Come August 25, the Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District will have a new assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and technology. Rachel Adelstein, who has held the position for the last two years, has resigned as of that date to head to a similar position in Pine Bush. Dr. Crystal Waterman, currently a principal in the Mount Vernon Central School District, was appointed to the role by the Board of Education on July 1.

A native of The Bronx, Waterman graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education. She holds three Master’s Degrees in Education from Long Island University, and has an earned a Doctorate in Education from Fordham University.

Prior to working in Mount Vernon, she served as a middle school principal in Poughkeepsie and an assistant principal in New York City. Prior to becoming an administrator, Waterman spent the first two decades of her career as a teacher, reading specialist and an instructional coach.

She was at last week’s board meeting and said she was excited to assume the role in the HFMCSD and called it “an extraordinary opportunity”.

“It is with great humility and deep appreciation that I accept your appointment,” she said. “I’m honored by the board’s confidence in me and the opportunity to serve the district, with such a strong sense of purpose and pride. Throughout my career I’ve been guided by a steadfast belief in the transformative power of education. I’m committed to bringing that belief and my experience as an instructional leader to support the district’s goals and to advance the shared vision of academic excellence, equity and innovation.”