Bronxville School Board of Education: Standing - Edward Lennon, Miki Kapoor, Peter McSherry, Michael Finley; Seated: Michael Brandes, Susan Conniff, Jennifer Russo. Photo by A. Warner

By Staff

March 22, 2023:  The Bronxville School Board of Education met on March 16, 2023.  

School Building Improvement Needs

At the meeting, the School's consulting architect discussed the following areas in need of work:

-The "D" wing ($5 - $6 million): Steel and masonry work. 

-Window replacement ($4 - $5 million): 1,200 windows throughout the school in need of replacement.

-Ceiling and Flooring replacement: 

*($500,000 - $650,000): 16,000 square feet of ceiling in need of replacement

*($2 - $3 million): 90,000 square feet of flooring in need of replacement.

-Roof over Flood Mitigation Pumps: ($250,000 - $400,000). Roof over the flood mitigation pumps to protect them from weatherization.

-Renovate the "C" Wing Locker Rooms ($1 - $1.5 million).  Space reconfiguration, updating and improvement.

-Front Entrance Vestibule Trap: ($300,000)

-Renovate Band Suite: ($1 million) There are esthetic and acoustic issues.

-Structural Repair of Attic Dormer: ($22 - $300k) The wall needs to be stabilized ($22k). A full rebuild would cost closer to $300k.

-Replace Unit Ventilators (UVs) and Provide AC: ($6.5 - $11 million).  Unit ventilators provide heat and fresh air. 

-Replace cracking sidewalks ($360,000 - $470,000)

-Regrade and Install Yard Drainage in front of the B Wing

-Work Deferred from Referendum: 

*Bathroom renovation in A wing and B wing

*Gym: Remove Bulkhead & Install New Ridge Fold Divider Curtain

*Areas of Egress: School should do a study of egress.

Bronxville School Budget & Other Issues

Dan Carlin, Assistant Superintendent for Business, discussed the School's preliminary budget #3 for 2023-24. 

Salaries and benefits represent approximately 75% of the School's budget. The 2023-24 budget includes funding for an additional school psychologist, an additional guidance counselor for 5th grade and 9th grade, and a K-8 math coach. It also includes new and replacement cameras, a 4-wheel van to transport smaller teams on the parkways, inflation adjustments and contractual increases. 

The $52.8 million budget would result in a percentage tax levy increase of 2.29%.   Based on the preliminary tax rate, a home assessed at $2 million in 2023-24 will pay approximately $28,663 in School taxes.

The School's Fund Balance is projected to be around $9.9 million at 6/30/23.

The Board voted to adopt this budget.  

Carlin also reported that the School is projecting a $1.2 million surplus in the budget for the current year 2022-23 because revenues are strong primarily due to higher special education tuition revenue, higher interest income and higher non-resident tuition.

Carlin reported that work was undertaken in the kindergarten area to repair piping in a section of the hallway.  He also said that new equipment for the expanded athletic training room has been received and deployed.  

Finally, Carlin presented a proposition to change the voting process for Board seats from "targeted voting for seats that are up for election" to "largest vote getters for all available seats."  The Board voted to accept the proposition and place it on the ballot.

Superintendent's Report

Bronxville School Superintendent Dr. Rachel Kelly reported that she was sending out a letter to the community regarding "sextortion" in which people threaten to expose photos unless paid money. 

She noted that the high school had a "Spring into the Arts" reception and open mic program.  Student work is displayed throughout the village.  She also noted that 19 track and field athletes participated in nationals. The middle school has had assemblies regarding endurance, resilience and mindfulness.  Two seventh graders won medals at the Science Olympiad.  Several students also competed at the all-county concerts.  The Elementary School is preparing for its service-learning week.

Dr. Kelly reported that Monday 4/10 will be a day off because the school did not use all of its emergency closing days.

The student representative to the Board mentioned that students are planning for prom, field day and service week.  

Link to Board Meeting

You can view the full meeting here.