Update on ES Principal Search

The process for selecting an Elementary School Principal began on February 2 with an announcement emailed to all District parents. Superintendent David Quattrone invited parents to attend an open meeting, and the meeting was held on February 14, with about twenty parents attending. The focus group for faculty and staff was held on February 13. These sessions were designed to elicit feedback about the School's strengths, opportunities for improvement, and the qualities and personal characteristics sought in a new Elementary School leader. A summary of the results can be found here, and they will also be reported to the ES Council.

In addition, parents and faculty are invited to register their views through an anonymous survey. [The survey period ended on February 28th.] Parents and teachers who have difficulty finding and completing the survey may also email the Superintendent directly.

The position has been advertised in the New York Times, and regional professional networks have been activated, including the Tri-State Consortium and various university programs. After the initial review of applicants, a screening committee will be assembled, including faculty, Board of Education, and administration representatives as well as the President and Vice President of the Elementary School Council. The committee will interview finalists and provide input to the Superintendent who will make a recommendation to the Board of Education.  An appointment in April is expected.

PTA Donates $875,000 to Auditorium Project

At its February meeting the Bronxville Board of Education accepted an $875,000 donation from the PTA in support of the planned renovation of the School auditorium.  PTA Vice President Margaret Mager presented the donation, calling it the single largest grant in the entire history of the Bronxville PTA since 1953. The sum represents the proceeds from last year's benefit auction with the theme of "Staging Our Future" and chaired by Louise Parzick and Priscilla Newman. Over 500 people attended the benefit. In presenting the contribution, Mager also acknowledged the contributions of Helen Knapp (PTA President), Nina Evison, (former PTA President), hundreds of volunteers, and numerous businesses.


Board President David Brashear thanked the PTA and the parent community for their "great generosity and phenomenal contribution." Superintendent David Quattrone added that the private contributions for the project enabled the District to pursue a superior design that better meets the needs of all 1600 students, faculty, and the community at large.

The auditorium project, estimated at $7 million, is part of a $10 million capital plan that also includes renovation of Middle School science labs. The plan was conceived as a public-private partnership funded by $2.5 million in the district's capital reserves,  $3 million from private donations and grants, and $4.5 million from a bond that was approved by voters last October.

Capital Plan Moves Forward; Board Retains Construction Manager

This month the Facilities Committee reviewed proposed improvements in the auditorium project and reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of entering into a Project Labor Agreement as a way of managing construction.

KG&D Architecture showed a redesigned path connecting the auditorium side lobby to existing walkways. The group discussed the surrounding landscaping and agreed that some existing trees should be replaced during the project and that an overall landscaping plan would be needed to determine the scope of the changes.

KG&D also reported that cost estimators are now reviewing the drawings to come up with a budget that reflects the design development phase of the project.  After the budget is set there will be a second review of proposed materials and finishes. The group also discussed some of the  scheduling issues related to asbestos abatement and access to the auditorium.

The major agenda item was a review of the consultant report regarding a Project Labor Agreement as a way to manage planned construction. The report estimated this approach would save $48,000 on the total budget of $10 million. However, District counsel offered a legal opinion that the report did not make a compelling case for Bronxville's eligibility to enter into a Project Labor Agreement. At the end of the discussion the general consensus was that it would be safer to pursue the construction manager approach.  Several construction management firms were interviewed earlier in the school year, and at its February meeting the Board of Education agreed to retain the services of Park East Construction for a fee not to exceed $300,000. Chair of the Facilities Committee Jim Hudson pointed out that schedule and costs could be managed through careful bid specifications and related contracts, achieving the same results as a Project Labor Agreement. He complimented Dan Carlin for negotiating a lower fee for the construction management services.

Bronxville Students Show Significant Strengths on International Assessment

PISA, the Programme for International Student Assessment, is the standard measure that compares the educational attainment of 15-year olds across the world. Sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the assessment provides international benchmarks for reading, mathematics, and science.  This year, for the first time, PISA was offered to 126 school districts in the US, UK, and Canada as a way to measure school performance in an international context.

At Bronxville, a random sample of 79 students took the two-hour assessment last spring. Superintendent David Quattrone presented the results of this pilot assessment at the February Board of Education meeting, saying, "There is much to celebrate, but we also need to evaluate the results in order to identify opportunities for improving performance still further."

The presentation compared Bronxville scores to the US and other countries.  PISA also reports patterns of student motivation and perceptions of school climate. Quattrone explained that although the gender gaps are small, girls outperform boys in mathematics and science, contrary to national and international patterns. Bronxville performance is similar to other US schools with a comparable socioeconomic profile, but there are achievement gaps when Bronxville is compared to similar schools in other countries.

Quattrone focused on the descriptions of top level performance, drawing connections between the data and the District's effort to improve critical and creative thinking. For example,

Students at the top two levels are highly skilled readers, capable of deep, detailed comprehension and fine-grained analysis. They are diversified readers who can understand a wide range of content and formats that are both complex and unfamiliar. They can overcome preconceptions in the face of new information and draw on knowledge beyond the text.

The presentation can be found here, and the executive summary of the PISA report can be found here.