Blind Brook School District
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Blind Brook School District, officially known as the Blind Brook-Rye Union Free School District, serves approximately 1,300 students in Rye Brook, New York in Westchester County. Before it was known as the Blind Brook School District, it was called District 5.
The Superintendent of Schools is Dr. Ronald D. Valenti. He returned as Superintendent at Blind Brook in 2003 after serving the district in the same capacity in the 1980s.
The Assistant Superintendent for Business and Facilities Operations is Jonathan Ross.
[edit] Board of Education
The Board of Education (BOE) is made up of 5 members who reside in the Blind Brook School District. An election is held each May to elect members to the BOE and to vote on the School District Budget.
[edit] District Directors
- Director of Physical Education, Health, and Athletics - Mr. James Spano
- Director of Pupil Personnel - Mr. Eugene Wolotsky
- Director of Counseling - Mr. Christopher P. Griffin
- Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Integration - Ms. Christine Burton
[edit] Schools
The Blind Brook School District houses 3 schools in 2 buildings across the district.
The Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge Street Elementary School (BMP-RSS) serves grades Kindergarten to 5th grade. The building was renamed in the late 1990s in honor of long-time building Principal and Rye Brook resident, Bruno M. Ponterio.
The Principal is Kevin Fittinghoff and the Assistant Principal is Tracy Taylor.
BMP-RSS was the first building built by the Blind Brook SD and was erected in the 1950s. Before the current building was built, a mansion standing on the property housed the school.
Before the creation of Blind Brook High School in 1973, BMP-RSS housed the entire Blind Brook School District. As time progressed, the building held grades K to 6th. When the Middle School wing of the High School was built in 2002, the 6th grade was moved to the new building. That spring brought 2 graduations for BMP-RSS for the first time in its history as both the 5th and 6th grades moved on to the Middle School.
In 2006, ground was broken on a new Administration wing and the installation of air conditioners throughout the building. The construction marked the first additions to the building since the addition of the New Gym and a 2-level classroom wing in the 1960s.
Blind Brook Middle School (BBMS) houses grades 6th through 8th and is on the Blind Brook Middle School-High School King Street Campus.
The first, and current, Principal is Dr. Thomas Wolf. Dr. Wolf was key in the creation of the current BBMS curriculum since his arrival in mid-2002. He announced in early 2006 that he would retire on January 31st, 2007.
A search for a new principal took place in 2006 and the Board of Education voted on a replacement prior to the end of the 2005-2006 School Year. The replacement chosen is Karen Bronson, whose title, until Dr. Wolf retires, is "Principal on Special Assignment"
BBMS was originally composed of a hallway of classrooms and shared the entire building with the High School. As part of a district-wide Bond referendum because of increasing enrollment, in 2002, a larger, 2-story wing with a gymnasium, computer lab, and office space was built. This separated most daily activities of the Middle School and High School while still both under the same building.
In 2006 ground was broken on a new Middle School wing which will house general education classrooms and science labs, a MS cafeteria, along with a new faculty office room.
BBMS shares athletic facilities with the High School along with a IMC (instructional media center/library), LGI (large group instruction), band room, auditorium, and cafeteria.
Blind Brook High School (BBHS) was built in 1973 and houses grades 9th through 12th.
The Principal is Mr. Anthony Baxter and the Assistant Principal is Mrs. Jane Wermuth.
More information regarding this school can be read by clicking on Blind Brook High School.
