A Message from Dr. Villanueva: May is Here!

Dear Members of the Eastchester Community,

We “May-ed” it! I can’t believe we’re already in the last couple months of school already!

I wanted to share a quote that jumped out at me this week. It seemed to speak to the journey we are on as a district…

“There will be times when balance is difficult, when decisions are messy, and when outcomes are imperfect. But keeping the big picture in focus allows us to move forward with integrity. It is not perfection—it is progress.”

And with that…I am always so proud to share pieces of the ‘big picture’ each week with you all…

 

Offseason athletics is taking shape

We are well into the Spring season and already preparing for what the offseason brings us. Yesterday, the athletic department sent all interested Football families and students a message about off season football skills development training. Football offseason training is run by the Eastchester Athletic Department. If you are interested in EHS football and did not get a copy of the letter, please click here: Football Offseason Information Letter

Over the next two weeks, we anticipate we will receive more information regarding upcoming ‘summer league’ opportunities in and around the Eastchester area. The Eastchester Athletic Department will send updates to sport-specific teams as summer league groups release more information. 

*Please note that school sponsored events hosted by the Eastchester Athletic Department are separate from any ‘Summer Leagues’ hosted by other districts and communities. These leagues are not overseen by, or the responsibility of Eastchester High School, the school district, or NYSPHSAA. We are thankful to our community partners for offering additional opportunities for Eastchester students and look forward to sharing more information soon!

 

De-ja vu at its best

Another EHS Players Club performance captured the audience with last weekend’s three performances of Ground Hog Day - the welcomingly frenetic ‘looping sensation’ definitely had us all on a delirious rollercoaster of wit and laughter. Three cheers to our EHS players!

 

Talk about proactive planning and looking to the future

A huge shout out to our counseling team at EHS for their pre-planning and focus on elevating how we approach the college process here in Eastchester. This week’s College Panel evening was filled with lots of great nuggets for those getting ready to graduate and those thinking about the college process in the next few years. If you weren’t able to attend the panel, please check out the video HERE or read the story about this event below!

 

April is Autism/Neurodiversity Awareness Month

Last week, EHS Lacrosse teams lit up Haindl Field with their Light up the Night event and SEPTA hosted their bi-annual ‘Brownies and Bingo Banquet’ with a magnificent display of support from the greater Eastchester community! The support of our community is shown in so many ways throughout the year…. from small quiet gestures to large scale events, they share the same sentiment of unity, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to lifting one another up and strengthening the fabric of our school community.

 

A Budget Update

On April 30, I had a chance to share more information about the ‘2026-2027 Adopted Budget’ at the EHS PTA meeting. There was a strong turnout of parents and community members both online and in person. Listening to the questions brought forth by those in attendance and being able to go a little deeper on wonderings around preliminary EHS college acceptances (See slides 8-14); How State Aid works; early voting & absentee ballots (Click voter information tab); and what was eliminated/reduced in the initial ~$3 million reduction that has already been made?; community members’ questions created an opportunity for me to provide more information.

Looking at Eastchester High School, or what I call our district’s ‘Flagship’ school, I was not surprised to see so many EHS constituents invested in hearing more and gathering more information about this year’s budget. I truly do believe that being informed is one of the most productive ways to collectively support one of our largest schools!

 

More Chances to Learn About the Budget

Please see the schedule below for upcoming PTA meetings to learn more about the 2026-2027 BOE Adopted Budget. Community members can also visit the district’s main budget website by clicking this link to view the Budget FAQ and any other budget related presentations and documents. As more information is provided, it will be updated on this site.

Have a wonderful weekend, Eastchester!

Dr. V