Kensington High School (Buffalo, New York)

Kensington High School is a former high school located in Buffalo, New York. Named for the Kensington neighborhood it is located in, the building is located at 319 Suffolk Street in Buffalo. It currently serves as home to the Frederick Law Olmsted School at Kensington.[1]

Kensington High School
Address
319 Suffolk Street Kensington Buffalo , Erie , New York 14215 United States
Information
Type	Public
Motto	Aegis Fortissima Virtus (Virtue is the Strongest Shield)
Opened	1937
Status	Closed
Closed	2003
School district	Buffalo Public Schools
School number	203
Grades	9-12
Color(s)	Green and Gold
Team name	Knights
Yearbook	The Compass

History

Kensington High School is one of three Art Deco buildings in the City of Buffalo.[1] The building was constructed in the 1930s and opened in 1937, operating for 67 years. The school was closed in 2003 due to a myriad of reasons including poor academic performance, a high concentration of students in poverty, the threat of take over from New York State, increasing student violence, as well as the school district's financial crisis.[1][2][3]

In the years that followed, Kensington housed adult GED and vocational classes, and was one of the locations for Buffalo's Opportunity Program, an alternative school service for suspended students,[1] as well as the temporary home of Hutchinson Central Technical High School while it was renovated from 2005-2007. It was later announced that the building would be the home for Olmsted High School. Olmsted was operated at Kensington from 2007-2010 before the building was renovated by LPCiminelli from 2010-2012. In Fall 2012, Kensington reopened to Olmsted students.

Kensington was also home to the Buffalo Academy of Science and Math, a small magnet high school, from 1989-1993 when it was moved to Riverside High School.[4]

Former principals

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parenthesis

• Mr. Thomas J. McDonnell–1937-1947 (Assistant Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, passed away[5])
• Mr. Charles J. Monan–1947-1950 (Principal - South Park High School Annex, returned to teaching at South Park High School)
• Mr. John M. Chassin–1950-1955 (Vice Principal - Kensington High School, retired)
• Mr. Garnett F. Roberts [interim]–1955-1957 (Director of Center Schools - Buffalo Public Schools, retired)
• Mr. Frank J. Kelly–1957-1966 (Vice Principal - Kensington High School, retired)
• Mr. Angelo J. Gianturco–1966-1977 (Vice Principal - Grover Cleveland High School,[6] named Principal of City Honors School)
• Mr. Rocco A. Lamparelli [interim]–1977 (Supervising Principal - South Buffalo Public Schools, returned to position)
• Mr. Gerald H. Hesson–1977-1982 (Principal - Fillmore Middle School, named Principal of Buffalo Traditional School)
• Mr. Stanley J. Wegrzynowski–1982-1985 (unknown, named Director of Science Education for Buffalo Public Schools)
• Dr. Richard A. Marotto–1985-1986 (Vice Principal - Burgard Vocational High School, named Principal of Lewiston-Porter High School)
• Mr. Mark L. Balen–1986-1990 (Vice Principal - Seneca Vocational High School,[7] named Principal of Seneca Vocational High School[8])
• Mrs. Yvonne Hargrave–1990-1993 (Principal - Kensington Prep,[8] named Assistant Superintendent for Integration of Buffalo Public Schools)
• Mr. Robert M. Barton–1993-2001 (Principal - Buffalo Alternative High School,[9] named Principal of Seneca Vocational High School[10])
• Dr. Eileen H. Czarnecki–2001 (Assistant Principal - Grover Cleveland High School,[10] named Acting Principal of E.C.C. 90[11])
• Ms. Geraldine Horton–2001-2003 (Principal - Buffalo Vocational Technical Center,[10] school closed[2])

Selected former assistant principals

Previous assignments and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

• Mr. John Chassin–1937-1950 (Principal - South Park High School Annex, named Principal of Kensington High School)
• Mr. William H. Davenport–1950-1952 (Assistant Principal - Fosdick-Masten Park High School, named Principal of East High School)
• Mr. Abraham Axelrod–1952-1955 (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Principal of Lafayette High School)
• Mr. Frank Kelly–1955-1957 (Assistant Principal - Lafayette High School, named Principal of Kensington High School)
• Mr. Louis T. Masson–1957-1962 (Science teacher - Riverside High School, retired[12])
• Mr. Wilber E. Unger–1962-1966 (Science teacher - Lafayette High School, named Project Administrator of Buffalo Public Schools[13])
• Mr. William Blomberg–1964-1978 (Assistant Principal - East High School, named Assistant Principal of Riverside High School)
• Mr. Alfred H. Rasp–1966-1969 (Assistant Principal for Instruction - Lakewood High School, named Assistant Principal of East High School)
• Mr. Charles L. Sodaro–1968-1971 (Assistant Principal - Southside Junior High School, named Assistant Principal of Riverside High School)
• Mr. Alfred H. Rasp–1971-1978 (Assistant Principal - East High School, unknown)
• Mr. Daniel J. Krzesinski–1978-1987 (Assistant Principal - Genesee Humboldt Junior High School, named Assistant Principal of McKinley Vocational High School)
• Mr. Thomas A. Cosgrove–1978-1979 (Assistant Principal - East High School, unknown)
• Mr. Fritz F. Hessel–1979-1981
• Mr. Daniel J. Geary–1981-1984 (Assistant Principal - South Park High School, named Assistant Principal of Seneca Vocational High School)
• Mr. Gary R. Lopez–1984-1985 (Physical Education teacher - Buffalo Public Schools, named Assistant Principal of Riverside High School)
• Mrs. Yvonne Hargrave–1985-1987 (Assistant Principal - Campus West School, named Principal of Kensington Prep)
• Mr. James J. Christmann–1987-1989 (Assistant Principal - City Honors School, named Principal of Cheektowaga High School[14])
• Mr. William J. Bell–1987-1988 (Assistant Principal - McKinley Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of Buffalo Alternative High School)
• Mr. Gerald D. Pope–1988-1992 (Assistant Principal - South Park High School,[15] named Assistant Principal of Kensington Prep)
• Mr. Thaddeus F. Weselak–1990-1997 (Assistant Principal - Kensington Prep, named Assistant Principal of Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts)
• Mr. Jon G. Lyon–1992-1993 (Science teacher - Buffalo Traditional School, named Assistant Principal of Grover Cleveland High School[16])
• Mr. Daniel Krzesinski–1993-1995 (Assistant Principal - Kensington Prep,[4] retired)
• Mr. Gary Lopez–1995[17]-1999 (Assistant Principal - Buffalo Public Schools, named Assistant Principal of Riverside High School)
• Mr. Larry J. Hunley–1999-?
• Mr. James J. Pautler–?-2002 (Electrical Vocational teacher - Seneca Vocational High School,[18] named Principal of Burgard Vocational High School)
• Mr. Carlos J. Villarroel–?-2002 (Spanish teacher - Kensington High School, named Assistant Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
• Mr. William A. Kresse–2002-2003 (Assistant Principal - Musselman High School, named Assistant Principal of South Park High School)
• Mr. Terence A. Jenkins–2002-2003 (unknown, named Assistant Principal of Buffalo Traditional School)

Administration

Year	Superintendent	Principal	Assistant Principal
1937-1938	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1938-1939	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1939-1940	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1940-1941	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1941-1942	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1942-1943	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1943-1944	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1944-1945	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1945-1946	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1946-1947	Robert Pabst	Tom McDonnell	John Chassin
1947-1948	Robert Pabst	Charlie Monan	John Chassin
1948-1949	Robert Pabst	Charlie Monan	John Chassin
1949-1950	Robert Pabst	Charlie Monan	John Chassin
1950-1951	Ben Willis	John Chassin	Bill Davenport
1951-1952	Ben Willis	John Chassin	Bill Davenport
1952-1953	Parmer Ewing	John Chassin	Abe Axelrod
1953-1954	Parmer Ewing	John Chassin	Abe Axelrod
1954-1955	Parmer Ewing	John Chassin	Abe Axelrod
1955-1956	Parmer Ewing	Chassin/Roberts*	Frank Kelly
1956-1957	Parmer Ewing	Garnett Roberts*	Frank Kelly
1957-1958	Joseph Mench	Frank Kelly	Louis Masson
1958-1959	Joseph Mench	Frank Kelly	Louis Masson
1959-1960	Joseph Mench	Frank Kelly	Louis Masson
1960-1961	Joseph Mench	Frank Kelly	Louis Masson
1961-1962	Joseph Mench	Frank Kelly	Louis Masson
1962-1963	Joseph Mench	Frank Kelly	Wilber Unger
1963-1964	Joseph Mench	Frank Kelly	Wilber Unger	Bill Blomberg
1964-1965	Joseph Mench	Frank Kelly	Wilber Unger	Bill Blomberg
1965-1966	Joseph Mench	Frank Kelly	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1966-1967	Joseph Mench	Angel Gianturco	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1967-1968	Joseph Mench	Angelo Gianturco	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1968-1969	Joseph Mench	Angelo Gianturco	Charlie Sodaro	Bill Blomberg
1969-1970	Joseph Mench	Angelo Gianturco	Charlie Sodaro	Bill Blomberg
1970-1971	Joseph Mench	Angelo Gianturco	Charlie Sodaro	Bill Blomberg
1971-1972	Joseph Mench	Angelo Gianturco	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1972-1973	Joseph Mench	Angelo Gianturco	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1973-1974	Joseph Mench	Angelo Gianturco	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1974-1975	Joseph Mench	Angelo Gianturco	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1975-1976	Eugene Reville	Angelo Gianturco	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1976-1977	Eugene Reville	Gianturco/Lamparelli*	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1977-1978	Eugene Reville	Gerald Hesson	Al Rasp	Bill Blomberg
1978-1979	Eugene Reville	Gerald Hesson	Dan Krzesinski	Tom Cosgrove
1979-1980	Eugene Reville	Gerald Hesson	Dan Krzesinski	Fritz Hessel
1980-1981	Eugene Reville	Gerald Hesson	Dan Krzesinski	Fritz Hessel
1981-1982	Eugene Reville	Gerald Hesson	Dan Krzesinski	Dan Geary
1982-1983	Eugene Reville	Stan Wegrzynowski	Dan Krzesinski	Dan Geary
1983-1984	Eugene Reville	Stan Wegrzynowski	Dan Krzesinski	Dan Geary
1984-1985	Eugene Reville	Stan Wegrzynowski	Dan Krzesinski	Gary Lopez
1985-1986	Eugene Reville	Rick Marotto	Dan Krzesinski	Yvonne Hargrave
1986-1987	Eugene Reville	Mark Balen	Dan Krzesinski	Yvonne Hargrave
1987-1988	Eugene Reville	Mark Balen	Bill Bell	Jim Christmann
1988-1989	Eugene Reville	Mark Balen	Jerry Pope	Jim Christmann
1989-1990	Albert Thompson	Mark Balen	Jerry Pope
1990-1991	Albert Thompson	Yvonne Hargrave	Jerry Pope	Thad Weselak
1991-1992	Albert Thompson	Yvonne Hargrave	Jerry Pope	Thad Weselak
1992-1993	Albert Thompson	Yvonne Hargrave	Jon Lyon	Thad Weselak
1993-1994	Albert Thompson	Bob Barton	Dan Krzesinski	Thad Weselak
1994-1995	Albert Thompson	Bob Barton	Dan Krzesinski	Thad Weselak
1995-1996	Albert Thompson	Bob Barton	Gary Lopez	Thad Weselak
1996-1997	Jim Harris	Bob Barton	Gary Lopez	Thad Weselak
1997-1998	Jim Harris	Bob Barton	Gary Lopez
1998-1999	Jim Harris	Bob Barton	Gary Lopez
1999-2000	Jim Harris	Bob Barton	Jim Pautler
2000-2001	Marion Canedo	Bob Barton	Jim Pautler	Carlos Villarroel
2001-2002	Marion Canedo	Czarnecki/Horton	Jim Pautler	Carlos Villarroel
2002-2003	Marion Canedo	Geraldine Horton	Bill Kresse	Terence Jenkins

Famous Alumni

• Ed Hughes–Former National Football League coach

Kensington Prep

Kensington Prep
Address
1409 East Delavan Avenue Schiller Park Buffalo , Erie , New York 14215 United States
Information
Type	Public
Opened	1987
Closed	1993
Grades	9

From 1987-1993, Kensington High had a satellite school, "Kensington Prep" for its ninth graders, in an effort to provide a structured atmosphere for its freshmen and attract more Caucasian students.[19] The school was located at the former Archbishop Carroll High School at 1409 East Delavan Avenue, and offered enriched programs in mathematics, sciences, and computers.[20] The school was closed in 1993, and 9th graders returned to Kensington.[21]

Former principals

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

• Ms. Yvonne Hargrave–1987-1990 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Principal of Kensington High School)
• Ms. Barbara A. Schnell–1990 (Supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services - Buffalo Public Schools, named Interim Principal of Hutchinson Central Technical High School)
• Mrs. Doris H. Erickson–1990-1991 (Principal - South Park Prep, retired)
• Mr. Gerald H. Hesson–1991-1992 (Principal - Buffalo Alternative High School, retired)
• Mr. Gerald D. Pope [interim]–1992-1993 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Assistant Principal of Buffalo Traditional School)

Former assistant principals

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

• Mr. Alfred H. Rasp–1987-1989 (Assistant Principal - Burgard Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of Seneca Vocational High School)
• Mr. Thaddeus Weselak–1989-1990 (Guidance Counselor - Burgard Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of Kensington High School)
• Mr. Daniel Krzesinski–1990-1993 (Assistant Principal - McKinley Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of Kensington High School)

Administration

Year	Superintendent	Principal	Asst. Principal
1987-1988	Eugene Reville	Yvonne Hargrave	Thad Weselak
1988-1989	Albert Thompson	Yvonne Hargrave	Thad Weselak
1989-1990	Albert Thompson	Yvonne Hargrave	Thad Weselak
1990-1991	Albert Thompson	Doris Erickson	Dan Krzesinski
1991-1992	Albert Thompson	Gerald Hesson	Dan Krzesinski
1992-1993	Albert Thompson	Jerry Pope*	Dan Krzesinski

References

1. Olmsted seniors' homecoming brief, bittersweet. (2012, June 22). The Buffalo News. Retrieved from http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/buffalo/article914899.ece
2. Simon, P. (2003, April 17). Kensington high will close after this year. The Buffalo News, p. A1.
3. Simon, P., & Warner, G. (2003, April 18). School's closing halts a proud legacy. The Buffalo News, p. A1.
4. Hammersley, M. (1993, September 6). Changes in store for Buffalo schools . The Buffalo News, p. TRK
5. McDonnell, P. (2012, November 1). The Frederick Law Olmsted school at Kensington-Buffalo's other art deco building. Retrieved from http://www.buffalorising.com/2012/11/the-frederick-law-olmsted-school-at-kensington-buffalos-other-art-deco-building.html Archived 2012-11-16 at the Wayback Machine
6. Angelo J. Gianturco , Ex-principal in Buffalo district - March 1, 1921 -- Aug. 28, 2009. (2009, August 29). The Buffalo News, p. D5.
7. Cardinale, A. (1997, August 31). Mark Balen's latest coup nets school board catbird seat. The Buffalo News, p. C1.
8. Hammersly, M. (1990, August 8). Fisher will head school board. The Buffalo News, p. TRK.
9. Racz, G. N. (1995, January 15). Great Expectations: Robert Barton's grand vision for Kensington High. The Buffalo News, p. E1.
10. Sapong, E. D. (2001, November 23). Kensington High blames principal for woes. The Buffalo News, p. C2.
11. Simon, P. (2002, July 23). Charter school plan poses fiscal concern. The Buffalo News, p. B1.
12. Louis T. Masson, science author, educator. (1992, August 28). The Buffalo News, p. DEATH.
13. W. e. unger, u.s. school aide, dlies . (1967, July 15). The Buffalo Courier-Express. Retrieved from http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers 21/Buffalo NY Courier Express/Buffalo NY Courier Express 1967/Buffalo NY Courier Express 1967 a - 0643.pdf
14. Cheektowaga principal is schooled in computers . (1989, July 22). The Buffalo News, p. C6.
15. Uncrowned community builders. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://uncrownedcommunitybuilders.com/person/jerry-pope
16. Jon G. Lyon, Retired Buffalo School Principal. (2011, September 28). The Buffalo News.
17. Heaney, J. (1995, August 24). City schools hire firm in job. The Buffalo News, p. B5.
18. Heaney, J. (1998, June 8). Troubled students - school lacks tools to handle behavioral problems. The Buffalo News, p. A1.
19. Hammersley, M. (1992, July 31). Board member backs school consolidation. The Buffalo News
20. Hammersley, M. (1991, September 20). Slaying spurs search for answers at school. The Buffalo News, p. A9.
21. Hammersley, M. (1993, September 6). Changes in store for buffalo schools. The Buffalo News

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