Dr. Roy R. Montesano, Bronxville School Superintendent, on Proposed School Bond Issue
Editor's note: The letter below from Dr. Roy R. Montesano, superintendent of the Bronxville schools, to the Bronxville community appears on the website of The Bronxville School and is dated January 12, 2018. The Bronxville School has authorized MyhometownBronxville.com to publish the letter.
Dear Bronxville Community:
Feb. 14, 2018: The purpose of this letter is to provide an update on the need for certain maintenance and improvement projects and the related financing through the issuance of school district bonds.
The Bronxville School is approaching its 100th anniversary and we are proud of that history and the vital role the school plays in our Bronxville community.
The projects described herein will help the school continue to meet the developing educational challenges and best prepare our students for the demands of a changing world.
Over the past several years, we have deferred construction on significant maintenance and improvement projects to coincide with the 2020 maturity of bonds issued to finance the last major building construction project (the "C wing" project in 1999). In this plan, the cost of issuance and repayment of new bonds would be tax-neutral to the village taxpayers. Our beautiful 100-year-old building is in need of updating, and it is impossible to make the necessary improvements and repairs from operating funds. Before we can move forward, we need approval for the projects and related financing.
We have discussed the needs of the school in meetings with parents, staff, students, The Bronxville School Foundation, the PTA, and a community advisory committee, representing the various constituencies in the Bronxville Village. Based upon the input received, the scope of the work is centered around three principal areas:
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Site improvements and repairs,
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Infrastructure improvements and repairs, and
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Program (student) related improvements
The site improvements and repairs include the replacement of the Chambers Field and track (which was installed in 2006 with an estimated useful life of 10 years), the replacement of the elementary school playground (which was installed in 2002 and has reached the end of its useful life), and the installation of three additional pumps to complete the flood mitigation project.
The infrastructure improvements and repairs include the restoration of the school front façade to comply with regulations of the American Disabilities Act, major roofing replacements and repairs, masonry work, brick pointing, electrical panel upgrades, plumbing, air conditioning in parts of the building, ventilation, and the replacement of certain flooring and ceiling tile sections.
Lastly, as we continue to build and expand upon the Bronxville Promise and prepare our students for their future, we believe the following improvements will enhance the teaching and learning environment:
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Renovated/Expanded Health Office: The current health office is a converted classroom (relocated due to the 2007 flood) that is significantly undersized given the importance of health safety and the daily demands placed on the office. Last year, the health office received more than 9,000 visits from students in need of care (an average of 50 students per day). The new health office will provide appropriate space to meet these demands while maintaining a healthy space for our students.
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New Guidance Center: We are undertaking a comprehensive study to identify ways to improve our high school guidance program, with a goal of having one of the best guidance programs in the nation. In connection with this effort, we believe that the current guidance office, which is located in a converted classroom as a result of being displaced from the 2007 flood, does not support our needs. The center will be relocated and gain direct access and visibility to the high school entrance. It will provide space for students to meet with college advisors, access current information related to college and careers, and allow us to expand our current services, including our plans to offer help with internships and virtual college tours. We believe the new space will be comparable with guidance centers of competitor schools.
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Expansion of our Cafeteria: Our cafeteria, which was designed for a student population of less than 1,000, is undersized given our K-12 student population of approximately 1,700. It currently has a maximum capacity of 227 students. The expansion will increase the capacity to 407 students, providing greater flexibility in scheduling and eliminating the reliance upon the multipurpose room for elementary school lunches, which will provide additional space to host class meetings and collaborative work.
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Renovation/Expansion of 3rd-Floor Learning Space: As we continue to expand upon the Bronxville Promise, new directions in teaching and learning require that we design alternative learning spaces. The numbers of students involved in research, independent study, online courses, and collaborative design work has increased dramatically and reflects the changing concept of the "classroom" in education. The renovated third-floor learning space will enable students to work collaboratively and develop skills to be able to compete in their future endeavors beyond Bronxville.
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Renovation of Old Boiler Room to an Engineering/Innovative Design Space: We currently have a large space that was used as a boiler room prior to the flood. Repurposing the underutilized boiler room space provides another area to promote expanded innovative, collaborative learning for our students to compete in an ever-changing job market.
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Renovation of the High School Entry: Most importantly, this renovation will provide additional security to our building through a security vestibule. In addition, it will provide direct access to our new guidance center and provide an area for students to work and collaborate on school projects.
Summary
The Bronxville School District is recognized as one of the very best school districts in the United States. It is the centerpiece of the Bronxville Village and continues to attract families and some of the best and brightest students to our community. The improvements and repairs described are needed to maintain our infrastructure and provide an enhanced learning environment for our students and teachers.
Our plan is to issue the bonds sometime in fiscal 2020, as early as the summer of 2019. Repayment of the bonds will commence in fiscal 2021. However, certain projects (for example, Chambers Field, the elementary school playground, and the flood mitigation) need to be started as soon as possible. Other projects will require a longer bidding and state approval process.
Before we can proceed any further, we need to secure voter approval for the new bonds through a referendum, which we expect to hold sometime in March.* The total cost of the projects will approximate $25 million, the vast majority of which will be funded through the bond issuance. The principal amount of the bonds to be issued will be communicated when the amount of state aid is known.
We thank everyone who participated in our group meetings and provided input, and we look forward to sharing more detailed information with you in the coming weeks. We encourage you to visit the school website as we continue to update information and develop our list of frequently asked questions. Also, we invite you to participate in one of our in-person tours of the facilities which will be scheduled in the near future.**
We appreciate your attention to this important matter and invite you to email me with any questions. As The Bronxville School gets ready to celebrate its 100-year anniversary in 2022, we look forward to your involvement in "Building for the Next 100 Years."
Thank you,
Roy R. Montesano Ed.D.
Superintendent
January 12, 2018
_______________________________
*Editor's note: The date of the referendum has been set for March 13, 2018.
** Editor's note: The first community forum and building tour occurred on February 6, and the next forum and tour will be on March 1 at 7:00 pm at the school.
Editor's note: As a public service, MyhometownBronxville publishes press releases, statements, and articles from local institutions, legislators, and candidates. MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements therein, and any opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff.
Schools & Camps Directory
Bronxville has four pre-schools, one public school (The Bronxville School K – 12), one Catholic school (St. Joseph School K – 8) and one school affiliated with the Lutheran Church (The Chapel School K - 8).
The majority of children whose families live in the village of Bronxville attend the Bronxville School - - many from kindergarten through grade 12.
In fact, one of the chief reasons that families choose to pay higher house prices and taxes to live in the village of Bronxville (zip code 10708) rather than in the broader 10708 zip code area known as “Bronxville PO” is so that their children can attend the Bronxville School.
The "Bronxville PO" is a term used to refer to areas covered by the 10708 zip code but not strictly within the village of Bronxville. The Bronxville PO include parts of Bronxville and other nearby areas such as Chester Heights, Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa, and some bordering parts of Tuckahoe and Yonkers.
Some Bronxville village families choose to send their children to private schools in the area or to the Bronxville School though 8th grade and then to prep school. But, by and large, this group is still in the minority.
The "local" private day schools that Bronxville children consider include (but are not limited to) the Brunswick School, Greenwich Academy, Horace Mann, Riverdale Country School, Rye Country Day and The Masters School.
Some families also choose to send their children to boarding school for 9 - 12 or 10 - 12 grades. Popular schools include Exeter, Andover, Hotchkiss, St. Paul's, Salisbury, Taft and Choate.
Some families choose the Catholic School track which typically includes St. Joseph School (K – 8) and then onto other Catholic schools for high school. Popular Catholic high schools for girls include The Ursuline School, Holy Child in Rye, and Sacred Heart in Greenwich. Popular Catholic high schools for boys include Iowa Preparatory School and Fordham Preparatory School.
Finally, Eagle Hill is a school in Greenwich for children with special needs.
Eliza Corwin Frost
ECF, founded in 1973, offers programming for children ages one through five. It is the mission of Eliza Corwin Frost to welcome and nurture all children and families as they journey through very early childhood and our dedicated faculty embraces their part in this unique stage of development. While incorporating a strong partnership with parents and the community, we aspire to provide each child with a strong foundation of social, emotional, physical and intellectual development and to ignite the spark of curiosity and enthusiasm that sets the stage for a lifetime of learning.
Krista Newcomb Hershberg, Director
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https://www.elizacorwinfrost.org/
Admission Inquiries:
Mandy Macmillan-Bell, Associate Director
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17 Sagamore Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-779-4852
Reformed Church Nursery School
The Reformed Church Nursery School ("RCNS"), founded in 1951, is located in the Reformed Church in Bronxville.
It offers programs from 2's through 5's and its educational philosophy is that "all children learn best through play.".
The School's Director is Margaret Murtagh.
6 Kraft Avenue
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-6332
www.rcns.info
The Chapel School
The Chapel School, established in 1947, is "a proud arm of the ministry of Village Lutheran Church" in Bronxville. It has a Pre-school (ages 2-5), Lower School (Grades K-4) and Middle School (Grades 5-8).
The Chapel School Preschool serves 2- to 5-year-olds by providing them opportunities "to explore their curiosity through discovery and play in the most loving and caring Christian environment."
172 While Plains Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-3202
http://www.thechapelschool.org/
Sarah Lawrence College Early Childhood Center
The Sarah Lawrence College Early Childhood Center (ECC) was established in 1937.
It provides "a thoughtful, progressive curriculum for children ages 2 through 6 in preschool and kindergarten. Its programs are modeled on the Sarah Lawrence pedagogy, and it provides a setting for observation and research for Sarah Lawrence College students interested in child development and teaching."
Sarah Lawrence College
1 Mead Way
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-395-2353
The Bronxville School is known as an excellent public school. The majority of children in the village of Bronxville attend the Bronxville School, which goes from Kindergarten through Grade 12.
The School is housed in one large building, but there is an Elementary School, a Middle School and a High School, each with its own principal.
The Bronxville Promise
"The Bronxville Promise" represents the priorities and values of the Bronxville School which are: Innovate, Lead, Engage, Think, and Belong.
Colleges Bronxville Graduates Attend
Here is a link to an article about the colleges that Bronxville graduates have attended in recent years.
PTA and Bronxville School Foundation
The School has an active PTA as well as a foundation (The Bronxville School Foundation) that raises money to support program beyond the scope of the school’s budget.
Bronxville School
177 Pondfield Road
914-395-0500
St Joseph School
St. Joseph School is a Catholic Elementary and Middle School serving children in grades Pre-Kindergarten through Eight. The school is located in the Village of Bronxville.
Catholic Identity and Academic Excellence.
Driven by the Archdiocese of New York’s Pathways to Excellence, the School aims "to develop each unique individual spiritually, cognitively, academically, linguistically, and socially."
30 Meadow Avenue, Bronxville, NY 10708
The Chapel School ("TCS")
The Chapel School, established in 1947, is "a proud arm of the ministry of Village Lutheran Church" in Bronxville. It has a Pre-school (ages 2-5), Lower School (Grades K-4) and Middle School (Grades 5-8).
Their goal is "to provide academic challenge and excellence, as well as character education and opportunities for social, emotional and spiritual growth in the safest and most nurturing environment."
"TCS students experience a state-of-the-art curriculum complete with the integration of the latest technology, but TCS teachers maintain a balance between what is most current and tested, proven teaching methods."
172 While Plains Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-3202
http://www.thechapelschool.org/
Eagle Hill School
The Eagle Hill School was established in 1975. Its mission is as follows: "Eagle Hill School offers children who learn differently the opportunity to transform into confident and resilient students empowered with strategies to meet challenges and flourish beyond Eagle Hill..”
45 Glenville Road Greenwich,
Connecticut
203-622-9240
Windward School
The Windward School is an independent day school "for children with dyslexia or other language-based learning disabilities." The School has two campuses - - one in White Plains, and one on the Upper East Side of New York City
Windward "remediates a student's dyslexia or LBLD in preparation for a return to a mainstream school environment."
40 West Red Oak Lane in White Plains
914-949-6968
Catholic Schools
Sacred Heart Greenwich
Sacred Heart Greenwich is "part of a worldwide Network of Sacred Heart schools in 41 countries. Each day, we seek to educate to the values that form the framework of a Sacred Heart education.
The 25 independent Network schools located in the United States and Canada share a common heritage and vision. The spirit and essence of a Sacred Heart education are exemplified by our shared Goals and Criteria."
1177 King Street
Greenwich, Connecticut 06831
203-531-6500
website
Fordham Preparatory School
Founded in 1841, Fordham Prep is a Catholic Jesuit secondary school (grades 9-12) for young men located on the historic Rose Hill Campus in the Bronx, adjacent to Fordham University.
Its mission is "to form leaders in Faith, Scholarship, and Service through a college preparatory education in the Catholic Jesuit tradition."
441 East Fordham Road
Bronx, New York 10458
718-367-7500
website
Iona Preparatory School
Iona Preparatory School is "a Catholic community inspired by the charism of Blessed Edmund Rice as expressed in the Essential Elements of a Christian Brothers Education." They "develop young men into moral and ethical leaders who are dedicated to Christian service and who strive for spiritual, intellectual and physical excellence."
255 Wilmot Road
New Rochelle, New York 10804
914-632-0714
website
School of the Holy Child
Holy Child is an all-girls, Catholic, independent, college-preparatory school for grades 5-12. Its is to develop “women of conscience and action.”
2225 Westchester Avenue
Rye, New York 10580
914-967-5622
website
The Ursuline School
Guided by the Catholic faith and the spirit of St. Angela Merici, The Ursuline School "educates, inspires and empowers young women to become wise, active, globally-minded leaders by cultivating lifelong learning, spiritual growth, integrity, respect for all and dedication to Serviam – “I will serve.”
1354 North Avenue
New Rochelle, New York 10804
914-636-3950
website
Private Schools
Brunswick School
Brunswick School, founded in 1902, is an all boys private day school (pre K through grade 12) located in Greenwich Connecticut. "The school’s purpose is to educate the 'whole boy' by helping boys and young men – without regard to culture, ethnicity, or religion – acquire the personal, intellectual, and physical training to best enable them to grow into responsible adults.
100 Maher Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
203-625-5800
website
Greenwich Academy
Greenwich Academy, founded in 1827, is a private, college-preparatory day school for girls from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. Its mission is "to provide a challenging, comprehensive educational experience grounded in a rigorous liberal arts curriculum within an inclusive, diverse community."
200 North Maple Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
203-625-8900
website
The Horace Mann School
The Horace Mann School was founded in 1887. Horace Mann School "prepares a diverse community of students to lead great and giving lives. We strive to maintain a safe, secure, and caring environment in which mutual respect, mature behavior, and the life of the mind can thrive."
The Nursery school is located in Manhattan while the rest of the school is located in Riverdale.
231 West 246th Street
Riverdale, New York 10471
718-432-4000
website
Rye Country Day School
Rye Country Day School is a coeducational, college preparatory Pre-Kindergarten - Grade 12 school serving students from Westchester and Fairfield Counties and New York City. "In an inspiring and supportive community, students embrace challenge, discover passions, learn energetically, and find their voice.
Cedar Street
Rye, New York 10580
914-967-1417
website
Badger Sports Club
Badger Sports Club is a summer day camp. Nestled in the town of Larchmont, NY. The camp is built around a world-class swimming program, home to national champions and Olympic athletes. Of course, you don't have to be a world class swimmer to come to Badger. In fact, you don't even need to know how to swim! But when you leave in August, you just might be a champion!
Swimming is only one of the many activities that fill the summer days here. Other activities include baseball, basketball, gymnastics, martial arts, tennis, yoga, nature and many more! We offer half-day programs for 3 & 4 year olds, which run from 9am -1pm. For campers 5 years old and up, the day runs from 9am-4pm.
Badger Sports Club
website
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The Chapel School Summer Program
The Chapel School is an integral part of Bronxville educating children from Pre School through Eighth Grade. They offer a wonderful summer program. Click here to learn more.
Eliza Corwin Frost Summer Camp!
Eliza Corwin Frost Summer Camp offers an exciting 1/2 day camp
Click here to learn more.
Be Brilliant! Tutoring (BB!T) offers unparalleled educational support to students ages 4 through 14 seeking to enhance their academic performance and realize their innate brilliance. BB!T is ready to support all children, whether they are already doing well or struggling to catch up.
BB!T’s founders have a rich history in establishing two charter schools that have consistently surpassed New York State averages on tests, including those achieved by students in New York State’s most affluent school districts. But at BB!T, we go beyond test scores and good grades. Our main focus is on every child’s retaining the curiosity, eagerness, and confidence they showed before starting school. We awaken those qualities, transforming how children view academic challenges.
Unlike typical tutoring services, BB!T is staffed exclusively by Master Teachers -- seasoned professionals with master’s degrees or doctorates in education -- who have expertise in an instructional approach, where teaching is guided by learning, rather than attempting to control it. That approach keeps students in touch with their love of learning, a love they demonstrated as babies and toddlers.
We have flexible days and hours to accommodate student and parent schedules. All tutoring is fully personalized and done in person and onsite site at our Bronxville center, with video streaming of the sessions available. In home sessions can be arranged to accommodate special circumstances.
Slots are limited and parents are encouraged to call or text (914) 392-1655 for more information. The website with additional details is www.BeBrilliantTutoring.com.
The word “Bespoke” means “customized and made to individual order.” Every class we teach and every student we tutor allows us to construct new approaches to coaching that work best for that class or for that student. Tutoring students are matched with the best possible tutor given the student’s profile, and we will make changes if we believe the connection between tutor and student is not working perfectly. Our instruction is, in a word, bespoke.
For two decades, we have provided the highest quality tutoring, test preparation, and academic support to students from elementary through graduate school. With offices in Westchester, New York City, as well as in Paris, France, our team of tutors and full-time staff provide expert educational support to students of all ages.
Bronxville Office:
85 Pondfield Road, 2nd Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708
Tel: (914) 793-3073
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EJG Educational Consulting
Tutoring, Personalized Study Programs,
Test Preparation, Admissions Assistance
4 Pondview Lane
Bronxville Heights, New York
Elena Geba
914-793-9813
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