WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — The Whitehall-Coplay School Board approved a slew of new positions, both permanent and temporary, during a special session ahead of normal committee meetings held Monday afternoon.
The slate of new personnel appointments included numerous substitute positions at several of the district’s schools, pending the receipt of all necessary paperwork.
Induction has been scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 15-16, with school set to begin on Monday, Aug. 28.
- Whitehall-Coplay School Board approved numerous positions, including dozens of day-to-day substitutes, at a special meeting
- Superintendent Robert Steckel said the number of personnel approved for hiring was not out of the ordinary
- Steckel noted committee meeting and board meeting schedules had been switched a few years ago in order to provide enough time to hire and onboard new personnel
Superintendent Robert Steckel said the numerous hires were nothing out of the ordinary, though for the past few years the board has opted to switch their committee and board meetings to better fit a schedule just before the start of the school year.
“It’s pretty standard, as far as the number of hires. The one thing is, last August and this August, we held this special meeting because we changed the cadence of our board meetings and committee meetings,” Steckel said.
“In the past, we had our board meetings the second Monday of the month, and our committee meetings the last Monday of the month. We flipped them. We just wanted an opportunity to hire people before the teachers come back. We start induction tomorrow, and we start our professional development next week. If we have to wait until August 28 to hire people, we can’t get those people in the queue for all of our programs.”
“It’s pretty standard, as far as the number of hires. The one thing is, last August and this August, we held this special meeting because we changed the cadence of our board meetings and committee meetings."Whitehall-Coplay School District Superintendent Robert Steckel
Steckel noted “you want as many hiring opportunities as possible, just to get people into your system as soon as you can.”
Approved as salaried building substitutes were:
- Stephanie Steinberg at Steckel Elementary School;
- Caroline Martin at Gockley Elementary School;
- Jeffrey Pukszyn at Whitehall High School;
- Andrew Bellesfield at Steckel Elementary School;
- Tracey Cesare at Gockley Elementary School.
In addition, 28 other individuals were approved as day-to-day substitutes.
Several new teachers and a part-time nurse were also approved, pending the receipt of all paperwork, for positions throughout the district during the meeting.
Elena Beckett was approved as a special education emotional support teacher at Gockley Elementary School. Beckett replaces Candace Frame, who resigned.
Paige Sommers was approved as a kindergarten teacher at Gockley Elementary School. Sommers replaces Kelly Chunko, who resigned.
Kyleigh Grim was approved as a kindergarten teacher at Gockley Elementary School. Grim replaces Kristin Roman, who resigned.
Carly LaCoe was approved as a first-grade teacher at Gockley Elementary School. LaCoe replaces Jaqlyn Mondschein, who resigned.
Sangeeta Dorner, a certified school nurse, was approved as a substitute school nurse, not to exceed 29.5 hours per week, except as needed, as a long term substitute for the 2023-2024 school year, with an hourly rate of $42, starting Aug. 28.
In addition, two staff members — kindergarten and first-grade inclusion support teacher Jennifer Truckley at Gockley Elementary School; and life skills support teacher Katie Rile at Whitehall High School — were transferred to new positions.
Truckley will now teach first grade at Gockley Elementary School. She replaces Kaitlin Sauerzopf, who resigned.
Rile will now serve as a special education teacher-learning support at Gockley, and replaces Demi Rohfling, who resigned.
Steckel said the teachers, administrators and other staff at the district were excited for the upcoming year, especially to see the fruits of their labor from last year’s efforts.
“Really, it’s a different world when the staff and students come back – it’s why you get into education, to work with kids, and you get into administration to have an impact with staff members,” Steckel said.
“I’m just looking forward to seeing the buses roll in full of kids, seeing their happy faces, and the amazing work that our teachers and other staff members have with our students. It’s a great place here in Whitehall, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
