The Peekskill City School District kicked off the new school year with a swearing-in ceremony of new Board of Education members on Monday, July 7.

The Oath of Office was administered to newly elected board members Mary Angel Flores, Frank Robinson Jr., and Jillian Villon.

The board then unanimously voted to name Villon the board’s president and Amy Vele the board’s vice president. 

Villon, a stay at home mom to three boys and member of the board since 2013, succeeds former president Michael Simpkins who retired from the board after 23 years of service. Vele, a small business owner and member of the board since 2023, succeeds former vice president Allen Jenkins Jr. who remains on the board.

Board appoints committee board representatives, liaisons

The newly established Board of Education voted to appoint several liaisons for various committees, associations, and councils:

• New York State Caucus of Black School Board Members, Inc.: Frank Robinson Jr., Allen Jenkins
• Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO): Branwen MacDonald, Mary Angel Flores, Amy Vele
• Common Council: Mary Angel Flores, Branwen MacDonald, Christina Washington
• Facilities: Frank Robinson, Jr., Jillian Villon
• Audit: Frank Robinson, Jr., Christina Washington
• Special Education reading of Individualized Education Program’s (IEP): Mary Angel Flores, Jillian Villon
• Education Planning: Christina Washington, Amy Vele
• Health and Wellness: Mary Angel Flores, Branwen MacDonald
• Code of Conduct: Allen Jenkins
• Youth Bureau: Frank Robinson, Jr., Allen Jenkins

Policies approved for lockdown emergencies, extreme heat days, parking

At the meeting, the board unanimously approved three policies.

One seeks to enhance the safety and security of students and staff during lockdown emergencies by authorizing specific temporary door reinforcement procedures. The policy is required as part of a district wide safety plan.

Another policy addresses the health and safety of students and employees on extremely hot days, which are defined by law when occupiable educational and support service spaces reach 82 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. The law requires room temperatures to be measured at a shaded location, three feet above the floor near the center of the room.

The board also modified language pertaining to a policy on parking on school property. Vehicles belonging to permit holders and non-permit holders will be towed away without warning if any terms are violated and if their vehicles are left on school property before 5 p.m. or after 5 a.m. during snow removal any day of the week or at any time during an emergency.

Villon added that the cost of parking has increased from $27 to $35 annually, which includes taxes.

Superintendent makes a plea to parents on danger of electric scooters

In a public safety announcement, Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Mauricio warned about the dangers of electric scooters, which district children have been observed to ride.

“Kids don’t know the rules of the road,” Mauricio said. “And so when they don’t know the rules of the road, they don’t know to stop at a stop sign… [or not to] keep going through red lights and things of that nature.”

Mauricio said children are not properly wearing a helmet on electric scooter devices, which in some cases go upwards of 40 miles an hour, and asked parents to be mindful of purchasing them for children.

Trustee Branwen MacDonald thanked Mauricio for raising the issue of electric scooters to the community.

“My sister was visiting from out of state over the weekend and her community is in mourning over a young teenage girl who was killed on her electric scooter,” MacDonald said. “And her friend was very, very injured. So, so, so sad, and we all would like to avoid that if we can.”

District receives $23,000 for virtual reality headsets

The Peekskill Education Foundation presented a $23,000 check to the Peekskill City School District for virtual reality headsets. 

The district will use the funds to enhance the district’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) programs and purchase virtual reality (VR) headsets to use in K-12 classrooms.