Peekskill Schools Chief David Fine Resigns

PEEKSKILL, NY — The superintendent of the Peekskill city schools, Dr. David Fine, has tendered his resignation, and will be stepping down as head of the district right away.

The school board is putting Dr. Lorenzo Licopoli — who served the district in the same position twice before, in 2011 and in 2013 — in as interim superintendent.

The school board will accept Fine's resignation at its board meeting Tuesday.

"We appreciate the Superintendent’s commitment to the students and families of Peekskill," the trustees said in an announcement on the district website. "The Board wishes Superintendent Fine well in his future endeavors."

The trustees plan on Tuesday to appoint Licopoli as Acting Superintendent to close out the school year.

Licopoli served the district as interim after Judith Johnson, then James Willis was hired as superintendent of Peekskill schools in July 2011. After Willis announced his retirement in May 2013 at a time when the district faced some scandals, Licopoli returned.

Licopoli helped the board reorganize the district's central administration in 2014, at which time Fine was tapped for superintendent.

Fine was then the Peekskill Middle School principal, having been given tenure in 2011.

As part of that reorganization, Fine was promoted to Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education with the plan being that he would become Superintendent in 2015. The Board’s stated goal was to give him the time and opportunity to work with Licopoli to firmly establish the roles and responsibilities of the realigned Central Office, as well as the protocol for the District’s Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment program.

At Tuesday's meeting, the trustees will entertain a motion to grant Fine paid leave using his accumulated leave and sick time until June 30, 2017 with the understanding that he may be called upon by the Acting Superintendent to provide assistance in the transition of District leadership.

Willis received a separation agreement that was opposed by one trustee.

PHOTO: Dr. Lorenzo Licopoli and Dr. David Fine when the latter was granted tenure as Peekskill Middle School principal in 2011./ Patch archives