Dear Parents and District residents:
We are committed to maintaining strong, open, and direct lines of communication with you, especially if you have any questions or concerns about the education of your children or any other school related issue. In order to satisfy your inquiry or address your issue in a timely and positive manner, it is critically important to first identify the appropriate staff member who can help you. You are strongly encouraged to first address issues at the level mostly directly involved, which in most cases is the school building. This means you should first contact a teacher/coach, guidance counselor, assistant principal, and then school principal. Only after those four building-level options are pursued should you then contact the appropriate district administrator whose office oversees the issue you need addressed.
Following this process of addressing concerns or simply having questions answered at the building level is the most efficient manner in which we can help resolve your issue. The recommended order of communication is as follows:
1) A teacher or coach
Please click this link to be directed to our Staff Directory
You will be asked to type in the staff member’s first and last name, their position (aide, teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal), and building location (a specific school or district building). From there you will be provided with a phone number and district email address. Please contact the teacher or coach first through email, then followed by a phone call.
2) The School Counselor
Matt Gourlay: mgourlay@kenton.k12.ny.us
Amy Handley: ahandley@kenton.k12.ny.us
Julie Keller: jkeller@kenton.k12.ny.us
Mike Panepinto: mpanepinto@kenton.k12.ny.us
Kim Sedita: ksedita@kenton.k12.ny.us
Tracey Serio: tserio@kenton.k12.ny.us
Erin Myers (Social Worker): emyers@kenton.k12.ny.us
Erica Moses: emoses@kenton.k12.ny.us
David Coates: dcoates@kenton.k12.ny.us
Pam Digangi: pdigangi@kenton.k12.ny.us
Kathy Vittum: kvittum@kenton.k12.ny.us
John Vogt (Department Chair): jvogt@kenton.k12.ny.us
Benjamin Franklin Middle School
Sandy Nunn: snunn@kenton.k12.ny.us
Kathy Kuryak: kkuryak@kenton.k12.ny.us
Amie Zimmer: azimmer@kenton.k12.ny.us
Michelle Meeligan: mmelligan@kenton.k12.ny.us
Liz Cipolla: lcipolla@kenton.k12.ny.us
Rebecca LaRoach: rlaroach@kenton.k12.ny.us
Janine Galante: jgalante@kenton.k12.ny.us
Michele Melligan: mmelligan@kenton.k12.ny.us
Thomas Scwob: tschwob@kenton.k12.ny.us
Ceil Bauer: cbauer@kenton.k12.ny.us
Benjamin Franklin Elementary School
Michelle Washington: mwashington@kenton.k12.ny.us
Nadine Brown: nbrown@kenton.k12.ny.us
Cindy Backlund: cbacklund@kenton.k12.ny.us
Cathy Miller: cmiller@kenton.k12.ny.us
Cathy Miller: cmiller@kenton.k12.ny.us
Nadine Brown: nbrown@kenton.k12.ny.us
Sheridan Building – GED
Anne Blenk (Social Worker): ablenk@kenton.k12.ny.us
Erica Moses: emoses@kenton.k12.ny.us
HIGH SCHOOLS:
716.874.8402
Principal Patrick Heyden: pheyden@kenton.k12.ny.us
Assistant Principal James Dunnigan: jdunnigan@kenton.k12.ny.us
Assistant Principal Christopher Ginestre: cginestre@kenton.k12.ny.us
716.874.8401
Principal Dean Johnson: djohnson@kenton.k12.ny.us
Assistant Principal Joseph Greco: jgreco@kenton.k12.ny.usMIDDLE SCHOOLS:
Benjamin Franklin Middle School
716.874.8404
Principal Kevin Kruger: kkruger@kenton.k12.ny.us716.874.8405
Principal Carmelina Persico: cpersico@kenton.k12.ny.us
Assistant Principal Kami Halgash: khalgash@kenton.k12.ny.us
716.874.8403
Principal Elaine Thomas: ethomas@kenton.k12.ny.us
Assistant Principal Michael Haggerty: mhaggerty@kenton.k12.ny.us
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS:
716.874.8416
Principal David King: dking@kenton.k12.ny.us
716.874.8415
Principal Patricia Kosis: pkosis@kenton.k12.ny.us
716.874.8419
Principal Michael Huff: mhuff@kenton.k12.ny.us
716.874.8423
Principal Lisa Cross: lcross@kenton.k12.ny.us
716.874.8414
Principal Frances Paskowitz: fpaskowitz@kenton.k12.ny.us
716.874.8418
Principal Karen Wegst: kwegst@kenton.k12.ny.us
716.874.8410
Principal Michael Muscarella: mmuscarella@kenton.k12.ny.us
Assistant Principal Dennis Priore: dpriore@kenton.k12.ny.us
716.874.8409
Principal Tracy Spagnolo: tspagnolo@kenton.k12.ny.us
Assistant Principal Dennis Priore: dpriore@kenton.k12.ny.us
5) District Administrator
Here is a helpful list of our District Administrators who can also assist you with issues outside of the scope of the classroom. Initial contact by email is the preferred form of communication in order to address your concern as quickly as possible:
Athletics and Physical Education
Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics Supervisor Brett Banker
716.874.8411 Extension #4
Superintendent Jeffery Hatten
716.874.8474
Curriculum/Instruction
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum/Instruction Janet Gillmeister
716.874.8400 Extension #5333
Director Barbara Battaglia
716.874.8400 Extension #5330
Finance
Assistant Superintendent for Finance Gerald Stuitje
716.874.8400 Extension #5308
School Lunch Manager Kim A. Roll
716.874.8400 Extension #5331
Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Stephen Bovino
716.874.8400 Extension #5420
Purchasing
Purchasing Manager Ken Morton
716.874.8400 Extension #5314
Director Elaine Altman
716.874.8411 Extension #7309
Special Education
Special Education Director Alan Erzkus
Supervisor of Transportation Jack Burns
716.874.8611
It is recommended that only after communicating with all of the staff members and administrators listed above who work in the area where you need assistance or can have a question answered, should you contact the Superintendent of Schools or members of the Board of Education.
Mark P. Mondanaro
716.874.8400 Extension #5342
7) Board of Education District Clerk
Board of Education Clerk Christine Ljungberg
8) Board of Education President
Board of Education President Bob Dana
9) Board of Education Vice-President
Board of Education Trustee Stephen Brooks
Board of Education Trustee Jim Simmons
Board of Education Trustee Judy Frank
Board of Education Trustee Jeffrey S. RickanWe hope this information helps you address your concerns or answer your questions in a timely, respectful, and responsible manner. Please remember that if this recommended order of communication is not followed, it can very well likely result in a delay of in resolving your concern.
To offer insight on following the “chain of command” theory in resolving issues or having questions answered at the building level first, please click the link below to read a news story featuring prominent education attorneys who state:“…concerned taxpayers or parents should first go to the source of the problem, such as a classroom teacher if the problem is taking place in the classroom. Concerned individuals should not be going straight to the school board with such problems.”
Please click here for the Auburn Citizen article titled “Board Gets Schooled.”
Please click here for a hard copy of the District's "Chain of Command" contact information sheet
