By Carol P. Bartold     

Sep. 30, 2015:  The Bronxville School has opened its 2015-2016 school year with a total enrollment of 1,688 students, 30 students fewer than last year's student body of 1,718--a two percent decline.

The elementary school opened with 767 students, down from 788 in 2014-2015. The middle school opened with 429 students, a decrease in one student from last year. The high school opened with 492 students, down from 500 last year.

Superintendent Dr. David Quattrone, in his report to the Bronxville Board of Education at its September 28 meeting, noted that the two percent decrease in the student population marks the first time that enrollment has decreased in five years. He noted that the difference is due primarily to changes in two cohorts. Kindergarten enrollment for 2015-2016 decreased to 110 students from 129 students in 2014-2015. Last year's grade 8 cohort lost a net of 20 students in its transition to grade 9 this year. One hundred twenty students from 2014-2015's grade 8 class of 140 moved into the high school.

"Looking at those numbers on a case-by-case basis," Quattrone said of the decreased grade 9 enrollment, "about half of them are families that moved and the other half represent families that chose to send their children to private schools."

Board trustee David Brashear observed that the 2014-2015 grade 9 cohort enrollment fell by 10 students as that group moved into grade 10. He noted that in many instances when families enroll their children in private school, "we haven't lost the whole family, we've just lost the student."

He suggested that the district compile quantitative data on the reasons students leave between grades 9 and 10, in particular. "I think that's where we have a lot of curriculum questions," he said. "If some of these departures are curriculum driven, that can inform us in terms of structuring the curriculum on an ongoing basis."

Average class size in the elementary school is 21.1 students, down from 22.3 students last year. Quattrone noted that the largest elementary school cohort, grade 5 with 142 students and an average class size of 23.8, will move into the middle school next year.

The middle school's average class size of 21.3 is consistent with prior years. Middle school principal Dr. Thomas Wilson explained that, although the frequency distribution of class size shows seven sections of English in the 25-to-29-student range, no section contains more than 26 students.

Average class size in the high school, at 19.9 students per class, shows a slight increase from 19.0 in 2014-2015. Quattrone stated that the high school's average class size meets the district's goal of keeping class sizes in the low 20s.

Quattrone reported that, although numbers will fluctuate, the enrollment figures that the district will report to the state on October 1 will become the official 2015-2016 enrollment.

Pictured here:  School children entering the Bronxville Elementary School.

Photo by N. Bower