At the virtual Whitehall-Coplay School Board meeting Dec. 14, Karen Devine, director of member services for Pennsylvania School Boards Association, presented WCSB President Wayne Grim with an Honor Roll of School Board Service designation for 16 years of service on the board.

Awards are given to board members after eight years of service and for every four years after that.

“School board directors today have a difficult job in our complex society, giving more and more of their personal time to this nonpaid, volunteer, elected position, and we recognize the many challenges you’ve faced during this pandemic,” Devine said.

“The honor roll is the association’s way of saying thank you to individuals who exemplify leadership and statesmanship, giving unselfishly of their time and talents for the future of our public schools,” she added.

Also at the meeting, a prerecorded performance of the Whitehall High School Chorale singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” was shown, with a clip of choir President Zachary Ringenberger and Secretary Logan Fendrick thanking the community for their support and wishing everyone a happy holiday.

Following the chorale performance, WHS Student Council President Jalyn Jimenez announced canned goods and nonperishable food donations are currently being collected for Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative, and students can leave items in the main office of WHS throughout the month of January 2021.

During the public participation portion of the meeting, Whitehall resident LoriAnn Fehnel expressed her concern WCSD has not gone virtual with the numbers of COVID-19 cases on the rise.

WCSD Superintendent Dr. Lorie Hackett said a communication will be sent to parents at the end of the week to provide clarification on the new legislation and requirements from the Pennsylvania Department of Education regarding school closures and positive cases.

Hackett also said the board is expected to discuss the possibility of going temporarily virtual at its next committee meeting, set for Dec. 21.

Hackett, who is retiring at the end of the 2020-21 academic year, shared that the position of WCSD superintendent was posted Dec. 14 and will remain open until Jan. 18, 2021. She said the board is seeking community members’ input as to what they want from their next superintendent. The district will be releasing a community survey near the end of the week.

In other news, Hackett thanked Whitehall Area Rotary for the donation of Aldi’s gift cards for district families struggling with food insecurities.

Whitehall-Coplay PTO PLUS President Toni Fillman informed the community of a new fundraiser - $10 discount cards that can be used at local businesses throughout 2021.

The board approved the appointment of a deputy tax collector form relating to the appointment of Cheryl Pantoni as deputy tax collector for Whitehall Township, in order to collect and settle taxes if the tax collector were to become incapacitated.

Approved retirements include Linda Geissinger, cafeteria worker at Zephyr Elementary School.

Approved resignations include Jessica Atiyeh, ESL paraeducator at Zephyr Elementary.

New appointments include salaried substitute Elizabeth Cameline-Courtney, family and consumer science teacher at Whitehall-Coplay Middle School, at the rate of $51,048; Eileen Tsamutalis, accounts payable level II at the district office, at the rate of $38,534; Margaret Kulp, secretary at WCMS, at $18.44 per hour; Sarah Issa, ESL paraprofessional at Zephyr, at $18.44 per hour; and Audrey Cox, cafeteria monitor at Zephyr, at $13.10 per hour.

Volunteer coach appointments for the 2020-21 season include Todd Troxell, assistant girls basketball coach; Stephanie Snyder and Richard Kern, girls middle school basketball coaches; and Nicholas Daza, Mohamed Moawad, Jeorcy Pena and Rafat Yacoub, assistant wrestling coaches.

Approved club advisers for WHS include Bethany Lewis, Gaming Club, at $700.

Committee meetings on education/student activities, operations/transportation and finance/personnel will be held 4 p.m. Dec. 21 and Jan. 25, 2021.

The next school board meeting will be 7 p.m. Jan. 11, 2021.