Whitehall-Coplay School Board held a special meeting Aug. 8, before the committee meetings, for the purpose of approving personnel changes.

At the beginning of the meeting, board President William Fonzone Sr., asked members to observe a moment of silence for Mia Due, who died in a car accident July 31. Due would have been starting her junior year at Whitehall High School.

Afterward, the board reviewed personnel changes that included resignations from Jennifer Senavaitis, school counselor at Whitehall-Coplay Middle School, effective Aug. 12; and Allison Slate, salaried substitute school counselor at WHS, effective Aug. 15.

New appointments, effective Aug. 22, include Cara Craft, music teacher at WHS, at $64,195 per year, replacing Muen Lee Edward Hong, who resigned; Yarah Kinani, math teacher at WCMS, at $58,501, replacing Sharon Gumhold, who transferred; Amy Feyrer, first-grade teacher at Gockley Elementary School, at $57,539, replacing Megan Schoenauer, who resigned; Brian Legutko, math teacher at WCMS, at $72,183, replacing Rebecca Ree, who resigned; Jenna Notareschi, MDS-B teacher at Gockley Elementary, at $69,652, new position; Sonya Spohn, math teacher at WHS and WCMS, at $69,652, replacing Kristine Eichelberger, who retired; Mark Horvath, social studies teacher at WHS, at $54,631, replacing Michael Rile, who transferred; Kayla Heilman and Rosamaria Mollica, 2022-23 school year salaried substitutes at Gockley, at $57,539; Chelsea Heckman, long-term substitute at Steckel Elementary School, at $110 per day; Grace Huang, emotional support teacher at Steckel Elementary, at $61,895; Katrina Kern, 2022-23 school year salaried substitute at Zephyr Elementary School, at $53,718; Steven P. Kachmar, part-time districtwide school psychologist, at $14,637; Candace Frame, emotional support teacher at Gockley, at $69,652; and Carly Charles, special education learning support teacher at Gockley, at $61,895. Also included are Joseph Egan, WHS social studies salaried substitute, effective at the start of the 2022-23 school year, replacing Mark Horvath, who is moving to a different position; and Heather Taylor, food services substitute, at $13 per hour, effective Aug. 15.

Approved transfers include Nada Tabarini, part-time secretary at WHS to full-time, 10-month attendance secretary at WHS, at $29,534 per year, replacing Wendy Weeast, who transferred; and Rebecca Darling, special education teacher at Gockley to special education teacher at WCMS, replacing Debra Polise, who resigned.

Also, Dayna Younis was approved as a school psychologist intern for the 2022-23 school year, with a stipend of $20,000.

Teacher leadership roles that have been approved for the 2022-23 school year at Gockley include Jacqlyn Mondschein, elementary literacy; Melissa Franz, elementary math; Kevin Swartz, elementary technology; Beth Snyder, elementary special education; Erin Reichenbach, kindergarten; and Kaitlin Sauerzopf, first grade.

Leadership roles at Steckel include Samantha Solomon, elementary literacy; Angela Christman, elementary math; Emily Lepore, elementary technology; Jenn Kupstas, elementary special education; Morgan Kelly, grade level 3 leader; and Janet Baker, grade level 2 leader.

Roles at Zephyr include Amy Miller, elementary literacy; Ashley Koren, elementary math; Frank Piff, elementary technology; Danielle Hacker, elementary special education; Holly Matejcek, grade level leader; and Amy Droward, grade level leader. All teacher leadership roles at the elementary level receive an annual stipend of $537.18.

Teacher leadership roles at WCMS, with the annual stipend of $1,074.36, include Lori Galucy, sixth-grade counseling departments; Miranda Dangler, seventh-grade social studies; Samantha Neas, eighth-grade science; Emily Pisco, English/language arts; Erin Scheid, math department; Clare Persing, special education; Michael Quickel, special subjects, technology; and Jeri Bonenberger, academic strategies/sixth.

Leadership roles at WHS, with the annual stipend of $2,148.72, include Nicole Storm, business and tech ed; Chad Stefanyak, counseling; Michelle Abbadessa, English; Jennifer Bodnar, health/PE and FCS; Suzanne Hetten, math; Daniel Smale, music and art; Christina Stoudt, science; Steven Brown, social studies; Jennifer Stancombe, special education; and Michelle Le, world language.

Approved Title I reading paraeducators, who have been added to the Title I grant for the 2022-23 school year, making them highly qualified, include Nancy Pesarcik, Diane Wasley, Michelle Lindenmuth and Denyse Edwards. Their hourly pay will reflect the highly qualified rate in accordance with the WCSD/WCESPA collective bargaining agreement.

The next school board meetings will be held 7 p.m. Aug. 22 and Sept. 26.

Committee meetings on finance/personnel, education/student activities and operations/transportation will be held 4 p.m. Sept. 12.