Dr. Rachel Kelly. Photo by Gary Stellato

By Jackie Burton, Bronxville School

Mar. 1, 2023:  On February 17, 2023, the Bronxville School announced the appointment of Dr. Rachel Kelly as Superintendent of Schools.

Dr. Kelly has been serving as the District’s interim superintendent since January 1, 2023, following the retirement of Dr. Roy Montesano. The Board selected Dr. Kelly after a comprehensive search process that began in March of 2022 and was extended to that Fall. The search process was informed by community input to help develop job specifications. The two recruiting periods produced a large and impressive group of candidates from high-performing districts.

A 28-year veteran of the Bronxville School, Dr. Kelly previously served as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Pupil Personnel Services. In that role, she was responsible for recruiting and maintaining Bronxville’s exceptional faculty and staff, and she standardized hiring processes across the schools. As a partner to previous superintendents, she has been a leader in strengthening academic excellence through innovation, improving communication and cultivating a culture of inclusion.

Dr. Kelly champions the philosophy of educating the ‘whole child.’ She has developed strong support systems for students and built collaborative relationships with faculty, parents and the larger community. Dr. Kelly was part of the team that developed the original 2014 Bronxville Promise “Dispositions” as well as the expanded 2019 Bronxville Promise “Outcomes.”

BUFSD Board of Education President Susan Conniff said that the Board learned a great deal about other districts, as well as its own, throughout the search process, and that candidates consistently praised the Bronxville Promise and the District’s leadership team. “For decades, Dr. Kelly has been central to shaping the vision of our District and reimagining what success might look like for all students, now and in the future,” said Ms. Conniff. “The entire Board has the utmost confidence that Dr. Kelly has the experience, energy, tenacity and thoughtfulness to lead the Bronxville School, staying on the forefront of change in the future of education and cultivating a culture of collaboration and respect.”

Dr. Kelly joined the district in 1995 as its first Director of Special Education, taking on student support (“pupil personnel”) services in 2002 and assuming responsibility for human resources in 2014 when she was named Assistant Superintendent.

Prior to joining the Bronxville School, Dr. Kelly worked at a private school in Westchester County as a teacher and Assistant Principal. She graduated from SUNY Binghamton and earned three Masters degrees and her PhD from Columbia University.

“I am incredibly honored to have been selected as the next Superintendent of the Bronxville School and thank the Board of Education for placing its trust in me,” said Dr. Kelly. “This District has long been renowned for its high academic achievement, consistent ability to meet the needs of all students, strong and caring faculty and a supportive community. I am proud to have been intimately involved with this District for nearly three decades.”

She continued, “With all students, K-12, housed in one building, Bronxville is a truly unique and special place and I am grateful for how it allows me to be surrounded by and interact daily with faculty, staff and students.” The Board of Education thanks the community, faculty, staff and the search consultants at School Leadership for their support throughout the process