With the official end of the 2022-23 academic year, the final Saucon Valley School Board meeting until late July’s agenda was densely packed with regular business and unanticipated decisions.

On the unexpected front, high school students will have a third head principal in as many years. After less than one full academic term, the school board “regretfully” accepted Walter Pawlowski’s resignation at its June 27 meeting.

Board President Susan Baxter praised Pawlowski’s contributions during his nine-month tenure, which included “fixing” the much-maligned bell schedule and drafting a new Program of Studies.

Unlike last summer’s vacancy, however, the district had a ready replacement at the helm, as Assistant Principal Theresa Casimire ascended to the school’s helm with a subsequent motion.

Before joining Saucon Valley in November, Casimire served as principal at Easton Arts Academy since April 2022. Her salary will be $115,000 annually, a $10,000 increase from her previous role but $10,000 less than Pawlowski’s predecessor, Tamara Gary, made in her final year (2021-22).

Additionally, longtime Athletic Director Robert “Bob” Frey will become the district’s newly-established Director of Student and Community Relations at an annual rate of $95,000. Baxter explained that the administration created the position due to Superintendent Jaime Vlasaty’s need for assistance and that the AD position will soon be posted for applicants with Frey’s vacancy.

In other news, the board approved the upcoming year’s final budget of $51,870,819 for the school operations and $7,418,626 for capital improvements, totaling $59,289,445. With no tax increase, property millage will remain at 54.6589.

The board also approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the Saucon Valley Education Support Professionals, retroactively effective from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2027.

Since terms for both agreements were debated by the board over the last several months, both passed with little discussion or objections.