Palmerton school board hears report on FBLA trip
Superintendents weren’t the only thing the Palmerton Area School Board discussed at its monthly meeting last week. They also heard about the Future Business Leaders of America’s trip to Texas, programs at the library and hired a few people.
FBLA club adviser Kerry Palumbo and club president Mikayla Wilkins gave a short presentation about the club’s trip to the National Leadership Conference on June 24 to 27 in San Antonio.
Palumbo said that students from 28 states plus U.S. territories attended the conference and competition. Pennsylvania was the third-largest delegate with 700 students, of which seven were from Palmerton Area High School.
“Even though we didn’t come home with any trophies, we came home with good memories,” she said.
They played a video produced by the club that showed all of the activities and events they attended. As the pictures displayed, Wilkins explained where they went, what they saw and what they thought of it.
“They had very little down time,” Palumbo said.
Both Palumbo and Wilkins were impressed by the conference and thankful to the board for their support.
School board member Sherry Haas gave an update on activities at the Palmerton library. She said the library’s reading chain is at 190 links for the summer reading program. They are also holding a student art show from 2 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 24. Children ages 6 to 18 years old may participate. The basket auction is going on now, and the library’s largest fundraiser, the annual golf tournament, is set for Aug. 23 at the Blue Shamrock Golf Club.
The library is also asking for volunteers to Adopt-a-Shelf. People or families can adopt a shelf and agree to straighten it out periodically. Anyone who volunteers will have their name placed on the shelf, she said.
As far as personnel, the board approved several positions.
• Maria Lear, high school guidance counselor, $47,750.
• Kristen Perdew, high school special education teacher, $50,250.
• Rhianna Rivera, instructional assistant for the high school Life Skills class, $15.35 hour.
• Carol Taylor, short-term substitute, music, Towamensing Elementary School.
• Amy Carrelli, assistant head chef (5.5 hours a day) at the high school.
• Miranda Allen and Whitney Kern, art/music/tech education co-advisers, $860.50 each.
• Club advisers at Towamensing Elementary School include: Kristin Heller, Environmental Club, $1,173; Natalie Madeira, Chorus, $1,523; Krystle Meglio, Yearbook, $772; and Jodi Kocher and Stacey Olewine, co-advisers, Student Council, $386 each.
• Softball: Bob Hock, head coach, $4,054; Rodney Strohl, Jen Denaro, Phil Acker and SamCurcio, sharing assistant softball coaching positions, $1,331 each; and Tori Gollie and Nikki Boccia, volunteer softball coaches.
• Track: Mike Gombert, head coach, $4,054; Fran Gough, Wynnie Cseh, Jim Hay and Steve Semmel, assistant track coaches, $2,662 each; Tyrone Lewis, half assistant track coach, $1,331; Matt Kosciolek, middle school track coach, $2,662; and Randi Freed, Michael Martinez, Melissa Martinez, Austin Cseh and Kerri Jahelka, volunteer track coaches.
• Tennis: Jen Danzeisen, head coach, $2,438
• Football: Christopher Frace, half assistant middle school football coach, $2,018; and Austin Cseh, half varsity assistant coach, $2,018.
• Field hockey: Tara Frantz, middle school coach, $2,662; and Heather Lang, middle school volunteer.
