Peoria Unified board elects Beverly Pangarelli president, adopts new meeting schedule

The Peoria Unified School District Governing Board elected Beverly Pangarelli as its president and approved a reworked schedule for regular board meetings at a January session that also installed Monica Sejan Martinez as clerk.

After an initial nomination that did not carry, the board adopted a motion appointing Beverly Pangarelli to the presidency; members congratulated her and the meeting proceeded under her leadership. The board then approved Monica Sejan Martinez as clerk.

Board members also voted unanimously to change the timing and format of regular meetings. Under the approved schedule, meetings will begin at 6:00 p.m.; the district will continue two meetings per month except for July and Thanksgiving months, with the first meeting held at the dais as a business meeting and the second meeting of the month designated as a study session held on the meeting floor. The study-session format will generally avoid taking action so the board can focus on discussion and background work.

Outgoing clerk, who presided over the start of the meeting, said the schedule change came out of retreat discussion and a desire to structure one meeting each month for in-depth study. “It was the recommendation that our meetings begin at 6,” the superintendent later noted during the agenda discussion.

The leadership and schedule votes were procedural and carried on unanimous or majority outcomes as noted in the minutes. The changes take effect immediately and staff will post the updated schedule and calendar on the district’s public website.

The board has scheduled a first study session under the new format to prioritize a budget briefing and follow-up work stemming from the retreat.