We recognize staff from each of our schools at Board of Education meetings during the school year. There are many staff who work for district-level departments who are not eligible to be honored but are no less deserving of recognition. We asked each district department to identify one outstanding member of its staff to be celebrated for their work. These individuals also represent the incredible work that takes place behind the scenes that has a tremendous impact on our students. There are many other staff who are deserving of recognition and we intend to make this an annual observance each August.

• Adult & Community Education - Kathy Talty, Clerk Typist: Kathy is the backbone of the Community Education Department and has the quintessential ability to complete layered projects with precision while maintaining foresight into the future goals and planning for Department operations. Kathy has an elaborate vision for the Department and how Community Education ties into the overall goals and mission of the School District and regularly prioritizes customer service and the student experience. Kathy is reliable, professional, a problem-solver, witty, and an asset to our Department's continued success and growth.

• Athletics - Marie Whitney, Clerk Typist: Marie Whitney is dedicated to assisting teachers and coaches, ensuring they have the support and resources needed for success. She provides meticulous attention to detail for all facility rentals, ensuring everything runs smoothly and meets high standards. Marie is known for her prompt and efficient responses to all requests, making her an invaluable asset to any team. Her commitment to excellence and customer service sets her apart in her field.

• Buildings & Grounds - Tommy Rider, Head Custodian at Kenmore East High School: Tommy has been with Building & Grounds for over 20 years and is currently the Head Custodian at Kenmore East High School. Tommy is well regarded not only within his building but throughout the department.  His dedication to a clean and safe environment for staff and students is evident as soon as you step foot into the building. It is our pleasure to give Tommy the recognition he deserves for the positive impact he brings to Kenmore East and the Ken-Ton community.  

• Curriculum & Instruction - John Vogt, Counselor on Special Assignment: John Vogt is a dedicated counselor on special assignment who works collaboratively with our schools to ensure they have efficient scheduling practices. He has been instrumental in creating a high school curriculum handbook that is an exemplar for other high schools in Western New York. Additionally, he has created an academic planner with the Infinite Campus team that allows counselors, families, teachers and parents to track their child’s progress towards meeting New York State graduation requirements. Infinite Campus recognizes this as a model and he has presented at regional and state conferences to showcase this work. John is also committed to giving back to the community and has been the Kenmore East High School musical Director for over 15 years. He has been recognized by the East theater Hall of Fame in recent years for his accomplishments.

• Data & Accountability - Manya Metzler, Central Registrar: For the last six years, Manya has served as the district's Lead Registrar, serving more than 4,500 families. Manya provides quality customer service to every family she serves. She is polite, courteous, and highly accommodating as she helps families complete their registration applications online, in the office, or during late evening hours and even on the weekends. Sometimes, you will see Manya using Google Translate on her cell phone as she assists non-English speaking families register their children. Manya also aids school and district staff in learning about each and every new registrant upon registration and helps staff and administrators understand the often confusing rules and regulations related to school registration. Kindness, care, reliability, and efficiency are the hallmarks of the Ken-Ton Central Registration Office, and Manya exemplifies these qualities each and every day.

• Family Support Center - Teresa Crawford, Assistant Director/McKinney-Vento Liaison: Teresa is an invaluable member of the Family Support Center team. She consistently goes above and beyond to assist families. In addition to providing counseling to those in need, Teresa manages the food cupboard at the Family Support Center and helps families with additional supports and linkages. She is the McKinney-Vento Liaison for the district and works with families who are facing homelessness. Teresa is always willing to go the extra mile for our families.

• Finance - Margaret Weglarski, District Treasurer: Margaret (Jean) Weglarski has been a dedicated member of the Ken-Ton family serving in the role of District Treasurer for 17 years. Her job requires her to know a wide breadth of information including federal/state laws and regulations, accounting rules and regulations, grants, board policy and regulations. Each decision she makes is focused on doing what is best for students and the community. One of her recent accomplishments was using the district cash on hand to invest resulting in over $3 million in income. Jean also takes on a student intern interested in the field of accounting to get real- life experience.  We count on Jean and she always does the right thing as opposed to the fast thing or the cheapest thing to get the job accomplished.

• Food Service - Wendy Christopher, Cook Manager at Kenmore Junior/Senior High: Wendy Christopher is our Cook Manager at Kenmore Junior/Senior High School. Wendy excels in cooking, offers friendly customer service, and embodies personal excellence. She not only creates delicious dishes but also ensures that the students and staff feel valued and well-served. Her ability to manage both the kitchen and customer interactions with warmth and professionalism enhances the overall dining experience. Wendy is a true asset to our Food Service Team!

• Human Resources - Melanie Kamens, Chief Personnel Clerk: For approximately 15 years, Melanie has served with professionalism, empathy, and kindness in her role as Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Melanie has been responsible for coordinating the recruitment and selection of all certificated staff members; she prepares the personnel docket at Board of Education meetings; monitors teacher certification, tenure, and seniority; oversees workers compensation; processes all FOIL requests; and a host of other responsibilities that ensure the effective operation of the Human Resources Department. In a district the size of Ken-Ton, with more than 1,500 employees, ensuring smooth HR operations is an enormous undertaking and Melanie remains a critical component in everything the department does.

• Staff Development Center - Diane Stoll, Account Clerk Typist: Diane Stoll is an integral part of the Staff Development Center as well as the master of all things budget-related. This year, she has risen to so many challenges thrown at her, including teaching a new Director who had endless questions about the grant and budget process. Diane’s patience and kindness for all who come to the Center is evident. No matter who she is talking to, she is always helpful and nice. Her invaluable input has also led to new features of the Center this year, like a new digital library through Sora, an updated Creator Space with new tools like Cricut machines, and even a new logo and branding plan. The Center is able to maintain its excellence as well as grow its programming because Diane Stoll is here to support all of it.

• Student Services - Jennifer Tuttle, Senior Clerk: Jennifer Tuttle is a talented and dedicated professional who consistently goes above and beyond in order to help carry out the mission and vision of the district. Jennifer is a true team player who is always willing to step in to support her colleagues and the department. Her upbeat and positive demeanor, combined with her "can do" attitude, make her an invaluable asset to the Student Services Office.

• Technology - Brandon Chiarmonte, Micro-Computer Repair Technician: Brandon has been with the department since 2005 and is the lead technician for the district's Audio Visual needs. He is also the lead technology support specialist for Kenmore East High School and can often be found in the booth livestreaming our Board of Education meetings.  When he is not working he enjoys spending time camping with his family and playing soccer.

Transportation - Marylou Gentile, Bus Driver and Department of Labor Grant Trainer: Marylou Gentile has been an employee of Ken-Ton Transportation since 2007 and is extremely deserving of this recognition for her work as a bus driver, as well as her role through the newly awarded Department of Labor grant. MaryLou has overseen the permit training portion for the participants in the grant. The Transportation Department has had a tremendous success rate so far in this portion of the grant and before moving the participants to the behind the wheel portion of training. The Ken-Ton School District and specifically the Transportation Department is extremely fortunate to have Marylou contributing so many positives day to day.