Jul. 16, 2014:  Patricia Murray, Bronxville Elementary School's new principal, always wanted to become a teacher. She described her own early education in her Michigan hometown as a time of creativity and collaboration in the classroom.

"The elementary school in my little town was actually quite progressive," Murray said. "They took down the walls between classrooms and wanted students to use the open space to get together and collaborate." She and her classmates gathered in groups called "pods" for lessons or events. "I loved that and it's still etched in my memory."

Murray said she has already perceived that same type of progressive thinking as a distinctive characteristic of The Bronxville School's educational philosophy. She sees the presence of all three schools in the same building as a unique and vital factor that encourages cohesiveness among the schools. "You have to work together and be cohesive in a way that doesn't always happen in other districts," she said. "You feel that K-12 is one school."

Murray, whose favorite subject in school was math, characterizes herself as a leader who relies on data to give a good picture of a school's status and reveal the necessary next steps to move forward.

With a master's degree in mathematics and three years as a field coordinator for an after-school math program research project in New York City, Murray gained firsthand experience with project-based learning.

"The kids would come up with a question they wanted to know more about," Murray said, "and utilize research skills to figure out how to carry it through. It was project-based learning in its purest form. The kids created some very nice projects that we presented to the community."

Murray noted that, during her interview process, she was very happy to learn that Bronxville Elementary School will be teaching the Singapore Math curriculum. "I think it's important that kids are able to model their thinking, whether that's with Singapore Math or some other program," she said. Not only is Singapore Math aligned to the Common Core standards, she explained, but it also encourages students to model their thinking in developing the skills needed to explain their work in both written and oral forms. 

"I've heard nothing but accolades about this amazing program," Murray said. She observed that other available math programs borrow from Singapore Math because the program's models are so successful and effective.

In the coming weeks and months, Murray said, she plans to listen to and learn about the Bronxville community. "One of my major goals," she stated, "is to establish good relationships with teachers, staff, parents, and students, and work closely with other administrators to help promote district initiatives."

Pictured here:  New Bronxville Elementary School principal Patricia Murray.

Photo by A. Warner