Proposed Budget Shows Lowest Increase in Over Ten Years: 1.37%

After months of deliberation and reductions, the Bronxville Board of Education appears ready to endorse a school budget with the lowest increase in the last decade - a 1.37% budget-to-budget rise. Based on preliminary information available, the projected tax rate increase is likely to be the second lowest in Westchester County. The proposed budget totals $44, 227,561.

In November, the Bronxville Board of Education asked the administration to prepare a rollover budget that supported existing programs and accounted for contractual obligations yet added no new services or staffing. During a number of planning sessions throughout the winter, the budget was further reduced by about $870,000, involving the equivalent of 4.4 positions as well as reductions in various co-curricular and athletic activities and other accounts. The March 19 presentation can be found here. At that meeting the Board reviewed the impact of staff reductions on class size, tax rate comparisons, and the requirements of a contingency budget.

The Board will be asked to approve a budget in April, with a final hearing on May 7th and a school budget vote on May 19th.

Two BHS Students Win Global Service Learning Grants

Two Bronxville High School students, Nora Gerson (11th grade) and Amed Ebrahim (10th grade) have won prizes of $2,500 each to support service learning projects this coming summer. The students will be traveling to Tanzania to work in an orphanage under the guidance of Jim Agnello, school counselor.

The awards, supported by a community donor, support four goals:

• Promote increased understanding of complex issues facing the global community
• Improve students’ capacity to successfully engage in cross-cultural collaborations
• Foster an understanding of the reciprocal nature of service to others
• Improve the learning environments of children in the developing world.

Fourteen students applied for the awards, and Denise Lutter, Teacher Center Director, commented on the high quality of the applicants. "This is a huge step forward for the global education initiative," she said. "I look forward to the new perspectives and insights that the students will bring to their leadership roles."

Board Approves 2009-2010 Calendar

After a second reading, the Bronxville Board of Education approved the school calendar for 2009-2010. Patterned after the calendar adopted by the Westchester County Chief School Administrators, the next school year begins on Tuesday, September 8th for teachers and Wednesday, September 9th for students. The school year ends on Friday, June 25, 2010. There are 182 student days and 185 teacher days.

The approved calendar is here.

SFL Endorses Honor Code

Kate Kranenberg, representing Bronxville High's Student Faculty Legislature, and Anthony Angotta, adviser, described the new student Honor Code. Developed by thirty-five elected student representatives and several faculty members, the code reinforces the importance of academic honesty and responsibility. The Code asks student to pledge their commitment to avoiding plagiarism and cheating. Disciplinary consequences for incidents of academic dishonesty will continue to apply as stated in the handbook. The Board of Education expressed their support of the proposal.

Tuition and Residency

For many years the Bronxville School has generated revenue by admitting non-resident tuition students. This current year, 35 tuition students have been admitted, providing income of about $1,660,875. Of these, 20 are special education students and 15 are K-12 regular education students. Admission as a tuition student is made on a space available basis at the discretion of the school principal, the recommendation of the Superintendent, and approval by the Board of Education. In the current school year elementary tuition is $18,300 and secondary tuition is $23,300.

Each year questions arise about how the district handles families who move out of town during the school year or who may no longer be residents eligible to attend our schools. State law and Bronxville policy are very clear. Only students who reside in the Village of Bronxville may attend tuition-free. For those who leave the District during the year, tuition is pro-rated. District policy on pupil residency can be found here.

When a credible inquiry about residency is received, the district verifies residency through the use of investigative services. Anonymous complaints are typically disregarded. Since September 2008, the district has investigated eight claims of non-residency. In each case, residency has been verified, tuition has been charged, or non-residents have withdrawn from school. At the present time there are five pending cases.