Bronxville Elementary School students gather each morning for a structured check-in before lessons begin. The daily Morning Meetings, which the district spotlighted as the 2026-27 school year opened Sept. 8, look different from room to room but share a common goal: helping students feel connected from the first bell.

In one second grade classroom, students chose how to greet their teacher and classmates, picking between a fist bump, a high five or another option before sitting together on the rug, according to a Bronxville School district post. Down the hall, fifth graders opened their day by sharing interesting facts about themselves with peers.

Second grade teacher Tevon Palermo said the gatherings give every student a chance to feel recognized before academic work starts. She said she has watched students get to know each other in new ways and form friendships through the daily routine.

"My hope is that students leave Morning Meeting feeling like, 'I belong here, people are happy to see me, and I am ready for the day,'" Palermo said.

She plans to build on the meetings as the year progresses, folding in cooperation, problem-solving, grammar, phonics and math.

Fifth grade teacher Susan Engelhardt described Morning Meeting as a calm pause that lets students settle in and check on one another before the day's lessons. She called it a chance for everyone to slow down and be present together.

In Engelhardt's classroom, students will continue mixing academic learning with peer encouragement during the meetings. She said the routine invites students to arrive engaged and ready to take on the day.

Bronxville Elementary School serves kindergarten through seventh grade. The district's three schools enroll about 1,570 students total.

Palermo said she expects to weave more academic content into Morning Meetings through the fall, giving students a bridge between the social check-in and the rest of their school day.