Mr. Cimato began his career in 1998 at Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy in Buffalo, New York, teaching fifth and sixth grade. While teaching, he earned a Master of Science degree from Canisius College with a concentration in Educational Administration. He soon became a Supervisor of Elementary Education for the Buffalo Public Schools (BPS), working in the Office of Leadership and Evaluation. During the summer of 2003, Mr. Cimato married his wife, Michelle, a Kenmore West graduate, and became an Assistant Principal at Grabiarz School of Excellence, a middle school in the District. The next four years would help lay the foundation for Mr. Cimato to become an instructional leader in BPS while also starting a young family. He was then appointed Principal of North Park Middle Academy, where he spent the next three years of his career close to where he had grown up in Ken-Ton.
In 2010, Mr. Cimato was appointed as Principal of Hutchinson Central Technical High School (Hutch Tech.), providing him with additional insight into leadership through an enriching secondary experience. Then, in November of 2015, Mr. Cimato was asked to once again become part of the Buffalo central office team, this time as Associate Superintendent of School Leadership. Mr. Cimato joined the Cabinet team to help lead the Buffalo Schools into a renaissance that would prove to be critical in the development and growth of the school system. Graduation rates in Buffalo climbed to a 16-year high while 10 new innovative high schools and programs have been completely reimagined and redesigned under his leadership.
Under Mr. Cimato's leadership, Ken-Ton became one of the first school districts in WNY to implement a full-day Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program which also made it possible to reopen Hamilton Elementary. Additionally, Mr. Cimato has prioritized enhancing programs including our Big Picture and Crossroads programs, reopening Kenmore Junior/Senior High in the process. Safety and security continue to be a priority, placing armed officers in all schools, instituting procedures for the use of weapons detection systems, and designing new, more-secured single points of entry. Mr. Cimato has overseen the implementation of a $75 million capital project which has resulted in numerous improvements at schools. He looks forward to the years ahead and continuing to work with the community in shaping Ken-Ton's future.
