Back-to-School Toolkit

Beginning in September 2025, students will no longer be able to use smartphones, smartwatches, and other personal internet-enabled devices during the school day. This is a new requirement for school districts across New York State. More details regarding Ken-Ton's policy and procedures can be found at www.ktufsd.org/DistractionFreeSchools.

In order to enhance safety and security in buildings, changes are being made to middle/high school start and end times beginning this September. The following chart demonstrates what is changing:

Middle School & Kenmore Junior/Senior High

• New Official Start Time: 7:49 (changed from 8:10)
• Students begin arriving at approximately 7:35
• New Official End Time: 2:30 (changed from 2:51)
• Buses depart at approximately 2:37

High School:

• New Official Start Time: 8:16 (changed from 7:40)
• Students begin arriving at approximately 8:02
• New Official End Time: 3:02 (changed from 2:21)
• Buses depart at approximately 3:06

Elementary School (No Change)

• Remains unchanged

To resolve issues that families experienced last year with the My Ride K-12 app, the district is in the process of upgrading its GPS tracking capabilities and software. For this reason, the My Ride K-12 app will not be in service until early October. Once the new equipment is installed, all families will be able to receive real-time updates on their child's school bus ETA.

After nearly 20 years, the Ken-Ton School District is transitioning to a brand new website during the summer which will be powered by a different provider called Finalsite. This is necessitated by FinalSite’s 2022 acquisition of Blackboard and the company’s decision to phase out Blackboard’s Web Community Manager (formerly SchoolWires), which the district has used since the mid-2000s. The new website will provide new accessibility features, new navigation options, and an enhanced design/layout.

Thanks to the new start/end times being implemented in middle and high schools, daily OpenGate screenings will be able to be implemented in middle and high schools as part of the morning arrival process in order to create an added layer of safety/security in schools. Thank you to our students, families, and staff for your cooperation as we have worked toward this goal for the past two years!

The Ken-Ton School District has partnered with Sandy Hook Promise to provide an easy way for students, parents, and community members to anonymously report safety concerns such as potential threats, suspicious activity, bullying, and mental health concerns. Through the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System, anyone can submit a tip at any time of the day using:

• A mobile app (available through the Google Play and Apple Store)

• The Say Something website

• A telephone hotline (844-572-9669)

Click here for more information.

Make sure your child brings his/her fully charged device to school every day, including the first day of school. Returning Gr. 9 students will be issued new Chromebooks and chargers shortly after the start of the school year. These students must have both their Chromebook and charger in order to receive their new device. Click here for information on how to obtain a replacement item.

We are extremely excited to announce that all Ken-Ton School District students in Gr. K-12 will once again receive free breakfast and lunch meals. No action is needed on the part of families. We need our families to complete the CEP Income Verification Form which is sent home at the beginning of the school year, which assists districts in qualifying for millions of dollars in funding each year.

There is no sign-up process for bus transportation any longer and all students who are currently eligible for bus transportation will be provided a bus regardless of whether they have opted out in the past.

Please note that student schedules and specific arrival/dismissal times vary by school. Please refer to your child's schedule or correspondence from your child's school regarding building-specific and grade-specific arrival/dismissal information.

• Elementary Schools: 9:05-3:20 (early release time: 12:40)
• Middle Schools: 7:49-2:30 (early release time: 11:20)
• Kenmore Junior/Senior High: 7:49-2:30
• High Schools: 8:16-3:02 (early release time: 12:00)

If you have a question and can't find the information here, email pfanelli@ktufsd.org and/or jstockman@ktufsd.org and we will get you an answer! You can also contact your child's school or the relevant department:

• Transportation Department: 874-8611
• Food Service: 874-8400
• Edison Elementary School: 874-8416
• Franklin Elementary School: 874-8415
• Holmes Elementary School: 874-8423
• Hoover Elementary School: 874-8414
• Lindbergh Elementary School: 874-8410
• Franklin Middle School: 874-8404
• Hoover Middle School: 874-8405
• Kenmore East High School: 874-8402
• Kenmore West High School: 874-8401
• Kenmore Junior/Senior High School: 874-5403