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Weekly E-Newsletter from the Superintendent of Schools
Volume 3, Issue 4 (September 16, 2022)
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UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT | |
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FREE FARM-TO-SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES
During the summer, we learned that Ken-Ton is one of only 16 districts across NYS to receive funding through the NYS Farm-to-School Program, which is now facilitating exciting new opportunities for students and families. This month includes special offerings for students in kindergarten, 1st grade, 5th grade, and 12th grade, with other grade levels to follow in the coming months. Families only need to complete a simple form by September 22nd to receive the following:
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12th Grade: A Harvest of the Month box which will incorporate this month's food item (apples). Boxes will then be available for pick-up at the end of the month. Click here for the sign-up form (please use your child’s district Google account).
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5th Grade: An applesauce cook-kit to make homemade applesauce at home. Cook-kits will be delivered to each school and sent home with students on September 30th. Click here for the sign-up form.
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K & 1st Grade: An at-home educational learning kit that will center around this month's theme (apples). Kits will be sent home with students on September 30th. Click here for the sign-up form.
The Farm-to-School program helps schools connect with area farmers, use locally grown foods on their school menus, and give students healthy lunch options. Thanks to the efforts of Food Service Director Kim Roll and physical education teacher Nicole Zugelder who secured the grant, this funding will help Ken-Ton increase the volume of New York-grown products by 30% over the next two school years. It will also further educate students on health and nutrition and facilitate opportunities beyond the cafeteria and school day such as those listed above.
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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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Registration Open for Franklin Elementary Color Run
Registration is now open for the Franklin Elementary School PTA Color Run fundraiser. Participants will have the opportunity to earn prizes based on funds raised and all proceeds will go to the PTA to support activities and opportunities for students. It culminates with a fun event on October 15th which will include the Color Run, where students will walk or run through a course and be blasted with color dust, followed by a party. Registration is $30 and anyone can sponsor and support a Franklin Elementary student. Read more about this event and how you can support our Franklin Elementary students here.
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ELA Teachers &Poets Collaborate to Enhance Student Engagement
Before the start of school, our secondary English Language Arts teachers learned how to engage their students in a unique way. On August 30th, staff were visited by Jillian Hanesworth, Poet Laureate of Buffalo, and Brandon Williamson, founder of Pure Ink poetry and a performance poet and creativity consultant. The two provided a high-energy lesson for ELA teachers that focused on building engagement through the use of poetry. Their recent visit to Ken-Ton was well received and opened up future opportunities that will further benefit students across our District. “The audience learned how to perform creatively while sharing an important message, how to make our classrooms more culturally inclusive, and how to build safe and socially-conscious classroom communities,” said Tiffany Van Dewater, Instructional Support Specialist for ELA. “I received such incredible, positive feedback from so many different teachers and many would like to bring the poets in to work with their students.” Click here to read the story.
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Administrators Take Part in Ken-Ton School District Bus Tour
School district administrators learned more than ever before about the Ken-Ton community during a district-wide tour on September 13th. They learned about where our students come from and play and all the different ways that make Ken-Ton such a wonderful place to live. The route included all schools and facilities as well as closed buildings, neighborhoods, town parks, industry, and other places of interest and historical significance. They learned about the town's rich history beginning in the early 19th century, and the history of Ken-Ton Schools going back to the opening of Kenmore Union School in 1892. It was a wonderful opportunity to develop a better understanding and appreciation for Ken-Ton which will help us all better serve our community. The district is extremely excited to begin offering this tour district-wide!
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RECOGNITION: MATTHEW CHIMERA | |
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This week, we recognize our Board of Education President Matthew Chimera, who will be inducted into the NYS Softball Hall of Fame later this school year.
President Chimera was the Kenmore West Varsity Softball coach for 25 years. As coach, he accumulated the third highest number of wins in all of Section VI. He coached his team to 11 Niagara Frontier League championships, four Section VI titles, three Far West Regional titles, and one NYS Championship (2002). His team also won at least 14 games in 19 of those 25 seasons. Most importantly, his team earned numerous NYS Scholar Athlete Awards for maintaining a team GPA of 90 percent or better, demonstrating just as much commitment to their work in the classroom as to their work on the field. For his achievements, Mr. Chimera was chosen by the NYS Coaches Association as the NYS 2016-17 Softball Coach of the Year and he was inducted into the WNY Softball Hall of Fame in 2018.
Mr. Chimera is in his fourth year on the Board and his second year as President. Prior to his service on the Board, Mr. Chimera was a Ken-Ton teacher for 38 years. He was also one of the founders of our innovative Big Picture Program and a Big Picture teacher in the final years of his teaching career. In addition to softball, he also coached wrestling and football.
Mr. Chimera will be inducted into the NYS Softball Hall of Fame in June and we are extremely proud to see our Board of Education President honored with such a prestigious distinction. His many achievements are a reflection of his outstanding qualities as a coach and an educator. We are also grateful for the extraordinary impact he had on hundreds of student athletes who had him for a coach.
Please join me in congratulating Mr. Chimera for this amazing achievement!
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CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH | |
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Thursday marked the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed each year from September 15th to October 15th. September 15th is of monumental significance because it is on this date that most Central American nations celebrate their independence from Spain. Its purpose is to celebrate Hispanic history, culture and legacy. We will use this opportunity to highlight individuals of Hispanic origin who have had a profound impact on America and the world. This week, we focus on Roberto Clemente, the first Latino major league baseball player to rise to international prominence.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente became a professional baseball player for the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League at age 18. He was signed to a minor league team in Montreal in 1954 and was recruited by the Pittsburgh Pirates the following year. Due to the color of his skin, he experienced first-hand the segregation and discrimination faced by African Americans and other ethnicities when he came to Florida for spring training with the Pirates.
Mr. Clemente was among only a small number of Latino baseball players at the time and the first to become a star. He was a Gold Glove winner for 12 consecutive seasons, an All-Star pick for 15 seasons, a two-time World Series champion, National League MVP in 1966, and National League batting leader four different years. He was much more than a baseball star, though. Off the field, Mr. Clemente fought tirelessly for equality. He was disturbed by the segregation he witnessed on American soil and he used his fame to challenge discrimination and inequality. He was heavily involved in charity work. At the height of his baseball career, he was tragically killed in a plane crash while en route to the capital city of Nicaragua to deliver relief to earthquake victims.
Mr. Clemente was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973. Although he is often remembered for his baseball accomplishments, his most important contributions were his advocacy for social justice and charity.
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CELEBRATING IT & TECHNOLOGY STAFF APPRECIATION DAY | |
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National IT Professionals Day is celebrated on the third Tuesday in September each year and we will use this day to celebrate the outstanding work of our technology staff. Our Technology Department led by Director of Technology Heather Fleming works tirelessly throughout the year. They stay up-to-date on the latest in educational resources, work side-by-side with our technology integrators to bring these resources into classrooms, safeguard our systems, and maintain our technology infrastructure. We depend on them to keep the internet going, repair devices, troubleshoot issues, set up and deploy new equipment, and facilitate access to the countless apps and software we use on a daily basis. Now that we provide all students with a Chromebook or iPad which are used on a daily basis, their work has never been more important.
The talent, expertise, and dedication of our technology staff is second to none. They are always here for us when something goes wrong and they work tirelessly to provide new opportunities and resources for students and families. Please join me in expressing our appreciation for everything they do for our students, families, and staff!
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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, September 20th:
- Hoover Elementary Open House (6:00 to 8:00 p.m.)
- Wednesday, September 21:
- Holmes Elementary Open House (6:00 p.m.)
- Lindbergh Elementary Open House (6:00 p.m.)
- Thursday, September 22nd:
- Edison Elementary Open House (6:00 to 8:00 p.m.)
- Franklin Elementary Open House (6:00 to 7:30 p.m.)
- Kenmore West Meet the Teacher Night (6:00 to 8:00 p.m.)
- Friday, September 23rd:
- Kenmore East Homecoming
- Tuesday, September 27th:
- SEPTO Meeting (6:30 p.m.)
- Wednesday, September 28th:
- Gr. K-7 Early Release (12 p.m. dismissal for Gr. 5-7; 12:40 p.m. dismissal for Gr. K-4)
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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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