By Carol P. Bartold 

Sep. 21, 2016:  The Bronxville Union Free School District opened the 2016-2017 year with a total of 1,678 students, two fewer than the 1,680 students officially enrolled for 2015-2016. The enrollment figures include three self-contained special education classrooms, one in each school, with a total of 28 students.

Superintendent Dr. David Quattrone reported to the Bronxville Board of Education at its regular meeting on September 15 that enrollment, while not official until October 1, stands close to projections.

Enrollment decreased by 41 students in kindergarten through grade 5, down from 767 students in 2015-2016 to 726 in 2016-2017. One class was eliminated, and as a consequence, the average class size in the elementary school is now 21.6 students, up from 21.1 students last year. The largest elementary school cohort is grade 2, with an enrollment of 135 students, and the smallest is kindergarten, with 93. 

The middle school opened the 2016-17 academic year with 437 students, compared with 429 students last year. The largest cohorts in the school are in grades 6 through 8. Grade 6 has 144 students; grade 7 has 143; and grade 8 has the most enrolled students, with 150.

Average class size in the middle school is 21.7 students, slightly up from 21.3 in both the 2015-2016 and 2014-2015 academic years. One hundred thirty-seven class sections representing fifty percent of classes fall within the 20-to-24-student range. The largest classes are music courses and reflect high band and chorus enrollments.

Quattrone stated that the middle school enrollment "will continue to put pressure on our secondary schools for the next several years." He noted, however, that principals have managed the enrollment bump effectively in allocating staff and scheduling classes.

Bronxville High School's enrollment stood at 487 on the opening day of school, compared with 492 for the 2015-2016 academic year. Average class size, 18.5, is down from 18.6 last year and 19.0 for the 2014-2015 year. Thirty-two percent of high school classes have fewer than 15 to 19 students, and twenty-three percent have 15 to 19 students. Quattrone reported that only two classes in the high school have more than 30 students.

When asked what his ideal class size would be, Quattrone replied, "I care more about what is happening in the classroom than the number of students that are in it." He noted that the school has comfortably managed class sizes in the low 20s. "There is no research showing that achievement varies with class sizes," he added.

Dan Carlin, assistant superintendent for business, reported that ten tuition students, all in the middle and high schools, are enrolled. With tuition per student at just under $25,000, he expects that revenue to have a positive impact on the 2016-2017 budget.

Pictured here:  The Bronxville School in autumn.

Photo by A. Warner