Krause re-elected president of board

The Lehighton Area School District School Board held its annual reorganization meeting on Monday, welcoming new board members and appointing members to two committees.

Before new members took the oath of office, Superintendent James Kraky thanked the members leaving the board. Frank Ruch, James Holland, and Dene Smith were all recognized for their four years of service.

"On behalf of the school district, I want to thank the parting board members for their dedicated service. We formally recognized them at the last meeting, but we certainly want to recognize their hard work and efforts," he said.

Board President Dave Krause also thanked Ruch, Holland and Smith for their years of service.

New members Tina Dowd and William Hill Jr. took the Oath of Office before taking their place at the board table. Krause, re-elected to another term on the board, was also sworn in.

One seat on the board remains open. Ruch was elected to both the school board and as Mahoning Township Supervisor during the November election, and chose to resign his seat on the board. His seat will be filled during the next regular board meeting on Dec. 21, noted Krause.

The first order of business for the new board was to elect a board president. Krause, current president, was nominated by member Andrew Yenser and seconded by William Hill. The motion passed unanimously.

Larry Stern was nominated for vice president by Wayne Wentz and seconded by Tina Dowd. The motion passed unanimously.

Four board members were appointed to a one-year term on the Negotiations and Personnel Committee. These members were Krause, Larry Stern, Evelyn Semanoff and Duane Eidem.

Three members were appointed to a one-year term on the Budget and Finance Committee. These members were Andrew Yenser, Dowd, and Evelyn Semanoff.

William Hill was nominated as an alternative representative to the Carbon Career and Technical Institute Operating Committee. The motion passed. A full-time representative will be appointed at the Dec. 21 meeting to serve from now until 2011.

The board also approved the calendar of regularly scheduled board meetings for 2010. Meetings will be held at the district's administration building at 7 p.m. on Dec. 21, Jan. 25, 2010, Feb. 22, March 22, April 19, May 24, June 21, July 26, Aug. 23, Sept. 27, Oct. 18, Nov. 22, Dec. 6, and Dec. 20.

A motion to hire a head baseball coach and head track coach was tabled until the next meeting to allow new board members to be brought up to date on personnel issues.

The board also recognized two Lehighton Area High School students, recently named Scholar Athletes for the Mountain Valley Conference. Tim Sulzer was recognized as the top football player and athlete-scholar in the conference; Molly Harleman was recognized for girl's volleyball.

"We'd like to recognize you tonight. Thank you for representing your school so well. Outstanding job," said Krause. He noted that just one athlete is chosen for each sport in the conference, and that it is a "tremendous achievement" to have two students recognized from Lehighton, a relatively small school within the conference.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will take place on Monday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.