Board Affirms District Goals

Taking a multi-year perspective, the Bronxville Board of Education approved three District goals at last night's meeting:

• Conduct a comprehensive budget review that minimizes taxpayer expense. Budget options resulting in flat and lower taxes will be considered. This year’s budget process will include comparisons of Bronxville’s per pupil costs and an analysis of staffing levels and key programs and services at each school and the district.
• Continue the three-year program development plans for global education and 21st Century skills, integrating technology, and knowing and engaging students.
• Update the Long Range Facilities Plan.

In adopting these goals, the Board explicitly placed the highest priority on managing finances and containing costs in the school budget, but all three goals continue work that began last year - the three professional development strands, a more comprehensive budget review, and completing the post-flood restoration and recovery projects.

Activities related to the financial goals include concluding a Board/BTA study of health costs and benefits; completing negotiations with custodians, teachers, clerical staff, teacher’s aides and teaching assistants; pursuing resolution of outstanding construction litigation; and revising financial reporting formats. Activities related to the curriculum and instruction goals include updating the K-12 technology curriculum; designing and implementing student projects that reflect global awareness, critical thinking and problem solving, and technology as an essential tool for learning;expanding teacher access to student data as part of an evidence-based approach to improving learning results; forming a Board study group to identify “best practices” for board processes related to curriculum and instruction; and completing Tri-States evaluation of science curriculum.