Three candidates are running for three vacant seats in the Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District.
Voters will also be asked to approve school district budgets as well.
If the budget passes, the HF-FMCSD’s tax levy is expected to increase about 1.53 percent.
The News asked each candidate for their educational and professional information, as well as to talk about their community involvement and what they can offer to the Board of Education. Meet the candidates here:
Ned Kopald
Education: A graduate of Highland Falls High School. Ned was the third generation of his family to benefit from the education provided by our school system, with his son being the fourth generation. He is a graduate of the University of Vermont and New York University Law School. He ran for the BOE when his son was a student and continues to this day.
Professional Background: Self employed attorney in the community; former Chief Assistant District Attorney Orange County
Community involvement: Ned has a life-long commitment to the community and its organizations: former Town Justice, Cemetery Committee; and Pro Bono work on behalf of the Highland Falls Library. He has worked for and traveled extensively for the school district related to critical Federal Impact Aid issues for our district, its citizens and our children.
Offering: Ned says he is “critically aware of the importance that our school system has to our entire community and the healthy future of our citizens. We must search for new revenues to help lessen the tax burden on our taxpayers”.
Faith Aprilante
Education: Faith is a 1993 graduate of James I. O’Neill High School and very proud alumna of the district. She went on to earn her Bachelor’s of Social Work and has dedicated all of her professional life to work within the Child Welfare system.
Professional Background: As a civil servant in Orange County, Faith works with children and families with a focus on safety, well-being and family preservation.
Community Involvement: “I love the community that I live in and have served in many ways to give back. The volunteer role I am most proud of is that of Board of Education member.”
Offering: For the last 10 years, Faith has served in this capacity and says the most rewarding experience she has had is witnessing the extraordinary works of teachers and accomplishments of students as a result at each and every grade level. “I strive to continue to be a voice for our community at the Board table and do so humbled and full of Raider pride!”
Gabe O’Connell
Education: Gabe is a 1991 graduate of O’Neill HS. He has a degree in Mathematics with a secondary education concentration from Mount St Mary College and a degree in civil engineering from Manhattan College.
Professional: He was a high school math teacher at O’Neill from 1997 to 1999 and also coached both basketball and baseball at the HS level. Gabe has worked at Fairway Testing since 1999, achieving certification as a Professional Engineer in the state of NY in 2015.
Community Involvement: Gabe has lived in the Highland Falls/Fort Mont-gomery area for over 40 years, currently living in Highland Falls with his wife Jamie and their three daughters who all attend HFIS.
Offering: Gabe has been a school board member since 2014 and brings a unique perspective to the board being a former student, teacher and coach in the district as well as a homeowner with children in the school district. His engineering background also provides a beneficial perspective towards capital projects within the district.
