Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda UFSD
Our Mission: Providing our students with the supports, tools, and diverse opportunities needed to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world
- Kenmore Town of Tonawanda UFSD
- Overview
Big Picture Program
The Big Picture Program, located at Kenmore Junior/Senior High School, is a non-traditional high school program and the only one of its kind in Western New York. The program is distinguished by its dedicated faculty and staff, small class advisories, individualized project-based approach to learning, and internship experiences.
The Big Picture Program is based on a national design through Big Picture Learning, which was founded in 1995 and comprises approximately 65 schools nationwide in its network. The Ken-Ton School District first brought the Big Picture model to Ken-Ton in 2012 beginning with a district initiative called Destination Graduation. The first graduating class was celebrated at the conclusion of the 2014-15 school year. The program has been an incredible success in Ken-Ton, helping to guide its students to graduation with a 94% graduation rate.
Big Picture is a research-based multi-faceted educational model for students who are most successful in a non-traditional high school environment. The hallmarks of the Big Picture model are project-based learning and internship opportunities which allow them to develop relationships with mentors and get real-world workplace skills. Through their internships, students are able to develop a better understanding of where they want to go and how that corresponds to what they are learning in school.
Visit the Big Picture website to learn more about Ken-Ton's Big Picture Program. You can also learn more about the national Big Picture framework at www.bigpicture.org.