The October 1 meeting of the Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District Board of Education was the last for Assistant Superintendent for Business Chris Carballo; he was thanked for his work here.

“Thank you,” Board President Anne Lawless said, noting that she “knows you will do great things”.

Carballo - who has spent the last few weeks working with the new business official, Kevin Liebertz – thanked the Board and Superintendent of Schools Michael McElduff “for taking a chance on me in my first opportunity to work in school district management” three years ago.

He said he was proud of four passed school budgets, his management of capital projects and emergency repairs, and his work with the Department of Army (West Point tuition students) and federal government (Impact Aid).

“I hope I have served you well, and I thank my colleagues for the teamwork,” Carballo said. “The experience I gained here will serve me well as I leave.”

In other business from the meeting, Superintendent Michael McElduff and Board President Anne Lawless reported on their recent visit to Washington DC to take part in a National Association of Federally Impacted Schools conference. “It’s always a very busy couple of days, but always worth it,” Lawless said, regarding the district’s continued fight for federal Impact Aid.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Crystal Waterman, and McElduff, said information regarding New York State’s changes to the Regents Exam program will soon be disseminated to not only faculty and staff of the high school, but also families.

“I know you’ve heard that New York is getting rid of the Regents, but they’re not getting rid of them,” Waterman said. “It’s just that in the future they will be utilized differently.”

Building Principals reported in on activities in their buildings, including Hispanic Heritage Month (“Town of Highlands Historian Ronnie Coffey, a former Spanish teacher, came in and read to our students in both English and Spanish,” FMES Principal Alex Hansen said. “They were fascinated by her.”); Spirit Week at O’Neill High School (“One day was dress like Adam Sandler Day,” Principal Dr. Michael Curtain said. “I sat that one out.”); and Custodian Appreciation Week at the Highland Falls Intermediate School, as explained by Principal Charles Femia.

In several personnel matters, the board: hired Maureen Medders as a school nurse; appointed Michelle Cefelo as a secretary; hired teacher aides Eric Heitmuller and Julia Sibley; appointed Terry Rafferty as an unpaid volunteer winter and spring track coach; and accepted the resignations of teachers Kayla Nannariello and Stacey Fisher.