Weekly Update from the Office of the Superintendent

Volume 2, Issue 39 (June 10, 2022)

Video Update: https://youtu.be/vULuTXaBRnI

APPROACHING THE

FINISH LINE

As the 2020-21 school year comes to an end, I encourage all students and families to stay focused on finishing the year strongly. Just like a runner at the end of a race finally in sight of the finish line, students must find it within themselves to finish strongly. We are extremely excited to honor our Class of 2022 over the next two weeks. The Big Picture Program graduation will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 17th at Kenmore Middle School, the Kenmore East graduation will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 25th at Kleinhans, and the Kenmore West graduation will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 26th at Kleinhans. These events are not just milestones in our students’ lives, they are also the culmination of everyone’s hard work. We can all look back with immense pride at what our graduating seniors have accomplished. Everyone has had a critical role in their growth and education including families, teachers, staff, administrators, classmates, and the community. Guiding each student to graduation is a responsibility we all share and we should all celebrate what they have accomplished. Remember: "Commencement" is defined as a beginning, not an end. Let's celebrate our students' new journey.

KENMORE EAST SENIOR WALK

On Tuesday, June 7th, Kenmore East High School organized its first-ever Senior Walk. Members of the Class of 2022 traveled to Edison Elementary and Franklin Elementary where they paraded through the hallways in their caps and gowns as elementary students and staff cheered them on. Students in kindergarten through fourth grade, all of whom will be future Kenmore East bulldogs one day, were excited to recognize members of the graduating class and see first-hand what they have to aspire to. Click here to see video from the event.

KENMORE WEST: Kenmore West students had an amazing time at the school’s second West Fest earlier today. This new annual tradition was spearheaded by Kenmore West teachers Charles Panepinto and April Owczarczak. West Fest is one of the biggest events of the year as all Kenmore West students come together to celebrate and enjoy a fun-filled day. There was an extraordinary array of activities including dodgeball, slip-and-slide kickball, soccer, lawn games, street hockey, touch football, capture the flag, a dunk tank, drum circles, board games, tattoo and face painting, bracelet making, and rock painting. The entire Kenmore West faculty and staff came together to make sure the event was a tremendous success. Individual staff volunteered to supervise and coordinate activities, serve food, and ensure that all students stayed safe and had fun.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS: Ken-Ton students were treated to a wide variety of fun activities at the recent Edison Elementary Wellness Night on June 2nd courtesy of the Ken-Ton School District Food Service Department. They provided fresh, healthy smoothies and gave students the opportunity to make their own using a “blender bike” which used pedal power to blend the drinks. All families received a farm fresh produce bag which included romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, fresh cucumbers and mini carrots as well as Honey Nut Cheerios. Not only that, but the Food Service Department also worked in conjunction with the Dairy Council to secure a very special guest for the event: a four-day old baby calf!

HOOVER MIDDLE: The entire Hoover Middle community recently came together to collect food donations for the Buffalo Community Fridge, a non-profit organization that coordinates a network of community fridges which provide fresh and healthy food to people in need. This organization has been instrumental in serving the community that was impacted by the tragic shooting which took place in Buffalo on May 14th. Students, staff, and families donated canned goods, dried goods, sauces, condiments, snacks, and other items which were collected and transported to support the organization in its mission.

FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY: On May 26th, Franklin Elementary School hosted its fourth “Bolt Parade” of the year. For this special event, any staff can nominate a student to be featured in the parade for demonstrating the traits of a Lightning Leader: being safe, respectful, and responsible. Students who are selected for this honor get to decorate a paw print or a lightning bolt which includes a description about how the student has been a Lightning Leader. They then parade around the school with the school mascot, Bolt. It’s a wonderful way to recognize students for helping to create a positive school environment and inspire others to do the same!

FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY: Several Franklin Elementary students took part in the Girls on the Run 5K event on Saturday at the University of Buffalo North Campus. They were among nearly 1,000 students from throughout Western New York who participated in the annual event. Girls on the Run uses the process of preparing for a 5K to teach the importance of nutrition, health and fitness, and build self-esteem and confidence. The 10-week training program culminates each year in a 5K race. Great job to everyone involved!

KENMORE EAST: We were extremely proud to learn that Kenmore East High School 12th-grader and valedictorian Patrick Reilly won first place in the men's senior lightweight solo competition at the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association (CSSRA) Regatta! The event took place at St. Catharine's Rowing Club in St. Catharine's, Ontario June 3-5. Patrick competes with the West Side Rowing Club, a non-profit volunteer-run rowing organization which was one of the 108 clubs represented at this three-day high school regatta which had nearly 500 individual entries.

KENMORE EAST: On June 4th, Kenmore East students Robert Flores, Patrick Molnar, Helen Ni, and Andrew Roland, who are in Robert Uldrich's AP Computer Science class, participated in the 10th annual Buffalo State College CS4HS Student Showcase and Competition. Students had to design and create computer programs or games, complete a writeup, and submit a 10-minute video demonstrating their project to the judges at Buffalo State just to be accepted for a chance to compete in the competition. There were students from 18 different schools from throughout Western New York who participated in the event. This year, Andrew Roland won the Honorable Mention trophy for his computer game "Adding Masters." Congratulations to all of the students who participated and had their programs accepted into the competition. They put forth a lot of effort and all of them did a great job.

HOOVER ELEMENTARY: Students in Hoover Elementary School teacher Amy Benfanti’s third-grade class did a phenomenal job with their Biography Presentations on June 2nd. Students were challenged to research and present on important or influential historical or public figures. The individuals they selected included Abraham Lincoln, LeSean McCoy, Anne Frank, Aly Raisman, Helen Keller, JK Rowling, LeBron James, Herbert Hoover, John Muir, Steph Curry, Eleanor Roosevelt, Florence Nightingale, Elvis Presley, Rosa Parks, and Helen Keller. Students even came dressed as their individual of choice!

HIGH SCHOOLS: The Kenmore East and Kenmore West Unified Basketball Teams had a very successful end to their second season. The Kenmore West team went undefeated (6-0) and finished first place in the division after a 38-20 victory over Fredonia. The Kenmore East team did a great job at the Section VI Championships, placing third overall. Great job to both teams!

RECOGNITION: KENMORE WEST CORRIDOR OF HONOR INDUCTEES

During the June 1st Academic Recognition Ceremony at Kenmore West High School, the school community was proud to honor the two new inductees into the Kenmore West Corridor of Honor: Sam Violante and Kenneth Feltges.

Mr. Violante graduated from Kenmore West in 1971 and went on to have a successful career in investment banking. During his career, he began to struggle with even the most basic tasks which resulted in a mental health diagnosis. This was a turning point in his life. Mr. Violante found a new purpose in his work with Compass House, a shelter and resource for the homeless, by sharing his story with homeless and runaway youth. As time went on, Mr. Violante’s service extended to other youth organizations throughout Western New York including Gateway Longview, Plymouth Crossroads, and Saint Adalbert’s Response to Love Center in addition to giving motivational speeches at schools and colleges. In this way, Mr. Violante has touched the lives of countless young people in Western New York.

Mr. Feltges, the faculty inductee, was an anchor of the Kenmore West English department throughout his 34-year teaching career. Known for his innovative and unique teaching strategies, Mr. Feltges dedicated his life to his students and the betterment of Kenmore West as a community. His dynamic style engaged thousands of students that passed through his classroom. Mr. Feltges, along with fellow corridor inductee Barbara Heller, established the Community Club at Kenmore West, and he was also largely responsible for creating the district-wide faculty talent show. Mr. Feltges is also a prolific published poet and has inspired many other writers. Each year, the Kenmore West English Department awards a student writer the Kenneth Feltges Poetry Award for outstanding writing in poetry. After retiring from Kenmore West in 2001, Mr. Feltges continued his passion for teaching at Mt. St. Mary’s.

RECOGNITION: NIAGARA FRONTIER LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS

We were extremely proud to recognize four outstanding coaches and contributors to district athletic programs at the 85th annual Niagara Frontier League Banquet on Tuesday.

Science teacher Keith Brophy was named Kenmore East 2022 Coach of the Year. Mr. Brophy has taught and coached at Kenmore East for 32 years. He has coached almost every position at every level within the sport of football while also serving as a track/field and basketball coach. He has served in other roles as well including basketball and baseball scorekeeper and site supervisor. He also helped create the new Unified Sports Basketball and Bowling programs at Kenmore East.

Retired social studies teacher Geoff Brunger was named the recipient of the 2022 Cornerstone Award. During his 39-year career in teaching at Kenmore Middle and Kenmore East as well as leader of the district social studies department and teacher mentor, Mr. Brunger also impacted thousands of students as an interscholastic coach. He had a very successful career coaching cross country as well as indoor and outdoor track and field. After his retirement, he went on to volunteer for 27 additional seasons.

Math teacher Jeff Orlowski was named Kenmore West Coach of the Year. Mr. Orlowski has led the Field Hockey and Girls Ice Hockey programs while also serving as J.V. baseball coach and a volunteer assistant baseball coach. He has won numerous coaching distinctions during his coaching career. Mr. Orlowski led the Girls Ice Hockey team to six Section VI championships including this past winter while the team also earned the Sportsmanship Award from the WNY ice hockey referees association.

School nurse Sharon Schulz was named recipient of the 2022 Cornerstone Award. Ms. Schulz has been a key contributor to the district's athletic department in a multitude of capacities. She has numerous specialized medical certifications and serves on several different school committees. She also serves as district liaison to the Athletics Department for school nurses district-wide. She has been instrumental in assisting her fellow nurses with numerous athletic responsibilities and tasks and has been a tremendous supporter of the athletic programs.

UPCOMING DATES

• Wednesday, June 15-Friday, June 24: High School Regents & Local Exams
• Friday, June 17: Big Picture Program Graduation (7 p.m. at Kenmore Middle)
• Monday, June 20: Juneteenth Holiday (no school)
• Tuesday, June 21: Last Day of School for UPK & Gr. K-5 Students
• Thursday, June 23: Last Day of School for Gr. 6-7 Students
• Friday, June 24: Regents Rating Day
• Saturday, June 25: Kenmore East Graduation (6 p.m. at Kleinhans)
• Sunday, June 26: Kenmore West Graduation (2 p.m. at Kleinhans)