Upgrades, repairs and renovations to the school facilities are generally covered by the District budget and reserves. However, there are times when administrators or teachers want to pilot a new way to design and use space or specialized classroom furniture or equipment where Foundation grants make it possible. It’s important to note that Foundation grants for special facilities, technology or equipment are often paired with training and professional development for staff so that those assets are used to their fullest potential.
Pandemic Response
When the school pivoted to a virtual learning plan in response to the pandemic, many of the resources provided by past Foundation grants were instrumental in enabling the faculty to continue to foster effective learning for our students and keep things as normal as possible under the challenging circumstances. The Foundation's critical support of nearly every technology initiative in recent years enabled the school to transition quickly to virtual learning. In the fall of 2020, the Foundation approved several grants to support the school's re-opening and operating plans including the application of Purezone to high-touch areas at the school and the build-out of Zoom classrooms with large screen monitors, webcams and microphones. These grants helped the school open safely and prepare for and sustain live, hybrid, and virtual learning models.
Elementary School
As teachers adapt the curriculum to teach the skills of the 21st century, the learning environment impacts students. Today's students thrive in adaptive, flexible classroom environments that facilitate student engagement, collaboration, creativity, and connections with teachers. The Foundation has funded grants for flexible furniture in numerous classrooms including the science and art rooms. These classroom redesigns will benefit every student in the Elementary School.
The Foundation has also funded audio-visual equipment in three Elementary School playrooms that includes large screen monitors, speakers, wireless microphones, and bluetooth connectivity. The screen and speaker media system supports and enhances Physical Education curriculum as well as mindfulness and yoga exercises. With the use of Air Tame 2, Physical Education teachers can use apps and other capabilities on iPads to cast the screen directly to the monitors in the playrooms.
Middle School
The art and technology rooms have numerous resources courtesy of Foundation grants. A full renovation of the art room increased the functionality and flow of the space. New furniture provides students with ample room to create, and the chairs offer greater mobility and the ability to collaborate. Grants for equipment in the technology room have allowed the teacher and students to collaborate in a variety of technologies. 3D printing allow students to create innovative designs, including the capstone project for eighth graders of designing a playable game that incorporates 3D printed game pieces. A recent Foundation grant funded the purchase of equipment that recycles the waste material from 3D printers. Using this equipment, students will collect waste plastic, then grind it down, and form the waste into different objects that can be functional and useful to our community. Another grant for VEX V5 Robotics Kits have enabled students to experience programming and mechanical engineering on an authentic level. The robotics kits offer the ability to construct, program, and pilot student-made robots that can perform simple and complex tasks.
High School
Fielding Nair Inc, a world-renowned educational architecture firm, helped redesign multiple classrooms and the art studio, courtesy of Foundation grants. The art studio's new layout, furniture, and storage cabinets provide better lighting, flexible drawing surfaces, and more space for independent and collaborative work. Another recent grant upgraded Macbooks, iPad Pros, and Apple pencils for various uses across the art curriculum. Students will always focus on hands-on, tactile techniques in art, but the technology integration expands these explorations to innovate content and ways of thinking. Students will use the sophisticated technology and programs used in professional art and design fields through various digital art projects and incorporate these tools into their creative process and sketchbooks/journals, including career-focused applications such as animation, illustration and graphic design. The K-12 curriculum culminates in AP Art & Design, which is now fully digital.
District-wide
IDE Classroom Redesign & Flexible Seating: After the work with Fielding Nair, the school partnered with IDE Corp. (Innovative Designs for Education) to redesign additional classrooms and strengthen instructional practice to support students' ability to take ownership of their work. Thanks to the support of the Foundation, numerous classrooms have been outfitted with new furniture and technology based on IDE's learner-active, technology-infused philosophy. Independent of the IDE grants, the Foundation has funded other flexible seating grants that allow students to easily collaborate, participate in dynamic group discussions, and engage in innovative work.
Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Suite: Through a Foundation grant, the Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) rooms were combined to create an interdisciplinary space referred to as the OT/PT Suite. The interdisciplinary model supports the current OT/PT suite work and implements sensory integration equipment and techniques. Since the rooms share many of the same students, combining the rooms provides interdisciplinary collaboration, and enhances communication, teamwork, and evidence-based interventions to better support therapy services in real time within the OT/PT Department. The school is partnering with Fun and Function on the design concepts, the selection of effective equipment, and professional development.
Auditorium: The Foundation has been a long-time supporter of upgrades to the auditorium. In 2015, the Foundation was part of a community-wide effort to accomplish a state-of-the-art renovation of the auditorium. The project redesigned the floor elevation, seating layout and created a fully accessible stage and seating area with a wraparound balcony. The restoration of the proscenium, the open fabric-paneled ceiling and the addition of a retractable acoustic curtain in the attic created an acoustically flexible space. Another key feature was the addition of a lobby and gathering space with a separate public entrance. Since the renovation, the Foundation has funded additional lighting upgrades and the replacement of acoustical shells. Most recently, a Foundation grant funded an auditorium projector and black projection curtain to create visually-striking, professional scenic designs for plays and musicals.
Cardio and Weight Room: The Foundation approved a grant for new cardio and weight rooms with safe, state-of-the-art equipment that accommodates the District’s ever-growing athletic program and Phys. Ed. classes from Middle through High School. Foundation grants also added a Vertimax trainer and Keiser Fitness trainers. A strength and conditioning specialist develops conditioning programs for (1) Middle and High School students who do not participate on athletic teams, and (2) all the interscholastic sports teams for pre-season, in-season, and off-season training. The perceived benefits of the program are increasing athletic performance, improving the psycho-social well-being of adolescents, and promoting and developing healthy exercise habits.
Bronco TV Studio: In the fall of 2018, the Bronxville School debuted a new TV studio outfitted by the Foundation. The studio features three cameras, a 4K recorder, LED lighting, teleprompters, an anchor desk and greenscreen, playback monitor, and a control room. Bronxville students operate Bronco TV, acting as anchors, reporters, camera operators, producers, and editors.