By Katherine Outcalt

Aug. 12, 2020: Anne Abbatecola, Bronxville School's Director of Counseling Services, will retire after 15 years in the district.

Abbatecola began her career in education as a French teacher to middle and high school students in the Mount Vernon School system.

Recognizing, early on, her love for education, Abbatecola attended Teachers College at Columbia University in the evenings and summers to earn her masters degree and state certification in school counseling. To be able to impact the planning and implementation of school programming, Abbatecola sought further graduate study in school administration and earned certification in that area as well 

After taking a short break to raise her three children, Abbatecola began her career in counseling in the Eastchester schools as a middle school counselor and then moved to the high school where she served as Director of Counseling for seven years. 

She then spent 14 years as Director of Counseling in Harrison before coming to Bronxville. "I became interested in the Bronxville School because of its fine reputation, and I had knowledge of the area since I lived nearby," said Abbatecola. She completed her 15th year as Bronxville's Director of Counseling Services this past June.

As Director, Abbatecola managed a caseload of students while running a busy counseling department. Bronxville guidance counselor Ellen Cohen commented, "I am privileged to have worked alongside Anne for the entirety of my counseling career in Bronxville. No matter what situation arises, Anne looks at things with a lens to find what would bring out the best for students." 

In her 15 years, Abbatecola introduced several student-centered programs, including individual portfolios in grade 9, which offers students the opportunity to highlight one of the dispositions they demonstrate through their classwork. Due to its success, the portfolio program has expanded to each school in the district. It is also a culminating project in the WISE program. The WISE program allows seniors to participate in an internship or personal project in place of regular school during part of senior year.

Bronxville's Freshman Transition Program is another Abbatecola addition. The program pairs freshmen with seniors who serve as mentors to students who are making the transition from middle to high school. It is a cornerstone of the Bronxville experience. Equally as impactful have been Abbatecola's Junior Workshops - a series of classes every junior takes second semester that focuses solely on the college process and post high school planning. 

Abbatecola has found time management to be the most challenging part of her career. While never opposed to long hours, she made it a priority to devote the school day to her students, teachers, and parents and save much of the administrative work after school. 

She also found the need to be creative in meeting the needs of her very scheduled students. Abbatecola recalls one student who would stop by after soccer practice to catch up and another who frequently came by with an idea or thought to share during a break in play practice. 

It's the day to day energy of her students that Abbatecola says she will miss most, along with her tireless support staff, Carol Lockwood, Roseanne Silves, and Liz Chiaverini, who helped keep things organized. She will also miss the privilege of reading every graduating senior's name at graduation, which she has done for the last 15 years. 

Bronxville High School principal, Anne Meyer, commented, "Anne's knowledge of the district and the student body will be missed. She is the go-to person when it comes to discussing new ideas because she is able to provide insights about what has been successful in the past. It is clear that Anne cares deeply about Bronxville, and we will miss her commitment to our students, our school, and our community."  

Mrs. Abbatecola's last day will be November 1.

Photos courtesy A. Abbatecola