Board meets next (virtually) on Nov. 4
The Board of Education updated the public on several matters at its meeting on Oct. 7.
— Board President Anne Lawless commented on the “very busy” Impact Aid conference that she, Superintendent Dr. Frank Sheboy and Assistant Superintendent for Business Joe Lenz attended in Washington DC recently. “Impact Aid is something we always have to keep focus on,” she said, but also noted that while in Washington they spoke with the region’s elected officials (Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Congressman Maloney) about “our situation with West Point”. She said all three were “well aware of it”.
Lawless also commented on the sessions of the conference she attended, noting that many school districts from around the country are still struggling with getting students back to school full time.
“I’m so proud of what we’ve done to bring kids back,” she said. “We did a damn good job.”
Sheboy also spoke about the conference, calling it “very valuable”.
— The after-school Healthy Kids program came up, with Board Member Kristen O’Dell saying that parents have expressed their concerns to her because the program has not yet begun in the district this year.
Sheboy said that while district officials remain in contact with Healthy Kids — a private program operated in recent years in school buildings — “they are having a labor shortage.
“Like everybody else, they are having trouble finding employees,” Sheboy said, adding that the district also is having trouble filling all of its positions this school year.
“But we are still actively talking with them,” Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Michael McElduff said.
— Board Member Ned Kopald asked the board to consider returning to in-person Board of Education meetings. Right now the board is scheduled to meet virtually through the end of the year.
— HFIS Teacher Heather Evangelista presented about an overnight trip she hopes to take in mid-November with a group of seventh and eighth graders. If the board approves — which it is expected at the first meeting in November –they will participate in the Middle School Mock Legislature in Albany. The cost is $275 per student.
— FMES Principal Rachel Adelstein said she’d met with representatives of the Army football team who want to do an outreach program with elementary students. She also said FMES students will take a walking field trip to the Fort Montgomery Fire House later this month for a fire prevention lesson.
— Board Vice President Faith Aprilante brought up the topic of “dangerous and reckless TikTok challenges” that school districts across the country are having to deal with. O’Neill High School Principal Robin Haberman said that her students would all be having discussions about “decision making and the negative effect of social media” on Oct. 13 as a part of a day of special events at the high school.
The entire meeting is available to watch via the district’s YouTube channel, with a link at www.hffmcsd.org.
