About Us
Contents:
District Overview:
The Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District (commonly shortened to Ken-Ton) encompasses the vast majority of the Town of Tonawanda and the Village of Kenmore, one of the American Planning Association's "Top 10 Great Neighborhoods" in the U.S. Ken-Ton educates approximately 6,600 students across 11 buildings and is among the 20 largest school districts in Upstate New York. With strong institutional traditions and a proud history dating back 130 years, Ken-Ton is known for its outstanding programs and services, talented and dedicated staff, and strong community partnerships.
Ken-Ton has cultivated a world-class staff through a comprehensive framework of mentoring, coaching, and staff development that has been a model for school districts across the nation. A significant percentage of Ken-Ton teachers have earned National Board Certification, the highest credential in education, and staff are routinely distinguished at the regional level and beyond for demonstrating excellence in their profession. Many are proud Ken-Ton alumni who have chosen to return and serve the community that helped shape them into who they are today.
In academics, music, art, athletics, and other competitive pursuits, Ken-Ton students are consistently recognized at the regional, state, and national level, exemplifying the exceptional quality of the programs and schools they represent. Ken-Ton provides a strong educational foundation through high-quality early childhood, elementary, and middle-level programs that combine engaging instruction, rigorous academics, and meaningful student support. At the high school level, Ken-Ton offers an expansive array of educational opportunities including the college-level International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone programs, NYS CTE-certified Career Academies, the Project Lead the Way pre-engineering curriculum, superb music/art programs, world language education in three languages, honors options, and alternative pathways to graduation. Students compete in more than 30 varsity sports with Ken-Ton teams and athletes routinely ranking among the best in the league and section.
Ken-Ton School District alumni include two national TV news anchors, a former Skylab astronaut, a U.S. Court of Appeals judge, 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, and musicians to doctors, authors, and engineers.
By the Numbers:
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With approximately 6,600 students, Ken-Ton is the 2nd largest suburban school district in WNY and among the 20 largest districts in Upstate NY.
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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 1 of only 2 school districts in WNY to offer the International Baccalaurate (IB) Program at one of its schools.
- 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 15 years. Additionally, the district’s K-12 art programs are considered among the best in WNY and both high schools offer the Individual Arts Assessment Pathway (IAAP) as a graduation option.
- Both high schools offer 3 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 early childhood programming and was among the 1st school districts in WNY to offer a free full-day Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Program.
- With a long history of athletic achievement, the Ken-Ton Athletics Department oversees more than 30 varsity sports during the fall, winter, and spring seasons, which routinely rank among the best in the league and section. Dozens of student-athletes go on to compete at the college level.
- As of 2026, the district has at least 13 teachers who have earned National Board Certification, which is considered the gold standard in teaching. Ken-Ton is among the districts in WNY with the highest percentage of its teaching staff who have earned this distinction.
- Ken-Ton offers 2 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, nearly $200 million in capital improvements will have been invested in school buildings and facilities. 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 NYS were authorized by the State Legislature to operate elementary schools up to 8th 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, NYS 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 with 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.