Peekskill School Board Candidate: Maria Pereira

On May 21, Peekskill voters will vote on a $78.4 million budget proposal and elect three new school board members.Below is a brief bio of Maria Pereira and her replies to a set of questions sent to all of the candidates. Pereira is married and the mother of 3 children. Her son is an officer in the U.S. Air Force and her oldest daughter is currently attending college. Her youngest child is a freshman at Peekskill High. She is employed by Town of Cortlandt has AS degree in business, BS in Information System and Technology and  a MS in Organizational Leadership, all from Mercy College. She has been an active board member for the Peekskill Education Foundation since 2002, the  Peekskill Youth Bureau Board since 2006 and the Parent's Association for the Science and Technology Entry Program at New York Medical College since 2009.

Patch: What strengths will you bring to the board?
I am one of the founding board members of the Peekskill Education Foundation, which began in 2002. I  have been a Peekskill Youth Bureau board member since 2006 and I serve as the president of the STEP (Science and Technology Enrichment) Parents Associations  Program  tied in with the New York Medical College in Valhalla, a non for profit organization. I have served as treasurer on the Peekskill Education Foundation as well as the STEP parents association.  I have lived in Peekskill for approximately 30 years .  I care about the community I live in. I am  honest, hard working, dedicated, motivated and committed. 

Patch:  What issues facing the district do you feel most strongly about? Budget and the quality of education. Peekskill is not at the level it should be. Quality of education not only impacts our children, it also impacts the value of real estate and, ultimately, the community as a whole. I am a huge advocate for good education because good education is the basis of our prosperity.

Patch: Describe the quality of education you think students are getting in the district. Are there measures you would take to improve upon it?
The quality of education is a concern. Having said that, I have to applaud  our teachers who try to do their very best with the resources that are available to them. I have requested Superintendent James Willis to put my name on the list of volunteers to help write grants. I am willing to learn. The more grants the city receives, the more  programs we can offer our students. I am a huge proponent of utilizing the wealth of knowledge and expertise that our community has.  Request retirees who may willingly want to volunteer their time. For example, retired IBMers, and other various resourceful individuals.
 
Patch: This was another tough year for the district in terms of developing a budget. Are there any areas you would consider cutting during next year's budget process to stay under the tax cap?
There is only so much that I can say regarding this being on the outside. I will be able to determine exactly once I get the full picture on the inside

Patch:  What do you think the long-term impact of the tax cap will be on Peekskill schools? (Do you support or think it's hurting public education?) 
It will hurt public education

Patch: What do you think about the Common Core standards? Will they benefit Peekskill students? 
Common Core standards  from what I understand are state standards and not a federal curriculum.  It is a clear academic standards of understanding of what the students are expected to learn from kindergarten to high school.  A student will be able to go transfer to any district and, even another state, where he or she will  easily transfer without having to repeat a course.  These standard are unbiased and has no bearing on the zip code or the affluence of the neighborhood. So yes, I believe it will benefit us.

Patch: There are plans for the establishment of a charter school in the Peekskill school district? What are your thoughts on the charter school and the impact it will have on the district?
The application has been denied. It seems to be off the table for now so we have to move on.