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.
December 19, 2018
|
|
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT
|
|
Kindergarten & Pre-K Registration Begins in January
Registration for Kindergarten and Universal Pre-Kindergarten in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda UFSD will begin in January. Registration for all students is by appointment only at the Central Registration Office, located at 1500 Colvin Blvd., Buffalo, NY 14223. Parents may call the Central Registration office at 716-871-2090 to make an appointment to register for Kindergarten and/or Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs.
Click here for more information
.
Ken-Ton Welcomes Jeffery Richards, New Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
The Ken-Ton School District is pleased to welcome Jeffery Richards as the new Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Richards has a great deal of experience in district administration, school leadership, and as a classroom teacher. He comes to Ken-Ton from the Grand Island Central School District, where he served as Director of Human Resources and Staff Development. Previous to his position at Grand Island, Richards had served as Principal of Maryvale Middle School, as Coordinator of Special Education for the Orleans-Niagara BOCES, and as a social studies teacher in the Depew School District for 10 years. As Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Richards will oversee hiring, personnel, negotiations, benefits, as well as adult and community education.
|
|
Ken-Ton's Kim Roll Wins NYS Food Service Director of the Year
|
Kim Roll, Ken-Ton School District food service director, won statewide recognition as the recipient of this year’s New York School Nutrition Association’s Outstanding Director of the Year Award. In announcing the award, NYSNA President Sandy Cocca cited the effectiveness of the Ken-Ton food service program and the healthy, appealing options offered daily to students.
Click here to read the story
.
|
|
|
Students, Staff Donate Pies for Community Thanksgiving
|
Carol Glor, Family & Consumer Science teacher at Kenmore West High School, and her students donated a total of 25 delicious squash pies to the Ken-Ton Meals on Wheels for its annual Community Thanksgiving Party, alongside another 23 pies donated by administrators and staff from the Ken-Ton School District administrative offices.
Click here to read the story
.
|
|
|
New Program Allows IB Students to Unwind, Learn New Activities
|
A new initiative at Kenmore West is giving its International Baccalaureate (IB) students a much-needed break. The new initiative is called the "I'm Breathing" program. Organized by Kenmore West IB coordinator Laura Howse, it aims to give IB students a chance to take time off from their studies, try a new activity, and learn about stress relief. This month: Tai Chi.
Click here to read the story
|
|
|
December Board of Education Recognitions: Big Picture Program
Congratulations to all those from the Big Picture Program who were recognized at the December 2018 Board of Education meeting: program founders/teachers Matthew Chimera and James Keleher, student Madison Martin, and school nurse Nancy Cliff! You can learn more about these outstanding individuals, as well as all those who have been recognized, by visiting the
Board Recognitions Page
.
|
|
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS
|
|
Edison Teacher Secures Grant Funding for Innovative Programs
|
Edison Elementary School first-grade teacher Katie Sacco is a Certified Grant Writer, and she uses her skills and expertise in the area of grant writing to secure new and creative ways to benefit and engage her students. This year, she has secured grant funding for indoor STEM and cooperative learning activities, and for flexible seating.
Click here to read the story
.
|
|
|
Kenmore East Collects 30,000+ Items for Food Banks, Families
|
Kenmore East High School students and staff collected an astounding 30,181 food items as part of the 15th annual Gobblin' Up Hunger food drive. Social studies teacher Steven Viglietti won the "Biggest Turkey" contest for having the highest number of donations made in his name. Viglietti had to wear a turkey costume all day while teaching.
Click here to read the story
.
|
|
|
New Staff/Student-Run Thrift Store Thrives at Kenmore West
|
Staff at Kenmore West High School opened a new staff- and student-run environmentally friendly thrift shop named KW Freestyle earlier this year. Freestyle is described as a place where students can renew or revive their wardrobes at no cost. Students can also find gifts for friends and family, especially when they cannot afford to buy them on their own.
Click here to read the story
.
|
|
|
Ken-Ton Students Perform Exceptionally at WNY Physics Olympics
|
Ken-Ton middle and high school students performed exceptionally at the 2018 Buffalo State College Physics Olympics on Dec. 1. A team from Kenmore West came in second place overall out of 27 teams from high schools throughout Western New York, and a team from Franklin Middle School ranked third among all the middle schools.
Click here to read the story
.
|
|
|
A Special Guest Reader at Lindbergh
|
Rob Zirnheld, head custodian at Lindbergh Elementary School, goes beyond his day-to-day responsibilities to help create a wonderful environment at the school. The students all know his name and look forward to a high-five as they pass him in the halls. Zirnheld was recently invited to read to students in Denise Hoffman's kindergarten class, and before that, to Laura Waggoner's first-grade class.
|
|
|
Franklin Middle School Collected 1,100+ Items During Holiday Food Drive
|
Franklin Middle students/staff collected non-perishable goods for the St. Faustina's Food Pantry this holiday season. Volunteers from the Kenilworth Fire Department picked up and delivered the donations. Charlene Brown's fifth-grade homeroom collected the most items - 272 - with a school-wide total of 1,112 items.
|
|
|
Kenmore East Singers Perform at Disney
|
On Thursday, December 6, members of the Kenmore East High School choirs led by choral director Jill Neuhaus traveled to Orlando, Fl. in order to perform as part of the popular Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World. Part of the “Holidays Around the World” celebration at Epcot, the Candlelight Processional is a spectacular destination each holiday season, and the quintessential Disney holiday experience.
Click here to read the story
.
|
|
|
Edison Elementary Donates PJs
|
Students at Edison Elementary collected 206 pairs of new and gently used pajamas during their school-wide Pajama Drive during the month of November. All items that students collected went to support families in need in the Edison community, with the remainder donated to the Ken-Ton Closet. Art teacher Wendy Yiengst spearheads this successful annual initiative.
|
|
|
Lindbergh Promotes Positive Interactions With 'Friendship Tree'
|
At Lindbergh Elementary School, one of the ways the staff promotes leadership and citizenship among students is by promoting strong character skills. Each month, a new character trait is featured, and activities are incorporated to promote this trait. December’s theme is "Friendship."
Click here to read the story
.
|
|
|
KE Soccer Player Named All-American
|
Kenmore East senior and Varsity Soccer player Kyle Hofschneider was named to the 2018 All-American High School Boys Soccer Team, the highest individual honor a student athlete can receive. Kyle was also again named league Player of the Year, and he made the first team All-WNY and first team East All-Region soccer teams. Kyle helped lead the boy’s Kenmore East soccer team, coached by Rolfe Freidenberg, to their first NFL title in 10 years.
|
|
|
Students Enjoy Fun Activities at Edison Elementary
|
|
Lunchtime holiday shop enables Kenmore West students to 'purchase' donated items as holiday gifts with tickets they earn for positive behavior
|
|
Librarians help track down copy of 54-year-old anthology of student poetry, which was once a longtime tradition of Ken-Ton School District staff
|
|
WYRK's Clay Moden visits Sgroi Financial teacher competition winner Jodi Cook's classroom at Franklin Elementary to read to students
|
|
Hoover Middle hallways are transformed into a winter wonderland as part of friendly holiday competition
|
|
26 Shirts offers special shirt design in honor of Piper Gabel, daughter of Ken-Ton teachers Matthew and Tara Gabel, to raise money for Wings Flights of Hope
|
|
Kenmore West cheerleaders donate stockings of treats to patients at Oishei Children's Hospital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
