Hudson Valley School Administrator Arrested, Accused of Stealing From Students

A Hudson Valley school administrator has been arrested and charged after investigators say money connected to local students and school activities went missing.

According to the Wappingers Central School District, concerns first surfaced during a routine audit of student activity funds from the 2023-2024 school year. Officials say the audit found that money tied to student clubs and activities appeared to be unaccounted for.

Investigation Launched After Funds Went Missing

The district says it immediately launched an internal investigation and contacted law enforcement over the possibility of criminal activity. The employee was also placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation got underway.

The district says the investigation began in January 2025 and involved the East Fishkill Police Department, the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office.

Suspect Identified by Wappingers Central School District

Officials now say Amanda Ingalls, a former Library Media Specialist and Building Central Treasurer at John Jay High School, has been charged with a criminal offense by the East Fishkill Police Department.

According to public records, Ingalls reportedly earned a salary of $114,587, which is 57 percent higher than the median salary in Wappingers Central Schools.

School officials say Ingalls submitted an irrevocable resignation letter that was accepted by the district on August 25, 2025.

Incident Triggers Changes at John Jay High School

Despite the allegations involving student activity funds, the district says no student clubs or extracurricular activities lost money or were financially impacted by the situation.

School officials also say new financial controls have now been put in place at John Jay High School and throughout the district in an effort to prevent similar issues in the future.

In a statement, Superintendent Dr. Dwight Bonk thanked investigators and district administrators for their work on what he described as a “most disturbing circumstance.”