July 20, 2011:  At the public session of its reorganization meeting on Tuesday, July 12, the Bronxville Board of Education elected Dr. James Hudson as president and David Brashear as vice president for the 2011-2012 school year.  Richard Rugani, temporary chairperson for the reorganization meeting, administered the oath of office to the new board officers.  Connie Lourentzatos, district clerk, administered the oath of office to the newly elected board members during the meeting's executive session.

The board appointed Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson Architects, PC, to complete schematic designs for the renovation of the Bronxville School auditorium for a cost not to exceed $97,500 and the renovation of the Bronxville Middle School science labs for a cost not to exceed $24,750.  Dr. David Quattrone, superintendent of the Bronxville Schools, stated that these renovations are part of the district's five-year facilities plan and had been shelved to deal with emergency flood mitigation during the last school year.

Russ Davidson, principal of Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson, stated that the schematic design constitutes approximately fifteen percent of the project.  "It's this first fifteen percent that gets the design firmly established," he said, "and having a schematic design in place when asking for funding means you can demonstrate with certainty what the project will look like, what its benefits will be, and what it will cost."

Davidson pointed out that he has worked on auditorium renovations for seven other middle schools and high schools.  The firm will work with an acoustical consultant, Acoustic Dimensions, as well as with peer project consultants.  Per Davidson, the complexity of the auditorium renovation, which will include structural engineering, plumbing, and air conditioning work, calls for the added value the expert consultants will bring to the project.

The firm will build a three-dimensional virtual model of both renovations, which, when animated, will show the deconstruction of the existing spaces and the construction of the proposed renovations.  Davidson said the firm will also prepare a detailed construction budget for each project.  "We're excited to move forward on the design with the collaboration of our team of experts and the board of education," he said.  He anticipates having both schematics completed during the fall.

"We hope the design generates a lot of enthusiasm," said Dr. Hudson.

Dr. Quattrone stated that he anticipates that the auditorium will be unavailable for approximately one year after construction begins.

In other actions, the board approved personnel assignments for several teachers, hourly employees, and substitute teachers.  Dr. John Kehoe, assistant superintendent, stated that remaining teacher vacancies are in the process of being filled over the summer, with elementary school staffing almost complete.

In other personnel actions, the board approved the school district's administrative salaries for 2011-2012, as well as a resolution to recognize the Bronxville facilities support staff as an independent labor unit.  The employees are part of the school's custodial and security staff.

The board also approved a resolution to appoint a civil service designated position of database specialist to keep track of the data that come to the district as the result of a variety of state mandates.  The specialist will be responsible for compliance with state mandates.  The board also approved the fall coaches roster for the coming school year.

The board commended Cathleen Lynch, district treasurer, for her forensic accounting work in relation to the resolution of the Liberty Mutual/N Picco & Sons construction litigation.

The Bronxville Board of Education's next meeting will be Monday, August 29, at 7 pm in the school's multipurpose room.

Pictured here:  Members of the Bronxville Board of Education at its reorganization meeting on July 12.

Photo by Carol P. Bartold