The SchoolGram is the newsletter of the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda
Union Free School District. The SchoolGram is presented in e-newsletter format for the convenience of readers and easy access on computers and mobile devices. Sign up to receive the SchoolGram in your inbox or view past editions on the web at
www.ktufsd.org/schoolgram
. The special Budget Edition of the SchoolGram will be mailed to households in the spring.
March 4, 2019
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WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT
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Writing Workshops for All Middle & High School Students
One-on-one writing assistance is available to all middle and high school students through the Writing Center! These sessions are perfect for students at any skill level, from aspiring young authors to anyone wishing to improve their skills as a writer. The final Saturday workshop, which is open to all middle and high school students, will take place at 10 a.m. on
Saturday, April 6
at the Kenmore Middle School Building (155 Delaware Road) in Room 105. These workshops focus on a particular topic (the topic for April 6 will be Finding Poetry) followed by time for one-on-one conferences. Additionally, high school students are invited to take part in after-school sessions beginning at 2:45 p.m. on
Thursday, March 14 and Thursday, May 2
in the Kenmore East and Kenmore West libraries. For more information, visit
www.ktufsd.org/WritingCenter
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Raptor Implementation & New Visitor Procedures
In order to create an added layer of safety and security while school is in session, new visitor procedures requiring a valid ID will be in effect as schools begin implementing a new visitor management system known as Raptor. The Raptor system is currently being piloted in three school buildings (Holmes Elementary, Kenmore West High School, and the Franklin complex). Soon, this system will be implemented district-wide. Those who wish to visit a school building during the regular school day are asked to familiarize themselves with the new visitor procedures which will be in effect once Raptor is implemented in that school. Learn more at
www.ktufsd.org/Visitors
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2019-20 School District Budget Development
The 2019-20 school district budget development process is underway and all residents and stakeholders are encouraged to learn about the budget and vote on Tuesday, May 21 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Hoover Middle School. The remaining two budget work sessions will take place Tuesday, March 5 and Tuesday, March 26, and the budget hearing will take place Tuesday, May 14. All meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Kenmore Middle School Building (155 Delaware Road) in the Community Room. All information on the 2019-20 budget will be posted at
www.ktufsd.org/Budget,
and the special Budget Edition of the SchoolGram will be mailed to all residents in May.
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Kenmore West Proudly Presents "The Drowsy Chaperone" March 7-9
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Kenmore West High School will proudly present its musical production of "The Drowsy Chaperone" at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, March 7-9. A parody of 1920s American musical theater, the show won five Tony Awards after its Broadway debut in 2006. This madcap comedy follows a musical theater fan as he relives his favorite show, the fictional 1928 hit "The Drowsy Chaperone," which comes to life in his apartment.
Click here for the story
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Kenmore West Science Olympiad Team Earns Place in NYS Competition
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The Kenmore West High School Science Olympiad team performed exceptionally in the Western New York Science Olympiad at Buffalo State College on Friday, Feb. 1, earning a place at the New York State competition for the first time in school history. The team earned medals in each competition it competed in on Feb. 1.
Click here to read the story
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Father Surprises 3 Students After Nearly Year-Long Deployment
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Feb. 4 was a very exciting day for three Ken-Ton School District students as their father, Pedro Pabon, surprised them at school after a nearly year-long deployment to Afghanistan. Pabon surprised his two sons at Hoover Middle and Kenmore West and his daughter at Lindbergh Elementary. WGRZ Ch. 2 was on hand to help celebrate the happy homecoming.
Click here for the story
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Adult Education Partners With Catholic Charities Workforce Development
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Adult Education has partnered with Catholic Charities Workforce Development to provide new supports and opportunities for students age 17 to 24 who are pursuing their high school equivalency diploma. Catholic Charities will provide expert counseling, case management, job readiness coaching, job placement services, and overall support to students enrolled in the program.
Click here to read the story
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Leaders, Educators Work Together to Address Looming Teacher Shortage
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Local and state officials joined with education leaders, teachers, administrators, and students in the Ken-Ton School District on Thursday, Jan. 24 to address a significant issue facing school districts in New York State: a looming shortage of teachers. Participants brainstormed ways to address this challenge and increase the number of prospective teachers ahead of the shortage.
Click here to read the story
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SUNY Buffalo State Features Ken-Ton Trustee for Recent Achievements
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Thomas Reigstad, Board of Education Trustee and Professor Emeritus of English at SUNY Buffalo State, was featured by the SUNY Buffalo State "Daily Bulletin" for two recent achievements. Dr. Reigstad published an article entitled "Mark Twain and the Coal Question" in the fall edition of the "Mark Twain Journal," and he led an illustrated lecture on Mark Twain's time in Buffalo for the local chapter of PEO International on Jan. 8.
Click here for the story
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Abraham Lincoln Class of 1949 Plans 70th Reunion
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The last eighth-grade class to attend the former Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, the class of 1949, is planning a 70th Reunion to take place this summer. The students, who went on to attend Kenmore Junior High School then Kenmore Senior High School, was the last eighth-grade class prior to a change in grade level configurations. The school eventually closed in the early 1980s.
Click here to read the story
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February Board of Education Recognitions
Congratulations to all those who were recognized at the February 2019 Board of Education Meeting: Edison Elementary student Chase Achatz, teacher Lynne Pernick, teacher aide Lisa Wilkins, and Community Relations Coordinator Patrick Fanelli. You can learn more about these outstanding individuals, as well as all those who have been recognized, by visiting the
Board Recognitions Page
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WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS
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Hoover Elementary Highlights
Students at Hoover Elementary School have made their debut instrumental performances, enjoyed a performance by the Kenmore East Harmony Dancers, and participated in the Buffalo Bills/Independent Health Play 60 Challenge, which was won by Briella MacLeod from Lisa Chavaroli's second-grade classroom.
Click here to read the story
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Artspace Exhibit Features Work by 2 Art Teachers & Ken-East Students
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On Sunday, Jan. 13, Buffalo's Artspace Gallery celebrated the opening of the "Here We Are" exhibit which featured photography by two Ken-Ton School District art teachers, Denise Carr from Kenmore East and Gustavo Glorioso from Franklin Middle, as well as Kenmore East High School students.
Click here to read the story
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Ken-Ton Students Boost International Effort to End Polio
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Thanks to the efforts of students and staff in partnership with the Kenmore Rotary Club, thousands of children will soon receive the polio vaccine as part of an international effort to eradicate the virus. In January, volunteers from the Kenmore East and Kenmore West Interact Club brought the annual “Purple Pinkie Project” to five schools over a three-day period.
Click here to read the story
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KE/FMS Modified Basketball Celebrates Successful Season
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The Kenmore East High School/Franklin Middle School Girls Modified Basketball Team celebrated a successful winter season with a party at Franklin Middle on February 7. Earlier, the Kenmore East High School Varsity Girls Basketball Team, coached by Les Simon, joined the modified players for a practice at Kenmore East.
Click here to read the story
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Franklin Elementary Finds Creative Ways to Reward Students
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Franklin Elementary has found creative ways to motivate and reward students for working hard and being safe, respectful, and responsible. Students in Samantha Rajski's class won the opportunity to work on jigsaw puzzles for National Puzzle Day, and teachers nominated individual "spotlight winners" to participate in the school's first Spotlight Celebration.
Click here to read the story
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Elementary School Students Celebrate 100 Days of Learning
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Elementary school students marked the 100th day of school on Wednesday, February 13, which gave them the opportunity to celebrate all that they have learned so far this year. Students celebrated the 100th day by dressing up like they were 100 years old and participating in fun activities involving the number 100.
Click here to read the story
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Lindbergh Students Take Part in 3-Week "Readers Are Winners" Program
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Lindbergh Elementary students recently took part in the three-week Readers Are Winners Program which included a variety of fun events to get them excited about reading. One event was the annual guest reader program which welcomed many different special guests to school to read to classes.
Click here for the story
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East, West Students Participate in NYS Theater Conference
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In January, nearly three dozen Kenmore East and Kenmore West students attended the 21st annual New York State Theatre Education Association Student Conference at the Villa Roma Resort in Calicoon, N.Y. A total of seven students from Kenmore East were led by teacher Dana Giglia, and 26 students from Kenmore West were led by teacher Diana Gruninger.
Click here to read the story
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Students Write Letters of Appreciation to Retiring K9 Officer & Dog
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Katie Nadrowski's fourth-grade class at Franklin Elementary School recently learned how to write friendly letters. To practice what they learned, the students wrote letters of appreciation to retiring Town of Tonawanda police officer Brent Costello of the K9 Unit and his police dog Tank.
Click here to read the story
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Kenmore and Crosby Field are featured by the international events company DHL in its commercial for the Rugby World Cup
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Ken-Ton School District staff Tim and Debbie Knight (The Knight Crew) are featured in Buffalo News Magazine article "Second Chance at Love"
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The Kenmore East Boys JV Basketball Team celebrates its first Staff Appreciation Night by recognizing staff who have had an impact in players' lives
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Kenmore East Band Director Phil Aguglia featured by WBFO:
Jerry Starr Ken-Ton Schools’ SleepOut:
New Visitor Procedures (Superintendent Op-Ed):
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