At the May 11 meeting, Catasauqua Area School District Board of Education approved various personnel changes for the district.

Personnel changes include the retirements of Lois Morrissey, a Catasauqua High School noncertified instructional aide, effective June 15, and Dorothy Delbertis, a cafeteria worker at Sheckler Elementary School, effective June 4.

Paul Reilly was approved as the districtwide network manager, at $107,000, effective June 1. Reilly replaces Wayne Karess, who is retiring.

According to Dr. Christina Lutz-Doemling, Reilly has worked both in school districts and the private sector. She reported he brings a lot of experience with him.

“We’re very fortunate,” CASD Superintendent Robert Spengler noted.

Hillary Atkinson was approved as a districtwide K-12 gifted teacher, at $60,008, effective Aug. 19.

“She brings a wealth of content knowledge and expertise,” Lutz-Doemling said.

Additionally, Meredith Miller was approved to move from a noncertified instructional aide at Sheckler Elementary to an online teacher, at $57,327, effective Aug. 19.

“We’re lucky to have her,” Sheckler Principal Eric Dauberman noted.

The board members all welcomed the new hires.

Board members approved the appointment of Nikoli Polles as a districtwide student worker, as of April 26. The resignation of student worker Marcus Marmolejos was also approved.

Student teacher Madison Higgins, from Kutztown University, was approved to work with Megan Murphy in kindergarten from Aug. 30 to Oct. 20, before working with Kristine Kostura in special education, Oct. 23-Dec. 17.

Several substitute employees were removed for various reasons, including not renewing clearances, not submitting employment packets and personal reasons. Jacquelyn Garner was approved as a substitute teacher.

Seven students were approved for summer custodial employment, effective June 14. These workers include Jaxon Berrier, Connor Mickelson, Joseph Fischl, Bruce Fryslin, Nikoli Polles, Hunter Reitz and Luis Silva.

In other business, the board voted to elect board member Donald Panto as board treasurer for a one-year term, effective July 1-June 30, 2022.

Additional board approvals included the 2021-22 facilities plan committee report of Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21; grant applications for vocational, state and federal programs; the second reading of the bullying/cyberbullying policy; the 2021-22 game worker rates and ticket prices; a tax assessment appeal for 1846 Catasauqua Road; and the approval of additional van and bus stops.

One of these stops is at Howertown Road and Willow Drive for the first district students to live in the new Willow Brook residential development.

Suburban North Family YMCA has also been approved to use two school buses and drivers, to be paid by the YMCA, for summer camp field trips, pending state and local COVID-19 guidance. In exchange, high school and middle school athletes are able to utilize the YMCA fitness room and gymnasium facility June through August.

Student representative Trista Graser-Jewell reported she was receiving positive feedback from students and families about changes to the end-of-year events. She thanked the administration for trying to make everything as close to a traditional year as possible.

She also thanked the board members for helping the students through a “challenging but rewarding school year.”

Lois Reed, CASD business supervisor and organizer of the Catasauqua Community Cares Program, reported the group received a $1,500 donation from Hanover Township, Lehigh County, toward C3P. She noted Hanover is planning to make the C3P donation a regular line item in its budget.

Spengler also mentioned the district received a $2,925 donation for C3P from Lehigh Valley Educators Credit Union.

The school board next meets 7 p.m. June 10. Note: This is a Thursday, a departure from the board’s normal Tuesday meeting day.