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PRE-KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Now is the time for families to register for the Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program! We are excited to welcome the newest members of the future Class of 2038. The quality of our early childhood education programming is unmatched, preparing students to enter our schools which are known for their outstanding offerings as well as their dedicated and caring staff.
The free UPK Program will once again include both full-day and half-day options. To be eligible for UPK during the 2024-25 school year, children must be four years of age on or before December 1st, 2024. The traditional classroom-based UPK framework is designed to introduce academics and enhance socialization, physical activity, communication, and creative thinking while preparing your child for success in kindergarten and beyond. The program is operated in partnership with the Ken-Ton YMCA. UPK Programs will once again be offered at our beautiful Hamilton Elementary campus, which was reopened three years ago and features a wonderful, recently renovated playground facility and auditorium.
It is important to note that the availability of seats is based on NYS funding. If more children apply than there are available seats, the district will hold a lottery. Families are strongly encouraged to register for UPK by the May 24th deadline. The registration process for UPK is simple. Visit www.ktufsd.org/register, complete the online registration process, and upload photos/scans of your documents. If you have any questions, please call 716-871-2090 or email central_registration@ktufsd.org.
CAPITAL PROJECT FORUMS - NO TAX IMPLICATIONS
We will be hosting two public forums regarding the proposed $8.5 million supplemental project at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 29th in the Kenmore West auditorium and at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30th in the Kenmore East auditorium. All are welcome to attend to learn more about this project. You can also find details by clicking here (as a reminder, this will have no impact on property taxes and will be funded entirely from the Capital Project reserve, which can only be used for capital improvement purposes).
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SAFETY TIPS FOR FAMILIES:
SMART PHONE USAGE
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Common Sense Media recently focused on smart phone notifications and the impact they can have on young people's mental health. On average, preteens and teens get more than 200 notifications on their phones each day. This constant influx of notifications throughout the day continuously distracts them from engaging in other healthier activities and makes it all the more difficult to reduce their screen phone usage. Turning off at least some notifications or reducing some at times can help students reduce their overall smart phone usage. The article, which you can read here, provides the following advice for parents on how to help their children reduce the impact:
- Together with your child, open the screen time or digital well-being app on their phone and look at which apps send them the most notifications.
- Talk about how your child can update the settings—both within apps and on the phone itself. Ask them to think about which notifications they find disruptive and which ones they want to turn off. Help them set "do not disturb" times that match their needs, like when they do homework or before they go to bed.
Let's continue to work on teaching our children to be present. Being present requires limiting of distractions. Remember, we want to teach out children to live life, not watch it on a screen.
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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! | |
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Ken-Ton to Present ‘High School & Beyond’ Transition Services Fair
On April 24th, the Ken-Ton School District will present "High School & Beyond," a transition services fair, to help prepare students with disabilities for their future. It takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24th at Kenmore East High School. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about activities, programs, and events available for young adults with disabilities both while in high school and after high school. Those who are thinking about their child's future beyond high school or looking for support to help with their transition are encouraged to attend. Guests will be able to meet and interact with local providers who offer services supporting successful transition to adulthood for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There will also be short presentations on self-advocacy, careers without college, and pathways to graduation. Click here for more information.
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Kenmore East Students Excel at Live Stock Market Competition | |
Kenmore East High School Business students did a phenomenal job participating in regional Live Stock Market Competition hosted by Junior Achievement of WNY. A total of 22 three-student teams from across Western New York took part in the competition, which was sponsored by Wells Fargo. A team calling itself the "Michigan State Spartans" which included students Hari Balakrishnan, Ivan Rivera, and David Rubrecht moved their way up the leaderboard and won second place overall with final trading. Each member received a certificate and $50 Amazon gift card. Congratulations to Hari, Ivan, and David and to all the students for doing such a wonderful job representing Ken-Ton. | |
Board Members Visit Kenmore Junior/Senior High School | |
On Friday, members of our Board of Education along with Superintendent Cimato and district administrators visited Kenmore Junior/Senior High School as part of their monthly board visitation program. The day began with a meet-and-greet with staff followed by a tour of the building led by Principal Kevin Kruger and Assistant Principal Danielle Frye. They were extremely excited to showcase the brand new Crossroads Academy, which is in its first year. Crossroads Academy, which is led by Danielle Frye, is designed for students to meet graduation requirements through non-traditional classroom environments. This new program is having amazing success positioning students who may have otherwise fallen short on the path to graduation. We are very proud of the success of the inaugural class of Crossroads. Additionally, our Big Picture Program continues to thrive, adding more students than ever before. It is important to note that the success of both of these programs is fully attributed to the dedication of all the staff at Kenmore Junior/Senior High. | |
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Kenmore East Students Enjoy Band & Orchestra Trip to Nashville
Nearly 90 band and orchestra students along with their teachers and chaperones spent their Spring Recess enjoying a fun and educational trip to Nashville. The trip was led by Kenmore East band director Phil Aguglia, band teacher Patrick Towey, and Kenmore East orchestra teacher Laura Jay. The trip lasted four days and included several big opportunities and experiences, some of which were a mystery to the students, which made it an even more exciting adventure. During the trip down, this included line dancing and visits to Churchill Downs, the Corvette Museum, and the new Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky. After arriving in Nashville, they toured the Ryman Auditorium and Musicians Hall of Fame and posed for a photograph at Symphony Hall. Their third day included a brief campus tour of Vanderbilt University and a clinic with music conductor Dr. Thomas Verrier. They also went to the Country Music Hall of Fame, toured Studio B, and performed at the Opry Plaza before attending a show at the Grand Ole Opry. Click here to read the story.
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Student Leads Classroom Discussions About Autism
We were extremely proud to learn how Cheyenne Newman, a fifth-grade student in Lara McDonald’s class at Franklin Middle School, took the lead in teaching her class about autism. Her personal experiences motivated her to share facts and incorporate a true/false quiz for her classmates. Most importantly, Cheyenne hopes that people can “see the able, not the label.” What a wonderful message to share! Cheyenne did a phenomenal job with her presentation, fostering a greater understanding among her classmates.
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Edison Elementary Students & Staff Collect Nearly 600 Cereal Boxes for Families in Need
Throughout the month of March, Edison Elementary School students were challenged with collecting cereal boxes as a way to spread kindness throughout their community. The cereal boxes were all donated to help families in need. They ended up collecting a staggering 587 boxes of cereal through this initiative. Counselor Gina Paolini and teacher Kelly Bova did a fantastic job coordinating. As a special treat for students, staff carefully lined up all the cereal boxes in one long winding row that began and ended in the gym and knocked them over dominoes-style during an all-school assembly. Watch the video here.
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Hoover Middle Students Enjoy ‘Flash Mob’ Performance
Last week, Hoover Middle School music teacher Elizabeth Odrobina took students in her General Music 6 class "on the road" for a very special flash mob performance. The group performed Taylor Swift's song "Mean" in the main office as well as other locations around the school. Sixth-grade student Janiyah Batson also had an impressive vocal solo during a ukulele song. Mrs. Odrobina and her students are to be commended for doing such a fantastic job performing for their classmates and the staff.
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250 Students Perform for East Side Orchestra Concert
This week, approximately 250 students took part in the East Side Orchestra Concert, an amazing opportunity for families and community members to experience the talents of our music students across grade levels. This concert featured ensembles from Edison Elementary School, Franklin Elementary School, Franklin Middle School, and Kenmore East High School. One of the best things about this event is seeing how our students’ musical skills evolve and advance over the years. It’s also a great opportunity for our younger students to experience the kind of music they will be playing as they get older.
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Hoover Middle Students Dazzle Audiences With ‘Shrek the Musical Jr.’
Hoover Middle School students did a phenomenal job with their recent production of "Shrek the Musical Jr." Approximately 100 students took part in this year’s musical production as part of the cast and crew and the directing and production team included Lisa Welfare, Stephanie Cartwright, Matthew Purks-Morris, Aaron Scoccia, Kristen Coley, Elizabeth Curley, and Jeff Kleismit. Not only did students perform for families and community members, but they also held special performances for future Hoover Middle students at Holmes, Hoover, and Lindbergh Elementary. Click here to see photos from one of the performances.
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Kenmore East Students Attend Career Fair at Highmark Stadium
A group of juniors and seniors from Kenmore East High School recently had the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of career options by attending the "Be Your Own Hero Career Fair" which took place at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. The students had a great time meeting employers from all over Erie County and from across New York State and also had the chance to attend industry speaker sessions. It was a great learning experience for the students as they consider their own future career options.
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RECOGNITION: A.J. NEUBERT | |
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Today, we recognize another Kenmore East High School alumnus, A.J. Neubert, who has achieved incredible things since graduating in 2019. As an oboe player, A.J. was a student in the Kenmore East band program under the direction of Phil Aguglia. We recently learned that A.J. earned the Principal Bassoon position with the Charlotte Symphony in North Carolina, one of the premier symphonies in the U.S. and the oldest operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas. This is an amazing distinction, especially for someone as young as A.J.
He recently finished his studies at the Oberlin College & Conservatory, where he was a finalist in several national and international competitions including a first-place showing in the 2021 National Bassoon Excerpt Competition and a second-place showing in the 2021 International Double Reed Society Norma Hooke Young Artist Competition. He performed with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Buffalo Philharmonic.
While he was a student at Kenmore East, A.J. achieved extraordinary levels of success, establishing himself as one of the best young bassoon players not only in New York State but across the entire Northeastern United States as well. He was accepted into the ultra-selective National Association for Music Educators (NAFME) All-Eastern ensemble, which represents the most talented high school performers across 11 states on the East Coast. He was also accepted into each of the eight different selective regional and statewide ensembles he auditioned for.
A.J. has truly made Ken-Ton proud. Please join me in congratulating him on his success.
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RECOGNITION: ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS | |
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Every year, we celebrate Administrative Professionals Day the fourth Wednesday in April to recognize the work of administrative professionals throughout Ken-Ton. These outstanding support staff play a vital role in our district. Administrative professionals ensure that our buildings and departments are always running smoothly. At the school level, they support all the work taking place in the building including classroom instruction, health/safety, counseling, event planning, record keeping, purchasing, food service, arrival/dismissal, and more. At the district level, our administrative professionals ensure that our students, schools, and staff have everything they need to thrive.
Our administrative professionals provide invaluable support for our school and district leadership teams. They are constantly interacting with parents/guardians and residents and are instrumental in maintaining close relationships with families and the community. They are often the first point of contact for the community, providing excellent customer service. In all areas, our administrative professionals keep our district running like clockwork.
Everything that takes place in our schools and classrooms on a daily basis depends upon the hard work and dedication of our administrative professionals. Please join me in recognizing these outstanding professionals for all that they do.
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Wednesday, April 24th
- Administrative Professionals Day
Friday, April 26th
- Gr. 5-12 Report Cards Posted on Parent Portal
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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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