By Carol Bartold, Senior Reporter

Sep. 4, 2019:  Bronxville School Superintendent Dr. Roy Montesano noted that the school “has been a busy place” recently preparing for the 2019-2020 school year. New teachers have received their orientation and curriculum leaders have met. Both the track and Chambers Field are open, and the school’s teams are using those facilities for practice. New public address system digital clocks, with the ability to scroll announcements, have been installed in hallways and every classroom.

The library renovation is approximately one week behind schedule because of a long lead time for custom casework. Dan Carlin, assistant superintendent for business, anticipates that the library will be open to students the second week of September.

Work has commenced on the Meadow Avenue storm drain, which will cross the school campus next to Hayes Field and connect with the large storm drains that are part of the flood mitigation project in place. The project is designed to alleviate flooding in the Meadow Avenue area during heavy rains. Although crews have dug up the sidewalk and hauled the concrete away, egress to the high school will remain in place until the pipe is delivered. At that point, the sidewalk area and high school entrance will be closed and the pipe laid in sections.

Drainage equipment arriving at the Bronxville School; Photo by A. Warner

“We will start the year with the normal high school entrance,” Montesano noted. He predicts that in late October that entrance will be closed. At that point, high school students will use the school’s front entrance. The district has made arrangements with the Bronxville Police Department and village administrator to designate the section of Pondfield Road at the front of the school as a drop-off and pick-up point. No parking will be allowed on the school side of the street from 7:00 am to 9:00 am and from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Other construction work at the school includes preparation of the courtyard for the cafeteria expansion. Vegetation and cement have been cleared from the area and construction crews will drive a pile to test the soil. A total of 45 piles will be driven for the project, but Superintendent Montesano emphasized that this work will not be done during school hours. He added that nothing inside the cafeteria itself will be touched during the 2019-2020 school year. Construction crews will erect a protective wall to shield the cafeteria during their work on the courtyard. During the summer of 2020, they will break through the existing walls to complete the cafeteria renovation.

Dan Carlin reported that the district finished the 2018-2019 academic year in a better fiscal position than he had forecast. Not only will the 2020 property tax levy be offset by a $500,000 contribution from the unrestricted fund balance, but an equal contribution was made to the capital reserve fund. Carlin stated that the new, increased Westchester County sales tax rate, which was not budgeted for, will put the district in a favorable revenue position for the 2019-2020 year.

The Bronxville Board of Education will hold its next meeting on Thursday, September 19, at 7:00 pm.

Pictured at top: Bronxville School Board of Education.

Photo by N. Bower