Peekskill to Consider Future of Uriah Hill Building

The future of the Uriah Hill school building is expected to be a prime topic of the Dec. 6 workshop meeting of the Peekskill Board of Education.

School officials have been considering renting or selling the venerable Pemart Avenue building or developing a new use for it in conjunction with the city of Peekskill. City officials have indicated that Uriah Hill is among the topics they would like to discuss with the school district during a yet-to-be-scheduled meeting between the school board and the Common Council.

The status of Uriah Hill was discussed briefly during the school board’s meeting last week. In other action during the meeting:

• In response to a Sunday report in The Journal News about the cost of repairing aging school buildings in Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties the board referred the concerns to the Facilities Committee, which is scheduled to meet Dec. 1.
• The Policy Committee is reviewing all district policies to make sure they have been updated with recent revisions and are being circulated throughout the school community.
• The Communication Committee is updating the district’s Web site and making a greater effort to ensure that information on the site is current.
• Board President Joseph Urbanowicz commended student musicians for a “fantastic” performance at Peekskill’s Veterans Day ceremony. “We’re very proud of them,” he said.
• The board approved a contract with Joy Myke as school business administrator.
• The board approved a leave of absence for Hillcrest Elementary School nurse Debbie Pihota through June 2012.
• The board approved the appointments of David Mueller, social studies teacher; Christine Contreras, Spanish teacher; Elizabeth Boyle, Amanda Dwyer, Sean Dwyer, Michelle Reicke and Michele Tanzi, permanent substitutes; Daniel Calabro, Jennifer Cannella and Mary Marussich, teacher assistants; Marc Andujar, Sara Boyce, April Kellam and Michael Tanzi, home tutors; Christine Mendello, teacher assistant substitute; LaShawn Graves-Bartley, Learning Enrichment Activities Program (LEAP) teacher; Jennifer Garabedian, mentor teacher; Marc Sorondo, Twilight Program substitute teacher; Nicole Belotti, Michelle Coleman, Caitlyn D’Apice, Jacquelyn Fego and Jessica Jordan, student teachers; Melissa Berrios-Vargas, Nicole Caggiano, Heather Geer, Kaitlyn Hyslop, Susan Leone, Nicole Liozzo, Kristine Robinson, Anthony Santa Theresa, Aurora Santa Theresa and Tessa Setaro, school volunteers; Erin Mark and Karen Teti, classroom observers; Ashley Lape, lunch monitor; Ethel Reese, teacher aide substitute; John DiFrancesco, Jay Kuritsky, Isiah Robinson and Joseph Willis, security substitutes; Peter Capozzelli, John DiFrancesco, Shawn Jackson, Jay Kuritsky, John Pappas and Isiah Robinson, sports chaperones; Stephanie Edwards, senior office assistant.
• The board approved the appointments of Michelle Braganza, David Brimat, Stephanie Dabbs, Selma Dias, Orfa Fuentas, Alexandria Meyers, Maria Rivera-Martinez and Alma Zucco for the Family University, an adult education program for families with students in the LEAP extended day program. Family University seeks to promote family involvement and participation in the LEAP.
• The board approved the appointments of Yolanda Guardino, modified basketball cheerleading coach; Anthony Jackson, boys junior varsity basketball coach; Jay Kuritsky, junior varsity wrestling coach; Bryan Panzanaro, modified basketball coach; Marc Piliero, lifeguard; Tim Turner, assistant boys varsity basketball coach; Robinson Vasquez, lifeguard.
• The board corrected the title of Kelly Kadin. She was appointed as a Response to Intervention coach, providing high-quality instruction/intervention matched to student needs.
• The board rescinded the appointment of Jodi Fernandez as a mentor teacher.
• The board accepted the resignation of Laura Dahl as a teacher aide at Woodside Elementary School.
• The board terminated Melissa Sanchez as a teacher aide substitute, Troy Yearwood as a substitute student teacher and Edwin Zhaugi as a school monitor.
• The board accepted donations totaling $325 to the Jason C. Paige Scholarship Fund from Drew Claxton, Marquita Paige, Pearl Reynolds, Zelma Walthall and Jump for Joy Day Care; and a donation of $50 from The Home Depot to Hillcrest Elementary School.  
• A mother of two elementary school students questioned why schools were not locked down during the recent robbery of the JPMorgan Chase Bank branch at 1825 Main St. Superintendent of Schools James Willis replied that the school district was not notified and said he would research the notification process for such incidents.
• To facilitate public participation, the board agreed to review its guidelines for “hearing of citizens” at the beginning and end of its public meetings and make sure they are readily available to anyone wishing to speak.