6 Peekskill teachers, 3 assistants receive tenure

Personnel actions dominated the June 21 meeting of the Peekskill Board of
Education as the board approved tenure for six teachers and three teacher
assistants, appointed a new middle school assistant principal and approved a
variety of appointments for summer school, other summer activities and
extracurricular and co-curricular positions. The board also recognized nine
retirees.

Teachers granted tenure: Benjamin Bloom, English; Jennifer Garabedian, English; Jessica Rizzuti, mathematics; Heydi Rodriguez-Bronfield, elementary; Amy Rosselli, special education/elementary; Michael Telesco, science, all effective Aug. 31.

Teacher assistants granted tenure: Elizabeth Carline, effective Sept. 1; Maria
Gordineer, effective Oct. 21; Francine Yeagley, effective Oct. 7.

Probationary appointments: Dr. June Campolongo as assistant principal at Peekskill Middle School, at a salary of $121,558, and Naima Smith-Moore as coordinator of the LEAP program, at a salary of $108,873, both
effective July 1.

Home
tutoring appointments: Wilton Mason and Joseph Sullivan, social studies, effective June 22.

Summer
School Academy (grades 6-8, July 5-Aug. 4): Teachers: Mark
Andujar, Gloria Blackman, Natalie Bolden, Amanda Bub, Chrissy Bucci, Frank
Cancro, Selma Dias, Josie Esposito, Maria Liable, Scott Tabone, Patrick Taylor,
Roxanne Woodruff, all at $48 per hour. Others: Nancy Ehrlich, social worker,
$48 per hour; Al Ferony and Giha Lucrecia, teacher assistants, $38 per hour;
Sue Callahan, nurse, $38 per hour; Vernon Merriweather, security aide, $14 per
hour.

Rising Stars Summer School Academy (grades K-5, July 5-28): Teachers:
Denise Chavarria, Michele Cooper-Riecke, Valeria DiCuio, Melissa Gualtiere,
Alyssa Gullo, Patricia Henry, Dawn Hoagland, Bridget Holloman, Jonathan
Iasillo, Renee Kearse, Kim Meade, Jamie Rossi, Christopher Salumn, Timothy
Turner, Alexis Vazquez, Kanika Wright, all at $48 per hour. Others: Stephanie
Dabbs, door monitor; Marisa Anzovino and Alisha McCorvey, administrative
interns.

Summer Continuous Improvement Plan: Woodside Elementary
School: Gloria Cordova; Oakside/Hillcrest Elementary Schools: Elizabeth
O’Donnell; Oakside: Marissa Anzovino, Ellen Camillieri, Melissa Fidanza,
Jennifer Lombardo, Alexis Vazquez; Hillcrest: Jennifer Bruno, Val DiCuio,
Gloria Falcon, Candis LaFountain, Jamie Rossi, Gabrielle Sandomir, Tara
Tierney, Alisha Williams-McCorvey; Peekskill Middle School: Natalie Bolden,
John Cooley, Janet Cummaro, Selma Dias-Stewart, Patricia Diaz, Nancy Ehrlich,
Josie Esposito, Jenna Ferris, Maria Laible, Susan Mahoney, Emily Mazzarulli,
Pat Salvatore, George Tihin, Michele Torres, Roxanne Woodruff; Peekskill High
School: Dorothy Bertram, Richard Flacinski, Jennifer Garabedian, Gordon
Hubbard, Lisa Mannion, Todd Newby, Michael Telesco, all at $40 per hour.

In response to questions from board members, Joseph Mosey, interim district director of curriculum instruction, explained that the work will be capped at 75 person-hours for the elementary schools and 100 person-hours for the middle/high schools. The large number of staffers was designed to accommodate a variety of subject matter and schedules.

Extracurricular
and co-curricular advisers, 2010-11: Black Culture Club, Shawna Robinson
and Romelle Smith-Moody.

Extracurricular
and co-curricular advisers, 2011-12: Academic Challenge, G. Erickson; band
director, J. Hahn; Black Culture Club, S. Robinson; Chess Club, M. Andujar;
senior class, A. Kellam; junior class, J. Garabedian and F. Savage; sophomore
class, M. Bishop and R. Hobby-Barrett; Environmental Awareness Club, T. Day;
Exchange Club, T. Day; G.O. treasurer, A. Kellam; Honor Society, J. Spooner;
jazz band director, J. Hahn; Latin Culture Club, M. Santos and S. Veloz;
Literary Magazine, J. Tosto; Interact Club, A. Risoli and M. Skrivanek; Irish
Culture Club, D. Bertram; Mathematics Honor Society, M. Brown; newspaper, J.
Tosto; orchestra director, J. Hahn; PIES, D. Bertram and A. Risoli; Ski Club,
G. Hubbard and L. Norton; Student Council, G. Hubbard and A. Risoli; Team A,
grade 9, D. Bertram; yearbook business, S. Cummings.

Student Summer Helpers (July and August): Nia Adams, Andrew Balow, Kayla Edge-Santos, Jamel Gaillard, Shannon Garvey, Michael Hallinan, Samantha
Holcomb, Kyree Hull, Kayla Kerschus, Valerie Kropf, Kiana Letsinger, Ashley
Lyles, Jonathan Martinez, Vertis McMillan, Chelsea Nauratan, Nadia Searight,
Sheridan Taylor, Samora Vanderpuye, Andrew Wells.

Other appointments: Daniel D. Moran, custodial substitute, $13.50 per hour.

Departures:
The board accepted the resignation of Emily Hersh as assistant principal at
Peekskill High School, effective June 30, and approved an unpaid leave of
absence for child care for Rachel D’Ascoli, elementary teacher, from June 10
through June 30.

Retirees recognized: Dorothy Caroulo, Kathy Hanly, Karen
Kansky, Trudie Lee, Teresa Lucchi-Ferraro, John Pappas, Cathy Pisani, Robin
Reed, Sharon Skinner.

In other action:

• 
  The board approved seven grant-funded contracts to provide services during July and August to special education students.
• 
  The board accepted the following scholarship donations: $500 to the John Nguyen Scholarship Fund; $2,000 from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 746 to the Peekskill High School Scholarship Fund; $1,583 from various donors to the Jason Paige Memorial Scholarship Fund; and $125 from the Christopher Columbus Ladies Auxiliary to the Peekskill High School Scholarship Fund.
• 
  The board approved additional funding of $92,089 for the high school EXCEL project, for a total cost of $1,960,349.
• 
  The board approved additional funding of $84,995 for the high school boiler,
  burner, fields and locker project, for a total cost of $1,709,861.
• 
  Board member Marcela Bobe questioned the absence of a summer school swimming program. Mosey will investigate.