Editor's Note: Information about the two candidates endorsed by the NPC can be found in this article published last week.
By Thomas Hansen, Bronxville Non-Partisan Committee
Apr. 28, 2021: On Tuesday, April 27th, the Bronxville Non-Partisan Committee (NPC) hosted a virtual reception to introduce Susan Conniff and Miki Kapoor as the endorsed candidates for the Bronxville School Board. This event provided an opportunity for members of the Bronxville community to meet the NPC candidates and discuss key challenges and opportunities facing our school in the years ahead.
Susan Conniff Miki Kapoor
Current NPC Chair, Richard Gegenwarth, kicked off the evening panel discussion with a brief overview about the organization’s history, the nomination process and ways the Bronxville community shares feedback:
History of the NPC
Bronxville’s Non-Partisan Committee (NPC) puts the needs of our community ahead of politics. This committee was formed in 1936 to foster the election of Trustees by seeking qualified residents, soliciting community input and completing a thoughtful process to nominate strong candidates for the Board of Education (BoE).
-Representative of Bronxville: the NPC is composed of 21 representatives elected from each of our 7 districts (3 each). Elections are held annually (only one 3-year term may be served). Representatives engage with members of their districts to understand community priorities.
-Non-Partisan: we do not consider political party affiliations in any way. We are only concerned with getting the best qualified candidates for the Bronxville School.
-History of success: during the NPC’s 85-year history, the Bronxville school has risen to, and sustained excellence in education. Bronxville consistently ranks in the top public schools nation-wide. Sustained strength in our BoE shaped an academic environment that attracts talented educators – who bring the Bronxville Promise to life.
The NPC process for nominating BoE candidates considers a range of factors, begins afresh each year, and takes about 9 months to complete. We consider the current and anticipated needs of our district as well as the characteristics of potential candidates:
The needs of the Bronxville District include:
1. Operational – management of district budget, projects, bonds or union negotiations
2. Future Vision – ongoing evolution of our curriculum, culture, services and counseling
3. Resources – keeping the right people in key roles (e.g., our superintendent, principals, faculty, curriculum and other specialists) with the environment they need to succeed
Potential Board Candidates should:
1. Understand Bronxville and bring good ideas to the table – sustaining academic excellence over decades requires foresight and new ideas. BoE Trustees need to both address the challenges of today while proactively building new capabilities.
2. Bring to bear Relevant Experiences – skills developed from professional and volunteer experiences in order to prioritize, execute new ideas and sustain operations.
3. Have a service-oriented disposition – successful Trustees collaborate well with others and value diverse views. They are good listeners who understand our community.
Community input is a critical component to the NPC process
Engagement has been high in 2021 as more than 40 members of the community weighed in with letters that provided valuable insights. In addition to these, the NPC process is informed by professional and personal references, background information and interviews with a panel of NPC representatives. We thank everyone who was involved in the process and the community participation helped NPC representatives make the best-informed decisions possible for Bronxville.
The evening concluded with a reminder to encourage residents to vote on Tuesday, May 18th. For more information or ways to get involved with the NPC please click here.
Photo courtesy NPC
Editor's note: As a public service, MyhometownBronxville publishes articles from local institutions, officeholders, and individuals. MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements therein, and any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff.
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
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