Bronxville Union Free School District is a public school district serving the Village of Bronxville, Westchester County, New York. In 2012, 1635 students were enrolled in the district elementary, middle and high school which are all housed within the same large building.
The community of Bronxville
Bronxville is a mile-square suburb north of New York City in Westchester County, New York. It was named after Swedish immigrant Jonas Bronck. The latitude is 40.938N; longitude is -73.832W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Estimated population (2003) was 6,515 according to census data. The median household income (2000 census data) was $144,940. It is located on the Bronx River. The town used to be called "Underhill's Crossing". It was developed by William Van Duzer Lawrence after 1889 who purchased farmland and zoned it with large lots for single-family houses but also apartment buildings and numerous rental townhouse complexes. Lawrence founded Sarah Lawrence College in 1928 in memory of his wife. The town attracted many artists and became known as an "artist's colony". The public library financed a major expansion in 2001 when it sold a painting for $4.1 million. The town is known for being an excellent railroad commute to Manhattan. The school is centrally located in the town across from the Dutch Reformed Church, diagonally opposite the town hall, and across from the Bronxville public library; it is one block away from the shopping area of the town.
School structure
The elementary school, middle school, and high school are located in one large building near the downtown. "It's very unusual to have one campus for all three schools," said John Chambers, the former superintendent. "It creates an interconnectedness and allows students to really get to know each other. And it allows teachers to track students over the years, which all studies show is very beneficial to education." The school, located on Pondfield Road, is located in a low point in the town; during particularly heavy rains in the past, the school has experienced flooding. There was a period when the school was closed for several weeks as a result of flooding. As a result, boilers and heating equipment have been moved to higher levels, and basement areas have been remodeled with moisture resistant substances in case the building is flooded again.
Staff
In 2012, the superintendent of schools was David Quattrone. The high school principal is Ann Meyer, the assistant principal is Marcellus Lessane, the athletic director Karen Peterson, and the counseling director was Anne Abbatecola. The middle school principal is Dr. Thomas L. Wilson. The interim principal of the elementary school was Mrs. Heidi E. Menzel; the interim assistant principal was Ms.Adrienne Laitman. In 2000, there were 1,400 students in the district. A limited number of out-of-district students can enroll in Bronxville High School at a yearly tuition determined by New York State and enacted by the Board of Education.
Foundation
The school has a foundation, created in 1991, which solicits donations from community members, alumni, corporations and others to raise monies for special programs to provide new equipment, programs, curriculum innovations, teacher training and tools. Since 1991, and as of 2009, the foundation made 432 grants totaling $4.1 million of support; 2008 donations totaled $450,000, according to information from the foundation.
Rankings and reputation
Bronxville has a reputation for excellent schools. The school constantly ranks in the top 50 best high schools in the country by Newsweek. Newsweek magazine rated the district 42nd in the nation in a 2013 ranking. In 2012 Bronxville High School was rated 2nd among "open enrollment" high schools in the country. Class sizes tend to be small, and students perform well on standardized test scores. In 2012, average SAT scores were 1898. In 2015 the district was ranked 29th in the country by Newsweek magazine. The high school offers advanced placement courses, among them Calculus (AB and BC), English Literature, English Language and Composition, Environmental Science, Biology, Statistics and Computer Science (offered on alternating years), Chemistry, World History, U.S. History, Economics (Micro and Macro), Art History, Studio Art, French, Spanish, and Latin. In 2000, every one of the high school's 79 graduates went on to higher education. In 1991, Bronxville high school was one of two schools singled out by President George H. Bush (41) as a "school of excellence." In 2014, Bronxville Elementary School was named a Reward School for "high performance" by the New York State Department of Education. The district offers musical instruction.
Arts programs
Bronxville School District has a strong music program. In 4th grade, each student chooses a musical instrument to study. In middle school, students may choose band, chorus or orchestra. Music instruction is given three times per six-day cycle and grades are given. The Middle and High School Bands and Orchestras compete yearly in the NYSSMA competition. In 2014, 2016, and 2017, the High School Orchestra won Gold with Distinction for level VI at NYSSMA Majors. In 2014 the Middle School Orchestra won Silver.
Bronxville School District also has a strong performing arts program. Under the direction of Peter Royal, the high school presents two plays per year; a dramatic play in the fall and a musical in the spring. Past performances include Urinetown, The Sound of Music, The Diary of Anne Frank and the Heidi Chronicles. Every other year, the High School Drama Department takes performers to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to perform.
Athletic programs
There are athletic programs for football, basketball, baseball, field hockey, track, cross country, lacrosse, mountain biking, and other sports. In 2010, Bronxville won three varsity state titles: Women's Track, Football, and Women's Soccer. The men's varsity basketball team plays Pawling High School, Tappan Zee High School, Sacred Heart - Yonkers High School, Haldane Central High School, Clark Academy, Valhalla High School, Rye Neck High School, Tuckahoe High School, Blind Brook High School, Keio Academy of New York, High School, Harrison High School, and Martin Luther King High School (Hastings on Hudson). In 2008 the girl's varsity field hockey team went to the final four competition for state champions. Also in 2008, the Boy's varsity soccer team won states. The boy's varsity football team won states 2010 (runner up to Jamestown Southwestern in 2009). Bronxville High School's football team plays other high schools including Valhalla High School, Dobbs Ferry High School, Albertus Magnus High School, Croton-Harmon High School, Rye Neck High School. It has several athletic fields including a football/soccer field with bleachers. There are four indoor gymnasiums, a library on the second floor, an auditorium, a drama lab area, and a cafeteria.
Recent developments
In the early 2000s, there was substantial construction and renovation which, at one point, generated some letters of protest from students.
Notable alumni
- Adam Bertocci, writer and filmmaker, graduated 2001.
- Mary Cain, runner
- Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner
- Karyn Marshall, world champion women's weight lifter in 1987, graduated 1974.
- Gary Robinson, software engineer developed anti-spam mathematical algorithms.
References
External links
- The Echoâ€"Bronxville high school student-run online newspaper