Friday, December 18, 2009

Six Staff Members to Retire

At its December meeting the Bronxville Board of Education accepted the retirements of five teachers and one cleaner. The teachers included Dennis Davan (Middle School science), Mary Angela Kennedy (Elementary Special Education), Donnie Kravitz, (grade 3), James Mitchell (High School Latin), and Mary Linda Orsenigo (Middle School social studies). Their service to the district totals 151 years. All have not only shown their dedication to children through their classroom performance, but have also demonstrated leadership as team leaders, curriculum leaders, club advisers, and coaches. Their announcement comes as part of a retirement incentive approved with the Board as part of a broader effort to contain costs. The retirements become effective at the end of the school year.

The Board also accepted the retirement of Tadeusz Wesley, a cleaner with the District for over 23 years.

Science Visiting Team Comes to Town

A team of fifteen educators completed their assessment of Bronxville's K-12 science program in early December. Comprised of teachers and administrators across the region, and appointed by our accrediting body, the Tri-State Consortium, the team spent three days in the district. They reviewed examples of student work - including lab journals and project displays, curriculum pacing guides, test results, and materials related to eight assessment indicators. They also spent time in classrooms and interviewed teachers, parents, and students. The visit culminated in a group dialogue between the Bronxville faculty and the visiting team that consisted of clarifying questions, probing questions, and commentary.

The assessment was organized around essential questions developed by the faculty and endorsed by the Board of Education:


To what extent does the K-12 science curriculum at Bronxville:

  • Support scientific questioning and reasoning?
  • Foster critical thinking?
  • Integrate technological skills?
  • Encourage applications of scientific knowledge?
  • Balance high standards of achievement with the needs of all learners?

Bronxville teachers spent over a year preparing for the accreditation process. They reviewed
the scope and sequence of the course of study and completed pacing guides for each course. They gathered and organized classroom materials to help the visitors understand our program. The written report is expected in five or six weeks.

For the Tri-State indicators, click below.

District Leaders Present Overview

Superintendent David Quattrone, Assistant Superintendents Dan Carlin and John Kehoe, and Pupil Personnel Services Director Rachel Kelly provided a overview of district wide services to the Board of Education at its December meeting. Following three earlier reports - one from each school principal, this final presentation completed the overall picture of staffing, current programs, and recent progress.

The Board has charged the administration with preparing a zero-increase budget. Quattrone said, "It would be fair to say that the Board is reexamining the relationship between resources available and educational excellence. This series of presentations has been designed to provide the information and background needed to decide what constitutes a model of excellence that is sustainable in a time of economic scarcity, not just this year but in the years to come."

This most recent review touched on various elements of district management and leadership, including communications, fiscal stewardship, technology, facilities, quality of teaching, and student services. It referred to the strategic plan recommendations of 2005, international indicators of excellence, and the status of various improvement efforts.

The report can be viewed by clicking on the picture above.