Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Board Explores Need for Additional Field Space and Lighting Feasibility

At its workshop on September 23, the Bronxville Board of Education began a process of exploring ways to expand field space for Bronxville students. President David Brashear opened the meeting:

For a number of years, we have had a need for additional field hours for our school’s athletic teams.  We have been investigating different alternatives for generating more field hours, and part of tonight’s agenda includes a review of some preliminary information on one option.  We will continue to explore as many options as we can identify, and when we feel we have reviewed the benefits, impacts, and hard costs of each, we will move toward solutions.  The Board will not rush to any conclusions.  This will be a deliberate process, but we won’t take any options off of the table until we have a complete understanding of all of the options.  This will take time.  This Board has demonstrated a habit of being deliberate, and of looking out for the best interests of the school and the village.  That spirit will continue to guide our deliberations.

With this context, the Board asked Athletic Director Karen Peterson to describe current conditions. She reported that in the current year there are 19 school teams requiring field space, with 415 participants. This represents a 54.3% increase over the past ten years.  With the lack of additional land, this results in cramped field space that constrains practice time and game schedules. She ended by describing three potential solutions to the problem:  
  • Continue to look for off campus facilities to be utilized for practices and games
  • Study the possibility of turf field expansion on Hayes Field as part of the flood mitigation process
  • Installation of lights on Chambers Field.
Board comments and questions centered on each option's trade-offs regarding cost, academic time, and community impact. Her presentation can be found here

The Board next heard a presentation from Russ Davidson, President of KG&D Architecture.  He conducted a feasibility study of a concept including five poles located on the inside of the Chambers Field track -- three 70' poles on one side, two 80' poles on the other.  His presentation described the general concept, the evolution of lighting technology, light spillage beyond the field, cost, and related issues. Board members raised several questions requiring further investigation. The KG&D presentation can be found here.

About 200 members of the public attended this session, with about thirty people offering diverse comments about the advisability of such an installation. Ten students, primarily in favor of installing lights, cited the need for better field conditions and the value of hosting popular community events. About twenty parents spoke, raising additional questions and expressing a range of opinion concerning impact on the neighbors and the character of the village, the need to explore and study other options, claims about health risks, and importance of expanding opportunities for student athletes.  The meeting ended at 9:30 PM with assurances that follow-up questions would be pursued and further reports made to the public.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Board to Hear Presentations on Field Usage and Lighting Feasibility

The Bronxville Board of Education has placed field usage and the feasibility of installing lights on Chambers Field on its agenda for Monday, September 23. The meeting will be held in the school auditorium at 7:00 PM. After presentations by Athletic Director Karen Peterson and KG&D Architects there will be Board discussion and an opportunity for public comment.

At the regular Board meeting President David Brashear set the stage with his opening remarks:
The Board will continue its analysis of the field space demands of our athletic teams, and seek ways to add field hours to our athletic program. As with any other problem relating to facilities, we are evaluating a number of possible solutions to address the issue, with our goal being to meet the needs of our student participants. I’d like to reiterate that the possible installation of lights on Chambers Field is one option, and the feasibility study we commissioned was an initial step to help determine if in fact that is a viable option.The Board is continuing to gather data on other available options, and on details of field usage by school teams and non-school teams.  
One related issue is the upcoming flood mitigation project under consideration.  Brashear explained,
We will be working closely with the Village administration over the next few months to determine the viability of the flood mitigation project that has secured substantial FEMA funding – working to understand its impact on the school grounds, the potential for moisture prevention in our building, and whether the scheme presents opportunities for a reworking of the Hayes field layout resulting in better field usability.

Overall Student Achievement Remains High. State Scores Reflect New Standard.

At the August meeting Superintendent David Quattrone gave the Bronxville Board of Education an overview of student performance on a variety of indicators, including college matriculation, Advanced Placement exams, the international PISA for Schools, and New York state assessments.
  • College enrollment patterns are consistent with the past. Of last year's graduates, 52% matriculated at the most competitive colleges and universities in the nation, with 89% attending post-secondary institutions in the top three tiers.
  • Advanced Placement scores continue to be very strong. This past year, 229 students took 515 exams, with 89% achieving a qualifying score (3 or better). This figure compares with 67% across New York state and 61% internationally. 
  • The PISA for Schools assessment, administered to fifteen-year-old students in 2012, also shows excellent results, notably in reading: Bronxville students outperformed similar schools in the US and exceeded the international benchmark established by Singapore in 2009.


State assessments showed a new pattern. As has been widely reported, results decreased across the state. The drop reflects the new Common Core curriculum standards, different tests, and new cut-off scores. Bronxville followed the state pattern, and Board of Education members were quick to focus on Middle School mathematics. Quattrone responded by describing actions already taken to address these concerns, including a revamped program in grade 8. Last year the Elementary School introduced the Singapore mathematics program, which is aligned with the Common Core. Implementing the Common Core will be a major objective this coming year. It will take time, he said, for teachers to get familiar with the changed content and the new tests.

For the state education Commissioner's letter explaining the new assessments, go here.

Enrollment Passes 1700, Rising 5.2%

K-12 enrollment reached an all-time high this fall, rising to 1,718 students.  The number represents a 5.2% over 2012-13, with a cumulative increase of 11% since 2010.  Anticipating the growth, the Board of Education added two positions in this year's budget, one at Kindergarten and one at the Middle School, but the actual population still exceeded the projections. Superintendent David Quattrone called attention to one particular change.  "Normally we see attrition between grades 8 and 9, with some students leaving for private schools. This year, however, we have an increase for the first time since 2001."

The increase of 85 students has had a corresponding impact on class size, Quattrone reported. At the Elementary School, for example, last year's average class size was 21.4. This year's figure is 22.6, with some sections at grade 1 reaching 24, and some sections at grade 4 reaching 25. The Middle School has 22% of its sections at 25 or above, and High School has 26% in the same category.  Quattrone added, "We monitor patterns carefully, but class size is only one variable among many, including teacher quality, space considerations, and available support." At first grade, he noted, we have aides in every classroom and the schedule provides for small group instruction throughout the week.

October 1 is the date for the official enrollment count, and the increases will have an upward impact on the demographic projections that provide the foundation for next year's budget. Board President David Brashear commented,

An important Board project for this year will be to explore and understand demographic changes in the Village and expected impacts on our school enrollment.  We entered this year with a larger student body than anticipated, with a substantial number of late summer enrollments, and the Board will need to conduct detailed analyses throughout the budget planning cycle to ensure that we can continue to manage our district with a high degree of financial integrity while also maintaining our mission of delivering a superior educational experience for our students.

Opportunity for Parent Feedback

We strive to sustain a positive, trusting relationship between school and home. Parents with questions about school procedures or 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. Informal communication is often the most useful form of feedback.

Parents also have the opportunity to register compliments or concerns in connection with employment decisions; 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 2013-14 probationary teachers and tenure candidates, go here.