The Bronxville Board of Education meeting on December 16, 2025, focused on a blend of student academic achievements, long-term facility planning, and financial outlooks for the upcoming budget season.

Student and Athletic Achievements

The meeting opened with a celebration of a highly successful fall season, highlighting state championships for the girls' cross country and varsity football teams, as well as section awards for girls' soccer, swimming, field hockey, and boys' cross country. Student representative Thomas Freeman reported on high school activities, including a 3x3 basketball fundraiser, a holiday food drive, and the success of senior college applications.

The "Bronxville Promise" in Action: 4th Grade Innovation

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a presentation by fourth-grade teachers and students regarding their work on innovation and design thinking. This unit bridged the study of Native American history with modern innovators like Nicola Tesla and Vera Wang, teaching students that innovation often involves improving existing ideas rather than just inventing new ones.

• The Floating School Project: To address the real-world problem of local flooding, students used a design thinking model—comprising empathy, definition, ideation, testing, and reflection—to build prototypes of floating schools or buildings on stilts.

• Student Demonstrations: Students Renley and Sean shared how they refined their models, discovering through testing with water bins and blow dryers that plastic materials and structural adjustments were necessary to keep their "schools" sustainable and upright.

Facilities and Security Updates

Assistant Superintendent Dan Carlin provided updates on several infrastructure projects:

• Security and Flooding: The new security vestibule is nearly complete, though final doors are delayed until the new year. A change order was approved for an opaque PVC finish on the flood pump shelter to obscure the view of the pumps from Midland Avenue.

• Future Construction: The district has submitted the project plans to the state and anticipates going out to bid in March, with work beginning this summer.  The two-year project, approved by the community last May, involves asbestos abatement, masonry repair, and window replacements in the Elementary School, with the "good news" that the most expensive part of the project, the D-wing’s metal skeleton is in better shape than previously thought.

• Field Lights Study Group: The first meeting of the Study Group occurred on December 8th. As a reminder the members of this group include Dr. Kelly, School Superintendent, as facilitator, Board Facilities Committee members Susan Conniff, Sara Kenny, and Eddie Lennon, District leadership (Director of PE, Health & Athletics Anthony Vaglica, Assistant Superintendent for Business Dan Carlin, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Ann Meyer, and Facilities Director Mike Lee), and six community members (Anthony Civale, Jonathan Davis, Holt Goddard, Carrie Long, Brian Sestak, and Neil Stronski).The Study Group members are learning about the athletic program constraints, which include bus driver shortages and referee shortages which result in games shortened or moved to away fields. Also, the Study Group is better understanding the program needs, section 1 rules, and field availability. They are also exploring solutions which include lights, alternatives for remaining grass areas and negotiating more access to external fields. 

Financial and Personnel Matters

Among several personnel items, the Board approved the creation of a new position, “Bus Driver/Maintenance Worker”, and the District is actively seeking to fill this position. The Board also approved a contract to continue a successful strength and conditioning program for the Athletics Dept called, “Beyond the Barbell”, which was originally funded by the Bronxville School Foundation. 

The Board also approved the transfer of $5M from the capital projects reserve to the general fund, as approved by voters last Spring.

The district is currently forecasting a surplus of approximately $400,000 for the 25-26 year, driven by favorable interest earnings,salary savings from retirements and non-resident tuition. However, the outlook for the 2026-2027 budget is more challenging:

• Rising Costs: Preliminary health insurance rates are expected to rise by 8-9%, and inflation is significantly impacting contracted services.

• Tax Levy: The allowable tax levy growth is expected to be around at 2.3%, and the board discussed the possibility of needing a tax cap override for the first time, this spring

SRO Program: Regarding a potential School Resource Officer (SRO), the village has approved an additional officer position and is currently hiring to fill vacancies, which may allow for formal program discussions by late winter.

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

The BOE’s next regular meeting will take place on Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Wishing everyone in the Bronxville School Community a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a happy and healthy New Year.  

Edward Lennon, President

Sara Kenny, Vice President

Michael Brandes

Susan Conniff

Miki Kapoor

Peter McSherry

Christina Skinner