Peekskill School Board Candidate: Michael Simpkins

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 incumbent Michael Simpkins.

Simpkins is seeking his fourth three-year term on the Peekskill school board. He served as vice president of the Peekskill school board in 2006-2007 and president in 2011. He currently serves as board vice president. Simpkins is a native of Graniteville, SC, and a he received a B.A Degree in Music/Art Minor from Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC in 1984. He is listed on Catlin University Honor Roll for 1982 and 1983. as a Medicaid Service Coordinator.

Simpkins has been employed as a Youth Counselor at the Lincoln Hall Boys' Haven in Somers, which provides specialized services for male adolescents. He and his wife, Jacqueline, have been married  for 22 years. They have two children  (Nia  Simpkins /age 16 and Joshua/age 9) presently in the Peekskill school district.  They also have a 19-year-old son, Imani, who graduated Peekskill  High School in 2011 and is now attending Benedict College in Columbia, SC.  Simpkins and his family are members of the Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church and are very active in the Peekskill community.
Patch: What strengths will you bring to the board?
I have the experience  of representing the board as President and Vice President over the years .  I have worked closely with 3 SuperIntendents and know the  resolved and on-going issues of the district.  I have had experience working with other school systems, professional organizations, business firms, agencies of government and the general public.  I have gained experience working with auditors, architects, attorneys, consultants and contractors.  I have learned from, and appreciate, all complaints, comments, concerns  and criticism regarding the operation of the District from the public, employees of the District, students and co-Board Members and continue to be open-minded.

Patch: What issues facing the District do you feel  most  strongly about?
The Peekskill School District is a small city school district that mainly rely on New York State Aide to sustain it’s educational  programs.   State Aide continues to decrease and expectations, with unfunded mandates, continue to increase which is driving our Fund Balance to the edge of a financial crisis and the district future ability to sustain and meet the educational needs of our children. We must continue to collaborate and find innovative and fiscally responsible management practices in order to deliver instruction in the classroom and to give our children options.

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 Peekskill students continue to  increase the passing rate for ELA and Mathematics.  Students continue to increase scoring 65 and above on the English, Integrated Algbra and Living Environment  New York State Regents  Exams. The Peekskill school district continues to have National Merit Finalists and National Merit  Semi-Finalists. Only 15,000 students out of 2 million nationwide gain this achievement.
 
The Peekskill school district continues to expand partnerships and collaborations with 11 colleges, several area businesses and agencies that are now an integral component to the enrichment of our children’s lives in Peekskill.   Our children's participation in Chorus, Band , Drama  and  Sports has increased more than 50 percent and they are representing themselves well by their outstanding performances and winning championships.  Our students  and staff interact with organizations and groups in Peekskill and throughout Westchester, including  Drum Hill Senior Living Center, Peekskill  Senior Citzens Club, Peekskill Youth Bureau,  Field Library, Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art,  Hudson River Healthcare,  Wheelabrator  Technologies Entergy,  Peekskill Rotary Club, and the Paramount Center for the Arts.  Colleges that serve as partners or collaborators include Bank Street College, Fordham University, Manhattanville College, Mercy College,  Pace University, Westchester Community College, the College of St Rose, SUNY New Paltza, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Purchase and  SUNY Albany.

In  2002 the  Peekskill  school district implememted  a long range Strategic  Plan which articulated a bold mission and vision for the school district.  Among the educational goals stated in the Strategic Plan is that all third-graders would be able to read “at or above grade level” .  The district has not yet realized that goal.   District-wide we need to improve reading skills.  We also need to collaborate more innovative way to implement more Elective Courses for students to have options for educational  life skill  and career options.

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 years budget process to stay under the tax cap?
Anything  that  does not have a impact on the instructional function of the classroom and safety of our children.

Patch: What do you think the long-term impact of the tax cap will be on Peekskill   School?  (Do you support or think it’s hurting public education?)
Peekskill City School District currently ranks in the lowest   10 percent in prosperity among  New York State’s  700 school districts.  According to the 2000 census,  Peekskill’s per capita income is less than the average for the state and only tw0-thirds that of other communities in Westchester  County.   About 13.7 percent of Peekskill’s  population is below the poverty line.   The 2% Tax Cap along with unfunded mandates and continued cuts in State Aide impacts a small city school like Peekskill is  going to be devastating.  Unfunded mandates are the biggest contributor to high property taxes.

Patch: What do you think about the Common Core Standards?   Will they benefit  Peekskill  students?
Teachers are being asked to learn new content and new teaching strategies.   I feel that our Administrators and teachers will and continue to need to be provided with professional development to appropriately implement the Common Core Standards.  There needs to be time to really collaborate and look at the standards to see their purposeful cohesions and more opportunities to talk with each other and visit other classrooms.   Preparation of teachers who will be responsible for translating the standards into classroom practice is crucial.

Patch: There are plans for the establishment of charter school in the Peekskill school district. What is your thoughts  on the Charter School and the impact it will have on the district?
I do not support the petition and proposed application that was submitted to the New  York  State Board of Regents requesting approval to open the Guardian Academy in Peekskill, New   that proposes only redundant educational services that are already available within the Peekskill   School District.   The Guardian  Academy would require up to 14 percent property tax increase to sustain services in the Peekskill Schools as they stand today or it would result in the elimination of programs such as  sports, music, art, pre-K, and / or kindergarten if excessive tax increases are not approved by a supermajority of voters and take away $14 million dollars of funding  over the next 6 years from Peekskill Schools.

Patch: Is there anything we haven’t asked that you would like the public to know about you or your candidacy ?
I want to thank the Peekskill   Community for their support over the years as a member of the Peekskill City School Board of Education.  The residents have supported all the proposed budgets that I have worked  on durning my terms as a board members.  I am in support for this year’s budget $78.4 million dollars that continues to sustain educational service for our children.