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.

By Rob Crystal, Board Member Bronxville School Foundation  

The Bronxville School Foundation will accept nominations through February 2, 2024 to fill open positions on its Board of Directors for the upcoming year.  Candidates are village residents who would work with current board members to raise funds and support grants that will enhance educational programs in the Bronxville School district. Parents of current students and graduates, alumni, and community members without children are encouraged to express interest. The directors reflect a broad and diverse cross-section of  the community.  

The Foundation was established as a nonprofit in 1991 by the Trustees of the  Bronxville School Board of Education, citizens in the community, and  supporters of the school who understood that raising private funds from school families and village residents to supplement the district’s budget was important to maintaining excellence at the Bronxville School. The Foundation’s Board of Directors consists of thirty people, including one member of the Board of  Education, the Superintendent of Schools, and the Vice President of the PTA.  

The primary role of the Foundation’s Nominating Committee is to identify  motivated, hard-working leaders for possible nomination to the Bronxville  School Foundation. The Committee considers recommendations from within the board itself as well as from individuals who express interest through the Foundation office. To express your interest, propose candidates or learn more about the Foundation, please contact Executive Director Helena McSherry at 914-395-0515 or via email at hmcsherry@bronxvilleschool.org. Written correspondence should be forwarded to Helena’s attention at The Bronxville School Foundation, 177 Pondfield Road, Bronxville, New York, 10708 and  include specific information about involvement in the community and the  school. Other details regarding background or relevant experience should also be included.  

Photographed above: Board member Anabella Davis working on grants in the BSF office.

Bronxville Middle School eighth graders recently embarked on an enlightening journey through the Progressive Era, a pivotal period in American history between 1890 and 1920. Spearheaded by social studies teachers Christina Reidel and Jennifer Liberman, who designed textual analysis lessons, the students immersed themselves into historical primary resources as genuine historians.

Throughout the lessons, the students not only absorbed historical content, but honed critical skills, such as close reading and annotation. Under the guidance of their teachers, the students have become adept at dissecting source texts, isolating main ideas, expressing their thoughts through meticulous marginal notes and finding greater engagement with the topics of the past.

The Progressive Era unit has allowed students to explore how reformers sought to address political and social issues at the local, state and federal levels. It has shed light on the renewed attention to women’s rights and the suffrage movement, Populist Party’s response to industrialization, and the impactful work of reformers and muckrakers. The exploration also encompassed the responses of state and federal governments to reform efforts, including the passage of the 17th Amendment, child labor and minimum wage laws, antitrust legislation, and food and drug regulations.

“Through student-led annotations of texts, I have built a classroom culture where students are eager to question the source texts and work through their thinking as a community of learners,” Reidel said. “They are willing to take risks and be comfortable with not knowing all the answers, as I have emphasized that historians are often more interested in the questions than the answers.”

The skills of close reading and annotation have been a large focus to prepare students for the challenges that lie ahead. Professional development around vertical alignment ensures a seamless transition for students, equipping them with strong reading, writing and analytical skills expected in high school.

“Students love this work,” Reidel said. “Although it is hard thinking work, they respond with enthusiasm, excitement and curiosity. The habits of annotation and primary source analysis give students access to the deeper questions in history which they are enjoying.”

Before exploring the primary sources, the students collaborated in groups to provide historical context on significant figures or events, facilitating a richer understanding of the Progressive Era. As a culmination of their exploration, the eighth graders will use texts as evidence to craft essays that challenge them to examine how Progressive Era reformers sparked significant change through their actions and ideas.

The students’ work seamlessly aligns with the district’s Bronxville Promise dispositions. As they studied and observed agents of change from the past, they reflected on their own evolving skills as engaged citizens – becoming informed and acting to make an impact.

The lessons designed by Reidel and Liberman were facilitated by a grant from the Bronxville School Foundation for history curriculum development.   They aligned both the content instruction and skills development in 8th grade with the New York State K-8 Framework and each other. The planning focused on how to develop students’ skills in reading historical documents and writing historical arguments.  “While helping students analyze primary sources as evidence for history is a skill that I have honed, this professional development around skills and content for grades 6-12 helped reinforce that the skill is essential to prepare 8th graders for high school level work,” Reidel said. “I am always so grateful to the Foundation for helping support teaching and learning at Bronxville.”

Photo courtesy of Plamena Quintavalla.

By Plamena Quintavalla

In an engaging literary exploration, sixth graders worked on strategies for pulling themes out of literature. After reading “The Giver” by Lois Lowery as a class, the students chose books of their preference and connected with their peers in small book clubs to delve into the depths of their novels.

The students chose from several novels, including “Tuck Everlasting” by Natalie Babbitt, “Counting by 7s” by Holly Goldberg Sloan, “The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963” by Christopher Paul Curtis, “Fish in a Tree” by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, “Wolf Hollow” by Lauren Wolk and “Warriors Don’t Cry” by Melba Pattillo Beals.

Guided by their dedicated teacher, Kathryn Marron, the students gathered in groups to engage in thoughtful discussions, focusing on the emergence of themes in their chosen novels.

“The students really loved the books they picked and enjoyed the level of independence they felt running their own discussions,” Marron said.

All of the novels that the students read in this literary exploration were purchased through a Bronxville School Foundation grant.

Photo courtesy of Plamena Quintavalla.

In its seventeenth year, turnout for the Katie Welling Memorial Run/Walk was extraordinary. This beloved Thanksgiving tradition, which honors the memory of Katie Welling from Bronxville High School’s Class of 2002, was held in person on Saturday, November 25 and offered a virtual option for out-of-towners. The event, which benefits the Bronxville School Foundation, drew nearly 400 participants and donors.

With the help of more than forty community volunteers, the event also honored Tom Welling, Katie’s dad who passed away in March 2022. Tom led the planning for Katie’s Run/Walk for fifteen years since its inception in 2007 and was a true friend and asset to the Bronxville community.  

Friends of the Welling family and community volunteers arrived at the Bronxville School early Saturday morning to help set up for the event and register participants. Helen Welling, as well as Kurt and Thomas, Jr. and their families, were in attendance and welcomed runners and walkers. “The love and support from so many friends of the Welling family is evident,” said the Bronxville School Foundation’s Chairperson Katie Shah. “We are so happy that we are able to come together each year to honor both Katie and Tom through this special event.” 

Despite the cold temperature, a cross-section of Bronxville residents, school families, current and former faculty, alumni, and friends of the Welling family gathered together to honor Katie and Tom. “As a current school parent and alum, it was so nice to see many new faces from the community and also alumni and friends of the Welling family come out for the event,” said Catherine Williams, the Foundation’s Alumni Chair.  

Guidance Counselor Jim Agnello from the Bronxville School, who has been a great friend and supporter of the Welling family for many years, shared opening remarks and kicked off the race on a bullhorn at the front entrance of the Bronxville School. “This is Bronxville’s finest event,” said Agnello. “Bronxville graduates, welcome back. You are always welcome here.”  As a special tribute this year, the Foundation added special bricks in the Alumni Walk to honor Tom and Helen Welling for all they have done to support the school and community.

With assistance from the Bronxville Police Department, community volunteers lined the race route through the village, many with their children as helpers.  The Ching family set up a large water table, and Jack Pasquale dressed up as Santa for the second year in a row to greet runners and walkers passing by.  Members of the Welling family and friends welcomed participants at the finish line, and Thomas Welling, Jr. handed out medals to the winners. 

The way that Bronxville’s school staff, alumni, community members, and town merchants supported the event was wonderful. “As they have in the past, many generous merchants contributed to the event,” said the Foundation’s Public Relations Chair, Sam Patterson. “We are grateful to Mrs. Morgan’s Flower Shop, Tryforos & Pernice, Lange’s Deli, and Park Place Bagels for donating refreshments and flowers for the event and to the Bronxville Running Company for lending their space to us for registration and bib pick-ups the day before the event.” 

The live and virtual options allowed friends from far and wide to participate on Thanksgiving weekend. “Many friends come in person while others submit photos to show their virtual participation year after year and never miss it,” said Helena McSherry, the Foundation’s Executive Director. “It’s really beautiful to see that people are so committed to being part of this special event every year.”  Beyond the Bronxville area, people from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas showed their support. 

This year, the Foundation introduced a new competition, inviting all clubs and teams from the Bronxville School to participate, awarding a prize to the group with the largest participation rate.  The Girls’ Varsity Basketball team and the Spanish Club had great participation rates with members joining in person and virtually.  Marian Schaefer, a member of the Spanish Club, along with eleven of her family members completed the event virtually in Chicago.

Registrations and donations totaled more than $25,000. Thanks to the support of the Bronxville community, Katie’s Run/Walk has generated over $300,000 since its inception.  Contributions to Katie’s Run allow the Foundation to fund grants for facilities improvements and equipment, faculty training, curriculum development, and specialized programs at the Bronxville School.

The event was established by Katie Welling’s many friends and her family to commemorate her wonderful sense of humor, infectious laugh, and love of life. Katie died in an off-campus fire at Miami University in Ohio in 2005. She had just turned 21.

For more information on Katie’s Run/Walk and to view this year’s photo album and race time results, please visit https://www.bronxvilleschoolfoundation.org/katie-welling-memorial-run-walk-2/.

Special thanks to Walker Liggitt for his photography.

Equipped with new printmaking inks and tools, third and fifth graders in Kendall Fousek’s art classes expressed their creativity and crafted unique images. As part of their lessons, they explored the printmaking medium and learned how to enhance their artworks with texture and color.

“Printmaking is an immersive, expressive medium which allows the individual to make creative decisions,” Fousek said. “At the beginning stage, the medium is not predictable, so the artist has to work with flexibility and an openness to the possibilities. Our students embraced printmaking, shared wonderful discoveries, and took pride in their artwork.”

Throughout the experience, Fousek said the students worked cohesively as a group to share materials and ideas and showed responsibility in the care of the tools and materials. 

At the beginning of the lessons, they used brayers and stamping tools to explore the elements of art and create additive monoprints. They focused on familiarizing themselves with the tools and materials to gain a greater intuitive understanding of printing. Then, they were challenged to use different tools and paper to create a new print. During their next lessons, the students explored subtractive printmaking, using black ink only while focusing on the elements of line and value. They created their prints by inking a printing plate and then removing the ink to draw an image, then printing onto paper that image from the printing plate. 

Thanks to a generous grant from the Bronxville School Foundation, the students had an abundance of printmaking inks and brayers, as well as new printmaking tools, such as patterned rollers, stamps, sponge pattern rollers, combs, sponges and barrens.

Article written by Plamena Quintavalla.

Photo courtesy of the Bronxville School Foundation.

Bronxville High School students will present “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” as their fall production from Nov. 2-4. Under the expert guidance of theater director Robert Cross, the production is made possible thanks to the talented cast and crew members and infusion of new theater technology.

Adapted from the bestselling novel by Mark Haddon, the funny and poignant play is about adolescence, fractured families and growing up. It follows Christopher Boone, a neurodivergent teen who is brilliant at math but much less adept at social interactions. All the events of the play are filtered through his mind as he struggles to untangle the mystery of his dead neighbor’s dog and the secrets of his own family.

“I hope the audience will fall in love with the prickly charms of Christopher, our central character,” Cross said. “As a neurodivergent teen, he experiences the world through a unique prism – as highly structured and mathematical in form but also chaotic and overwhelming. There is a constant tension between his driving need to find order and logic versus the confusing aural, visual and emotional sensations he is bombarded with along his journey.”

Cross said the character’s journey of self-discovery and self-actualization also dovetails with the classic coming-of-age story, and audience members can recognize reflections of themselves in Christopher as he struggles with and breaks through his own limitations.

The production boasts 16 talented actors and 20 crew members, who have been working tirelessly behind the scenes. The cast is led by Jeffrey Rohr (Christopher), Gwen Kirst (Siobhan), Manny Rivera (Ed), Aryia Banihashem Ahmad (Judy), AJ Diaz (Roger), Kat Seuffert (Mrs. Alexander), Abigail Chang (Mrs. Gascoyne), Elle Reilly (Mrs. Shears), Jack Pasquale (Ensemble) and Maeve McWilliams (Ensemble).

Cross said he is excited to debut several new pieces of theater technology to stage Christopher’s world from Paddington Station to the streets of Willesden, outer space and more. Thanks to a generous grant from the Bronxville School Foundation, he and his students have countless possibilities to stage the unstageable as the auditorium is equipped with a powerful, professional-grade stage projector and a new rear-projection screen.

Article written by Plamena Quintavalla

Photo courtesy of the Bronxville School Foundation