During the Oct. 8 Catasauqua Area School District Board of Education meeting, Sheckler Elementary School Principal Dr. Robert Kucharczuk recognized the September Students of the Month. The honored students are first-graders Lyonel Anderson, Aulani Thrift, Sofia Ofray, Emma Canady, Scarlett McMillan and Isabelle De Perio.

In other business, Assistant to the Superintendent Eric Dauberman reported the district has been working with North Catasauqua Police Department Chief Chris Wolfer to address concerns raised about a bus stop at Howertown Road and Willow Drive. There were discussions about safety, so the district and police worked to upgrade painted lines and talked with the families at that stop about ways to help keep the students safe.

Board member Christy Cooper noted the safety concerns at that bus stop were brought up at a recent North Catasauqua Borough Council meeting, so it was nice to see steps being taken to address the issue. Student representative David Janoski reported he travels through the area daily and has noticed the changes.

Regarding personnel, the school board approved the hiring of the girls head basketball coach. Tara Belfield had previously coached at William Allen High School, Northampton Community College and AAU teams. According to Dauberman, Belfield focuses on building fundamentals and the growth of students.

Belfield thanked the board and administration for their support and said she looked into other coaching jobs, but CASD was her choice.

“This one felt right,” she said. “I’m excited to jump right in.”

Changes in employment status were approved for Olivia Neal, to move from substitute teacher to a daily building substitute at Catasauqua Middle School; Courtney Schwartz, to move from noncertified instructional aide substitute to a noncertified instructional aide at Sheckler Elementary; and Stephanie Dela Cruz, to move from CDL driver to CDL driver substitute.

Additions to the substitute list include Lisa Rosario, in the cafeteria; Lauren Hughes and Kayla Abreu, as noncertified instructional aides; and Samer AlSaman, Darien Williams and Albert Check as nonCDL drivers.

The board approved the resignation of Brittany Warner from her role as a noncertified instructional aide at Sheckler.

Three volunteer extracurricular positions were approved on a trial basis. Joshua Inman will serve as the Gaming and Esports Club adviser, Madison Walker will be the TEAM Catty adviser, and Hillary Hahn will serve as the Cultural Club adviser.

Additional extracurricular positions include Tyzahnae Klotz as a volunteer assistant cheerleading coach, Marc Snyder as an assistant boys basketball coach at $4,800, Oscar Cordon and Vincent Pellechia as junior high wrestling coaches at $3,000 for Cordon and $1,800 for Pellechia, Jonathan Reed as wrestling coordinator at $7,800, Frank Piff and Mark Bartholomew as boys wrestling head coaches at $3,500 for Piff and $1,300 for Bartholomew and Kawaunna Waldron as the Class of 2028 adviser at $752.

Short-term substitute daily rates of $190 were approved for Kate Musselman for Sept. 19-Dec. 6, Vicki MacLaughlin for Oct. 21-Nov. 15 and Neal for Oct. 18-Jan. 9, 2025.

The short-term noncertified instructional aide substitute rate of $143 per day for Hughes was also approved.

Jerzi Ramos, from Kutztown University, was approved to work with Melissa Grube and Jami Gallo until January 2025.

The intergovernmental agreement between CASD and North Catasauqua was approved for a school resource officer to serve the district. A memorandum of understanding with North Catasauqua was also approved for the SRO services.

The board approved the administration request to select McClure Company as the district’s energy services company.

McClure recently completed a districtwide feasibility study with options for the future of some of the district buildings. The next steps are for the district to share the information with the community to gather input and thoughts. The study overview and details can be found on the CASD website, under the district tab.

At the end of the meeting, the board was addressed by Catasauqua resident Kristen Brobst. She shared her appreciation for the district personnel who stepped up to help her and her family when her husband, John, was sick. He died June 5. Brobst noted several members of the staff and administration helped him achieve his final wish and helped make sure the family had what they needed.

She said she was especially thankful for everyone who helped make her daughter’s graduation special. She had requested they receive the diploma early so her husband could see their daughter receive it, but the district took it up a step.

Brobst noted Superintendent Dr. Christina Lutz-Doemling, Catasauqua High School Principal David Todd, Director of Student Activities Thomas Moll and Robert Arnold, music teacher and band director, worked with other staff members to plan a special graduation ceremony with a small reception. Some board members, administration members and teachers from all the district schools attended.

Brobst said this day went above and beyond their expectations and was especially noteworthy since it ended up being the last time her husband left the house. She thanked everyone who helped during this time and checked in on her and the family, emphasizing how much the district cares about its families.

The next school board meeting will be 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, 4500 Education Park, Schnecksville.