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WEEKEND ACTIVITIES CANCELLED
Due to the winter storm expected this weekend and the State of Emergency declared by Gov. Kathy Hochul, all weekend events and activities will be canceled on Saturday, January 13th and Sunday, January 14th. A decision regarding activities scheduled for Monday, January 15th will be made by Sunday (remember that there will be no school on Monday, January 15th for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day). I will keep the community informed of any updates through the weekend.
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37TH ANNUAL JERRY STARR KEN-TON SCHOOLS’ SLEEPOUT
The 37th Annual Jerry Starr Ken-Ton Schools' Sleepout will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, February 2nd. This year, we are moving the event to Kenmore West High School, where the SleepOut originated more than three decades ago. Those who choose to “sleep out” will spend the night outside in refrigerator boxes to raise awareness about the struggles faced by the homeless and the importance of helping those in need in our community. All donations will stay in Ken-Ton and go to two Ken-Ton organizations that serve the needs of children and families:
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Family Support Center: Provides individual and family counseling and connections to local mental health service providers for hundreds of families annually at the former Longfellow Building on Myron Avenue behind Kenmore Middle School
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Ken-Ton Closet: Provides new and gently used clothing and other everyday necessities for hundreds of families annually at its site in the former Jefferson Elementary building
The SleepOut is organized by Educators Totally Committed (E.T.C.), a group of retired Ken-Ton School District teachers dedicated to inspiring students to help those in need. It is named in honor of one of its founders, the late Jerry Starr, who was always known for putting others before himself. Since the first SleepOut in 1988, the SleepOut has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars raised along with countless donations for people in need in our community.
Here is how you can support the SleepOut:
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Donate directly online via GoFundMe
- Cash/checks made payable to “Ken-Ton Schools – E.T.C." sent to Ken-Ton Schools’ SleepOut, c/o Kenmore West High School, 33 Highland Pkwy., Buffalo, NY 14223
- Donations dropped off in person the day of the SleepOut (monetary donations, food, personal care items, new/gently used clothing and small furniture items will be accepted)
- Organize a donation or collection drive
If you have any questions, please contact event organizer Steve Ash at 716-694-4492 or allhelpall@yahoo.com or visit www.ktufsd.org/sleepout for additional information.
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Dr. MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. DAY (JAN. 15)
As a reminder, there will be no school this Monday, January 15th in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. More than 50 years after his death, Dr. King continues to inspire generations with his message of equality, acceptance, and hope. Dr. King fought against persecution and injustice and he sacrificed his life so we could live in a more just and equitable world.
The Ken-Ton School District remains committed to cultivating a spirit of unity and an educational environment in which diversity is celebrated. We continue to strive to ensure that all students are given the tools they need to succeed and have equitable access to opportunities. As educators, it is our responsibility to instill in our students a sense of respect for all. We recognize and appreciate all the wonderful work that is taking place throughout the district to foster inclusivity and a culture of compassion and acceptance. This work truly is the embodiment of Dr. King's legacy.
Please take a moment this weekend to pause and reflect on Dr. King’s work and how we can continue these efforts in our own lives and community. It is an opportunity to honor his legacy and reaffirm our mutual commitment to the principles of peace, justice, and equality.
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With all of our recent weather events, this is a great time for families to make sure the district has accurate contact information on file. This includes phone numbers and email addresses for each parent/guardian and students' emergency contacts. This is an essential component of our emergency planning. In the event of a serious situation, our ability to contact you depends on having accurate contact information in our system. Please do the following:
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Make sure phone numbers and email addresses are constantly up-to-date for a child’s primary contacts. Contact information can be viewed on Parent Portal. You can find the link to access the Portal at www.ktufsd.org/ParentPortal. On this page, you will also find instructions on how to access Portal on a mobile device, update your household/contact information, request an activation key, and more. If you do not have a Campus Parent Portal account, please email ICportal@ktufsd.org.
- Also make sure contact information is accurate for the child’s emergency contacts. It is recommended that every family has at least two emergency contacts on file.
- All families are encouraged to have at least one cell phone number on file which can receive school and district text messages and at least one email address which can receive school and district email messages. Important information is often shared via text/email.
- Always make sure your voicemail isn’t full. If you reach your voicemail capacity, your phone service will not allow new voicemails to be saved.
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SCHOOL & DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS | |
Each week, we will highlight some of the exciting things taking place in the district. Be sure to follow the Ken-Ton School District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@ktufsd) for more school highlights! | |
Kenmore East Students Gather for Special Presentation on Making Their Senior Year Count | |
On Tuesday, Superintendent Sabatino Cimato, Board of Education President Matt Chimera and Director of School Culture Dina Ferraraccio provided a special presentation for Kenmore East High School seniors. Just like prior presentations at Kenmore West and Kenmore Junior/Senior High School, they encouraged the motto of "making their senior year count" and discussed the importance of making a positive impact at Kenmore East. They talked about the connections they’ve had with Ken-Ton over the course of their lives and how students can foster their own Kenmore East connections. They also discussed ways they can enhance school culture at Kenmore East. They focused on student leadership and how seniors can collectively have the deepest impact on culture. | |
Kenmore West Celebrates Naming Ceremony for Coach Bob Pufpaff Natatorium | |
The Kenmore West High School natatorium has a new name. On Friday, January 5th, the school held a ceremony in which it was renamed the "Coach Bob Pufpaff Natatorium" in honor of retired and longtime swim coach Robert Pufpaff. Mr. Pufpaff coached the Kenmore West swimming and diving team for 30 seasons, winning nearly 400 meets in the process. He helped lead the Blue Devils to six league championships, including back-to-back-to-back titles beginning in 1997. The student athletes he coached included four All-Americans and eight Honorable Mention All-Americans. He was also a Kenmore West art teacher for 37 years. Outside the Ken-Ton School District, Mr. Pufpaff was one of the initial coaches and founding members of the Tonawanda Titans, which is in its 51st year as a program. You can read more about his accomplishments here. | |
Board of Education Members Visit Hoover Elementary School | |
On Friday, January 5th, Superintendent Sabatino Cimato was joined by members of our Board of Education and other school and district administrators for a special visit to Hoover Elementary School. The visit began with a meet-and-greet followed by a tour of the school led by Principal Michael Huff and Assistant Principal Maria Cooper. A major part of the tour was a close look at the new classroom addition and pick-up/drop-off loop that is currently being constructed as part of the Capital Project. | |
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Kenmore East & Kenmore West Classes Learn About Fingerprint Analysis at Town of Tonawanda Police Department
Last month, students from Mrs. Panzarella's class at Kenmore East High School and Mrs. Schlifke's class at Kenmore West High School traveled to the Town of Tonawanda Police Department to learn about fingerprint analysis from Det. Kazmark. Students visited the forensics lab and had the opportunity to use a variety of dusting powders to lift latent fingerprints. Det. Kazmark also demonstrated how chemicals such as ninhydrin and cyanoacrylate can be used enhance fingerprint evidence.
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Franklin Middle to Present ‘Annie Jr.’ January 25-27
The Franklin Middle School Theater Troupe is proud to present "Annie Jr.", a play featuring everyone’s favorite little redhead in her very first adventure. Little orphan Annie is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of an orphanage run by Miss Hannigan. Annie eventually finds a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, and a lovable mutt named Sandy. Three performances have been scheduled for January 25th, 26th, and 27th inside the school's auditorium. Tickets are now on sale at https://fmstt.booktix.com
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Kenmore East Students Compete in Gingerbread House Competitions | |
Students in Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) teacher Kimberly Schildwaster's Foods I class at Kenmore East High School once again took part in a gingerbread house competition. This year, students were challenged to draw their inspiration from the 1983 holiday classic “A Christmas Story.” Staff voted on their favorite, which was a depiction of the character Ralphie’s house, which is pictured here (at left). Additionally, students in the Kenmore East German Club held a gingerbread house competition after school. Students spent three days working hard on their creations. The top three were by students Aryssa Barry and Lilly Ward, Ally Wager and Julie Payne, and Grace Mayle. All students did a phenomenal job with their amazing gingerbread creations! | |
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Hoover Elementary Students Take Part in Fitness for Kids Event at Canisius University
On Thursday, January 4th, 30 students from Hoover Elementary earned the opportunity to attend the 23rd annual "Kids Day" at Canisius University where they watched the women's basketball team play Mount St. Mary's University for an afternoon match-up at the Koessler Center. Hoover Elementary students selected were nominated by their teachers for displaying gratitude, which was the school's PBIS character trait for the month of November. Those who attended received free admission to the game where they cheered on the Golden Griffs and even got to meet the school's mascot. Students Harper Dabolt and Hunter Watson were selected to represent Hoover Elementary and took part in halftime activities sponsored by Independent Health's Fitness for Kids.
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RECOGNITION: NAMING COMMITTEE | |
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This week, we recognize the dedicated members of the Ken-Ton School District Naming Committee. This group, which is currently co-chaired by Director of Secondary Education Lisa Cross and Kenmore East Principal Trevor Brown, is in place to review proposals to name or rename spaces within our district. This could be anything from a bench or plaque to a facility or building. The committee was formed last year as part of the district’s new naming procedure and many of the individuals who currently serve on the committee were part of the group that were instrumental in implementing this new process.
On Friday, we saw the first example of the new naming procedure in action as we held a ceremony at the Kenmore West High School natatorium, which was officially renamed in honor of former Kenmore West swim coach Bob Pufpaff. It was wonderful to see so many from the Kenmore West community present for the ceremony. This proposal was initiated by a group of alumni who obtained the required number of signatures then presented their proposal to the Naming Committee, which recommended the proposal for the Board of Education. It was then subject to a 30-day comment period and approval by the Board of Education prior to being voted on by residents during last May’s Budget Vote and Board of Education Election.
Ken-Ton is fortunate to have such a cohesive process in place for proposals such as this and such a dedicated group of district stakeholders at the helm. In addition to Lisa Cross and Trevor Brown, committee members include Leslie Battaglia, Lindsay Bergman, Denise Carr, Melissa Carrato, Tom LaRussa, Ann Maccagnano, Dawn Stinner, Patrick Towey, and student Alexis Casselman. We sincerely appreciate their time, dedication, and thoughtful deliberations.
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Monday, January 15th
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day (No School)
Tuesday, January 23rd - Friday, January 26th
- Regents & Local Exams (High Schools Only)
Saturday, January 27th
- Ken-Ton Wrestling Tournament
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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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