Parents, students urge Kenmore-Tonawanda board to restore Kenmore West IB program after district leaders announced its discontinuation

Dozens of students, parents and alumni urged the Kenmore-Tonawanda Board of Education on Tuesday to reverse a district decision to discontinue the International Baccalaureate program at Kenmore West High School, saying the program provides college-level rigor and community benefits.

The comments came during a public-comment block that lasted more than an hour and included multiple students who said the district’s announcement — made to families and teachers in February — left many students and parents confused and upset. “We are beyond devastated about the discontinuation of the program that we have strived to be a part of throughout our entire high school career,” said Maisie Fleming, a prospective IB student for the class of 2027.

Supporters described academic and extracurricular benefits they attribute to IB: transferable college credit, extended two-year courses, community service projects and alumni outcomes. Meta Sigourney, a Kenmore West sophomore who said she planned to pursue the full diploma, cited studies showing higher SAT scores and college retention among IB students. Parents and alumni described the program as a distinguishing feature that helped families choose the district.

Several speakers asked the board to delay or reverse the decision, and proposed a two-year extension to allow recruitment and curricular adjustments. “Instead of canceling the program outright, I urge the board to consider a 2 year extension,” said Copeland Baker, a Kenmore West sophomore.

Superintendent Samato responded at length later in the meeting, saying decisions about course offerings are driven by enrollment, scheduling and long-term budget sustainability. Samato said the district uses class-size guidelines and scheduling models that make it difficult to run multiple low-enrollment sections at the high school level. “If you don't schedule well, your district suffers,” Samato said. He added that programs with multiple classes averaging very low enrollment move the district into budget and staffing “red” zones: “When we get into the red, we have a major problem.”

Samato said Kenmore West had low sign-up numbers this year — he cited 13 students who applied to join IB as juniors — and said the district has been evaluating programming and scheduling for several years. He noted that Kenmore East’s IB program was discontinued earlier for the same reason and that the district had hoped consolidating the program at one school would create growth at Kenmore West; that increase, he said, did not materialize.

Parents and students disputed the characterization that interest was low. Several public speakers presented enrollment figures they said showed robust participation at Kenmore West; others urged the district to boost outreach to middle-school students and to run targeted recruitment before making the program permanent. Rebecca Kiel, a parent and former IB family, told the board the program’s direct annual costs (exclusive of teacher salaries that district staff said are allocated across classes) were similar to other advanced programs and argued the district should consider the broader value when weighing budget choices.

Board members did not take a vote on restoring the program during the meeting. Samato said district staff and Kenmore West leadership would continue to explore scheduling and enrollment options and promised an update next month. He asked teachers and principals to work on potential solutions and said he would keep the board informed. Multiple public speakers asked to be included in any working group or recruitment effort.

The meeting also included routine board business and a series of unanimous votes on separate matters (calendar adoption, a ballot proposition for bus financing, a school-based planning plan and other consent items). Those votes are summarized below.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to adjourn to executive session to discuss a superintendent hearing appeal (moved by Karen; second by Paul): carried unanimously (Aye: 6; No: 0; Abstain: 0; Absent: 1). Note: Trustee Floss was recorded absent at roll call. - Resolution denying the superintendent’s hearing appeal dated Feb. 20, 2025 (moved by Leanne; second by Karen): carried unanimously (Aye: 6; No: 0; Abstain: 0; Absent: 1). Note: motion text in meeting minutes: “deny the superintendent's hearing appeal dated 02/20/2025.” - Nominations for BOCES board candidates (Mary Bussey, Mark Mecha, Cam Hall) (motion to nominate moved by Paul; second by Karen): carried unanimously (Aye: 6; No: 0; Abstain: 0; Absent: 1). - Approval of the 2025–26 district instructional calendar (moved by Leanne; second by Paul): carried unanimously (Aye: 6; No: 0; Abstain: 0; Absent: 1). - Approval of the school-based planning and shared decision-making plan for 2024–26 (moved by Karen; second by Paul): carried unanimously (Aye: 6; No: 0; Abstain: 0; Absent: 1). - Resolution to include a proposition for the purchase and financing of buses on the district’s 2025 annual meeting and election ballot (moved by Paul; second by Leanne): carried unanimously (Aye: 6; No: 0; Abstain: 0; Absent: 1). - Approval of the consent (consensus) agenda (motion moved by Paul; second by Leanne): carried unanimously (Aye: 6; No: 0; Abstain: 0; Absent: 1).

What happens next: Superintendent Samato said staff and Kenmore West leaders will continue to review the program’s enrollment and scheduling, and he pledged to report back to the board next month. Parents and students who spoke asked to be part of any recruitment or planning efforts; the board did not set a formal working group at the meeting.

Sources and attributions: direct quotes and program details are drawn from public comments and the superintendent’s remarks during the Kenmore-Tonawanda UFSD Board of Education meeting on March 4, 2025. All quoted speakers and their roles are listed in the article’s speaker array.