Jul. 23, 2014:  The 2014-2015 Bronxville Board of Education, convening on July 15 for its reorganization meeting, welcomed new trustees Mary Giuffra and Adele Murray and welcomed returning trustee Dr. James Hudson. Hudson will serve the unexpired term of Ruth Wood, who resigned from the board because of her family's move to London.

The board elected Denise Tormey its 2014-2015 president and David Brashear its vice president, effecting a trade in the offices each held for 2013-2014. Brashear explained that, in recent years, the board has followed the custom of having a board president serve for two years. The immediate past president takes the office of vice president for the first year. The trustee most likely to be elected president assumes the vice presidential office for the second year.

"One of the reasons the practice works particularly well is that it gives the vice president the opportunity to prepare for being president," Tormey commented. "Hopefully we'll be able to continue this process with the transitions."

Dan Carlin, assistant superintendent for business, reported to the new board that the middle school science classrooms renovation, while not behind schedule, is a cause for timing concerns. "We have a lot of work to get done in six weeks," he said. "We're worried each day that the timeline will hold. We want those rooms available on the first day of school."

Director of Operations Dr. John Kehoe noted that, despite the tight renovation schedule for the middle school science classrooms, the district has received all approvals needed to complete the work.

Carlin added that, while the school is skilled at adapting to out-of-commission facilities, the administration would prefer that students, teachers, and staff not have to adapt to science classrooms unavailable when school opens.

Carlin stated that construction on the school auditorium has fallen behind schedule but that KG&D, the district's architect, Park East, the project construction manager, and Kenstar Construction Corp., the project's general contractor, all feel they have ample time to meet the February 13, 2015, target date for substantial completion.

Carlin stated that structural steelwork in the auditorium is ongoing. "You can stand on the stage and get a sense of what it's going to look like," he said, "because the balcony steel is in place." He anticipates that the board will meet with the school's facility advisory committee in September to discuss technology for the auditorium to be purchased with donated funds.

The Bronxville Board of Education will meet on Tuesday, August 26, at 7:00 pm in the multipurpose room.

Pictured here (L to R):  Dan Carlin, assistant superintendent for business, board members Mary Giuffra and Jeff Rohr, board president Denise Tormey, district clerk Connie Lourentzatos, board vice president David Brashear, board members Dr. James Hudson and Adele Murray, and Dr. Rachel Kelly, assistant superintendent.

Photo by Carol P. Bartold