At the Feb. 8 Catasauqua Area School District Board of Education meeting, Sheckler Elementary School Principal Eric Dauberman was approved to move into a new position - director of academic recovery - for the district, at his current salary.

This change will be effective July 1.

Dauberman is from Lewisburg. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Shippensburg University, an elementary teaching certificate from Moravian College (now University) and a master’s degree in education-classroom technology as well as a K-12 principal certification from Wilkes University.

He taught first, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades in Whitehall-Coplay School District, spanning 1999-2007. He served as assistant principal at Catasauqua Middle School 2007-08. He was named principal at Sheckler Elementary in 2008.

He reported his first responsibility in the new position will be to facilitate the transition of new leadership at Sheckler. In addition to getting a new principal, the elementary school will be welcoming a new assistant principal and school counselor.

Dauberman noted the new counselor - Ms. Casto - was set to start her transition March 14 to get comfortable at the school.

School board members approved Robert Kucharczuk as the new Sheckler principal at the April 12 meeting, effective July 1, at $110,000.

The interview process is underway for the new assistant principal position since Ronald DeMaio is retiring after 33 years of service. His retirement is effective Aug. 18.

In addition to facilitating the Sheckler transition, “I will plan, guide and facilitate efforts to help students who are struggling academically,” Dauberman said.

He noted the transition may be difficult while he learns how to balance the responsibilities of his new job while assisting the transition of the new Sheckler administration and staff members.

“Since I will be working out of the district office, which is attached to Sheckler, I will be close by and accessible when needed,” Dauberman reported.

He noted he will miss serving the students, teachers and community of Sheckler, as well as the daily interactions with the students, staff and families.

“I plan on being around Sheckler whenever I can to experience those interactions as much as possible as I transition to my new role over time,” Dauberman said.

He reported how he will miss the fun events such as holiday parties, Halloween parade, Thanksgiving lunch and the other “fun and educational activities and opportunities that our school district and the Sheckler Home and School Association provides for our students.”

He said he will miss working with the Sheckler staff members on a daily basis.

“Over my years, I have had the good fortune of working with, then hiring, many new teachers at Sheckler,” he said. “The staff at Sheckler cares about our kids, this community and each other. The students of Sheckler are always in loving and caring hands when they walk through the doors of this elementary school.”

Dauberman made sure to thank Superintendent of Schools Robert Spengler, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Christina Lutz-Doemling and the school board members for allowing him “this opportunity to serve the students and families of the Catasauqua Area School District in a new and exciting way.”