Pictured: Gene Orsenigo

By Katharine Outcalt

July 28, 2021: Much has changed since Gene Orsenigo arrived in September of 1975 to teach 7th-grade math at what was then known as Bronxville Junior-Senior High School. The school was 7-12th grade. Teachers were allowed to smoke in designated areas of the building. Quarter grades were written by hand on each student's report card by the subject teachers and mailed home. Handouts were run off by the teachers on a mimeograph machine located on the 4th floor. The current music wing was the "girls gym" (yes, that's what they called it). And, every year, the school hired Bronxville graduates to come into classes at the end of the school year to check on the condition of textbooks. Students were fined for any damage to their textbooks and had to pay these fines in order to sit for exams.

But what never changed for Gene Orsenigo over 46 years was the gratifying daily interactions he had with his students both in and out of the classroom. "In my 46 years at Bronxville, I can say that those interactions have been a highlight for me," says Orsenigo. "They (students) have kept me young over the years." He also credits his success to the interactions and friendships he made with "amazing colleagues" while at Bronxville. June 25th marked Orsenigo's last day at the Bronxville School, having announced his retirement earlier this year.

Born in Mount Vernon, NY, Orsenigo moved to Chappaqua when he was six years old and graduated from Horace Greeley High School. He attended St. Bonaventure University and received a Master's degree from Western Connecticut State University. Teaching has been his only profession, and outside of the five years that he spent teaching at The Hackley School, the rest of his career has been spent at Bronxville.

While Orsenigo primarily taught 7th grade math, he also taught 8th grade math, 9th grade algebra, and 10th and 11th grade geometry. In addition, he was the varsity soccer coach for four years and the assistant varsity basketball coach for many years under Coach Bill Green while also coaching the freshman team.

Over 46 years, one can imagine that Gene Orsenigo has lived through many moments, both joyous and difficult. "The most difficult moments back then were the floods," says Orsenigo. "We didn't have snow days; we had flood days. The biggest was in 2007 when the school was closed for two weeks." Another very difficult time was the morning of 9/11. Orsenigo recalls, "we were held in our classrooms with our students without knowing what was happening."

"The class trips were a highlight'" remembers Orsenigo, who, with his wife, chaperoned many middle school trips to Williamsburg and Washington, DC since 1975.

Middle School principal Tom Wilson commented the following in his final bulletin to parents at the close of this past school year,

"No one has ever had to be here without Gene's leadership and without his incredible energy and kindness before. Gene Orsenigo's retirement leaves us all thankful for his careful guidance and support, but also with a sense of loss that we will live with and talk about for years to come. We will do our best to continue to do the things Gene has taught us all to do with courage, and we wish our dear colleague a healthy, happy retirement."

Orsenigo enjoys exercising, playing and watching sports, and listening to music. His plans for retirement include spending more time with his family and friends and taking short trips. After 46 years of teaching math to middle schoolers, we'd say he's earned it.