Weekly Update from the Office of the Superintendent
Volume 1, Issue 44 (June 4, 2021)
GROUND-BREAKING

On Friday, June 11, we will be joined by local leaders and media representatives at a special ceremony at Kenmore East High School. This event will serve a double purpose and mark a turning point for the Ken-Ton School District. One focus of the ceremony is to celebrate the groundbreaking of our Capital Project, which includes improvements and upgrades at all of our schools. This includes critical maintenance work; enhancements for health, safety and security; classroom additions at three elementary schools; and upgraded athletic/recreation facilities including a new artificial turf field at Kenmore East High School. Another focus will be ground-breaking work which will positively impact the entire community.

I will save the details of this major ground-breaking announcement for Friday. We expect it to generate significant interest and excitement so stay tuned! I will have more details in next week’s edition of the Ken-Ton Weekly Connection.

Mask Requirements

We are continuing to see a significant decline in COVID-19 cases throughout Erie County. This is extremely positive news. It is one more reason to be optimistic about the future. We have also seen changes in guidance and requirements involving masks. We are hearing reports that there may be a change to masking requirements as early as the beginning of next week. However, New York State still requires that masks be worn at all times in schools. Until changes are announced, masks will be required at all times on school grounds at each of our buildings, regardless of one’s vaccination status.

As we have throughout the pandemic, we will always adhere to all state requirements. Procedures involving mask breaks also remain unchanged. In some cases, mask breaks are scheduled. At other times, students have the opportunity to request to take a mask break. Mask breaks are only permissible if a student is at least 6 feet away from other students or staff. In our middle and high schools, students are able to take mask breaks at their desks since they are at least 6 feet apart from one another. In our elementary schools, students are sitting as little as 3 feet apart. They must move away from his or her classmates in order to take a mask break.

We will keep our families informed of any changes to the NYS mask requirements that will impact our procedures. I want to remind everyone that I am just as anxious as others to be able to permanently remove masks. We must maintain our professionalism and demonstrate to students that we will follow the rules until the rules change.
RECOGNITION: TOP 3 STUDENTS
Lauren Reinhart
Paige Denman
Abigail Grzeskowiak
Dominic Stanz
Alyssa Buscaglia
Samuel Holden
On May 20, I had the honor of joining six outstanding students and Principal Patrick Heyden from Kenmore East and Principal Dean Johnson from Kenmore West for the 41st annual SARD dinner. This special event is hosted by the Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association with support from the Erie County Association of School Boards. The purpose of the event is to honor and recognize outstanding achievement by members of the graduating class from high schools in Erie and Niagara Counties.

Kenmore East High School and Kenmore West High School were each represented by their three top graduating seniors at the SARD dinner. From Kenmore East, the students were Lauren Reinhart, Paige Denman, and Abigail Grzeskowiak. From Kenmore West High School, the students were Dominic Stanz, Alyssa Buscaglia, and Samuel Holden. Each of these students and their peers from across Western New York were recognized at the dinner and received a specially commissioned crystal bison.

Please join me in congratulating Lauren, Paige, Abigail, Dominic, Alyssa, and Samuel for their outstanding academic achievements. I also encourage all students to take the time to thank their families and teachers for their consistent support throughout their academic journey.
RECOGNITION: JANET CERRA
We are extremely proud to recognize the Family Support Center Director, Janet Cerra. Ms. Cerra was one of only 18 professionals in all of Western New York recognized by the Western New York Educational Service Council (WNYESC) 2021 Awards for Excellence Program. Each year, WNYESC honors exceptional teachers, support staff, administrators and Board of Education members. Ms. Cerra was one of only five individuals recognized in the “Administration” category. This is a great honor and a true tribute to Ms. Cerra’s outstanding service to our school district community.

Since 2003, Ms. Cerra has been the driving force behind our Family Support Center, which provides family counseling and other vital mental health and social-emotional support services for students, families and staff. Cerra created the Family Support Center in 2003 to provide a resource for families to address a range of issues that adversely affect children. Ms. Cerra’s philosophy has always been to incorporate the entire family into the counseling process. This is because challenges at home might be the cause of the child’s struggles, and what is causing the child to struggle might be affecting the entire family. In addition, Ms. Cerra works closely with many local agencies so specialists can provide more specific, individualized support as well.

Ms. Cerra’s tireless efforts have made the Family Support Center an extraordinary success. It has been cited as one of our community’s greatest assets for families in need. It is also recognized as one of the District’s most effective ways of improving the social-emotional well-being of students, strengthening families and removing non-academic barriers to learning. None of this would be possible without Ms. Cerra’s tireless work. Her dedication and compassion for the families she serves is evident in numerous additional initiatives she spearheads. Under Ms. Cerra's leadership, the programs and services provided at the center continue to evolve as the needs of the community change.

Please join me in congratulating Janet Cerra for this well-deserved recognition!
Thank you for reviewing this information. As always, we remain Ken-Ton Proud, Ken-Ton Strong, and Ken-Ton Moving Forward!

For previous editions of the Ken-Ton Weekly Connection, visit www.ktufsd.org/connection