Friday, September 16, 2011

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.