Superintendent DiGrandi meeting on 9/4/2026

I met with Superintendent DiGrandi on Friday past; Austin Rd School Principal Mr. Gilligan was also in attendance. 

Mr. DiGrandi listened to my safety concerns for our children dropped off/picked up by parents/guardians at Austin Rd school; he had me walk him through my proposal for a one-way car loop that would facilitate drive-up drop-off/pick-up. Mr. DiGrandi said he couldn't comment on whether my proposed location for a one-way car loop is feasible from an engineering perspective, but he would initiate discussions with engineers regarding this.

Mr. DiGrandi informed me that approximately 10 years ago, when he was Principal of Mahopac Middle School, he played an integral role in transitioning drop-off/pick-up of students from the front to the back of the middle school; this transition was achieved by constructing the one-way car loop currently used by parents/guardians. I hope Mr. DiGrandi will play an integral role in constructing a comparable one-way car loop for parents/guardians at Austin Rd school.

I conveyed to Mr. DiGrandi my admiration for State Senator Mr. Peter Harckham in securing state grants/funding for schools including Hendrick Hudson Schools (for "state-of-the-art security equipment") and Hillcrest Elementary School in Peekskill (for an inclusive playground "made possible in part by a $200,000 State Senate Grant secured by Mr. Harckham for Peekskill City School District."). Mr. Harckham represents NY Senate District 40 in which Austin Road School is situated. Recently, Mr. Harckham secured a state grant for pedestrian crossing safety on Route 6 in Mahopac (by Villa Barone).

I am grateful to Mr. DiGrandi for his time and willingness to engage regarding the goal of this petition, which is to stop our children walking in close proximity to moving vehicles in the lower parking lot of Austin Rd school, by implementing a one-way car loop to facilitate drop-off/pick-up of students. I will keep you posted. Thank you all, Elaine