Board hears about Model UN, Mandate Relief, and Flood Mitigation

Ilhan Gokhan, Bronxville High School junior, opened December's Board of Education meeting with a presentation about the Model UN program. Sponsored by history and economics teacher Steve Klurfeld, the Bronxville team went to Princeton for this year's conference, where students from many schools made speeches, prepared draft resolutions, and learned about international diplomacy. Gokhan explained his own participation: "I represented Venezuela in a committee that had to do with expanding refugee rights, so I found all of the official documents relating to refugees that Venezuela actually signed or authored." He went on to explain that "this year, Bronxville High School students participated in traditional committees like UNESCO, the IMF, and the WHO . . . Some topics included preserving endangered languages, eradicating childhood diseases, and helping refugees flee civil strife."

 After introducing Gokhan, Superintendent David Quattrone reported on efforts regarding mandate relief and flood mitigation.  Superintendents from the four-county region met this last week with legislators to identify key items where mandate relief would help districts maintain educational quality in the context of a 2% tax cap.  Locally, modifying transportation requirements for private school students and rolling back special education requirements that exceed federal guidelines were the pressing needs.  The Superintendents have prepared a detailed position paper that  describes the massive financial burden of such mandates.

With respect to flood mitigation, Quattrone confirmed that the District is working with the Village to develop plans and review the environmental impact of a proposal to install stormwater detention and pumping systems that would alleviate flooding in the neighborhood of the school. The Village and District are expecting a federal grant to support this project at a 75% reimbursement rate. The next step for the Board will be to hear a comprehensive presentation of the proposed project in the early months of 2012.

Barton Proposes New High School Offerings

At its December meeting the Bronxville Board of Education reviewed and gave preliminary approval to several new electives in the High School Course of Study for 2012-13.  The courses, recommended by Principal Terry Barton, include TV/Video Production, Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Art, Music Seminar, and Innovative Action in the Global Community.  In addition, several courses now offered only at the Advanced Placement Level would be offered at the Honors Level, including Calculus, Environmental Science, and Art History.

Board members expressed enthusiasm for the recommendations and welcomed the dialogue about the curriculum. Pierre deSt. Phalle suggested exploring local colleges and online options as well. Several Board members commented that the suggested courses addressed unmet needs.

Barton explained that whether these courses actually run in 2012-13 will depend on student course selection patterns. Some electives may not generate sufficient enrollment. The budget implications of these new courses depends on course enrollment patterns and may be accommodated within the same overall staffing levels as this year.

Board Approves Agreements with Custodians, Teacher Aides

The Bronxville Board of Education has reached labor agreements with two additional bargaining units, the facilities support staff and the teacher aides. The facilities support staff ratified a contract through 2013-14, with a 0% increase for 2009, a one time payment of 1% for 2010, 1% for 2011, 1.5% for 2012, and 1.5% for 2013.  Employee contributions for health benefits will rise to 12% over the life of the contract.This group of employees is an independent association, representing themselves.

The teacher aides, represented by the Bronxville Teachers Association, also entered into a contract with the District, with 0% wage increases for 2010, 1% for 2011, and 1.5% for 2012. Health benefits are not offered to this group. Assistant Superintendents John Kehoe and Dan Carlin represented the Board during negotiations with both groups, with the assistance of Ingerman Smith, attorneys. They reported efficient and amicable proceedings. In approving the settlements, Board members noted that even with reasonable wage increases, additional health insurance and retirement costs are difficult to manage in the context of a 2% tax cap.

The District approved a collective bargaining agreement with its teachers this past September. The administrative unit's contract does not expire until 2013, and the clerical unit is still in negotiation.

Bronxville High, Rotary, and Sarah Lawrence Share Service Learning Experiences

Bronxville High School hosted a Family-School Partnership workshop on December 1. The program featured presentations about service projects in Tanzania, Zambia, and India. Participants in last year's Spanish and French exchange programs also made presentations.

The program opened with remarks by Jim Agnello, Counselor, and Judith Schwartzstein, Director of Public Affairs at Sarah Lawrence College. Christopher Gates of the Janada Batchelor Foundation for Children described the ongoing partnership with Bronxville that has brought many Bronxville students to Tanzania to work at the JBFC orphanage. These year's group included Brian Forst, Ellie Hanrahan, Hanna Buendia, Steve Chrappa, Jack Deasey, Jackie Faselt, Daniel Guglielmo, and Kevin Reich. Each of them told a story about how the experience affected them. Chris Davis, Sarah Blanco, Nick Capasso, and Julian Bardin also made presentations.

Doris Benson, former Rotary President, reviewed the international projects that Rotary has made possible and how the local Rotary helped sponsor Bronxville's students. Amanda Ota and Meghan Roguschka, Sarah Lawrence students, explained their building community gardens in rural India as part of the Davis Grant they received.  David Quattrone, School Superintendent made closing remarks about the value of a Global Scholars program.

About fifty students, parents, teachers and residents attended the program, including representatives of the Police Department, the Reformed Church, and the program's sponsors, the International Club and the Middle School Global Ambassadors.

Board launches 2012-13 budget process

The November meeting of the Board of Education launched the 2012-13 budget process. Assistant Superintendent Dan Carlin presented the latest enrollment projections, showing that the K-12 population is holding steady. In addition, Mr. Carlin reviewed what we know about fixed costs and reviewed the implications of the new tax cap, which limits school levy growth to 2% or the annual increase in the CPI, whichever is less. Certain expenditures are exempt from the cap, such as capital projects, and local communities may override the cap with 60% voter approval.  Mr. Carlin's presentation can be found here.

The Superintendent's budget will be presented at a workshop on February 4.

Board supports Middle School, encourages broader range of HS electives

At the November Board meeting, Superintendent David Quattrone summarized the results of two long-range planning workshops held this fall.  One question concerned the cost/benefit of consolidating schools: Would consolidating the district into two schools yield significant cost savings without impairing educational quality?

The Board has reached a consensus that the answer is no. The typical savings that come from a school consolidation -- closing a building -- do not apply in Bronxville.In addition, administrative savings would also be relatively small. Whatever the grade configuration, the District needs to have in place the leadership and management resources needed to fulfill the increasing demands of teacher supervision and evaluation, student development, and parent communication and involvement. The marginal savings accrued by consolidation would be offset by the negative impact on other goals and objectives.

In affirming the continuing value of programs and services aimed at the specific academic and developmental needs of early adolescents, the Board also reinforced the importance of using advisory programs and grade level teams to advance the social development goals established by the Board, including extending the Elementary Character Counts program to the Middle School years. With Middle School off the table as a possible budget reduction, the way is cleared for more attention to this kind of program improvement.  In the public commentary section of the Board meeting, BTA President and Middle School teacher David Katz thanked the Board for its support.

The Board also expressed interest in broadening and enriching the High School curriculum. Earlier in the fall Terry Barton, Principal, spoke about unmet interests and potential new courses, such as television production. At the November meeting David Brashear also cited the absence of computer science and programming courses, and Denise Tormey expressed her hope that any new electives would benefit the maximum number of students. Mr. Barton will present the 2012-13 Course of Study Guide for review at the December meeting.

Update on Curriculum and Assessment

State requirements will bring higher academic standards and a new generation of standardized assessments to Bronxville. New York, like forty-four other states, has adopted the Common Core State Standards. These standards establish concepts, skills, and learning progressions that define "college readiness." For direct access to those standards, go here.

As a next step, multi-state partnerships are developing new standardized tests to measure progress toward college readiness. In the past, New York's assessments focus on the numbers of students at or above proficiency. The new assessments will describe the year-to-year gains that each student makes in English language arts and mathematics. This is called the "value-added" approach, and the results can shed light on student achievement, teacher contributions to learning, and overall school effectiveness. New York is part of a multi-state consortium, PARCC, that is designing and field testing these new instruments.

These standards and related assessments are in the early stages of development, but like other districts, Bronxville will need to prepare for full implementation. Some of the local implications include

• Aligning curriculum with the new standards;
• Preparing local assessments that match the standards;
• Carrying out professional development about the new standards and assessments;
• Managing the data (including data collection, analysis, and installing the hardware and network capacities to administer on-line testing).

Superintendent David Quattrone's presentation on these matters, including links to several useful resources, can be found here.

How do we help students develop character?

At the October Board Meeting, Elementary Principal Tom Wilson described the comprehensive character development program developed by faculty and parents. Dr. Wilson acknowledged the special contributions of Rose Crawford, Cindy Randall, and Tiffany Faulstich. Rejecting pre-packaged, off-the-shelf solutions, the group chose to create a home-grown approach with strong local ownership. As a result the School has integrated a series of lessons and school-wide activities designed to reinforce positive social skills, such as respect, responsibility, and sportsmanship:

"Three years ago, our school consciously committed to looking for ways in which we could develop the skills associated with strong character in our students. The best place to begin this journey was to look within.  What were we already doing in our K-12 system that was working well and where could the elementary school fill in and better support the work of developing the social skills and interpersonal competencies that are needed in life?"

The accompanying video depicted a large number of students and teachers talking about the program, indicating a breadth of implementation across the school. In dialogue about the program, Board members asked about the student outcome characteristics, how new teachers are oriented to the program,  continuation of the program at the Middle School, and the opportunity to identify and prevent risky behaviors such as cyber-bullying and cheating.

To see the presentation, click here.

What's the best way to replace the gym floor?

At its October meeting the Bronxville Board of Education reviewed options for replacing the gym floor. Tropical Storm Irene caused extensive damage: the tongue-and-groove wood surface warped and buckled, and the wood sub-floor also had to be removed. While insurance covers replacement-in kind (about $145,000), the Board questioned the wisdom of installing exactly the same materials.

School officials worked with our architects, vendors, construction managers and others to weigh the choices.  Teachers and coaches were also consulted.

1. One obvious answer was to install a synthetic, composite surface, but research led us to conclude this approach had some drawbacks.  The most significant problem is that padding required underneath the surface actually absorbs and retains water. The floor cannot be fully dried and indeed could encapsulate mold underneath the surface. Given that underground water remains a factor, this option came off the table. 
2. Another option was to pour several inches of waterproof concrete as a sub-floor. We called this the "ice rink" approach.  The chief problem here is that it added about $120,000 to the replacement cost.

The recommended solution is a wood floor, which is the preferred competitive playing surface. The staff identified several ways to mitigate future damage.  (1) Eliminating the volleyball post sleeves in the floor. These post-holes served as a conduit for ground water. (2) Installing a vapor guard under the subfloor as a way to stop or reduce the water that comes from below. (3) Installing a water resistant sub-floor, constructed from plastic, recyclable materials and a "marine-grade" product designed for outdoor wear and tear. None of these options is foolproof, and much depends on the extent of any future flooding. (4) For an additional $50,000 floodgates could be installed at the entrances to the gym. Other options, such as a removable floor, a sump pump, or moving the program off-site have been deemed impractical or too costly.

The Board arrived at a consensus that it was not enough simply to replace in kind, and that further mitigation measures were appropriate. The next step is for the facilities committee to verify the cost/benefit of the various choices and determine the best combination of options. Installation time and warranties are additional factors. If a decision is made by the end of October, there is a possibility that installation is complete by December.

How is the District managing its finances?

The school district received the highest possible rating from its external auditors -- an "unqualified opinion." Susan Barossi and Chris Kopf, partners in the accounting firm O'Connor Davies Munns & Dobbins, presented this year's report to the public and the Board of Education.Their report included a summary of revenues and expenditures, a description of the different types of funds, an explanation of new types of reserves, post-retirement obligations, and a review of minor control deficiencies. The latter involved segregation of duties with respect to the Treasurer's function, and the auditor noted that compensating controls were in place.  The report also called for clearer procedures for addressing five inactive special purpose funds (gifts to the school) and two inactive clubs.
In conclusion Ms. Barossi stated,

"Despite a difficult economy, the district is in very good financial shape. The district has been able to replenish reserves and maintain a healthy fund balance."

In related activity, the Board renewed its contract with Accume Partners, its internal auditors. The Board received their report as well, which focused on human resources and payroll.

Board, Teachers Approve New Contract

After 20 months of collective bargaining and mediation, the Bronxville Board of Education and the Bronxville Teachers Association have reached mutual agreement on a three-year contract that runs retroactively from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2013.  Under the new contract, base wages will increase 0%, 1%, and 1.25% in each of the three years.  Annual step increases, averaging 1.6%, remain part of the contract in addition to the negotiated increases, resulting in an average salary increase of 2.35% per year. However, in the third year, the step increase or “increment” will be delayed until midyear, which will save the District $130,000 in that year.

All parties involved in the negotiations sought to achieve an agreement that would reflect mutual respect, provide fair compensation for teachers and meet the needs of Bronxville’s parents and community members.  All stakeholders can take pride in the work that was done by the negotiators on both sides, all of whom never lost sight of the important reasons they were engaged in the work – to continue the excellent education of Bronxville’s students.

Superintendent David Quattrone commented, “Everybody worked hard to reach an agreement that addresses the very real concerns of our community for a sustainable economic model, while maintaining a structure that satisfies the key objectives of our teachers and the Board. We can breathe a collective sigh of relief that we have accomplished our goal, in a very difficult economic climate. Now we can reduce the uncertainty and move forward to concentrate on learning, teaching and maintaining a positive learning environment for all.”

Board President Jim Hudson expressed his satisfaction with the outcome but also pointed out the issues facing the District in the future: “I am thrilled with the ratification of the BTA contract. It represents the hard work of the BTA, the Board and the administration to equitably address the constraints on school budgets and the need to appropriately compensate our teachers and employees. School districts are being squeezed from all sides to balance budgets with a 2% or less tax cap, increasing pension costs and declining state aid. We thank the members of the BTA for their approval of the contract and understanding of the issues all New York school districts are now facing.”

In addition to establishing base salaries for the three-year term, the agreement also covers a range of issues affecting total salaries, benefits and working conditions. Among other things, two “gates” or half-steps will be inserted into the salary schedule after step 9 and after step 12.  This permanent structural change to the salary schedule effectively adds two years to the time it takes for our teachers to reach maximum salaries in the future. Employee contributions to health insurance will increase to 15% over the life of the contract, rising from the current contribution of 10% plus $200.  Effective for retirements after July 1, 2016, retiree contributions for individual healthcare coverage will increase from 7.5% to 10% and such contributions for retiree family healthcare coverage will be set at the rate in effect at the time of retirement. Other changes include the extension of health insurance coverage to domestic partners and a reduction in child-rearing leave from 14 weeks to 12 weeks. Finally, employees hired after July 1, 2011 are no longer eligible for tuition-free attendance for their children. Instead, a $5000 rate will apply, and children may not enroll prior to third grade.

The parties also negotiated several changes in working conditions. Elementary teachers were granted a half day at the end of the school year without students to take care of year-end responsibilities. Personal days were reduced from five to four. The BTA President was granted release time in order to perform his or her duties. The contract establishes new requirements for using technology to communicate with families, contingent upon related training.  The parties agreed to compensation for supervising on-line instruction and independent study. The final agreement also includes a number of other provisions that both parties believe will enhance the District’s ability to continue to deliver academic programs of the highest quality.

Opportunity for Parent Feedback

We strive to sustain a positive, trusting relationship between school and home. Parents with questions about school procedures or individual classroom practice should feel free to share their concerns directly with the teacher, counselor, or Principal. Such informal interaction is a daily, constructive occurrence at each school, and everyone benefits from an atmosphere of open, civil communication.

Parents also have the opportunity to register compliments or concerns in connection with employment decisions. This article describes how parents may comment on a probationary teacher, administrator, or tenure candidate. Parents or other community members may share their perceptions through a signed letter addressed to the Principal, in the case of faculty, or to the Superintendent, in the case of administrators. Such letters will be acknowledged in writing by the supervisor, and shared with the individual teacher or administrator, and with the Superintendent and the Board of Education. In light of the timetable calling for tenure recommendations, any such letters should be received not later than March 1st of the teacher’s or administrator’s tenure year. Input even earlier in the tenure process, including years prior to the tenure year, allows more time for professional growth or recognition. It is important to note that parental feedback is only one aspect of an assessment of staff performance that encompasses preparation and planning, classroom management, instruction, and professional responsibilities.

For a list of 2011 probationary teachers and tenure candidates, go here.

Bronxville Students Maintain High Test Scores

Superintendent David Quattrone presented the Bronxville School's achievement profile for the 2010-11 school year. The importance of standardized test results is increasing in light of New York's new requirements for teacher accountability, but Quattrone emphasized the importance of using a balanced set of measures as a way of understanding student, teacher, or school performance. The presentation can be found here. 

• In grades 3-8, between 89% and 94% of students are scoring at proficient levels or better in mathematics, depending on the grade.
• In English language arts between 82% and 92% of students in grades 3-8 are scoring at proficient levels or better.

Each school examines patterns within these average scores to identify opportunities for improvement and to move students to the next level.

The Advanced Placement program continues to grow, with 222 students taking 502 tests in 2011, up from 469 in 2010.  The average scores dipped but are still at high levels: 80% of the results qualified for college credit, and over half were highly qualified. Referring to the School's critical and creative thinking initiative, Quattrone mentioned that the School's vision of the graduate goes beyond simply scoring well on these tests. Finally, college matriculation patterns are holding strong, with 95% of graduates attending colleges and universities ranking as very competitive, highly competitive, or most competitive.

The Flood of 2011: An After Action Review

The Bronxville School: 1924 or thereabouts?

With the Bronxville School poised to regain full occupancy of the building next week, Superintendent David Quattrone shared the administration's after action review of the flood: the building condition, an account of how the School prepared for Tropical Storm Irene, and some questions for the Board to consider in the future.

He recounted the decisions made after the flood of 2007, when the School was restored using water resistant materials, critical infrastructure systems were elevated above the floodplain (including a new boiler room), and key functions were relocated to the second floor.  He reported that the building performed well in this more recent storm. The building never lost power and other systems remained intact (including network and phones). The porcelain tiles and new flooring were not damaged. The major problem came from groundwater rising into the wall cavities. These walls have been dried, cleaned, and restored.

Quattrone also explained what the School did to prepare for the expected storm.  Actions included sandbagging doors, relocating vehicles, moving copy machines and other equipment to the second floor, and elevating classroom contents off the floor to desk level. In the event, the level of flooding destroyed some but not all classroom contents; high cabinets and rolling cabinets proved effective in protecting material.  He stated it would have been impractical to move all classroom contents to the second floor.

Going forward, he described some lessons learned and some issues to consider.  He mentioned the need to establish a protocol for removing wall pad in five gyms and relocating kitchen equipment on wheels. Finding a new room for the nurse's office will be considered. Replacing the floor in the main gym is another issue: there is the possibility of installing a subfloor made of recyclable materials. This subfloor would not be affected by water, which would greatly reduce the replacement cost.

His presentation can be found here.

District Settles Construction Litigation from 2004

On June 16, 2011, the Bronxville Board of Education approved a comprehensive and final settlement of all outstanding claims and litigation pertaining to the construction of the “C” wing, and related renovations, of the Bronxville School. This project, begun in 2000 and completed in 2004, experienced significant delays and cost overruns that have been the basis of multiple damage claims and legal action, including four lawsuits that have run since 2004 - one in NYS Supreme Court and three in Federal District Court.

The settlement reached provides for the District to pay $3 million to Liberty Mutual. The payment includes the balance on the Picco contract of $1.2 million (held by the District since construction was completed) and reimbursement for appropriate change orders of $530,000 incurred during construction by Liberty. No monies were paid by the District to Picco. In addition, various third parties will pay the District $675,000, partially offsetting the Liberty payment. No additional monies will have to be raised by the District to satisfy this settlement. The net cost of $508,846 will come from an existing construction account and an insurance reserve established by the Board in 2006.

Board President James Hudson praised John Priesing, former Board member and President, who pursued the community’s interests long after his tenure with the Board ended. Dr. Hudson also expressed gratitude to Richard Dresdale and Richard Rugani for their commitment and effort related to this project. The settlement, Hudson said, puts the district in a stronger position going forward, reducing legal costs and removing the uncertainties of the case with respect to budgeting and finance. The District plans to send a comprehensive description of the settlement to all residents after appropriate papers have been filed with the Court.

Superintendent Sums Up the Year

At the final Board meeting of the school year, Superintendent David Quattrone praised students, staff, and the Board for their many accomplishments. He offered congratulations to the graduating Class of 2011, mentioning the talent and positive class spirit displayed at last week's Baccalaureate.

Student athletes excelled in post season competition this spring:

• Boys Lacrosse competed in the state semifinal, their best result in Bronxville history

• The boys 4x800 meter relay team placed 4th at the state meet in Division 2, earning All State status
• Henry Palermo became Division 2 State Champion in the Shot Put
• Meredith Rizzo placed 3rd in Division 2 for the 800 Meter Run
• The 4x800 Meter Relay team won a Division 2 State Championship
• Mary Cain set a new state record and a new National Freshman record in the 1500 meter run.
• Ian Palfrey finished in 17th place at the State Golf Championship, an All-State performance.

Quattrone also cited the awards garnered by our school musicians at the state music festival:

• High School Chorus received a level VI Gold medal

• High School Orchestra received a level VI Gold medal
• High School Band received a level V Silver medal
• 8th Grade Orchestra received a level 3 Gold medal
• 8th Grade Band received a level 4 Bronze medal.

Seventy-four students in grades 4-11 participated in solo competition, with 78% receiving scores in the A or outstanding/excellent range.

Finally, Quattrone expressed appreciation for the extensive community service efforts undertaken by students and pointed to the new shadowing program in which many seniors completed brief internships in various community settings.

How Are We Doing? Interim Report on Goals

This past December the Bronxville Board of Education adopted goals designed to guide our work over the next several years. These goals focused on four strategic questions:

• How can we ensure that Bronxville provides the best possible curriculum and instruction, leading to the success of every student?
• How can the Bronxville School best help the community in the effort to promote healthy, safe, responsible behavior among its young people?
• How can school facilities best support the current and future learning needs of our students?
• What comprises a fiscally responsible, sustainable model of educational excellence for the Bronxville School?

We will report further progress on these goals in August, when we present student achievement results, and in our Annual Report, published in November. For an interim report on curriculum and instruction, the learning environment, facilities, and finances, click here.

PTA Councils Recognize Faculty and Staff

Continuing a long Bronxville tradition, the Council and PTA officers, joined by others, hosted a recognition ceremony honoring retirees and staff members who have reached certain milestones. Parents presented gifts and honored each staff member with comments and personal reminiscences, warmly received. Participating parents included Sarah Kraemer, Elizabeth Yienger, Sarah Kiefer, Julia Meade, Ashley Hanrahan, Suzanne McCann, and Ed O'Toole.

Honorees included four retiring staff members: Tina Anchin, Clare Gorman, Betsy Grogan, and Barbara Tamraz. Sixteen staff members also achieved key milestones in terms of length of service:

15 Years of Service: Rita Baldini, Stephanie Grohowski, Pam Kohlhoff,Barbara Tamraz;

20 Years of Service: Angelika Kypar, Connie Lourentzatos, Bruce Meyers, Rosemarie Mumby, Joyce Myers;

25 Years of Service: Tim Curran, Clare Gorman, Linda Jouas, Patrick Miele, Mary Schenck, Aleta Tomanelli;

30 Years of Service: John Kehoe.

Photos by Ginny Martin

Board Adopts Flat Budget

At its April meeting, the Bronxville Board of Education continued on its path of fiscal restraint, adopting a 2011 budget of $43,604,187. This budget represents approximately a 0% budget-to-budget increase, a 0% tax levy increase, and, because of reductions in assessed value, an estimated 3.17% increase in the tax rate. Expenditures have been flat since 2008-09, when the budget equaled $43,631,140.
Over this period of time, cost containment has been accomplished through a combination of approaches, including voluntary wage concessions, retirement incentives, not replacing certain vacancies, and outsourcing the custodial function. At the same time, the District has been able to maintain average class sizes in the low twenties and signature programs such as elementary science specialists, instrumental music, K-8 skills, and electives and advanced courses at the high school. The proposed spending plan for 2011-12 adds two additional teaching positions in order to reduce elementary class sizes at grades 3 and 4. The budget also includes targeted reductions in the clerical staff (2.4 positions), 1.0 teaching assistant, freezing two top salaries, and various adjustments in non-instructional areas. Overall staffing was 257.7 in 2008 and is projected at 222.1 positions in 2011 – a reduction of 13.8%. The Board has also applied $840,000 of reserves in order to offset tax levy increases. The April budget presentation can be found here.

The Board is also taking a long view toward future needs. Responding to the most recent building conditions survey conducted by our architects, the Board of Education has developed a five-year capital plan. This plan addresses various infrastructure needs and contemplates renovations of our auditorium and middle school science labs. In order to fund such projects, the Board wishes to establish a construction reserve.

The Board has also expressed an interest in exploring possible cost savings that could arise from program redesign, school consolidation, service delivery models, and administrative changes. These options will be analyzed this coming fall.

Seven Achieve Tenure

The Bronxville Board of Education has awarded tenure to seven faculty members recommended by Superintendent David Quattrone: Joseph Alaimo (ES), Dan Carlin (Assistant Superintendent for Business), Greg DiStefano (MS Technology) Joseph Donaldson (ES Physical Education), Deirdre Doyle (ES), Michael Mari (MS Latin), and Jennifer Zopp (MS Science).

Quattrone explained the tenure process:

When teachers first come to Bronxville they are hired for a three-year probationary period. There is no expectation or obligation of continued employment beyond that point.

Probationary teachers are formally observed in the classroom a minimum of three times annually, including a planning conference before the lesson and a reflection conference after the lesson. The evaluation system involves 22 separate ratings related to planning and preparation, the classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities. The district annually publishes the names of all probationary teachers, inviting the public to submit written comments by March 1. The overall evaluation of a teacher encompasses not only formal observations but also a consideration of collaboration with colleagues, leadership, and contribution to the school as a whole.

In the tenure year, teachers are evaluated by multiple observers, and administrators confer to compare appraisals and review progress. Consistent with state law, only the Superintendent can make a recommendation for tenure.

Board policy states the standard for tenure: “Appointment to tenure will be made upon recommendation to the Board by the Superintendent. The Board will base its tenure decision on consideration of whether the candidate is worthy of permanent appointment in a school of excellence in accordance with Board approved evaluation procedures. Tenure will be granted only to candidates who have demonstrated outstanding ability and who have met the highest professional standards. In case of doubt, the Board will not grant tenure, even at the risk of losing a teacher who might have proved outstanding.”