October 14, 2024
McKinley High School continues to rise above, despite some distressing incidents over the past few years. I, again, visited McKinley for their Open House and Ice Cream Social on September 26, 2024. I love this building and all that it has to offer for our students. I felt a greatness during my visit that we don't publicly hear about.
I first visited the Ice Cream Social in the cafeteria, which was run by McKinley's Junior ROTC students. Here I met and spoke with Joell Stubbe, Senior Manager, and Kendall Capers, Director of College Counseling, from Student Leadership Network, which provides College Access Services to economically disadvantaged students.
I then visited some of McKinley's classrooms, which provide our students with education and training in building trades. I spoke at length with Carpentry Teacher Matthew Krotz, who explained the many skills that students learn in his program. He shared the P-Tech Partnership with Alfred State College, which several McKinley students and graduates are engaged in. The P-Tech partnership connects high school, college, and industry to best prepare students to enter careers. Mr. Krotz also shared that there are two McKinley graduates from last school year, who are currently employed working on the new Buffalo Bills stadium. He also indicated that McKinley has begun a partnership with Local 276 Carpenter's Union, which is providing apprenticeships in carpentry to our students. Mr. Krotz spoke positively about his experience teaching at McKinley and feeling inspired with an increased student interest and seats for students in carpentry and other building trades. Below is a video that shows some of the Carpentry Room and work of McKinley students:
I then visited HVAC Room and Mr. Ventura, who is not only a proud teacher at McKinley High School, but a graduate of McKinley. Mr. Ventura was also very positive about his experience teaching at McKinley and the growing interest and opportunities for students in HVAC. Mr. Ventura showed me furnaces and air conditioners that students assembled and a mechanism that allows students to troubleshoot problems with HVAC machines.
In addition, to Carpentry and HVAC, McKinley also has programming in Plumbing, Sheet Metal, Electrical Technology, Aquatic Ecology, Machine Tool Technology, and Horticulture.
Lastly, I ran into Spanish Teacher Sara Torres, Art Teacher Rebekah Scaglione, and I popped into the gym where the McKinley Girls Volleyball Team was playing Hutch Tech.
My next visit to McKinley must be during the school day, as encouraged by Mr. Ventura, so that I can experience students actively learning the various trades. We have work to do, but there is so much more that defines McKinley High School than incidents covered in the news. Learn more about McKinley, here. Additionally, Buffalo Public Schools Career & Technical Education (CTE) continues to provide various enriching opportunities, preparing our students, not only for college, but careers. McKinley is also home to one of our Urban Teachers Academies.
Larry Scott
Vice President of Student Achievement
Member-at-Large
Buffalo Board of Education
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