Kent Elementary School

Latest KES Headlines

• Holiday Music and Cozy PJs

  Musicians from Carmel High School returned to their roots on Friday and performed for students in the elementary schools they once attended.  

  Band Teacher Meghan Cabral introduced the musicians and gave the youngsters a hint of the kinds of instruments they can learn to play as they move up in the grades. Orchestra Teacher Peter Ballantoni wore a fitting Santa hat as he led the string instruments in playing holiday favorites.  

  The Kent Elementary students, wearing their coziest winter pajamas, gathered in the cafeteria for the show. They sang, swayed and clapped along to the music.  

  “We opened for the Rockettes on Tuesday at Radio City Hall in New York City,” Chorus Teacher Bryan Lynch told the Kent Elementary students. “You are now going to get to hear the songs we sang for the Rockettes.” 

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  Kent Elementary School News

• The Griddy Mystery at Kent Elementary School

  Once or twice a month, students in Stephanie Ryan's third grade class at Kent Elementary School are visited by a mystery reader. This week, the clues to the mystery were: "He walks around a lot, has a beard and can do The Griddy."

  The last clue was a give-away, and some students knew that Principal John Fratto would be the mystery reader. The Griddy is a dance that originated with football players in the end zone.

  "Fratto often makes visits to the classroom and has gotten to know students, and because of this, they have gotten to know him as well," Ms. Ryan said. "I mean, what’s cooler than having a principal who can do The Griddy?"

  Mr. Fratto read the book "Enemy Pie," by Derek Munson, which teaches a valuable lesson about not judging people before you truly get to know them. The principal and teacher selected the book because sometimes children are quick to make judgments, and they thought a funny, realistic fiction story might help some of them with real life situations.

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• Fair Street Construction Project Update

  If you’ve driven to Carmel High School recently, you’ve likely noticed the construction on Fair Street.  

  The $30 million road improvement project, which will significantly improve safety, traffic flow and infrastructure in the area, will widen Fair Street from Simpson Road to Route 52. It will also add sidewalks and streetlights from Hill and Dale Road to Route 52, fix drainage and create an additional lane for easier turning into and out of the high school parking lot. Construction started in September after years of delays and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2026. 

  Carmel High School Principal Brian Piazza said that the construction would make the road safer in the end.  

  “The construction will create challenges traffic-wise, but at its completion, the sidewalks and an additional turning lane will greatly benefit our school and community, especially in terms of student safety,” Piazza said.  

  Michael Klenotiz, Carmel Central School District’s Supervisor of Transportation, said that good communication will go a long way toward keeping school bus traffic on schedule.  

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• Kent Elementary Students Show Gratitude

  Nine-year-old Kate stood in front of the Gratitude Tree bulletin board at Kent Elementary School and pointed to the many notes of thanks that her classmates posted.   

  “I am thankful for my teacher helping make me smarter,” one read. 

   “I am thankful for my soccer team,” read another.  

  But giving thanks for friends and family seemed to be the most popular sentiment.    

  “A lot of times people don’t even know they are grateful, even though they are,” Kate said. “It’s good to think about it.” 

  Nancy Faccilonga’s fourth grade class has thought a lot about gratitude this fall. First, they read the book “Wishtree” by Katherine Applegate. It is a story of kindness and hope that is set in a town where people write their wishes on a piece of cloth and tie them to branches. 

  “It’s a book about friendship, compassion and inclusion,” Nora, nine, said.  

  The class was so inspired, they decided to make their own tree and decorate it with notes. 

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• Thankful for Senior Citizens

  The Senior Thanksgiving Luncheon sponsored by The Carmel Teachers’ Association was a big success with the guests praising the traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables and, of course, pumpkin pie.  

  Most of all, however, the senior citizens who came to Carmel High School, George Fischer Middle School and Matthew Paterson Elementary School were glad to return to schools that many of their children (and some of them) attended and to see friends from the throughout the community. 

  “We love our seniors,” said Alice Holzmann, the Family and Consumer Science teacher at George Fischer Middle School. “And they love this event.” 

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• White Cane Awareness Day

  It’s not a day that is celebrated annually in many Carmel classrooms, but this year White Cane Awareness Day drew a lot of interest and a big crowd to Raquel Patterson’s class at Kent Elementary School.  

  That’s because 5-year-old Mackenzie, who started kindergarten at Kent Elementary in September, uses a white cane to help guide her through her day and she was happy to tell the other children in her class just how it works.  

  “It helps me to feel around rather than seeing around,” said Mackenzie, who is blind. “I can fold it up, too.”  

  Mackenzie is teaching the other children in her class a lot about what it’s like to live with a visual impairment. 

  “The kids are very responsive and helpful,” Patterson said. “The students are always making sure that Mackenzie is ok. They are truly the Carmel 6Cs personified.”   

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  Kent Elementary School News