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.

June 7, 2019
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT
Music Instrument Vendor Night: 5-7 p.m. Monday, June 17

The Music Department is excited to host a vendor night with local music stores from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, June 17 at Lindbergh Elementary. All music families are invited to attend to learn about their options of purchasing or renting instruments from our local music stores. At this event, guests will also have the opportunity to purchase reeds, brass oil, percussion mallets, rosin, shoulder rests, music stands, and other various instrument supplies. More information about instrument rental expectations/guidance and the June 17 Vendor Night can be found at ktufsd.org/music .

Summer School Information

The Ken-Ton School District is pleased to continue to offer summer school programming at the elementary, middle, and high school level, while also providing bus transportation to eligible K-12 summer school students. Information on summer school for eligible students at the elementary, middle, and high school level is available on the website at ktufsd.org/SummerSchool .

Don't Forget to Register for Summer Music

The Ken-Ton School District Music Department is proud to offer some of the region's best summer instrumental music programs including orchestra, band, and jazz ensemble camps; beginner lessons; and ukulele classes. The registration deadline is Friday, June 21. Ken-Ton students will receive a free instrument for the summer but must make arrangements with their band or orchestra teacher by Friday, June 21. For more information and registration forms, visit ktufsd.org/SummerMusic .
Kenmore West Baseball Wins Section VI Class A Title

Kenmore West Baseball finished the regular season with an extraordinary 16-2 overall record, clinching the NFL title after a 3-1 win over Lockport which was Coach John Haynes’ 100th win as coach. During the playoffs, the team defeated Grand Island and then Williamsville South before taking on Niagara-Wheatfield in the Class A-1 Championship on May 30, winning 5-3. The Blue Devils advanced and faced Class A-2 champion Iroquois at Canisius College on Saturday, June 1, winning 8-3 to claim the overall Class A title. The team will now proceed to the Far West Regionals on Saturday, June 8 at Dwyer Stadium in Batavia. Click here to read the story .
Ken-Ton UFSD Honors 42 Retirees
On June 4, the Ken-Ton School District recognized 42 employees who will be retiring at the end of the 2018-19 school year. Each of these employees have played a critical role in shaping the future success of countless students, including teachers, administrators, and school support staff who play a variety of vital roles to support the success and well-being of students. Click here to read the story .
K-12 Art Initiative for Children's Hospital
A year-long initiative by the Ken-Ton School District Art Department will soon culminate with the delivery of a large-scale art installation, hand-drawn coloring booklets for patients, and donations of art supplies to John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital through the hospital’s Healing Arts Program. The items will be delivered at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11 in the 1st Floor Lobby of Oishei Children’s Hospital. Click here to read the story .
IB Art Students Plan Art Auction to Benefit Children's Hospital
All are invited to a special art auction from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 15 at Kenmore West High School in the auditorium. All proceeds will be donated to Oishei Children’s Hospital. Featured artists include Fotini Galanes and Charles Clough. The auction has been organized by two Kenmore West International Baccalaurate (IB) students, Lucas Marcotte and Adelina Metz. Click here to read the story .
Kenmore Rugby Team Explores History, Culture & Rugby in Wales
For 21 rugby players from the Ken-Ton School District, it was the trip of a lifetime: seven days in an area of the world where the sport first originated. During spring recess, rugby coach Bill Conrad and Kenmore East football coach Pat Veltri accompanied 21 players from the Kenmore Rugby Club and nine parent chaperones on a journey to Wales, including several locations that are significant in the history of rugby. Click here to read the story .
Nickel City Shirts, Ken-Ton Closet Give All Holmes Students a Free School Shirt
Friday, May 31 was a very special day at Holmes Elementary School. At an all-school assembly featuring entertainer Kevin McCarthy, each student received a special Holmes Elementary T-shirt proudly displaying the Holmes Elementary logo thanks to a partnership with the Ken-Ton Closet and Nickel City Shirt Company. Click here to read the story .
Retired Administrator Dennis Priore Receives SAANYS Retiree Award
Dennis Priore, a retired principal from the Ken-Ton School District, received the 2019 Irving Schwartz Distinguished Retiree Award from the School Administrators Association of New York State. This award is given annually to a retired SAANYS member who, in retirement, has made significant contributions to the welfare of the association, education, and the greater community. Click here to read the story .
Kenmore Boys Rugby Team Finishes 2nd at New York State Championships

The Kenmore Boys Rugby Team with players from Kenmore East High School and Kenmore West High School made it all the way to the New York State Championship for the fourth time in team history. This was the team’s seventh appearance in the NYS finals, and the team was the only club team competing against established varsity programs from across the state. Click here to read the story .
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS
Foreign Language Honor Society Inductees/Cord Recipients

The World Languages Departments at Kenmore East High School and Kenmore West High School recently recognized inductees into their German, French and Spanish language honor societies, as well as graduating seniors who earned a cord in their respective world language. In order to be selected for these prestigious honor societies, students must have at least a 90 percent average in their world language course, a GPA of 85 percent or more, and pursue further studies in their languages. Seniors who pursued their studies in world languages through senior year and who had been previously inducted into the honors societies were given honor cords. Click here to read the story .
5 Kenmore West Students Are Honored by New York State Legislature

New York State Senator Chris Jacobs presented five Kenmore West High School students, Kristen Benner, Lucas Foglia-Leffler, Judith-Jennifer Siwiec, Ayat Ramadan, and Lauren Gradzewicz, with New York State Senate Youth Leadership Recognition Awards on Tuesday, May 28 and praised them for their outstanding academic performance as well as their contributions to their school or community through their extracurricular and volunteer activities. Click here to read the story .
Students & Teachers Celebrated at Hoover Middle Student/Teacher Reunion
As a reward for working hard to achieve their reading goals, 26 students at Hoover Middle School were given the opportunity to take part in a very special Student/Teacher Reunion which celebrated their accomplishments as well as their former teachers. They were able to invite a former teacher who had a major impact on their learning. Click here to read the story .
Kenmore East Singers Receive Highest Rating Possible from NYSSMA
In May, the Kenmore East High School Chamber Singers received a "Gold with Distinction" rating at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Major Choral Evaluations at Williamsville East High School. This is the highest possible rating a choir can receive from the state, and this is the fourth consecutive year that they have received this distinct recognition.
Lindbergh Staff Devote Lunch Time to Making Connections With Students
Abbey Kwietniak, Lindbergh Elementary School librarian, and Patricia Massey, library clerk, host a group of second-grade students for lunch each week. Recently, they had a surprise guest, Officer Adam Massey from the Kenmore Police Department, who handed out bracelets, magnets, and stickers to each of the children. Click here to read the story .
Hoover Middle Team 7-2 Raises $1,000+ for Water for South Sudan
After reading the book "A Long Walk to Water" in Kelly Bacon and Jackie Rickan’s 7th-grade ELA class at Hoover Middle School, the students wanted to do something to help bring clean water to the people of South Sudan. Team 7-2 organized a walk-a-thon and collected donations for Water for South Sudan. The team raised a total of $1,057 for the organization which builds water wells in South Sudan.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Hundreds tuned in to watch baby chicks hatching live in a Lindbergh Elementary School classroom via YouTube. The activity, which took place in Paula Nestico's science class, caught the attention of WGRZ Channel 2 and WKBW Channel 7. It's one of many such activities in elementary school science classes throughout the district.
Two 5th-grade teams at Franklin Middle School chose to use part of the money they raised from their winter candy cane sale to purchase more than 100 boxes of crayons, colored pencils, markers, and gel pens for the Ken-Ton School District Art Department's coloring materials drive for the John R. Oshei Children's Hospital.
Ken-Ton Board of Education members and administrators had a wonderful time at Holmes Elementary School on Wednesday, June 5 for their final school visit of the 2018-19 school year. During their visit, they had the opportunity to meet a baby duckling who had just been born in Courtney Cefaratti’s first-grade classroom.
Two students from the Ken-Ton School District CLASS Program received trophies at the WNY Invention Convention on May 11: Ava Cavarello from St. Amelia's who earned 1st place in her division, and Cora Walker from Franklin Elementary who earned 2nd place in her division.
Thanks went out to all those who voted in the May 21, 2019 Budget Vote & Board of Education Election including Kenmore West High School alumnus Alex Fusani (Class of 2018) and his mother Amy. Alex was proud to be participating in his very first election.
Franklin Elementary's PBIS team recently implemented a creative new prize: “VIP seating” for assemblies and special events. Some recent VIP winners enjoyed watching the 4th-grade Earth Day assembly from the balcony as a reward for promoting a positive school environment.
KEN-TON IN THE NEWS
Art Department initiative for Oishei Children’s Hospital:

School security/Raptor system:

5 Kenmore West seniors honored by NYS Senate:

Baby chicks hatch in elementary classrooms:

Kenmore West Senior Walk: