. Hundreds of students across the district took advantage of this opportunity. This month’s offering is a free hidden veggie pizza bread bake kit for any Ken-Ton School District fourth-grade students. Today is the last day to sign up and pick-up will take place on December 15th at Edison. You can sign up here. Additionally, students of any grade level can participate in the Hidden Veggie Challenge that runs from December 11th to December 17th for the chance to win a prize pack. Click here for details.
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Athletic Director Selected for Section VI Positive Change Award
Brett Banker, Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics for the Ken-Ton School District, was selected to receive the NYS Athletic Administrators Association (NYSAAA) 2023 Judith Ann Knight Positive Change Award for the Section VI chapter. The award is presented to an athletic director who has demonstrated a passion to enhance positive change, has strong leadership skills, and the ability to mentor. Mr. Banker has served as Ken-Ton’s athletic director since 1992 and is among the most distinguished high school athletic directors in the nation. Pictured here is Mr. Banker being recognized last year by Assemblyman William Conrad. Click here to read the story.
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Franklin Elementary Students Make Lava Lamps for ‘Science Day’
November 30th was "Science Day" at Franklin Elementary School with fun experiments taking place in the gym all day long. Approximately 30 employees and volunteers from Thermo Fisher Scientific, a supplier of science equipment for schools, visited Franklin Elementary and helped students create their own lava lamps. Students learned science safety, followed a step-by-step process to create their colorful creations, and had time to ask science questions.
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Kenmore East, Kenmore West Students Attend Leadership Conference
Kenmore East and Kenmore West students in the Business Department attended a leadership conference on Thursday, December 1st at Niagara University. The conference, held by the Niagara Frontier Industry and Education Council, focused on leadership skills in the real world. Approximately 150 students from seven school districts, including 40 students from Ken-Ton, attended the event. They were treated to a lunch, a campus tour, and presentations on various topics like conflict resolution, collegiate scholarship opportunities, and understanding it’s okay to be undecided on your future. Click here to read the story.
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This week, we recognize Damien Isch, a senior at Kenmore West High School and captain of the Blue Devils Varsity Hockey Team. Last winter, Damien received regional attention for his courageous battle against Ewing's sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. Damien had to miss much of the winter 2022 season and all of the spring 2022 season as he underwent treatment. It was amazing to see the entire community come together to help Damien and support his family during this difficult time. In early November, Damien won his battle and “rang the bell” at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, a tradition at Roswell when patients finish their treatment.
He soon got the all-clear to rejoin his hockey team on the ice this winter. As Captain of the Blue Devils, Damien played in his first game last weekend, recording his first assist of the season as the team improved to 2-0. He was given the game puck for winning his battle back to the ice. Damien is an inspiration for us all and we wish him the best this season!
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Visit www.ktufsd.org/calendar to access website calendars and Google calendars with
up-to-date event information for the district and each of its schools.
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- Tuesday, December 13th:
- Board of Education Meeting (6:30 p.m. at Kenmore Middle)
- Friday, December 16th:
- Elementary School Early Release (Gr. K-4 Only; 12:40 p.m. dismissal)
- Monday, December 26th - Monday, January 2nd:
- Winter Recess
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Thank you for reviewing this information. As always, we remain Ken-Ton Proud, Ken-Ton Strong, and Ken-Ton Moving Forward!
Sabatino Cimato,
Superintendent of Schools
For previous editions of the Ken-Ton Weekly Connection, visit
www.ktufsd.org/connection
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