Contents:

• District Highlights
• District History
• Superintendents
• Notable Alumni
• Contact Us
• Weekly Spotlight

District Overview:

The Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District (commonly shortened to “Ken-Ton”) encompasses the Village of Kenmore and the vast majority of the Town of Tonawanda. With approximately 6,600 students, Ken-Ton is among the largest school districts in Upstate New York. Ken-Ton is defined by its exceptional programs and services, talented and dedicated staff, strong institutional traditions, and a proud history going back more than 130 years. In academics, music, art, athletics, and other competitive pursuits, Ken-Ton students earn countless distinctions, awards, and honors each year and exemplify the outstanding quality of the programs and schools they represent.

The success of the Ken-Ton School District is founded upon its staff, many of whom not only live in Ken-Ton, but grew up in the community and count themselves among the district’s proud alumni. Ken-Ton has fostered a world-class teaching staff through an innovative and comprehensive framework of mentoring, coaching, and staff development which has been a model for school districts across the nation. A significant number of Ken-Ton teachers have earned National Board Certification, which is considered to be the gold standard in teaching, and staff are routinely distinguished at the regional level and beyond for demonstrating excellence in their profession.

The Ken-Ton School District prides itself on its exceptional K-12 music and art programs, a comprehensive framework for social-emotional success, and extensive high school offerings. Ken-Ton is one of only two school districts in the eight counties of Western New York to offer the rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. Both high schools offer NYS CTE-certified Career Academies, the Project Lead the Way pre-engineering curriculum, two art career pathways, and Honors/AP programs. With a long history of athletic achievement, the Athletics Department oversees approximately 30 varsity programs during the fall, winter, and spring seasons, which have ranked among the top teams in the league and section. Ken-Ton offers two innovative programs at its newly reopened Kenmore Junior/Senior High School which provide multiple pathways to graduation and empower more students to graduate on time: the Big Picture Program, which routinely sees a graduation rate of 100%, and Crossroads Academy, which is dedicated for significantly undercredited juniors/seniors.

Ken-Ton School District alumni include two national TV news anchors, a U.S. Court of Appeals judge, a former Skylab astronaut, the former president and CEO of Dunkin' Brands, and individuals who have achieved the highest levels of success in their careers, from professional athletes, actors, comedians, and musicians to business leaders, doctors, engineers, and educators.

By the Numbers:

• With approximately 6,600 students, Ken-Ton is the fourth largest school district in Western New York and among the largest school districts in Upstate New York.
• The Buildings & Grounds Department maintains 17 buildings as well as 98 acres of green space, 8 playgrounds, 4 artificial turf athletic complexes, 8 soccer fields, 6 baseball/softball diamonds, 3 lacrosse fields, 1 field hockey field, 27 tennis courts, 2 tracks, and 5 indoor swimming pools.
• Ken-Ton is among the tiny fraction of the nation’s school districts to be distinguished as a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation and has been each year for the past 14 years. Additionally, the district’s K-12 art programs, which include 2 art career pathways, are widely regarded in the professional arts community as among the best in the region.
• Ken-Ton is 1 of only 2 school districts in the 8 counties of Western New York that offer the rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. Both high schools offer 4 NYS-certified CTE programs as part of its Career Academies, as well as the international Project Lead the Way pre-engineering curriculum.
• Ken-Ton is proud to offer exceptional elementary school programming and was among the first school districts in WNY to offer a free full-day Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Program, which doubled enrollment. 
• With a long history of athletic achievement, the Ken-Ton Athletics Department oversees 30 different varsity sports during the fall, winter, and spring seasons, which routinely rank among the best in the league and section. Ken-Ton teams and athletes achieve numerous distinctions each year including 7 individual/team sectional championships during the 2023-24 school year.
• As of 2024, the district has a total of 25 National Board Certified teachers among current or recently retired Ken-Ton educators, which is considered the gold standard in teaching. This makes Ken-Ton among the districts in New York State with the highest percentage of its teaching staff who have earned this distinction in the western region of New York State.
• Ken-Ton offers two innovative programs at its newly reopened Kenmore Junior/Senior High School which provide multiple pathways to graduation and empower more students to graduate on time: the Big Picture Program, which routinely sees a 100% graduation rate, and Crossroads Academy, which is specially designed for significantly undercredited juniors/seniors. 
• Primarily financed through NYS Education Department Building Aid, more than $175 million in capital improvements will have been invested in school buildings and facilities by the completion of the current Capital Project. Improvements include more secured entrances and new water pipes in all schools, elementary school classroom additions, enhanced technology infrastructure, new bus loading/unloading zones and pick-up/drop-off loops to enhance safety, gymnasium upgrades, new artificial turf athletic fields, renovated middle/high school auditoriums, and more.

What is a "Union Free School District"?

The designation "Union Free School District" goes back to the 19th Century, when school districts in New York State were authorized by the State Legislature to operate elementary schools up to eighth grade but were not authorized to operate high schools. In 1853, the State Legislature authorized two or more districts to join together (thus forming a "union" between the districts) and operate a high school (thus "free" of the previous restrictions). These were called "Union Free School Districts."

In 1908, New York State certified the Village of Kenmore's first elementary school, School #6 or Kenmore Union School, as an academic institution of the Union School District No. 1 of the Town of Tonawanda. This later became Union Free School District No. 1 after the construction of the district's first high school, Kenmore High School, in 1911. Schools operated under this name until 1973 when the name was formally changed to “Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District.” Learn more about the history of the Ken-Ton School District at www.ktufsd.org/OurStory.

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