What Happened at the BOE Meeting?

Since the beginning of the school year, a lot of things have changed, and there have been many events that affected the rules at Kenmore West. From flooding to sweeps, a lot of decisions have been made, and I was interested in attending a Ken-Ton Board of Education meeting in an effort to find out and understand what’s happening right now. So, on Tuesday, January 9th, I attended the most recent meeting. Here’s my rundown and perspective on what happened.

To start off the meeting Mrs. Hawthorn’s 3rd grade class sang the national anthem and there was a presentation on spending money to repair and upgrade the auditorium at Edison Elementary. That was quickly approved, and the Board moved on to recognizing important members of the Ken-Ton community.

First up was a first-grade student at Hoover Elementary named London Patterson; she was awarded for her compassion, kindness, and leadership. Second was Ms. White, a teacher's aide from Hoover Elementary. She was nominated because she is patient, dedicated, and kind. She works with children with special needs and works hard. All her students love her and she is easy to work with. Third was Ms. Wickham, a speech-language pathologist, also from Hoover Elementary. She is knowledgeable, works tirelessly, and even has a multi-year effort to install a large picture communication board on the playground so students can easily communicate with each other, and gives her best for her students and coworkers. Finally, Melissa Salvati, a dedicated community member, was nominated for her hard work to help and improve the school district. She has two children who go to school in the area, she devotes many hours to supporting her community, and she was very involved in the Hoover Middle School PTA as an officer. She has organized many events and dances, including the seventh-grade dance.

Next, there were a few presentations to go through. The first presentation was “Creating A Culture of Community at Hoover Elementary.” This was presented by Mr. Huff, the current principal. He updated the board on an ongoing commitment to provide a safe space for all students at Hoover Elementary that helps children learn and grow. The new program includes special time spent in a circle discussing important questions that help children develop empathy and compassion. Each lesson is customized and has special time set aside each day to make sure it is touched on thoroughly. The program also includes resources, like books, classroom trackers, and rewards, that help even further. 63% of teachers are using these circles ten or more times a month, and the positive impacts are already evident. Kids enjoy the circle time and are benefiting heavily from them.

Next, there was a short presentation on technology in the district. They mostly discussed technologies for BOCES, as well as new ViewSonic display panels being brought into classrooms to advance learning. They are starting with Kindergarten and working their way up through each grade level. Updates are also being made in security, especially on buses, and the library sites are being updated. There was also a discussion on this year’s main focus, AI technology in the classroom, and how it can be used effectively and responsibly. 

Finally, at least for Kenmore West, there were a few updates. They briefly mentioned the theatre convention that was attended and congratulated students for a job well done, as well as encouraged everyone there to go see the theater's performance of Cinderella on February 8th and 9th at 7:30 pm, and the 10th at 3 pm. The board congratulated the girl’s basketball team for an outstanding season, as well as the bands, orchestras, and choruses for their amazing concerts. They also briefly touched on the possibility of adding and giving access to new extracurriculars and classes to Kenmore West students, although none in particular were mentioned.

Overall, while not too much happened at the board meeting, there was still important and interesting information. There was more was said, especially later on, and I encourage everyone to either attend the next meeting or watch the recording of the previous one.