Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District Superintendent Michael McElduff kicked off a nine-minute meeting of the Board of Education with a brief statement on August 29.

“I want to address the rumor that we have decided to keep seventh and eighth grade students at O’Neill High School permanently,” he said. “That is inaccurate.”

He went on to explain that he and other district officials “have all intentions of moving seventh and eighth grade back to the Intermediate School” after the current school year. However, he did say, “possibly” the current seventh grade might be left at O’Neill High School for the 2025-26 school year to keep continuity in their education.

“We will address that in October, and be transparent,” the superintendent said, noting that for the 2025-26 school year they plan to have all three district buildings open and operating with their normal grade levels.

That took about three minutes of the meeting – then the board quickly approved 15 items on the agenda, including the reappointment of popular special education teacher Jevina Lackhan, who had left the HF-FMCSD seven years ago to work for Orange-Ulster BOCES. Lackhan will work at the Highland Falls Intermediate School, replacing Emily Buck, whose resignation was accepted at the same meeting.

Lackhan called the appointment “a full circle moment for me” and said, “it is good to be home”.

In other personnel matters, Evelyn Suero Garcia was appointed as a Spanish teacher, Teodoro Mennite as the district’s mail courier, Marquita Thomas as a teacher aide, and Catherine Clark as a temporary secretary at O’Neill High School.

The board, with just Vice President Faith Aprilante, Gabe O’Connell, Trish Kinney and Gus Koutsourades in attendance, also declared some old printers/copiers as obsolete equipment; approved two supplemental memorandums of agreement with the Town of Highlands Teachers Association; and approved several extra-curricular advisors.