Board approves field trip requests
At the Feb. 27 Whitehall-Coplay School Board meeting, the board approved field trip requests for the Marching Zephyr Band to travel to Prudential Center, Newark, N.J., March 12, for the spring trip, where they visited the GRAMMY Museum Experience and saw “Riverdance,” with the cost paid by students; Scholastic Scrimmage Club to travel to Livingston High School to compete in the Livingston Quiz Bowl March 18, at no cost for students; and Whitehall-Coplay Middle School Science Olympiad students to travel to Millersville University to compete in a regional tournament March 25, at no cost for students.
The board approved Smile Pennsylvania-Mobile Dentists and a lease for Coplay Sports Inc.
The board also approved Lehigh Career and Technical Institute camp funding for $125 per Whitehall-Coplay School District student camper. Camp costs are $250 per student entering fifth grade in 2023-24 through completing eighth grade this year. The board approved providing $125 per camper for all WCSD students’ tuition rates to attend the LCTI 2023 summer camp, to be June 20-23.
The board also approved the revised salary for Sara Shimer, PE reading specialist at Zephyr Elementary School, with an annual salary of $64,195 prorated, effective Jan. 17.
Approved resignations include Jennifer Hittinger, learning support paraprofessional at Zephyr Elementary, effective Feb. 17; Penny Lahue, business office secretary at the district office, effective Feb. 27, due to transitioning to the payroll specialist position; and Kathlyn Macalintal, math teacher at Whitehall High School, effective April 14.
New appointments include Jessica Archer, WHS substitute cafeteria worker at $13 per hour, starting Feb. 28; Lahue, payroll specialist at the district office, effective Feb. 28, at $50,290 per year; William Bucher, daily substitute bus driver for WCSD, following the daily pay rate of bus drivers in the Whitehall-Coplay School Bus Drivers Association collective bargaining agreement, effective Feb. 28; Jessenia Perez, coordinator of data information at the district office, effective March 15, at $51,500, prorated for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year; Kimberly Miley, coordinator of data information at the district office, as of March 15, at $51,500, prorated for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year; Paula Muller, cafeteria monitor at Zephyr, at $14.25 per hour; Dianna Kochan, part-time special education floater paraprofessional, at Gockley Elementary School, at $19.23 per hour; Suzanne Rabenold, daily paraeducator/secretarial substitute, at $13.52 per hour, effective Feb. 28; and Attarid Hasan, guest substitute teacher, as of Jan. 23, with a daily pay rate as per the preapproved 2022-23 substitute rates.
Club adviser changes for the 2022-23 school year include Nicole Seng, who resigned from the role of tutoring coordinator, effective Feb. 17; and the appointment of Jacob Hausman, STEM after-school program, per the collective bargaining agreement.
Assistant coach appointments for the 2022-23 school year include Doug Barriner, boys volleyball, at $2,685.90; Craig Berger, baseball, at $2,148.72; Jennifer Bodnar, boys tennis, at $2,148.72; Nicole Capuano, track and field, at $3,223.08; Donavin Fuscolomont, baseball, at $4,297.44; Isaiah Gills, track and field, at $3,223.08; Joseph Harakal, track and field, at $3,223.08; Kevin Hutter, softball, at $4,297; Richard Kern, WCMS softball, at $4,297.44; Taylor Knappenberger, softball, at $4,297.44; Aaron Kuhlman, WCMS boys volleyball, at $2,685.90; Gavin Lilly, WCMS boys soccer, at $2,685.90; Adam Maini, baseball, at $4,297.44; Caleb Messenger, baseball, at $2,148.72; William Miller, WCMS baseball, at $4297.44; Vince SantaMaria, WCMS boys soccer, at $2,685.90; Natalie Schlofer, track and field, at $3,223.08; James Sebesta, track and field, at $3,223.08; Edward Stinner, softball, at $4,297.44; Nicole Umbenhauer, track and field, at $1,611.59; and Nathan Wechsler, WCMS baseball, at $4,297.44.
Volunteer assistant coaches include Timothy Cunningham, softball; Andrew Fehnel, boys volleyball; Cristal Fernandez, boys volleyball; Brandon Hampton, track and field; Alexander Haydar, boys volleyball; Michael MacLaughlin, track and field; Fred Romano, WCMS softball; Mitchell Shoemaker, boys volleyball; Matthew Shultz, WCMS baseball; Allen Umbenhauer, baseball; Lindsay Wasson, WCMS softball; and Catherine Wisser; track and field.
Also approved was Cristal Fernandez, girls volleyball head coach, at $4,970.79.
Approved teacher induction participants include Jamie Bisignani, mentor to Samantha Kozza, with the compensation of $715; Hana Nanoah, mentor to Ashley Donegan, at $715; Clare Persing, mentor to Laurie Ganey, at $715; Susan Pevorus, mentor to Meghan Harbove, at $715; and Kelly Repasch, mentor to Jacob Hausman, at $317.26.
Also at the meeting, the board granted tenure to WCMS teacher Douglas Barriner.
The next school board meeting will be 7 p.m. March 27.