Zernone Named Principal at Hillcrest Elementary

Michelle Zernone has been appointed principal of Hillcrest Elementary School in Peekskill, effective Wednesday, Aug. 16. Her appointment was one of three administrative assignments approved Aug. 15 during a special meeting of the Peekskill Board of Education.

Zernone comes to Peekskill from Middletown High School in Orange County, where she has been one of four house principals reporting to an executive principal. At Hillcrest, which serves grades four and five, she replaces Interim Principal Kent Picou. Her annual salary will be $125,000.

Other administrative appointments:

• Louis Panzanaro was named director of athletics, a position he had been filling on a part-time basis. Panzanaro, whose annual salary will be $120,000, will continue as coach of the Peekskill High School boys basketball team, which has won several state championships under his tutelage.
• Joseph Mosey, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, was given additional duties as director of physical education through June 30, 2012.

Both appointments are effective Aug. 16.

During the hearing of citizens at the start of the meeting a mother detailed her concerns about, and attempts to resolve, bullying directed at her daughter and a friend during the past school year. Both girls are students at Peekskill High School. Board President Joseph Urbanowicz told her that the board would look into the matter and that she could expect to hear from Superintendent of Schools James Willis.