The month of February was a very busy month filled with important work and great accomplishments! As many of you know, our District remains in need of additional funds from New York State so that we may provide greater opportunities and support for our students. With this fact in mind, a team of Peekskill Board members, PCSD staff, parents, a PHS student and I visited legislators and staff in Albany so that we could advocate in-person for equitable funding. Other highlights from February include our schools’ Black History Month celebrations and educational sessions, which celebrated the lives and legacies of influential African American leaders. We also took a giant step forward in our District’s efforts to improve parent engagement, as we re-opened the Lisa Rolleri Parent Resource Center at Uriah Hill last month. The Center will be offering parent-focused workshops, and a list of these courses will be posted shortly. In keeping with our efforts to support our students, the District recently partnered with the City’s Youth Bureau to expand our Hass’s Way program, and we are pleased to say that our My Brother’s Keeper program continues to thrive by offering mentoring, college visits and a variety of enriching field trips. Finally, I want to remind our families that there are only a few Saturday Academy sessions left for this school year. Since our November launch, over 1,800 parents, students, staff and community partners have joined us for this exciting event! We invite you to come out and experience the energy of Saturday Academy firsthand.

Sincerely,
Dr. David Mauricio, Superintendent of Schools
Core Planning Team Continues Work
Our Core Planning Team recently reconvened to continue the discussion of our District’s mission and goals, and the work surrounding our initiatives. The team consists of PCSD administrators, a Board member, staff, parents, students, community members, city representatives and clergy. At the meeting, Superintendent Mauricio, Dr. Joseph Mosey, Dr. Mary Keenan Foster, Mr. Dan Callahan, Mrs. Janice Reid, Mrs. Ellen Gerace and Mrs. Maria Olivier-Flores updated the team on District accomplishments so far this year, and they received helpful input on these efforts. The team was impressed by the District’s work and supported our focus on children and excellence.
PCSD & City Youth Bureau Partner to Enhance Hass's Way Program
The Peekskill City School District recently celebrated with the P eekskill Youth Bureau  as we begin a collaborative effort to enhance the opportunities for students attending our Hass’s Way program.
“By working together on our Hass’s Way program, it’s a win-win for Peekskill Schools and the Youth Bureau,” said Peekskill Superintendent Dr. David Mauricio. “Our students now have the opportunity for four additional hours of study daily. In addition to their regular course study, students will also be exposed to guest speakers, and learn about careers and self-reflection. By starting the day with a free warm meal, we aim to provide students with the resources they need to stay focused on the program’s coursework throughout their time at the Youth Bureau. It’s also important to point out that thanks to the City of Peekskill Youth Bureau and the School District combining our resources, we were able to provide these enhanced benefits to our students at no additional cost to either party. It took the teamwork of many dedicated individuals to make this happen. I’m excited for our Hass's Way students to see these enhancements and that we are supporting their education as a community. ” 
We thank all of our District staff, our City Council and the dedicated members of our community who helped bring this dream to reality.
Peekskill Hosts HV Regional Basics Networking Convening
The Hudson Valley Regional Basics Networking Convening took place at Uriah Hill Elementary this morning. Members of Basics communities, including Lakeland, Tarrytown, Yonkers and Ossining joined Peekskill Basics partners to discuss their purpose and goals. We were excited to have NYS Regent and former Peekskill CSD Superintendent Judith Johnson for this meeting. While visiting, Regent Johnson took the time to meet with our teachers and students. She saw student art decorating the walls and met a PHS alumni turned teacher. Regent Johnson also spoke to high school students about their feelings regarding Regents Exams, and witnessed our Pre-K students creating a mural for our local fire department. See more photos from the day here .
Uriah Hill Celebrates Black History
Mrs. Carmen Vargas and her team at Uriah Hill Elementary hosted a Black History Month Celebration at the school this month. The event featured a stunning song by special guest Ja'Quon Welch, inspirational words from Peekskill Mayor Rainey, and a special presentation from the NAACP's Michael Stephenson. Stephenson came accompanied by props such as an astronaut helmet and scientist goggles, which he handed out to students with the message that they can grow up to be whatever they'd like. Mrs. Vargas' special dance troupe and Mr. McClellan's class also performed, and Ms. Council's class recited poems for guests. See more photos from this event here .
My Brother's Keeper Students Visit Consumer Reports
Students and mentors from the Peekskill and Yonkers My Brother's Keeper (MBK) programs recently visited Consumer Reports in Yonkers. The students learned about applied sciences while participating in taste tests and examining how flat screen TVs display images. They even had the chance to venture inside of an Anechoic Chamber! The students also heard from company speakers, including CEO Marta L. Tellado, who urged the group to believe in themselves, follow their passions and make good choices. See more photos from the trip here . See a News 12 clip about the day here .
PCSD Education Advocates Head to Albany to Demand Fair Funding from NYS
A group of Peekskill CSD representatives traveled to Albany to meet with elected officials and advocate for fair funding for Peekskill Schools. At the meetings, district advocates highlighted PCSD’s successes and explained the challenges Peekskill faces due to an inadequate amount of NYS Foundation Aid. Peekskill City School is owed more than $15 million from New York State for the 2019-20 school year? That amount increases to a cumulative $73 million owed since 2007. You can learn more about the District’s advocacy efforts, and find a pre-composed letter to send to our elected officials here . Please call / write to the Governor to support our request.
Peekskill MBK Students Visit Culinary Institute of America
Peekskill students and mentors from the My Brother's Keeper (MBK) program recently enjoyed a tour of the Culinary Institute of America's classrooms. Attendees learned about becoming a chef and met current CIA students. The trip featured a wonderful lunch in the Ristorante Caterina de'Medici. Thank you to Mr. Darryl Francis of the Peekskill Youth Bureau who arranged the visit.
See more photos from the trip here .
PHS Jazz Cafe to be Held at Beanrunner Cafe
Join the Peekskill High School Jazz Band on Sunday, March 31 at BeanRunner Cafe for an afternoon of great music performed by PHS students under the Direction of Band Director Mr. John Hahn! The event will run from 3-6 PM.
Peekskill High School Students Visit Cooper Union Campus in NYC
On Wednesday, February 13, Peekskill High School students took a tour of The Cooper Union campus in Manhattan. Founded in 1859 by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers an unparalleled education in architecture, art and engineering. The rigor of the academic programs has made it one of the top-ranked institutions of higher education in the nation in all categories.
The students toured the Engineering Building that housed the Electrical, Chemical, Civil, Mechanical and General Engineering programs. PHS students were excited to be able to experience some of the hands on learning that The Cooper Union is known for.
PFA Food Drive a Success
Shout out to the Peekskill Faculty Association (PFA), who recently completed their annual food drive. They collected about 40 pounds of food to donate to the United Methodist Food Pantry in Peekskill. Thank you to all who contributed and to the PFA for organizing the effort!
Full "STEAM" Ahead at PKMS
T here were so many great projects and presentations at this year’s Peekskill Middle School STEAM Fair! We learned how to make slime, why candy machines jam and how magnets can play a role in the future of transportation! Thank you to everyone who came out to support our scientists, tech experts, engineers, artists and mathematicians! See more photos from this event here .
Our Parent Resource Center is
Now Open!
Thank you to all of our school community stakeholders, partners and volunteers who gathered at Uriah Hill for the Lisa Rolleri Parent Center’s Grand Re-Opening Ribbon Cutting event! We thank the Board of Education for supporting this initiative and to PCSD Parent, Family and Community Liaison Mrs. Maria Olivier-Flores for her endless hard work and dedication in getting the Parent Center ready for this day. We look forward to serving our community’s needs with the many resources the Center has to offer. See more photos of our Parent Center in action during our recent "Conversations with the Superintendent" event by clicking here .
Next Saturday Academy Planned for March 9
Dress in green and join us at our next Saturday Academy on March 9! We'll be marching in the City's St. Patrick's Day Parade following the Academy. This week we are excited to host a special animal show on our PKMS stage thanks to the Two By Two Zoo. As always, the day starts with a free brunch at 10 a.m. Remaining 2019 Saturday Academy dates: March 23, April 27 and May 11.
Mobile Food Pantry Dates
The Mobile Food Pantry is coming to Hillcrest! Food items will be available for pick up on the following 2019 dates: April 25, May 9 and June 27. Pick up will be held from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise announced. We encourage our families to take advantage of this free resource. To help our efforts, we will also need volunteers to help set up, distribute food and clean up. If you are able to lend a hand, please contact chernandez@peekskillschools.org.
Peekskill Board of Education
Michael Simpkins, President
Maria Pereira, Vice President

Trustees: Allen Jenkins, Jr., Pamela Hallman-Johnson, Branwen MacDonald,
Samuel North, Jillian Villon
 
Dr. David Mauricio
Superintendent of Schools