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Weekly E-Newsletter from the Superintendent of Schools
Volume 3, Issue 1 (August 26, 2022)
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UPDATES FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT | |
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NYSDOH Guidance
We are so excited to kick off the 2022-23 school year on Tuesday, September 6th! I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer and is as excited as I am for students to be back in school. The best news that we’ve received in a long time is that this year promises to feel much like a pre-pandemic school year.
We received our best indication of this earlier this week with the release of the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) COVID-19 guidance for the coming year which is based on the updated CDC guidance released on August 11th. Some important things to note are:
- NYSDOH no longer requires screening testing, Test-to-Stay, positive case reporting, contact tracing, or quarantine restrictions.
- Just as was the case before 2020, families will need to monitor their children for symptoms of any illness and keep them home when sick. Families must also be prepared to come to school to get their child if they exhibit symptoms of an illness during the school day.
- You should have your child tested for COVID-19 if you suspect he or she has the virus. Additional at-home tests are being distributed to our students from NYS.
- If the child tests positive, he or she would need to follow the NYS isolation guidelines and stay home for 5 days. Test results do not need to be provided to the school.
- The child would be able to return to school on Day 6 if he/she is fever-free for 24 hours and symptoms are improving. The child should wear a mask until Day 10.
You can find the NYSDOH letter to school districts here. You can also find a detailed FAQ document for schools here. These documents provide additional guidance and information.
To sum up, if children are sick, they should remain home, just as our practice has always been pre-pandemic. Thank you very much for your constant dedication as we emerge as one community stronger than ever before.
Back-to-School Updates
With the first day of school only a week and a half away, here are some great resources to help families as they prepare for the upcoming school year:
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First Day of School: Tuesday, September 6th, 2022 (full day of attendance for everyone)
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Busing Information: Bus letters will be mailed on August 30th with information regarding your child’s bus stop and pick-up/drop-off times. Bus information will also be available on Parent Portal beginning August 31st. There may be changes to your child's bus information after you receive the letters, so the most up-to-date information will be found on Parent Portal. Parents are strongly encouraged to check Parent Portal prior to the start of school on September 6th. For a link to Parent Portal and information on how to sign up, please visit www.ktufsd.org/ParentPortal
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Back-to-School Toolkit: On our back-to-school page, you will find school supply lists for all schools, important beginning-of-year information and announcements, back-to-school event information, answers to frequently asked questions, and other helpful information. Access it at www.ktufsd.org/back2school
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Online Calendars: On our website, you can find online calendars and corresponding Google calendars for our district and each of its schools. These calendars include all important dates and event information and will be updated throughout the year. You can find them at www.ktufsd.org/calendar. Families will also receive the 2022-23 District Calendar & Handbook publication in the mail prior to the first day of school.
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New Chromebook Insurance Option: The Ken-Ton School District is offering a new insurance option families may purchase to cover certain types of damage to Gr 5-12 district-issued Chromebooks. The cost is $25 per year and is 100% optional/voluntary. It covers certain types of damage families would have been responsible for in the past such as cracked screens from drops. Learn more about it here.
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SCHOOL & DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS | |
Each week, we will highlight some of the exciting things taking place in our schools. Be sure to follow the Ken-Ton School District on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@ktufsd) for more school highlights! | |
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Food Service Experiments With Delicious New Recipes
Our food service department was hard at work this week during their "Culinary Camp" to introduce delicious new recipes for students to enjoy. The food service staff led by Food Service Director Kim Roll developed and practiced new ways to incorporate fresh produce into daily meals and experimented with some new recipes for the upcoming school year. Some examples included roasted fingerling potatoes, honey balsamic roasted beets, and a vegetable bake.
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District Recognized by Ken-Ton
Chamber of Commerce
The Ken-Ton Union Free School District was recognized by the Ken-Ton Chamber of Commerce as one of their business award winners. The awards aim to recognize businesses, organizations, entrepreneurs, and young professionals who enhance and contribute to the quality of life in the Town of Tonawanda. Ken-Ton has been recognized as the Large Business of the Year (over 100 employees). According to the Chamber, this award is given to a business with a history of long-standing success and significant economic contributions to the region. The winners will be honored at a luncheon on September 16th as part of the Ken-Ton Chamber’s 50th Anniversary Jubilee. You can learn more about the award and how to purchase tickets to the luncheon here.
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Ken-Ton Celebrates Summer School Graduates At Summer Graduation
On Friday, August 19th, we were honored to recognize 10 hard working Kenmore East and Kenmore West graduates as part of our Summer Graduation! The room was packed with friends and family there to celebrate this milestone. Kenmore East music teachers Patrick Towey and Phil Aguglia and their students also did an amazing job performing during the ceremony. Congratulations to all our summer graduates!
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District Organizes History Tour, Starting With New Teachers
Each year, teachers who are new to the school district take part in a two-day Teacher Orientation to learn about the district and position them for success. This year, all new teachers took part in a bus tour of Ken-Ton to learn more about the district and its history. The tour brought them to all key district locations and many other places of interest throughout the Village of Kenmore and Town of Tonawanda. They also learned about the early history of the town and village. Special thanks to bus driver Joe Sorrentino who did a phenomenal job driving the school bus! Moving forward, plans are underway to begin providing the tour for current staff as well. If you're interested in learning more about the history of Ken-Ton, visit www.ktufsd.org/OurStory.
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Hundreds Attend Annual Kindergarten
Bus Orientation Event
Approximately 460 children and parents/guardians attended the annual School Bus Orientation & Open House on August 13th. Organized by the Transportation Department, the event’s goal is to provide students with all the necessary information to make sure they have a safe trip both to and from school. Participants learned about “stranger danger” and other ways to stay safe while waiting for and walking to/from the bus. They also got hands-on learning like how to cross in front of the bus and how to safely exit the bus in an emergency situation. A special thank you goes to all those who volunteered their time: Safety Team members Lisa Johnson, Jo Mirabella, Jill Grodesky, Peter Erick, Patti Pfetner, Scott Buyea, John Sperrazza, Julie Bauer, Christine Santora, Danielle Ostrokolowicz, Marie Orjek, Kathy Blake, Angel Adams, Elizabeth Hessler-Magrum; mechanic Don Miedel; and volunteers Cindy Frasier, Rachel Buyea, Carissa Buyea, Jordan Hofschneider, Gianna Sperrazza, Sue Sperrazza, and Lilly Orgek
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- Tuesday, August 30th:
- Kenmore West Gr. 8 Parent/Student Meet & Greet (6:30 p.m.)
- Opening Day for Staff
- Wednesday, August 31st:
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Gr. 5 Locker Move-In (times at www.ktufsd.org/back2school)
- Kenmore East Gr. 8 & New Student Orientation (6 p.m.)
- Thursday, September 1st:
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Elementary School Supply Drop-Off (times at www.ktufsd.org/back2school)
- Kenmore West Gr. 8 Orientation (7 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
- Monday, September 5th:
- Labor Day Holiday (District Offices Closed)
- Tuesday, September 6th:
- 1st Day of School
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During the summer, the Ken-Ton Weekly Connection will not be published on a weekly basis. Summer editions will be published as needed to keep our community informed of important updates and developments. | |
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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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