The Bronxville Board of Education meeting held on January 15, 2026, focused primarily on the ongoing challenge of outdoor athletic field space, the presentation of student innovation projects, and preliminary discussions regarding the 2026-2027 school calendar and budget.

Field Space and Permanent Lighting

The Bronxville School is currently facing a shortage of outdoor athletic space that results in reduced practice time, reduced game time, increased travel time, and safety risks due to less warmup time. The problem has been worsened by referee and bus driver shortages. Upcoming Section 1 rule changes—such as a 5:00 p.m. start time for games and back-to-back JV/Varsity scheduling—are expected to further reduce available playing hours.

Superintendent Dr. Kelly, the Board, and the Study Group are researching a number of potential solutions which include permanent field lighting due to advancements in lighting technology that minimize "spillover" to just 0.1%. Key details include:

• Proposed Infrastructure: The plan suggests six poles (four at 70 feet and two at 90 feet).

• Public Process: While private funding may be available, the Board committed to a Village-wide vote if they proceed with this solution.

• Community Feedback: Residents expressed concerns regarding property values, negative health effects, noise, traffic, trash, potential flooding, the risk of future boards actions regarding any promise of guardrails, and permanent impairment of the Village’s historic aesthetic. 

• Next Steps: A summary of the Study Group’s research and a community survey are expected to be released in late January/early February, with a follow-up update scheduled for the February 26th Board of Education meeting.

Student and Instructional Highlights

• Innovation Showcase: Two eighth-grade students, Grace Hine and Maya Gerat, presented their game developer projects. Under Teacher Cassie Kaplan, students learned to code video games from scratch and pitched them in a "Shark Tank" style scenario.

• Student Board Report: Student member Thomas Freeman highlighted various club activities, including Candygrams for Valentine's Day, fund-raising car washes for the junior class, and community service cooking for a local homeless shelter.

Administrative and Financial Updates

• 2026-2027 School Calendar: The Board reviewed a draft for the upcoming school year. Discussion included the late start of Labor Day (September 7) and potential moves to recognize additional holidays to foster a sense of belonging within the student body.

• Budget and Finance: The District is currently projecting a $100,000 surplus in salaries and contracted services. However, the initial 2026−2027 budget draft is approximately $800,000 over the tax levy cap, leading to discussions about potential cuts or a tax cap override.

• Audit and Facilities: An internal audit showed no major findings, reporting good fiscal practices. Recent facility work included main boiler repairs, gym floor refinishing, and deep cleaning during the winter break.

• Grants: The Board accepted a $7,475 grant from the Bronxville School Foundation to continue equine-assisted learning for special education students.

The meeting concluded with the approval of several personnel items, including parent leaves and the spring coaching roster. You can watch the full meeting here on our Youtube channel.

A detailed meeting agenda may be found at Bronxville’s BoardDocs site.

The BOE’s next regular meeting will take place on Thursday, February 26th, 2026; the public portion of this meeting starts at 7 PM.

Edward Lennon, President

Sara Kenny, Vice President

Michael Brandes

Susan Conniff

Miki Kapoor

Peter McSherry

Christina Skinner