At the Whitehall-Coplay School Board meeting May 23, Whitehall High School Student Council members Alexis Quach and Mikayla Warren updated the board on the results of the Mini-THON fundraiser, which was held May 20. The event for WHS students featured face painting, a bounce house, food, music and dancing.

Warren, events coordinator, said they reached out to Gockley, Steckel and Zephyr elementary schools and Whitehall-Coplay Middle School to have students there help raise money by doing a penny war. Gockley raised $4,667.48, Steckel raised $4,001.29, Zephyr raised $2,768.05, and WCMS raised $113. WHS raised $8,869 through DonorDrive donations. The total raised was $20,418.82, which will go toward the fight against pediatric cancer.

In other business, PTO PLUS President Toni Fillman reported on a successful book fair fundraiser and said the profits were used to purchase books for children who are confined to their beds at Lehigh Valley Hospital. She also said Children’s Day is approaching, and any parents who wish to volunteer need to obtain clearances.

Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative President Shari Noctor shared with the board the WCHI pantry opened for indoor service May 12. Residents had to register ahead of time, and there was a continuous flow of people 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. More than 850 people were fed, and Noctor expects 1,000 at the next one, due to the economy.

In July, WCHI will be open 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4:30-7:30 p.m. July 7 and 14, due to the volume of people. Those in need are able to select the food they take.

Postcards about the summer feeding program were sent to residents with children who signed up at the pantry or were part of the summer feeding program last year. Each child in the household can pick up shelf-stable food every Monday and Wednesday 10-11 a.m. from June 15 to Aug. 2. Wednesday nights during this period, parents can visit the pantry to register and get 10 bags of food for each child in the household for the whole summer.

There will also be free books, Christmas in July with toys for children and the Muslim Association will be providing filled backpacks for every child in August before school begins. WCHI needs more volunteers with full clearances and cereal donations.

Approved retirements include Constance Henninger, paraprofessional at WCMS, effective the last day of the 2021-22 school year; and Harry Deibert Jr., bus driver, effective June 13.

Approved resignations include Charles Matz, art teacher at Zephyr Elementary, effective Aug. 19.

New appointments include Abigail Watson, music teacher at Zephyr, at $60,185 per year; Elaine Ramirez, music teacher at WCMS, at $53,718 per year; Laura Baranek, counselor at WCMS, at $60,744 per year; Michael Cavanaugh, chemistry teacher at WHS, at $56,734; Sara Szagola, sixth-grade teacher at WCMS, at $69,652 per year; and Jada Whiteman, physical education teacher at Steckel Elementary, at $54,631 per year. These positions and salaries are effective at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.

Other approved appointments include Kyle Kremposky, mechanic in the transportation department, at $31.20 per hour, effective July 1; and Donna Reckling, full-time receptionist at the district administration office, at $35,301 per year, effective July 1.

Summer program staff appointments at Gockley Elementary include Abigail Koch, Jaclyn Mondschein, Nicole Schmidt and Erin Schmidt for elementary STEM; Heather Moore, Rosamaria Mollica, Cindy Forster, Savanah Stevens, Gayle Ganser, Hana Nanoah and Kendra Kramer for Summer Bridge; Austin Berg, Katie McKarski and Crista Billowitch for Kindergarten Boot Camp; and Valerie Reno and Roxie Lesisko, nursing staff.

Summer program staff appointments at Steckel include Michael Quickel, Elaine Kloss, Emily Lepore and Angela Christman for elementary STEM; Nicole Schmidt, Stephanie Steinberg and Ashley Hunsicker for Summer Bridge; and Sangeeta Dorner and Jane Dolin, nursing staff.

Summer staff at Zephyr include Kristine George, Frank Piff, Christine Laudato and Rachel Sculley for elementary STEM; Pamela Silverthorn, Ashley Koren, Maria Brody, Christine Laudato, Rachel Sculley and Amanda Dennis for Summer Bridge; and Diane Eraifeg, nursing staff.

Summer staff at WCMS include Monica Pangaio, Elaine Kloss and Michael Quickel for STEM; Steve Piston, Michelle Scalleat, Michael Massimo, Lisa Barr, Miranda Dangler, Yarah Kinani, Ted McMahan, Kendra Kramer, Laura Tiers, Sharon Gumhold, Samantha Neas and Vince Santa Maria for Summer Bridge; and Brooke Minnich and Cathy Wisser, nursing staff.

WHS summer staff include Gabrielle Smith, Nicole Capuano, Mark Horvath and Jessica Englert, for summer school; Ayesha Patterson, Courtney Cyriax and Keila Rodriguez, nursing staff; Lauren Santayana, Stephanie Trumbauer and paraprofessionals Lina Abi-Daher and Jennifer Hittinger, for two-day ESY; and Natalie Schlofer, Austin Berg, Claire Surovi, Mary Scheel, paraprofessionals Heather Holmes, Nicole Sivonda, Donna Gaetaniello, Sonia Alkhal, Yvonne Bachert, Jennifer Pinkey and paraprofessional substitutes Danielle Hacker and Christine Saylor, for four-day ESY.

The board approved the transfer of Abigail Koch to the position of math specialist at Gockley, effective the start of the 2022-23 school year.

New 2022-23 coaching appointments include Alexis Freedman, head cheerleading coach, at $4,500.

The next school board meetings will be 7 p.m. June 27 and July 25.

A special school board meeting will be 4 p.m. June 13 to recommend the approval of the 2022-23 school year budget and to discuss personnel matters, followed directly by committee meetings on operations/transportation, finance/personnel and education/student activities.