001Full gang. Full board. >> Convening the meeting? Thank you everyone for being here tonight. >> Uh it's hard to believe we are already into May. It's a long winter, but the year feels like it's gone pretty fast. Um we've got an exciting meeting tonight. Uh we've got some elementary school students here ready to present, and I know they've got to get home. Um so my remarks are pretty brief tonight, Rachel. >> Brief. >> Yep. We've got to accept the draft minutes uh from the last meeting. Can I have a motion, please? >> Motion. >> Second. All in favor? >> Aye. >> Uh >> Okay, so we have the pleasure of having um some elementary students here this evening. Um I'm going to ask Adrian Leitman uh to introduce them, and thank you for being here
002to depict our Bronxville Promise in Action. >> Hi, good evening, everyone. Um so something that as teachers and administrators, we often think that we have really wonderful ideas. And sometimes we do. But the truth is that the best ideas come from our students. And this is an example, um the B300 radio program is an idea that really started with a fifth grader, and it spread, and now is something that's getting to be fairly well established in our school. So I would like to introduce Mr. Jim Mitchell, who has been the advisor to this fifth grade radio program. >> Good evening, everyone. My name is Jim Mitchell, and I teach computer science grades K through 5 here at Bronxville Elementary School. Back in March, I was approached by three fifth grade students who are here with
003us tonight. They wanted to start their own radio show for the elementary school community where they can share announcements and their own discussions on current school topics. This process began first by discussing how we would go about creating episodes and understanding the technology involved. We discussed and practiced digital fluency skills in order to understand how to use said technology provided to accomplish our goal of creating short radio episodes. The students worked together collaboratively in creating a script, recording their episode, and even editing it to create a clean finished product. After sharing it during our morning announcements, the students were already planning on their next episode in which they would interview a teacher. Carrying this momentum, we opened up the show to other fifth graders to see if they had interest in our creative process. It
004was awesome to see a bunch of new students ready to join our team, some of whom have joined us tonight. Digital fluency plays a major role in this process, but we also began to see how this connects to our Bronxville promise. Instead of hearing it from me, I would like to welcome members of the fifth grade class to share what they've learned and accomplished throughout this process. >> Hello. I am Eva Gergiev. Our radio show, B300, shows we are good leaders because we are the ones who run the whole thing. It was even started by three fifth graders. Being a leader means we get to plan the project, do all the research, write the scripts, and record and edit the video episodes ourselves. It taught us how to take charge and be leaders as we
005make our own project. We had to be super creative and figure out everything ourselves. Like what to talk about, how to make the recording sound good, and finding a new way to talk to the other kids at our school. It is a brand new way for us to share information with our school community. >> Hello, I am Sloan Harper. Innovation means doing something new. Our radio show B300 is all about innovation because we are the first group of fifth graders at our school to ever start a radio show. >> Hello, my name is William Doran. Thinking critically means we have to use our brains to really check if something is true and fair. For B300, we have to do lots of research to make sure the news and facts we share are 100% true. We
006can't just put anything in the script. >> Hi, I'm Luca Doria. We also have to decide what is the most important information to share and make sure we explain things clearly so everyone understands. Doing this helps us become better critical thinkers. >> Hello, my name is Hope Akiri. In order to engage the world, we must be informed citizens who are ready make who are ready to make an impact. With B300, we are connecting with our whole school to community. >> Hi, my name is Arpita. We share fun facts, news, and even interviewing people like teachers and principals. This This helps us talk to everyone at school, just not our friends, and learn about what's going on. >> Hello, I'm Madeline McDonald. Through our script writing process, we research our topics and learn about different perspectives.
007The episode our group is currently working on now talks about understanding and accepting different cultures. >> Hi, I'm Indy Jones. The B3 radio show is like being part of a team. But first first we have to be super cooperative, which is a big part of belonging. We have We listen to all our team members' ideas when writing scripts and planning so everyone everyone's voices are heard. >> Hi, I'm Shayla. We also make sure to talk about things that help everyone feel included. Since our radio show connects and shares with the school community, it helps make sure everyone feels supported and like they belong here. Are there any questions? >> I I might know the answer to this, but how did you guys come up with the name for your show? >> Um the Z were
008my mom listens to the Z100 radio show in the car a lot >> and >> the only radio show I can think of. >> Yes. >> Like it lined up well, so Z100 made sense with B3. >> So you get the Z Morning Zoo on the way to school? That's great. Thank you. >> Will you continue this next year? >> I plan to keep it going and keep it rolling and make it try to expand it as much as I can. >> Yeah. Different channels? >> This is great. >> It's great. >> Terrific. >> What's your favorite part of this whole process? What's that? >> My favorite part of this whole process is being able to work with my friends and make something that I wouldn't really usually make during the school hours. >> And
009I love editing it and seeing all the different songs and extras you can put in to just make it one whole one bigger part and make it one bigger part and learn. >> Very nice. Thank you. >> Great job. >> HAVE A GREAT NIGHT, EVERYONE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU so much. >> Okay. It's like he's ready to step on graduation. >> Great job, guys. >> It's like a podcast almost. >> We should send it out with the >> the login or the overview. >> They changed the Wi-Fi network. >> I'm using my hotspot. >> Okay. >> Um all right, so we're going to pause the regular meeting now and open the the budget hearing. I have a few slides. Um we are at the end of the process, which began about 7 months ago
010and will result in the will result in the referendum uh this coming Tuesday or I guess two Tuesdays, uh May 19th. Uh tonight's public hearing is the chance for those interested to let the board know of their view on the budget. Uh next slide, please, Connie. Um kind of reviewing the work the board's done over the last uh I guess 5 months since the um January 1st. As you can see, enrollment is in a slight declining trend and is expected to trend down in the longer term. It would be nice if um it were all in one grade level and we could reduce a section with no impact on class size, but it does not necessarily work out that way. It doesn't seem to ever work out that way. Over the last few years, the
011elementary school and the middle school have remained stable while the high school has decreased. Of note this year is that the kindergarten registrations thus far are trending above anticipated. So, we're keeping a a close eye on that. Next slide, please, Connie. Our proposed budget is now at $57,608,210 with a proposed tax levy of $50,473,210. The resulting tax levy increase of 4.8% is about 1. Almost 1.4 million over the tax levy cap. As you can see, and I will expand on this a little later later, even though the budget tax levy increases are the highest they've been in the last 18 years, they're both below 5% and our overall trending is far below the rate of inflation, which is absolutely catching up to us a bit this year. Next slide, please. Um pie chart shows that
012the categories of where we spend our budgeted funds really are primarily in salaries and benefits, almost 76%. Um the next largest categories are for contracted services, which we can't or choose not to do ourselves, such as cleaning, security, uh maintenance, insurance, etc. They're are yellow and the green shaded areas. After that, we have debt service on our outstanding debt and BOCES services, um and which are mostly our technology infrastructure and staff development. And I think the takeaway here is that uh supplies, equipment, and textbooks are such a small portion of the budget. Uh making substantial changes to the budget usually has to involve head count or other compensation related expenses. Uh I want to get now going next slide, please, Connie into the story of this year's budget. Uh I went back and looked at
013our budgets uh since the tax levy cap was enacted uh in 2011 and did some analysis of where we'd be if we just budgeted at the cap each year. I looked at both uh the cumulative savings for taxpayers over that period of time and also where our budget would have been this past year. Cumulatively, we have saved taxpayers 15.7 million by coming in under the cap for 14 years. Uh with our budget being around 2.8 million lower than it would be in this current year had we budgeted to the cap. Uh the point is not to brag about how much we didn't spend because, you know, spending is not the goal. We ask for the resources needed for the program we want to put forth, balancing the needs of our students and and and just
014prudent fiscal practices. Uh if that was less than the tax levy cap, then so be it. Uh what we are finding now is that inflation, especially over the last 5 years, is so outpacing recent caps that we're struggling to keep our current programs and stay within the cap this year. The crux of the issue this year is that next slide, please, Connie is that inflation over the last 5 years was at a key cumulatively about 18 to 20% depending on whether you look at the core inflation or or or overall inflation during that period. Uh the Bronxville budget and tax levy rose 7 and 8% respectively. Uh an average of well under 2% a year. We're finally reaching a tipping point with the budget. In order to meet the levy limit this year, we'd be
015looking at programmatic cuts across the board including elementary school, middle school class sizes, high school elective offerings, athletic and performing arts reductions, etc. And considering the reasonableness of a sub-5% increase on the tax levy versus these programmatic reductions, the board is proposing to exceed the tax levy cap for the first time in the 13-year history of the cap, which will require a 60% plus one supermajority for approval. Now, why this year? As I mentioned on the prior slide, there's been a large gap between operating budgets and inflation over the last 5 years. Recent health care benefit costs have been rising at three times the rate of overall inflation. Uh we think that exceeding the tax levy cap this year with a 4.8% increase while still trailing well below recent inflation will position the district to
016stay under the cap, hopefully for 2 years. Uh and most of our peers have either exceeded the cap previously or had higher caps due to the composition of their assessment roles. I think this next slide next slide, please Connie. Visually drives home this inflation problem in terms of how the top two lines depict the last six inflationary years in the CPI while the middle two are the tax levy and the budget. Interestingly enough, enrollment is about exactly where it was going back to the beginning of this chart, which is, you know, about 17 or 18 years ago. Uh and over that period of time, while our tax levy and our uh budgets have risen, the rate of inflation has risen uh substantially at a substantially faster rate. Um The board reviewed and the board reviewed
017very closely with the administration uh since January the impact of potential cuts that we can consider if required to get to the tax levy cap. Um these were reviewed at the long-range planning workshop in the fall and two Saturday workshops in the winter. Uh it's the collective view of the administration that considering the low 1.2% tax levy increase last year and the 1.64% average over the last 5 years, that despite the CPI rising at a significantly higher rate, um that an override of the tax levy cap be considered for uh 2026-27 with a final levy increase of still less than 5%. Next slide, please, Connie. In calculating the impact on the taxpayer in terms of the tax rate, uh we begin with our proposed levy and divide that by the preliminary uh the final assessment
018roll, which uh came out at the end of April and it's up uh 3.61% uh to 3.82 billion. Uh that gives us a tax rate of uh $13 and 22 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, basically 1.3%. Um the 1.02% increase in the rate from 2025-26 is due to the percentage increase in the assessment roll being 2.5% lower than the projected tax levy increase of 4.8%. Now, based on the preliminary rate and the levy where it sits now, a homeowner's property is assessed at $3 million in is paying $39,262 in school taxes, while a homeowner's property is assessed at $3 million in 2026 will pay $39,661 in school taxes. Uh, I would advise all residents to see if their assessment has changed. Obviously, that would be a factor. For instance, if that same $3 million
019home increased in assessment at the same rate as the overall assessment roll increased, 3.61%, that homeowner would pay about $1,800 more in 2026-2027. Uh, next slide, please. The projected tax rate is near the lowest we've seen over the last 10 years due to revaluation, and we've consistently been in the $13 to $14 per thousand of assessed value range. This budget is consistent with that. Uh, next slide is fund balance history and projection for next year. As you can see, uh, we expect to end the year in a strong position compared to prior years. This has been planned by the board over the last few years to address capital needs as identified by architects in our five-year capital plan. If the surplus goes throughout the rest of the year, we'd increase this number. Uh, Conversely, if
020the surplus is less than expected, it would reduce this figure. To reiterate, we are looking at the likelihood of addressing capital needs in coming years. And when I say capital needs, I think probably the most imminent capital needs aside from the project that's going to be starting this summer, we're probably looking at field replacements of Hayes and Chambers Field in the next couple of years. Um I would anticipate that the finance committee might recommend that any surplus fund balance be allocated to the capital projects reserve or the TRS reserve when we close our books uh in June. And the last slide, Connie. Finally, the uh budget includes three planned multi-year contracts or leases for our network copiers, private school transportation, and our technology installment purchase agreement through BOCES to continue our replacement cycle for Chromebooks,
021computers, and other technology infrastructure items. We're also planning uh for the possible trade-in replacement of our large bus depending on how the summer inspection goes. Uh we purchased this bus used 5 years ago and want to make sure we have a safe vehicle in the fall. Uh we're required to point these items out annually in our budget document and I'm going doing so here in the interest of transparency. Uh the photocopy contract was bid competitively 4 years ago. Transportation contract was uh bid competitively last year and will be extended at the CPI uh at the CP with a CPI increase. Excuse me. And the BOCES installment purchase of technology equipment is executed either under competitive bidding requirements or with New York State contract pricing. I thank everyone for their cooperation and attention in this difficult
022budget year. And I think the floor will now be open for comments. >> Anything online? >> Nothing online. >> Okay. So, we will reconvene public meeting at >> Okay, good evening everybody. I have a few highlights to bring to everybody's attention. Um Dan, thank you for your time and efforts in working so diligently to help ensure that we maintain our fiscal responsibility and yet also maintain our distinguished programming. So, thank you. Um some highlights for the high school. I'm not worried about um taking the ex officio board members wind out of his sails because he got caught at practice this evening. Um so, the high school prom is next Friday. Um always a very beautiful evening starting with the promenade right here on our front property at 5:45 and then the prom at 7:00 p.m.
023at Lyndhurst Castle. I thank ahead of time all of the faculty that are willing to be chaperones that evening. It's really helpful. Um final exam schedule for the high school is available on the week ahead by Dr. Ray LaVersa. They have a field day coming up on May 18th. And then on May 19th, which is um the day of the budget and board election, uh we have the art show. And it's really a beautiful moment because there is artwork represented from every student in the district, kindergarten through 12th grade. Um and it is displayed all throughout the building. And there will also be some student open mic talent that evening. And I'm hearing some rumors about some alumni band. So, we look forward to that evening. High school's got several trips coming up. 10th graders
024will be going to the Bronx Zoo on May 28th. 11th grade will be going to Mount Kisco to do K1 speed racing. And our Bronco TV program will be competing in the Westchester County Bash Broadcast Alliance for senior high schools um on May 20th. Um Dr. LaVersa and working with the faculty, the students, and the parents based upon feedback and observations throughout this year, uh they have made the decision that ninth and 10th graders next year will be required to use the school-issued Chromebooks. Um our upperclassmen, juniors and seniors, will have the privilege of using their own laptops while in school for educational purposes. Uh so, thank you for going through that process. I'm very pleased that um one of our juniors, Ava Bringle, um will be participating in a program at Eastchester High School
025commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. She will be joining students from Tuckahoe and Eastchester, and her focus will be on the Battle of Trenton. So, we are very honored to have her representing our school. In the middle school, uh we had a very successful um inaugural sixth grade overnight trip to Boston. Um thank you to uh Mr. Macora and his faculty um for uh curating an exceptional trip. Um the kids uh will have those memories with them forever. And in true form, our Bronxville students impressed adults who were not affiliated with the trip at all, but commented on uh their behavior and their maturity. Sixth graders. So, really really nice. Um uh Joe uh Macora, the principal, as well as the counselors and advisers have been having class meetings um uh going through
026end-of-year goals uh with the students. Uh for the first time, the middle school will be offering a whole school read that will be their summer reading. Um and what was really nice about this, and the curriculum strategy and curriculum subcommittee of the board heard about this uh earlier this week, um they thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to have students come back to school in the fall having all read the same book. And they instituted the same uh process that the English department put in place last year um to review literature and how to determine a um new literature for the students. And they went through that process and they all agreed upon uh Dave Eggers' book The Eyes and the Impossible. So, look for more um information about that coming out. Uh middle
027school musical is coming up Friday and Saturday, May 6th 15th and 16th, and they are performing Annie Jr. this year. Um and then our members of the Green Club, our student members have been um hard at work planning and organizing a bake sale that raised more than $120, and the students used the funds to purchase needed supplies. And they are determined to do even more. They've expanded their efforts by collecting recyclable items to redeem for additional funds, and so they've been making trips to the local grocery store to process collected bottles and deposits, and their work continues as they strive to gather more resources before the end of the school year. So, we thank them for taking the Green Club so seriously. Um in terms of elementary, I am going to cede my time to
028Anne Meyer. I want her to speak just briefly about the process the elementary school has created um to think thoughtfully about uh the use of technology in the classroom. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> So, um at last week's elementary school council meeting, Adrienne and Michelle reviewed this with the parents, um and Brad, Ashley, and I were also present to share from our perspective how the elementary school thinks about technology and what technology is um relevant and useful and can transform learning in the elementary classroom. And I think one of the key points that they made was that we're very deliberate about what programs we we integrate into the classroom in the elementary school. They're age-appropriate, and they transform learning. They're not something that replaces something that would take place on paper, for instance. Um
029we look at technology through the lens of the SAMR framework, which is a technology integration framework. the promise as well as current research. And I think anyone who's been reading the news has seen a lot around current research, and I just want to um let the community know that we stay on top of that current research as well. The elementary school faculty, in fact, yesterday at their faculty meeting read through a number of research articles related to technology and learning, and then shared with one another some of that cutting-edge research. So, uh at this point in the year, we're actually meeting with each grade level in the elementary school to go through every single program that we utilize and re-evaluate, is it still important and necessary and transformative? And in addition to looking at those
030programs and what components there are of those programs, we also want to look at the overall amount of time students are spending on technology and make sure that is is age-appropriate as well. Um we are going to be having those same meetings with the middle school starting next week, going through sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. And in that case, I think it's important that to note that a teacher of a particular subject wouldn't necessarily know what a student is doing all day in technology, so these are going to be important meetings where we share with one another um how much time is being spent on technology, and what do we think are uh appropriate amounts. And the elementary school is instituting tech-free Tuesdays, middle school is instituting tech-free Fridays, and I just want
031to give a preview that at our June Board of Ed meeting, we're going to give a detailed overview of all the work we're doing K-8 with specific information about programs, why we use them, what we use them for, as well as expected overall kind of amounts of time by grade level that students might spend on technology, and we are working for the fall to make sure that at each grade level, parents are aware of what programs are utilized for what purpose and when, so that all parents feel informed um about that for their child. So, um I think that, you know, this is ongoing. We do this every year, but of course, as more information becomes available, that causes us to reflect even more about these ideas and make sure that, you know, if research
032is showing us something like reading on paper is more effective for comprehension than reading on a screen, then we're going to make a shift because we're going to follow what the research demonstrates around learning. So, I think, you know, we're all on this journey together, just like with AI, and we're doing the best for our students based on what we know and making adjustments as we go. So, we'll be looking forward to sharing more in June. >> Thank you, ma'am. Mhm. It's great. Um two more things about the elementary school. Um for the first time ever, on May 19th, uh Michelle and Adrian are hosting a read-aloud for our entering kindergarten students. Um this uh they uh are inviting the incoming kindergartners and their parents to join them in the middle school high school library
033at 5:30. And um in addition on that same day, elementary students will have an opportunity to vote on their brand new B3 heart logo. Um submissions uh continue to come in this week and the final five will be determined soon that they will be able to vote on that day. So, parents are encouraged to uh bring their children uh to school to vote for the logo. And then uh the elementary school, uh look for more information on this. They uh are uh putting together a parade to celebrate the 250th US birthday. That will be a school-wide parade on June 4th, a month before our birthday, and all families will be invited to that. So, look for more information um in the Pony Express, I'm sure. >> Thank you. >> Okay, we can move to personnel.
034>> Yep. >> Okay. So, um a few items on the personnel agenda I'd like to point out. Uh first of all, we um I'm asking you to consider the probationary appointment of Mr. Connor Mitchell, who um went through a very rigorous and comprehensive interview process to become our next 6-12 assistant principal. Uh we know Mr. Mitchell well. Um he has been a master math teacher both in the middle school and high school, as well as taking on a leadership role as our curriculum leader. Um he is has been a faculty member who is highly respected and um really was a logical choice for the entire interview committee. Um so uh we're very much looking forward to officially welcome welcoming you in uh your new role July 1st. Um in addition, we have um a another
035teacher retirement. Um Gail Mathias has taught in our Bronxville Elementary School for 32 years. And she is beloved by students and parents alike. Her classroom has consistently provided a calm, nurturing learning environment where our youngest Broncos fall in love with learning. Gail has been a teacher leader and mentor, serving as our curriculum leader since the position was initially established. Bronxville has been so fortunate to have Gail as a pillar of our school community in so many ways. And I know we will have more opportunities to congratulate her throughout the spring, um but I felt like this was warranted. Um we're very happy for her. Uh big loss for us and yet well-deserved retirement. Uh you'll also have before you this evening uh some new appointments of uh elementary school teachers as well as an 8th
0369th grade English teacher. Um and then we have a revision of a leave replacement to extend that through um next year, and then a resignation of a teacher resident. So I ask you to consider, please, items A through I. >> Questions? Okay. Can I have a motion to approve the personal action items? >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> CONGRATULATIONS, CONNIE. >> CONGRATULATIONS. >> WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE. DID YOU GET THE HANDSHAKE? That was Andrew said that actually. Uh no financial update uh tonight because the books aren't closed yet. It's uh early meeting. We'll have that at the uh We'll have the April report uh the night of the budget vote. Um we do have three financial action items and they're different, so I'll take them one at a time.
037Uh the first being the property tax report card. The board's required to approve and accept the property tax report card uh each year as filed with SED based on the adopted budget prior to the budget referendum. Attached is the completed form for the uh uh 2026-2027 budget. Uh the second one is the risk assessment update. The audit committee reviewed uh the attached risk assessment update with representatives of Cherry Bekaert, our internal auditor, um at the uh May 4th audit committee meeting. Uh it was the consensus of the audit committee to recommend that the Board of Education accept the risk assessment update and authorize the audit plan uh with a focused audit of revenue and accounts receivable um for the internal audit for 2025-2026 as uh I think the last time we'd done that was over
03810 years ago. So, it's uh timely. And I'm glad Amy's here tonight because this is probably my favorite referendum each year. Uh at their May 4th uh 2026 meeting, the Bronxville School Foundation approved 25 spring cycle grants totaling $431,226.96 as detailed on the attached supporting memorandum from uh uh Helena McSherry the foundation executive director. Uh I'm recommending that these grants be approved and accepted by the board with gratitude to the foundation. And if that's not enough uh including the above grants, the foundation has provided $562,373.48 in funding to the Bronxville School for this current fiscal year. I mean, who else does that? Amazing. >> Yeah. Yeah. Incredible. And also, I'm particularly appreciative there's over 200,000 in facilities-related grants on this list. And um given that we're trying to figure out how to finance a really
039big capital project. Um and these are some facilities needs I didn't even I'm sure we didn't even know we had. Um this is just wonderful to see these funded. Um and also, there's roughly 60,000 in athletics-related um items. And it's nice to see that as well. We don't always We aren't always able to focus on growing that number in the budget, either. So, this is amazing. >> Yeah, big big thank you to uh the foundation. Um Couldn't ask for a better partner. So, thank you, Amy. And I I don't know if um if Helena is going to make the next meeting, but um she is retiring. And uh and she will be dearly missed. Um so, big thank you to Helena McSherry for all of her hard work uh and dedication to the school. SO.
040>> YES. UM TAKE THEM ALL TOGETHER? ALL RIGHT. CAN I HAVE A motion to approve the financial action items, please, including the um gracious gracious um efforts by the Brussels School Foundation. All in favor? >> Aye. >> Uh moving on to facilities. Um place is looking very good. Um waiting for some stuff to bloom. That frost a couple weeks ago has probably delayed some things a little bit. Um but uh the grounds look great. Uh we're opening the plumbing bid for the capital project on May 12th, Tuesday. We expect to award all bids at the May 19th special meeting the night of the budget vote. And we expect to be able to do all planned work um you know, significantly under the $20 million budget. So, that's it's it's good news. We don't have to
041award any of the uh deduct alternates. We'll be doing all the bathrooms we had planned to. Um and uh looking forward to getting started. >> Thanks, Dan. >> Thank you, Dan. >> No action item. >> Board reports. >> We had a committee uh curriculum committee meeting. I'll let Ann, if you would. I mean, we have middle school participating in a selection uh process. I think was really robust. It was a great presentation. Could you Sure. Thank you. >> I think Rachel previewed this in her highlights, but so we have a process for text selection. Um and just to give a brief overview, when there is a book that either we're going to replace or add to the curriculum, um we utilize this process and uh the department chooses at least three possible texts. In this
042case, they for this all school summer read, they actually began with five, narrowed down to three, and each book is read by at least two members of the department. And then we have um criteria by which we evaluate each of the texts. Um and so the department then presented their evaluation of those texts to Joe, Rachel, and I, and then we presented um the department did actually to the strategy and curriculum committee. And I think they're really excited about the summer read. I happened to buy the book last weekend, and I absolutely love it. It's beautiful. It is such a wonderful book. I highly recommend it. Um and so I'm really excited to see uh what they do with it. Meg Weiss has already drafted a letter to the author to see if he would
043be willing to come speak. Apparently, he doesn't do speaking engagements anymore. Maybe we'll convince him, but he does um enjoy receiving handwritten letters. So they are already thinking about sending some letters to him, and apparently he replies to some of them. So I think even if that were the case, it would be really special for the middle school. I think it's just uh a great way to create a strong sense of community going into the year in the middle school. So I know Joe and the English department are really excited. >> Yeah. We're we're I mean, this you know, I hear feedback from faculty as well that talk about this exchange of ideas about the peer review and looking at these books together. The process itself and that kind of collegiality around that really enhances
044the experience not just for students but for teachers. So, really thank you for all your hard work on this. I know we we had a similar kind of feedback from the high school after they went through this. Uh so, this is terrific. Congratulations. Really great. And for all for anyone didn't hear earlier, the book is The Eyes of the Impossible. Is that right? Eyes of >> The Eyes of the Impossible. >> Dave Eggers. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, Mike. Thank you, Anne. What else we got? Pete, you got >> Uh Foundation well, Amy Atkinson is here. So, uh I'd like to hear from her. She's the chairperson of the foundation. >> We didn't plan that, all right? So, um first of all, thank you all of you and this um illustrious group to my right
045uh as well as our community supporters gifted time, money, mental firepower and that enables the foundation to carry out its missions uh mission. Um we just have one. Um and we are really thrilled by the slate of grants uh this year and expect them to have a substantial impact on our community. Um we have a personnel change to announce as um as Annie previewed. Our beloved and uh highly respected executive director, Helena McSherry, is retiring at the end of this school year. Um which is hard to imagine that she will be gone. Um but after a uh robust search process, we uh unanimously and enthusiastically appointed Nancy Marshall to be the next executive director of the foundation effective July 1st. Nancy has a long career in early childhood and middle school education. She's been a
046dedicated uh community volunteer. She's served in the PTA in all three schools, multiple leadership roles in the PTA. She's on the Bronxville Historical Conservancy and importantly to us, she served six years uh on the foundation including chairing several committees. Um she is wonderfully organized. She has incredible leadership skills. She has strong cordial relationships throughout the school community and the broader community and we are confident that um she's going to lead the foundation forward um and build on the relationship that Helena and all of you have have uh developed over the years. So, we're really thrilled to welcome Nancy on board. >> GREAT CHOICE. >> OKAY. >> IT'S GREAT. THANK YOU, AMY. >> THANKS, AMY. >> UH PTA? >> Uh the PTA is doing their final meetings of the year. Um elementary went to elementary last
047week. High school's next week. It's Tuesday. Um and then we have Memorial Day coming up. So, we encourage everyone to go out and support and volunteer if you can. High schoolers volunteer um but there are a lot of plans going on. We're hoping for a really good day for um for our kids and for our community and for our Memorial Day um committee cuz they're working very hard. And also um if you haven't bought your social tickets yet for um the weekends, please do. They're uh online on um on the website and a lot of that funding goes back to the PTA and supports all the great programming that they do and I want to of course thank Susan Freeze for her leadership. You see her everywhere. She's always working so hard with her team
048to support the school. So thank you. >> Yeah, thank you to the PTA similar to the foundation we couldn't do the school couldn't do what the school does without the support of the PTA. So thank you to Susan for her years of leadership and to her team and and all the volunteers. I think we finalized it's going to be Mickey and Pete in the dunk tank. So >> It'll be the dunk tank. >> Is it cuz it's the first we're hearing of this? >> It's already the decision already set. >> Come out and support the PTA during Memorial Day week. It's it's so much fun. It's it's one of the highlights of the year. So thank you again to the PTA. >> It's new swimsuits. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> Bronxville swimsuits. >> It's >>
049Yes, Bronxville swimsuits. >> I think the facilities we we covered in our last meeting. Uh Dan did a great job with the update about the plumbing contract. Health and safety met. My favorite update is the lice. There's an uptick in lice. Something I guess about the weather. They're out they're out of hibernation. Everything is good though. Health and safety is good. We talked about the field the field usage or over usage depending on how you look at it. We talked about a gate that was fixed down at the playground. We talked about waiting for the village and the Bronxville Police Department for our strategic resource officer. In the Pony Express there's a good update from the PTA on drop-off. Which has gotten a little unruly on the elementary school side. So pay attention to that
050and I think I think that covers all the committees. Anything else, guys? Anything any public comments? Nothing online? >> Nothing online. >> Well, thanks everybody for coming out tonight. This will motion to adjourn. >> Motion. >> All in favor? >> Aye.