Weekly Update from the Office of the Superintendent

Volume 2, Issue 33 (April 29, 2022)

Video Update: https://youtu.be/1kpiZ_B5pnU

BIG PICTURE LEARNING



Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the WNY MMA & Fitness facility on Great Arrow Avenue in Buffalo where Matthew Weiser, a junior in our Big Picture Program, has been interning since October. It was his end-of-year internship evaluation, a chance for advisor Dan Litz and internship coordinator Chris Watson to hear about his progress from Matthew’s mentor, gym manager Kate Allen. Everyone agreed that Matthew has done an exceptional job at the gym and he plans to return for his senior year. I saw first-hand how important and valuable Big Picture internship experiences are, not just for students but for participating businesses as well.

Under Kate’s guidance, Matthew performed a variety of useful tasks such as record keeping, speaking with customers, cleaning, and maintaining equipment. This was important work but his primary goal was helping WNY MMA & Fitness enhance its social media marketing, especially on the popular platform Tik Tok. Matthew and Kate worked side-by-side to develop informative, entertaining and engaging content to advance the WNY MMA & Fitness brand. A lot of work went into these videos. They often had to reshoot the videos numerous times to achieve their desired effect. Each video then needed to be edited, finalized, and posted using hashtags to maximize its reach. Through Matthew’s hard work and knowledge of the platform, they were able to take their Tik Tok profile to the next level with more than 20 videos, some of which have received a considerable number of views.

For Matthew, what he has learned at WNY MMA & Fitness is comparable to what he is learning in the classroom and he described Kate as a teacher to him. “What my mentor Kate has taught me has meant the world to me,” Matthew said. “She's there to teach me not just how to be a better student but to teach me things that will last my entire life.”

The Big Picture Program is an extremely successful non-traditional academic program that operates at our historic Kenmore Middle School Building. Internships like Matthew’s are an important component of the Big Picture instructional framework. These opportunities give students mentors and the chance to develop real-world workplace skills to complement their classroom instruction.

Local businesses like WNY MMA & Fitness make these opportunities available to our students. WNY MMA & Fitness is one of Big Picture’s longest-running internship sites and Matthew is their third Big Picture intern. For Kate, who was a teacher before embarking on a career in mixed martial arts gym management, taking on interns was an easy decision when she first learned about the Big Picture Program five years ago. “I thought it’s a great opportunity for a student to be in real-world situations, for the gym to give back, and for me to scratch that teaching itch a little bit,” she said. “To me, that was a really cool way of seeing the program do exactly what it is meant to do: equip students with valuable real world skills and give them the opportunity to gain experience that is going to pay dividends as they move forward in their careers.”

According to Big Picture Program internship coordinator Chris Watson, this is a common sentiment among businesses that have partnered with Big Picture to create these internship opportunities for students. “For a lot of businesses, we’ve heard that having that extra help, being part of a young person’s growth and maturing, making a difference in that person’s life, and the different perspectives being brought to the business -- those are all things they benefit from as mentors,” he said.

Kate would recommend all local businesses to consider taking on a Big Picture intern. “I would absolutely recommend that other local businesses take on interns from the Big Picture Program because it’s such a rewarding experience for the student, for the mentor, and for the people who come into the business and get to be part of that as well,” she said. “I’m so glad this program exists for the kids because lots of kids have different learning styles and this is a program really tailored to a particular demographic of students. It really enables them to be successful in ways other programs may not. I think that is so unendingly important.”

This is a very exciting time for the Big Picture Program as it expands to include a seventh grade class beginning this September and is currently accepting applications for its incoming seventh- and eighth-grade class. Families of current sixth- and seventh-grade students can access the application on the Big Picture Program website at www.ktufsd.org/BP. As a district, we will continue to learn from our experiences in all of our programs and attempt to find ways to enhance programming throughout the district.

If you are interested in becoming a Big Picture Program internship site, please visit our internship sign-up page at www.ktufsd.org/bp-mentor. You can also learn more about WNY MMA & Fitness at wnymma.com.

BREAKFAST WITH THE BOARD

Tomorrow (Saturday, April 30th), our Board of Education will host its second community forum, entitled “Breakfast with the Board.” The event will begin at 9 a.m. in the Kenmore Middle School Building, 155 Delaware Road, in the Community Room. Guests are encouraged to come early so as to not miss part of the discussion. The forum is designed to provide parents, residents, staff, and any other members of the school district community a chance to ask questions or discuss topics of their choosing while also enjoying a delicious breakfast provided by our Ken-Ton School District Food Service Department. Guests will also be able to get to know Board of Education members and district administrators. All members of the Ken-Ton School District community are welcome and invited to attend this special event.

'BADGES & PINS'

The Town of Tonawanda Police Department is offering students in Grades 6-9 and their parents/guardians the chance to bowl with officers on Saturdays through the new "Badges & Pins" program every Saturday beginning April 30th at Classic Lanes. Bowling will take place between 9 and 11 a.m. followed by a one-hour lunch and community meeting with officers to discuss topics that affect children and families. The program is free and can accommodate up to 40 people. Additional details and information on how to sign up can be found on the Town of Tonawanda Police Department Facebook Page (@TownPolice) and on this flyer.

KENMORE WEST: The Kenmore West High School Theater Program is proud to present its spring play, Ken Ludwig's "Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood," on Thursday, May 5th; Friday, May 6th; and Saturday, May 7th at 7:30 p.m. The production, directed by Diana Gruninger and Madeline Kaderabeck, will take place in the Kenmore West High School auditorium (33 Highland Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14223). This classic story of courage is based on the English ballads of the 14th and 15th centuries and is filled, like its hero, with thrills, romance and a deep belief in social justice. The story begins with a young man who believes in nothing but a good time, then comes face to face with the kind of greed and inhumanity that won’t let him sleep at night. Suddenly he’s an outlaw hiding in Sherwood Forest where he joins up with a band of followers including Little John, Friar Tuck, and a feisty adventuress, Maid Marian Fitzwalter, who steals his heart and won’t give it back.  Purchase your tickets at theaterwest.booktix.com.

ALL SCHOOLS: We were extremely excited to learn that Ken-Ton has once again been designated as a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Foundation in recognition of its outstanding K-12 music programs and commitment to music education. Only 738 of the nation’s 15,000 school districts earned this designation and this is the 12th year in a row Ken-Ton has earned this distinction. This is a testament to the outstanding efforts of our music teachers led by music coordinator Laura Anderson as well as the commitment of the community to make music education such an important part of the curriculum. We can all be proud of this distinction.

ALL SCHOOLS: On April 23rd, the day after Earth Day, a dedicated group of Ken-Ton School District students and staff devoted their Saturday morning to cleaning up the Niagara River Greenway Shoreline Trail in the vicinity of Aqua Lane Park in the Town of Tonawanda. Approximately 30 students and staff took part in the effort, removing a tremendous quantity of garbage from this beautiful trail. The Niagara River Greenway Shoreline Trail runs from the Tifft Nature Preserve south of Buffalo along Lake Erie and the Niagara River, along the western shoreline of Grand Island, and then along the Niagara River all the way to Lake Ontario. The Niagara River Greenway has established an "Adopt a Trail" initiative which allows organizations and municipalities to "adopt" and care for specific sections of the train. The Ken-Ton School District has adopted the section of the train between Aqua Lane Park to the Erie County Water Authority and it was this section of the trail that participants cleaned up. Similar efforts took place throughout the length of the Shoreline Trail through the coordination of the Niagara River Greenway. Great job to everyone involved!

KENMORE EAST: The Kenmore East High School Band Program led by Band Director Phil Aguglia hosted a very special concert event at Kenmore East on April 25th which brought together students from four different schools in the area. Ensembles from Cheektowaga, Sweet Home, Cleveland Hill and Kenmore East all came together for the concert which also featured a very distinguished guest: Dr. Richard Fischer. Dr. Fischer, one of the nation's most distinguished music educators and conductors, is the Fred and Jane Wittlinger Endowed Chair for Music Performance at Concordia University Chicago, a private university that is known for its outstanding music program. Dr. Fischer has performed all over the globe at some of the world's most well-known venues and has published numerous albums. Through this partnership, students from all four schools had the opportunity to learn and perform under Dr. Fischer’s leadership. You can see a video clip here.

KENMORE WEST: Kenmore West High School junior Emma Kresge made Ken-Ton proud by competing in the National Shakespeare Competition Finals on Monday. Not only did she place among the top 10 students in the country, but she also earned the distinguished title of Master of Shakespeare at the Secondary Level. Approximately 40,000 students nationwide participated in the competition, so to make it to the top 10 is an extraordinary achievement. "Emma's talent, work ethic and humility have truly shined throughout this experience,” said theater teacher Diana Gruninger, who coached Emma every step of the way. “She has been an incredible role model to the other students and has been a light in the middle of this crazy time.” The competition is normally held at the Lincoln Center in New York City but took place virtually this year. Emma performed a monologue from Othello portraying Emilia as well as Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116. Great job Emma!

WNYESC AWARDS BANQUET

We were extremely proud to honor art teacher Denise Carr and Director of Elementary Education Michael Muscarella, who received the 2022 Western New York Educational Service Council (WNYESC) Award of Excellence during an awards banquet on Tuesday. Mr. Muscarella, who received the Award of Excellence in the Administrator Category, and Ms. Carr, who received the Award of Excellence in the Teacher Category, were among only 17 individuals from throughout Western New York to be honored at the dinner. Read more about this prestigious distinction here.

RECOGNITION: DINA FERRARACCIO

This week, we congratulate Dina Ferraraccio, Director of School Culture, who has been elected President of the Kids Escaping Drugs Board of Directors. Ms. Ferraraccio has been volunteering for the organization for years and previously served as Vice President. Here in Ken-Ton, she has also been instrumental in initiating parent/family sessions on topics such as alcohol/drug addition and teen vaping/marijuana use.

Kids Escaping Drugs is an extremely important non-profit organization that focuses on empowering adolescents and families to live a life free from the disease of addiction through community outreach, education, and early intervention. Kids Escaping Drugs also operates the Renaissance Campus, a residential treatment center for chemically dependent adolescents.

Ms. Ferraraccio has been with the district for nearly 5 years. She served as Assistant Principal at Kenmore West High School from 2017 to 2021. In August, Ms. Ferraraccio was appointed as the district's first Director of School Culture. In this capacity, Ms. Ferraraccio focuses on initiatives to cultivate a positive school culture in each building as well as anti-bullying programs, character education, social-emotional initiatives, safety/security, and much more.

We are always proud to see members of our staff step up and take on leadership roles in organizations like Kids Escaping Drugs. Please join me in congratulating Ms. Ferraraccio for this achievement!

Businesses and organizations throughout the country observed Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday to recognize and celebrate the work of our administrative support staff who play an integral role at the school and district level. There are so many office staff who work behind the scenes supporting everything we do as a district. They keep our schools and district operations organized and running like clockwork. There are countless critical tasks they are responsible for every day such as school and district planning, acquiring supplies and instructional materials, essential record keeping, student attendance tracking, arrival/dismissal management, compliance with laws/regulations, and interacting with families, residents and community members on a daily basis.

Our administrative support staff do an excellent job and I ask that everyone join me in celebrating and recognizing these outstanding professionals. Everything that takes place in our schools and classrooms depends upon their hard work and dedication. Thank you for all that you do!

UPCOMING DATES

• Saturday, April 30: Breakfast With the Board (9 a.m. Kenmore Middle School Community Room)
• Week of May 2: Teacher Appreciation Week
• Tuesday, May 10: Board of Education Meeting & Budget Hearing (6:30 p.m. Kenmore Middle School Community Room)
• Friday, May 13: Elementary School Gr. K-4 Early Release Day (12:40 p.m. Dismissal)
• Tuesday, May 17: Budget Vote & Board of Education Election (7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Hoover Middle School - Use Sheridan Drive entrance)