BSF Updates

Article written by Philippa Freeman, Board Member, Bronxville School Foundation  

October 25, 2024: The Bronxville School Foundation is excited to announce the launch of its fall fundraising campaign, along with the addition of seven new board members and a new slate of officers for the 2024-2025 school year. Since its inception, the nonprofit has funded 916 grants, totaling more than $13.3 million. The BSF has significantly enhanced the district’s education by financing new curriculum, technology, faculty training, facilities projects, and specialized materials and equipment. Last year, the Foundation provided $702,884 through its grant program.

The Foundation actively collaborates with the district to identify high-priority needs beyond the school’s budget. Each year, it relies on the fall campaign to support these critical grants. The generous contributions from alumni, Bronxville community members, school families, and corporate matching gifts through the fall fundraising campaign enable the Foundation to fund grants that bridge the gap between the school budget and the demands of a transformative education. The Foundation is also extremely grateful to the entire school administration team for their personal donations. This year, the Foundation’s goal is to achieve 100% participation from Bronxville School families in the fundraising campaign. 

Please consider contributing to the Foundation this year. 

The Foundation is also excited to welcome our newest board members for the 2024-2025 school year. “We are thrilled to welcome these new board members from our community to the Foundation,” said Nominating Chair, Mike Dimitri. “Their diverse perspectives, deep commitment to education, and passion for our school’s success will be invaluable as we continue our tradition of innovation and excellence”.

Jonathan Barnes

Jon and his wife, Joyce, have lived in Bronxville since 2011 and have three girls in the Bronxville schools: Elizabeth in 10^th grade, Abigail in 7^th, and Catherine in 2^nd.  Jon grew up in the Boston suburbs in an education-focused family, his mother a middle school teacher and father a high school Principal.  He has coached each of his girls in EYSA soccer for the last 10 years and Joyce has been an active member of the PTA at the Bronxville Elementary and Middle Schools. Jon is a Managing Director at Star Mountain Capital, a private credit and private equity firm where he leads investments in and serves as a Board Director for portfolio companies primarily in the technology, media and business services sectors.  Jon graduated from Harvard University and received an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Satpal Brainch 

Sat Brainch and his wife, Zahabia, have lived in Bronxville since 2018 and have two boys at the Bronxville Schools – Rishaan, a rising 10^th grader & Jai, a rising 8^th grader.  He currently works as the Chief Business Officer at NBCUniversal News Group, which includes NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, Telemundo, and Local Stations. He also is on the board of Acorns, a fin tech investing app focused on financial wellness for the up-and-coming. Prior to moving to Bronxville, Sat held various leadership roles at NBCUniversal in London & Singapore.  Sat grew up in Cincinnati and graduated with a BBA from Emory University. 

Susan Frehse (PTA President Elect)

Susan and her husband Woody have lived in Bronxville for the past five years, and Woody was raised in Bronxville. They have a son attending the Bronxville High School, and twins in Elementary School. Prior to having children, she worked in the technology sector in sales and business development for companies including Xerox and later got her degree from Parsons School of Interior Design and transitioned into that industry. She has served as a deacon at the Reformed Church of Bronxville and at the Brick Presbyterian Church of New York, and taught Sunday School in both locations. She has served as the Elementary School Council chair, and is currently President – Elect of the Bronxville School Executive PTA.  She was also the previous Middle School PTA 8^th grade co-chair, and the High School PTA new families 9^th grade chair and many other roles. Her volunteerism also includes roles at The Brick Church School, St. Bernards School in New York, Central Park Women’s Committee, New York Presbyterian, and Young Audiences New York.

Deanna Kuhn

Deanna Kuhn is a long-time resident of Bronxville and two of her grown children attended Bronxville School. She holds a B.S. from University of Illinois and a Ph.d. from University of California Berkeley, and was elected to the National Academy of Education. She currently is Professor Emerita of Psychology and Education at Columbia University Teachers College. As a cognitive, developmental and educational psychologist, her concern is with how best to educate students for their adult roles as life-long learners and as citizens. Her work has been published widely in outlets ranging from Psychological Review to Harvard Educational Review. Her books include Education for thinking, The skills of argument, The development of scientific thinking skills, Argue with me: Argument as a path to developing students’ thinking and writing, and, most recently, written directly to teens, Building our best future: Thinking critically about ourselves and our world.

Eddie Lennon (Ex-officio member, School Board representative) 

Eddie and his wife, Lauren, have lived in Bronxville since 2018 and have two kids in the Elementary School – Hunter, a 3^rd grader & Parker, a 1^st grader and a third – Ford, at RCNS in the 3’s. Eddie was born and raised in Bronxville and graduated from BHS in 1999. He owns and operates a 90-year family business in the construction supply industry with a focus on building  materials and architectural and industrial coatings. Eddie currently chairs the Bronxville School  Board of Education Facilities Committee and sits on the Professional Development and Health & Safety committees. He is passionate about his family and the community and has a political  science degree from Fordham University. Eddie is an active member of the Campfire Club of America which promotes wildlife conservation efforts throughout the country. 

Jack Meyercord

Jack and his wife, Michelle, have lived in Bronxville for 14 years. They currently have two students in Bronxville High School and another child who graduated in 2024.  During his time in Bronxville, Jack has been a Den Leader and the Treasurer of the Bronxville Pack 5 Cub Scouts, as well as a BYLA and TYA coach for many years. Jack is also a member of Christ Church Bronxville.  Professionally, Jack is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Conscious Endeavors LP and Impower Investment Holdings LP. Jack is responsible for allocating portfolios for multiple family offices across asset classes and assists families in developing frameworks for impact investment strategies and philanthropic endeavors. Prior to his current role, Jack was Head of Impact Investing at Bienville Capital, a multi-family investment firm from 2016-2019. Prior to Bienville, Jack spent 16 years as a long/short analyst and portfolio manager focused on Asian markets. Beginning in 2009, Jack founded Straight Wharf Capital Management, LLC, an Asian long/short fund which was seeded by Tiger Management. Jack graduated with a BA in Political Science from Duke University in 1995 and an MBA with Honors from Columbia Business School in 2000. In addition, he is a CFA^® charter-holder.

Christopher Nay

Chris graduated from Vanderbilt University and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is currently the Head of Investments for the Financial Institutions Group at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Since moving to Bronxville in 2013, Chris has been involved in the community as a boys basketball coach at The Reformed Church and a boys and girls soccer coach through EYSA. His other volunteer interests are in various roles with Vanderbilt University and as a board member for Friends of Karen, an organization that helps Tri-State families who are coping with a child’s life threatening illness. Chris and his wife, Katrina, have two children attending The Bronxville School.

The other directors and officers for 2024-2025 are Wendy Fahy (Chairperson), Anthony Civale (V.P. Development), Anabella Davis (V.P. Grants Program), Catherine O’Connor Williams (V.P. Alumni Affairs), Philippa Freeman (V.P. Public Relations), Mike Dimitri (V.P. Nominating), Deirdre Doheny & Amy Krause (V.P. Social Events), David Lewis (V.P. Legal Advisory), Amy Atkeson (Secretary), Heather Miner (Treasurer), Alex Bici, Joe Burke, Mary Gay, Mike Heraty, Christopher Horvers, Emily Liggitt, Carrie Long, Sam Patterson, Mary Preusse and Katie Shah. Dr. Rachel L. Kelly, Superintendent of the Bronxville Schools, is an ex-officio member. Helena McSherry is the Executive Director and Lisa Rao is the Finance Administrator.

For more information about the Foundation or to support our fundraising efforts, please visit https://www.bronxvilleschoolfoundation.org.

By Phillippa Freeman

Oct. 2, 2024: Thanks to a generous grant from the Bronxville School Foundation, students in the Bronxville School’s Special Education classes experienced the transformative power of Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) as part of their summer camp program this summer.

This innovative approach to learning and personal development is gaining popularity in the educational community, offering students unique opportunities to enhance their social-emotional skills, build relationships, and gain confidence.

What is Equine Assisted Learning?

Equine Assisted Learning is an experiential program that creates a safe environment for participants to interact with horses, fostering personal growth and skill development. Unlike traditional horseback riding lessons, this “unmounted” program takes place entirely on the ground, allowing students to learn about horses and their behaviors through a variety of exercises and activities.

Bronxville staff members who led the program, Jenna Fanelli, Patrick Clarke, Melissa Wood, and Alexa Vafeades, described the program and its benefits:

“Our Special Class students loved working with Ms. Heather and her staff this summer during EAL sessions. The students enjoyed completing various activities such as greeting, grooming, and leading the horses through obstacle courses. The students also were able to enjoy and complete follow-up art projects.

The grounds program gave the students an opportunity to work on improving their self-confidence, executive functioning, social-emotional learning, and physical motor skills. With this program, we saw students grow and challenge themselves, allowing them to step out of their comfort zone.

The EAL sessions provided a multi-sensory approach to capture students’ engagement and target the underlying skills that Bronxville teachers and therapists are working on. Various recreational/leisure opportunities were provided in the program to facilitate skill development. We hope to partner with Ms. Heather in the future.”

The Impact on Students

The program has already shown remarkable results, as evidenced by the enthusiastic response from both students and parents. Tara and Spyros Makras, parents of Jax, a student participant, shared their experience:

“At summer camp, our son Jax is thoroughly enjoying the equine therapy sessions he’s participating in. He talks animatedly about the horses, expressing his love for them and his desire to keep coming back for more sessions. It’s heartwarming for us as parents to witness Jax petting the horses and gradually building a bond with both the gentle animals and his dedicated trainers.

Seeing him eagerly anticipate each session and witnessing the positive impact it has on him fills us with joy and gratitude. Equine therapy has truly become a special and cherished part of Jax’s summer camp experience. We hope to continue it even when camp is over.”

This testimonial highlights the program’s ability to engage students on multiple levels, fostering emotional connections, building anticipation for learning, and creating lasting positive memories associated with educational experiences. Soheil, a student who participated in the program, said “I love to brush and pet the horses. It makes me feel happy and excited.” And another student, Luis, said “when visiting the horses I enjoy greeting and brushing them.”

As the program concludes its successful summer run, the Bronxville School community extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Bronxville School Foundation. The Foundation’s commitment to supporting innovative educational initiatives continues to make a significant impact on the lives of Bronxville students, with the Equine Assisted Learning program serving as a shining example of the power of experiential learning.

To learn more about the Foundation’s work, watch our latest video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITeNvSNDyTI. To see past grants or make a donation, please visit www.bronxvilleschoolfoundation.org.

As fourth graders called “quiet on the set,” they took on the roles of actors and filmmakers to create anti-bullying public service announcements. Equipped with professional-quality camera equipment and lighting, they partnered with Mike Feurstein, a filmmaker, educator and DON’T WAIT to UnMake a Bully program creator, to model a movie set and fulfill their chosen jobs.

Through the program, which focused on anti-bullying, the students created, wrote, produced and filmed their own PSAs. Prior to filming, they brainstormed ideas and discussed real-life scenarios while writing their PSA scripts.

“Each year, the program excites and engages the fourth grade students in a dynamic way,” teacher Lauren Wright said. “The best part of the experience is watching them during the filming day. The students get behind the camera, hold up the boom mikes, say ‘cut,’ ‘action’ and ‘quiet on the set.’ They get to act and direct. They do one take after another, working together to get one that is just right. They come together to work through challenges, all for the final product.”

The experience, which ran from May 20-June 3, allowed the students to be involved in every aspect of the process and be creative while fulfilling their chosen job of director, actor, sound or slate. Throughout the process, they also learned how to use a camera and discovered new hobbies and passions.

“The joy on their faces at the end of the day when the assistant director calls, ‘That’s a wrap!’ is incredible,” Wright said. “Our Bronxville fourth graders are so incredibly lucky to have this program available to them.”

Wright said she hoped the students took away a new understanding for what others might be going through as the program doesn’t villainize the bully. Instead, the program explored why people would bully, whether they feel insecure about themselves or are trying to have control when they feel their life is out of control. In addition, she said she hoped the students gained the necessary tools to stand up for themselves and others, as well as gain a new hobby from the program.

The anti-bullying PSAs first started as a pilot program at the Bronxville School courtesy of a Foundation grant back in 2018. The work has proven to be so valuable that the school has continued to fund it each year out of the district’s budget.

The entire fourth grade will view their PSAs during a red-carpet premiere party in the auditorium on June 18.

Photo courtesy of Plamena Quintavalla.

By Blaine Malefatto, Syntax

June 5, 2024: Bronxville High School juniors Marcus Jun, Mason Lo and Gamunu Withana have created a nonprofit organization, Novelty Innovations, to catalyze and enhance students’ interests and abilities in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics)

They’ve built STEAM kits that focus on permaculture, which is an approach to a self-regenerative ecosystem, to give back to more than 5,000 students in the New York City area.

“Our first kit, the ‘Hydro Harvests’ kit, is focused on permaculture, where students utilize as much soil and microgreen seeds as they see adequate to maximize the number of harvests,” Jun said. “Then, the kit will give a specific amount of water they should use twice that day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Students utilize our analytical portion, which is aligned with the newest science standards.”

Jun, who is the founder and executive director of Novelty Innovations, said he and his classmates were determined to use upcycled materials and niche tools to foster a hands-on experience. Their STEAM kits include an analytical sheet to allow users to build data collection skills, introduce them to the scientific method and allow them to reflect on their learning experience; a digital video that will take the user through how the kit should be created; tips on how to successfully ensure the first harvest; and knowledge about permaculture as a topic, as well as various microgreen seeds, soil and spray bottles.

“By presenting a conceptually difficult subject into its kit form, we allow the users to grasp these subjects with a tangible experience,” he said. “We wish to foster the knowledge of the younger generations through hands-on learning, dialing in on topics that are not touched in school curriculums that can be emulated through kits.”

With the support of their high school principal, Ann Meyer, math and entrepreneurship teacher Brian Halling and the generosity of the Bronxville School Foundation, the three students can impact the lives of thousands of children and engage them in STEAM activities. In addition, they’re partnering with NIA Community Services Network, a not-for-profit community service organization, to provide them with kits. The organization will host more than 16 summer camps with a total of 4,685 middle and elementary school students.

“Depending on how much money we can raise, we could serve as the basis of the NIA’s STEAM program is its entirety for potentially 4,685 students,” Jun said. “As I had participated in NIA when I lived in Brooklyn for my middle school, I.S. #239 Mark Twain, giving back to the program I once participated in is a full-circle experience.”

For more information on their project, visit their website at https://noveltyinnovations.myshopify.com/  and their GoFundMe page.

Photo courtesy of the Bronxville School Foundation.

Bronxville High School freshmen and sophomores earned awards for their outstanding history research projects at the 2024 New York State History Day Contest, held at SUNY Oneonta on April 14. Out of 10 senior division projects, Bronxville claimed four of those spots and earned the opportunity to advance to the national competition.

“New York State History Day was an amazing experience again this year,” said teacher Dana Landesman, who oversees the program. “All of our Bronxville students represented the school so well. We couldn’t help but beam with pride. This is the largest group of student projects moving forward to the national competition than ever before.”

In addition to Landesman, members of the history department, including Chris Doyle, Eva Gambino, Steve Klurfeld and Martin Patmos, have worked tirelessly to support and motivate the students to produce outstanding work.

Multiple Foundation grants have funded visiting coaches who specialize in film, performing arts, web, and media design, enabling students to engage the world through deeply thoughtful and creative projects.

Having conducted extensive historical research on a topic of their choice, the students’ authentic work focused on this year’s theme of “Turning Points in History.” At the state competition, they were interviewed by professors and scholars and articulated what they’ve discovered through their historical research, which is displayed in either paper, website, documentary, performance or exhibit.

Congratulations to the following students who earned the top spots at the competition:

Group Exhibit

• First place: Caroline Hardart, Louise Jacobs and Virgina Shah – “Automats and American Identity: Horn and Hardart’s Impact on Culture and Social Interactions.”

Individual Exhibit

• Second place: Emerson Dennis – “Illuminated Manuscripts: Preserving and Transforming Literature through Illustrations.”

Individual Documentary

• Second place: Emma Yeon – “Twinflowers: The lives of Linnaeus and Solander as Taxonomic Turning Point.”

Paper

• Second Place: Sebastian Jew – “From Conflict to Cooperation: The 1969 Sino-Soviet Border Conflict and Sino-American Rapprochement.”

Group Documentary

• Third Place: Thomas Freeman, Nicholas Gonda, Simon Leka, John Shah, Fletcher Van Tienhoven – “Breaking Enigma: The Untold Story of Poland’s Codebreakers.”

The first- and second-place finalists have advanced to the 2024 National Contest, which will be held at the University of Maryland, College Park, from June 9-13. The third-place winners will serve as alternates.

Bronxville High School students – who have been exploring different topics in Stephen Kovari’s Bronx River Research class over the last several weeks – presented their project proposals before an audience of classmates, teachers, administrators and local experts on March 19.

“The goal is to ensure accountability of project validity and planning, and to help students refine and think through their ideas,” Kovari said. “Similarly to how researchers nearly always have to submit a proposal before receiving grant funding on a project, our students presented a proposal before being allowed to proceed with their project.”

After completing lab modules on stream flow, water chemistry, trees, macroinvertebrates, and soils, the students had the background knowledge on a wide variety of topics, and an understanding of what a good research question looks like. As a result, they developed and refined their research questions before moving on to methodology. The students’ projects focus on major themes such as fish, wildlife, vegetation, soils and water chemistry.

During his presentation, Dev Tarwala discussed how his project would focus on nitrogen’s effects on the Bronx River. During their presentation, Charlie Donohue, Erik Gjonpalaj, Charlotte Golimbu, Liam Neild, Jari Seibold and Toby Wardell discussed their projects, which aim to study the diversity, distribution, and health of the Bronx River’s fish population by collecting data on fish and comparing it to water chemistry metrics, stream flow and other physical characteristics of the river. For their projects on water chemistry, Sam Mandanas and Era Gjocaj will study fluctuations in nitrate levels in the Bronx River by site and weather conditions using LaMotte Nitrate test kits. They also aim to assess linkages between nitrate levels and other water chemistry metrics, such as pH. 

Davis Patterson and Natalie Thiessen-Rodriguez’s projects focus on the composition, nutrients and health of the Bronx River riparian area soils, their impact on vegetation, and their association with issues like erosion or invasive species. Gabbi Bicci, Mina Farhoush and Roan Merluccio’s projects will focus on how wildlife use highly fragmented, urbanized landscapes by using camera traps to study spatial and temporal activity of mammals. Another focus of the project is on bird biodiversity during the spring migration season. Sophia Richard, Taylor Sundquist and Elyse Sims’ projects will focus on invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed or honeysuckle, and their distribution and association with characteristics of the physical environment. Another focus is on tree coring and providing a past record of growth and environmental conditions at the Bronx River for a wide range of species and locations.

Bronx River research began as a Foundation grant spearheaded by two high school students and a teacher back in 2015, and it has grown into a schoolwide program of study. 

As elementary school students gathered inside their school’s own planetarium and looked up at a simulation of the solar eclipse, the atmosphere was charged with excitement. Under the expertise of middle school science teacher Frank Viggiani and elementary school science teachers Susan Monaco and Stephanie Kennedy, kindergarten through fifth grade students had an enriching learning experience on April 3 and 4. The lessons were designed to prepare them for the eagerly anticipated schoolwide solar eclipse viewing on April 8.

“The lesson was to demonstrate to the students the time of the eclipse, especially the maximum eclipse for Bronxville which will be around 91% at 3:25 p.m.,” Viggiani said. “We were able to see the entire eclipse while we zoomed in on the sun.”

During the experience, the students delved into the realms of Jupiter and explored the various constellations. Additionally, they engaged in meaningful discussions surrounding the need for solar eclipse glasses to safeguard their vision during the eclipse. Prior to the April 8 event, the elementary school students made UV bracelets to wear during the solar eclipse.

“As teachers we wanted to take full advantage of the learning opportunity that the solar eclipse has presented,” Monaco said. “Visiting the planetarium and experiencing a simulation of the solar eclipse as it will appear in Bronxville not only helped the students gain a better understanding of how the sun, earth and moon interact with each other, but also led to piqued curiosity and interest about outer space.”

Bronxville’s planetarium, known as the Digitarium Zeta, was funded through the generous support of the Bronxville School Foundation in 2011. The high-resolution digital, inflatable planetarium can be programmed to show star and planet motion for various dates, times and locations for teaching astronomy at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

By Blaine Malefatto, Syntax

March 13, 2024: The talented members of the Bronxville High School band have been preparing to debut a remarkable piece of music, which was crafted by a professional composer specifically for them.

The students will premiere “The Roaring Twenties” on April 17 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. The experience was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Bronxville School Foundation.

Entitled “The Roaring Twenties,” the medley of popular jazz tunes from the 1920s pays homage to the school’s rich history, founded in 1922. Crafted by composer Carl Strommen, the unique composition presented a challenge to adapt jazz styling to an ensemble of 40 students.

“Writing a jazz chart for a big band is easy, but to make that transfer to a concert band, is extremely difficult,” band director Uma Karkala said. “Everything is different – tone, balance, phrasing, intonation. It’s a lot of fun but a lot of listening and hard work goes into it making it sound correct. But being able to do this makes it unique and stand out.”

Strommen’s approach to the composition ensures that it showcased the talents of the students and provides an opportunity for concert bands worldwide to experience it by purchasing and playing the piece. Junior Lia Nacey, who has been playing the flute since fourth grade, expressed her pride in being a part of the collaboration. She said it’s an honor to have a composer tailor a piece specifically for her and her classmates who have made a solid commitment to the band program.

“What makes Mr. Strommen’s arrangement so special is that he arranged these songs specifically based on the Bronxville band program’s strong points,” Nacey said. “Our band has a solid flute section and a large brass section this year, so Mr. Strommen wrote the medley to highlight these instruments. It’s like our very own musical signature.”

She described her favorite part of the piece to be “My Melancholy Baby,” which is the ballad in the middle of the medley that stands out as the singular slow, gentle piece, counterbalancing the rest of the piece.

“A lot of the songs in ‘Roaring Twenties’ have a very energetic punch to them, which is something our band can pull off exceptionally well,” Nacey said. “‘My Melancholy Baby’ really shows off our versatility. We can be excited and expressive, but we can also show more reservation and quiet.”

Photo courtesy of the Bronxville School Foundation.