BOE recognized performance at virtual celebration
Five Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District employees were awarded tenure at the May 7 Board of Education meeting.
O’Neill High School Guidance Counselor Tom Brietfeller, Speech & Language Pathologist Jennifer Kimbiz, Highland Falls Intermediate School Guidance Counselor Caitlin Nichols, Director of Pupil Personnel Services Beth Hordines and Highland Falls Intermediate School Principal Michael McElduff were approved for tenure and honored during an online meeting. All five were “in attendance” at the Google Meet session.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Sheboy called the group, collectively, “beyond compare”.
“As I think of the contributions each of you have made to our district over the past four years, I can see that you are some of the best educators we could have ever brought in,” the superintendent said.
Each of the five will get certificates recognizing their tenure in the mail, and “we will recognize them in person when it is safer to do so”, Sheboy said.
Here are excerpts from each of the candidates tenure certificates, as read by Sheboy:
Breitfeller — “… he challenges his students to pursue coursework that will maximize their potential and to balance their emotional and social well-being with their academic concerns, while also helping families to acclimate to the culture and practices of the high school; and he extends himself in every way possible to the students, their families, the faculty and administration, selflessly assisting and relentlessly advocating for those who need it most …”.
Kimbiz — “… she is able to find a balance for her students between their speech and language needs, social and emotional well-being, and their academic concerns, while also helping families to understand their children’s strengths and areas of growth; and she appreciates the importance of being proactive in providing targeted, research based interventions, showing collegiality, and responding passionately to the needs of countless students …”.
Nichols — ” … she creates a sense of community and belonging in the guidance office and through her supervisory roles and is able to find a balance for her students between their emotional and social well-being, and their academic concerns, while also helping families to acclimate to the culture and practices of intermediate school … responding passionately to the needs of hundreds of students over the past four years …”.
Hordines — “… she has become a champion for underserved children of the district, an advocate for student needs which are met by a tremendous group of faculty and staff who she supervises, and a trusted colleague to all with whom she works; and she has worked to develop new programs and integrate services to meet the needs of all of the district’s children … her passion and commitment to meet the needs of all students is evident every day …”.
McElduff — ” the Highland Falls – Fort Montgomery Board of Education acknowledges, on behalf of community and staff the contribution Michael McElduff has made to the academic growth and development of students; he has served the district with distinction and demonstrated the highest administrator standard; he exudes enthusiasm, flexibility, and sensitivity to student needs…”.
