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PATRICIA BODY OF SYRACUSE NAMED BIG 5 CHAIRPERSON AND STEVE LOPEZ OF YONKERS NAMED BIG 5 VICE-CHAIRPERSON

For Release: 7/2/2020
Contact: Jennifer K. Pyle 518-465-4274

PATRICIA BODY OF SYRACUSE NAMED BIG 5 CHAIRPERSON AND STEVE LOPEZ OF YONKERS NAMED BIG 5 VICE CHAIRPERSON

The Conference of Big 5 School Districts announces the appointment of Patricia Body, Commissioner of the Syracuse Board of Education as the Chairperson of the Organization.  Reverend Steve López, President of Yonkers Board of Education, will serve as Vice-Chairperson. Their leadership terms were effective July 1, 2020.

Chairperson Body was first elected to the Syracuse Board of Education in 2009 and is currently the longest serving Commissioner of the Board of Education. Her longstanding commitment to public service began with a career in social work and she has served the community in countless capacities including as Chair of the Danforth-Pond-Butternut Task Force and as a facilitator for TNT Northside. Commissioner Body is also a member of the Syracuse Joint Schools Construction Board.

Vice-Chairperson López was first appointed to the Yonkers Board of Education in 2013 and also serves as Treasurer of the Conference of Big 5 School Districts. Vice-Chairperson López has served on numerous community boards including the Yonkers Human Rights Commission and is a veteran education administrator.  He also currently serves as the Director of Client Services for the Division of Teaching and Learning within the New York City Department of Education.

The Conference of Big 5 School Districts is a membership organization representing New York State’s urban school systems including the Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers, Albany, Mount Vernon and Utica City School Districts.  Collectively, 45% of the State’s public school children are educated in these districts. 

The Big 5 organization has been advocating and promoting urban education issues before federal, State and local entities since 1958.  In 2014, the Organization expanded its scope to include other urban school districts with comparable student demographics and fiscal capacity issues as Affiliate Members. The eight-member school districts work together through the Organization to speak with one voice on the needs and strengths of urban education in New York State.