Preparations were made for the Aug. 29 start of the new school year during the Catasauqua Area School District Board of Education meeting Aug. 9.

Board members approved the 2022-23 handbooks and student guidelines for Sheckler Elementary School, Catasauqua Middle School and Catasauqua High School.

Additionally, the board set and approved its goals for the 2022-23 school year.

Regarding personnel, new appointments were approved including Bonnie Freyman and Rosemarie Flores, transportation drivers, at $21.88, effective June 21, and $22.84, effective July 1; Tracey Alexander, transportation driver, at $21.88; Caila Landis, general kitchen help at CHS, at $14.10, effective Aug. 22; Christina Weaver, noncertified technology aide at CMS, at $133, effective Aug. 22; Elizabeth Smeaton (Case), general kitchen help at Sheckler Elementary, at $14.10, effective Aug. 22; and Amber Bossons, noncertified technology aide at CMS, at $133 a day, effective Aug. 22.

Approval was made for a number of substitutes to be added to the substitute employment list including Kathryn Panto, substitute nurse; Diane Daubert, substitute driver; Kaleigh Bobeck and Abbey Shiffert, substitute teachers; and William Pleban, Tucker Danish, Zancheska Holzlohner, Anna Jaskiewicz, Heather Pasquariello, Abby Smith and Bradley Davis, guest teachers.

The substitute rate of pay, effective Aug. 29, of $130 per day was approved for Panto, Bobeck, Shiffert and Brett.

Additionally, the board approved a number of instructional aides, effective Aug. 22 through June 9. Four certified aides were approved at CHS at a daily rate of $170. Noncertified aides, including five at Sheckler, eight at CMS and nine at CHS, were approved at a daily rate of $133.

Extracurricular positions were approved, including Rodney Berger, volunteer assistant baseball coach; Thomas Reap, volunteer assistant boys basketball coach; Stephan Hess, volunteer assisted girls volleyball coach; John Cesanek, head girls volleyball coach at $4,000; Edward Popa Nina, assistant girls volleyball coach at $2,000; and Amy Dymond-Jones, CMS A/V coordinator, shared, at $475.75.

The change in employment status for three employees was approved. Daniel Saas is moving from custodian B to custodian B enhanced at CMS, at $17.25 an hour, effective June 15. Madison Walker is moving from substitute teacher to special education emotional support teacher at CHS, at $59,127, as of Aug. 18. Pamela Salgaldo is changing from a driver to a substitute driver, at a rate of $23.06, effective Aug. 2.

Walker is also approved to work with Eamon Murray as her mentor teacher.

Tenure was approved for Brandon Keks, third-grade teacher at Sheckler, and Meghan Hinkle, physical education teacher at CHS.

There were five resignations approved, including Theresa Armburster, Sheckler general kitchen help; Pamela Panto, student services secretary; Susan Lesko, noncertified instructional aide; Laurie Nebbia, noncertified instructional aide; and Tirsa Rothman-Dunston, noncertified instructional aide.

In other business, the planned courses of study for Civics and Government and Spanish I-IV classes were approved.

The board approved the food service contract for Innovative Arts Academy Charter School and letters of agreement for Title I services with Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 and Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21.

The CHS student representatives to the school board and Catasauqua and North Catasauqua borough councils were approved. Serving as representatives to the school board are Kayla Cunningham and Angelina Dries, with Emily Eisenhard as an alternate. Representing the school on the Catasauqua council will be Peyton Taniser and Brianna Bashore, with Joseph Fischl as an alternate. Elisa Osorto and Kaitlyn Lawton will serve on the North Catasauqua council.

Policy 708, regarding the public use of school facilities, was discussed.

The first reading is expected at the next meeting, which is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 13 in the administration board room, 201 N. 14th St.