The Peekskill City School Board voted to adopt Policy 2245, establishing a process for a student member of the board, and approved routine consent items and meeting minutes during the same session.

What the board decided: Trustees voted to waive a second reading and adopt Policy 2245, "Executive officer student member of the board of education," after describing a process that gives the student body an opportunity to choose a representative and a recommended alternate. The policy discussion noted the state law requires that districts designate at least one student board member and that the district sought to preserve students’ time by allowing flexibility in how the student participates.

Other approved motions at the meeting included adding a nomination of Michael Simpkins for the Frederick R. Dyer award to the consent agenda, placing an employee agreement for Assistant Superintendent for Business Cynthia Hawthorne on the consent agenda, approving the consent agenda items (10A–13I) and accepting minutes from the May 20, 2025 business meeting and the June 3, 2025 work session.

Why it matters: Policy 2245 implements a state requirement and formalizes how the district’s student representative will be selected and participate. Board members said the intention is to balance giving students a voice with respecting their extracurricular and academic commitments.

Key points from discussion: Board members said they consulted a model template from the state school boards association and solicited student input on the selection process. The students’ recommendation was that their elected student council appoint the student representative and an alternate so the board seat can be filled when the primary representative is unavailable.

Votes at a glance:
- Motion to add nomination of Michael Simpkins for the Frederick R. Dyer award to the consent agenda — Moved by Tuesday McDonald; seconded by [Mrs.] DeLay; outcome: approved (all in favor, recorded as "Aye" on the roll call).
- Motion to include Cynthia Hawthorne’s employee agreement on the consent agenda — Moved by Tuesday McDonald; seconded by Miss Velarde; outcome: approved (all in favor).
- Motion to approve business meeting minutes (05/20/2025) and work session minutes (06/03/2025) — Moved by Tuesday McDonald; seconded by Mrs. Verray; outcome: approved (all in favor).
- Motion to approve consent agenda items 10A–13I — Moved by Mr. Jenkins; seconded by Tuesday McDonald; outcome: approved (all in favor).
- Motion to waive a second reading and adopt Policy 2245 (Executive officer, student member of the board of education) — Moved by Jolene Balon; seconded by Ms. Vallee; outcome: approved (all in favor).

What the policy says (summary): The board discussed a written process that (1) implements the state requirement to have at least one student member, (2) allows the student body to choose its representative (the student council’s recommendation is included in the record), and (3) permits an alternate to attend when the primary cannot. Board members emphasized limiting required meeting time for students who already hold leadership, athletic or arts commitments.

Next steps: District staff and students will finalize the administrative procedures to implement the policy and communicate the selection timeline; the board expects a student representative to participate during the coming school year.

No litigation, contract awards or budget adoptions were decided at this portion of the meeting.