HF-FMCSD graduated 40 4-year-olds from pre-k
The Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District — and particularly the Fort Montgomery Elementary School — celebrated their 2023 pre-kindergarten graduates in style on June 14.
The ceremony was held in the nearly-filled O’Neill High School auditorium with Superintendent Michael McElduff, Deputy Super-intendent Frank Sheboy and Board of Education Vice President Faith Aprilante cheering on the young grads from the front row. Parents, siblings and grandparents holding balloons, signs and lots of cell phones lit up the seats. Also on hand were FMES teachers and aides who don’t teach pre-kindergarten.
On stage with the students — all wearing graduation caps they designed themselves — were their teachers, Allie Lennon, Kendall Smith and teacher aides Claudia Beuchert, Anna Guerra, Paula Rostron, Kaysha Holloman. Former aide Lori Sheldon was in the audience too, saying “she wouldn’t miss it!”.
The students, after their processional, delighted the audience by performing “Let it Shine” before receiving their certificates.
But before that, they attentively listened to their principal, Rachel Adelstein, tell them how proud all of the FMES staff is of them.
“As you move on to kindergarten we hope that the foundation we have given you will serve you well,” she said, telling the children that in return “you gave us great smiles and laughs every single day”. She reminded the students that as they do start kindergarten, their pre-K teachers will be right there to keep supporting them.
Adelstein also took a minute to thank the parents “for trusting us with your babies”.
“They are magical,” she said.
Also speaking briefly was McElduff, also the parent of young children, who he said have helped him to understand better this age group, even though he previously served as FMES principal.
“This is by far one of my favorite nights,” he said, and he praised the children for their “great hats …. I can’t stop looking at them,” he said.
To their parents, he said, “this is just the first step in their long educational journey. Know that family is the most important piece of their success; you support how they learn and grow. As we celebrate these children, we also celebrate the families in the audience.”
Both Adelstein and McElduff praised the pre-kindergarten team of teachers for their hard work and creativity “every single day of the school year”.
Moving on to kindergarten are: Jacob Abonyoh, Jahmiel Almonte, Hudson Bilodeau, Phoenix Binns, Prince Blandino, Kane Bolak, Mael Civil, Joshua Cutaia, Paisley Diaz, Nataeyo Elie, Lilian Erbe, Harley Gnagnarelli, Jacob Hardee, Caroline Howard, Nicholas Jeremiah, Emerson Jones, Eva Kiriew, Ayden Lora, Scarlett Louch, James Marvin, Cylia Mazroub, Cailyn McKernan, Luca Mineo, Gina Morocho, King Odhiambo, Ennelly Pena-Gonzalez, Nayia Pena-Gonzalez, Rowan Pulido, Ayden Raza, Laura Reyes DeAza, Florencia Rodriguez, Nicolas Rodriguez, Sanit Sanitaj, Camille Santiago, Marquez Sueffert, Ayden Whigam, Sydaira Wiggins, Mason Wood.
