After months of controversy  in the Fall River River School Department, a negotiated settlement with  soon-to-be outgoing Superintendent Doctor Matthew Malone was reached this week and approved Thursday Afternoon during a Special Session of the Fall River School Committee in the Kuss Middle School Community Room. 

Current Fall River Assistant Superintendent of Schools Maria Pontes will assume the duties of Superintendent on the first day of July, while Malone will leave the district with a $70,000 pay out with provisions in a renegotiated contract. 

Malone was praised for his leadership of the district by the four committee members who showed their support by voting to retain him, while Paul Hart and Kevin Augiar lamented that Malone could not have left earlier.