At the Whitehall-Coplay School Board meeting Aug. 12, John Wieand, a Vietnam veteran and former board member, addressed the board to discuss the POW/MIA recognition night that will occur before the 7 p.m. Whitehall-Emmaus football game Sept. 6.

Wieand is an event coordinator for Wreaths Across America.

“Part of our goal at Wreaths Across America is to remember, honor and teach about veterans, and in the process of doing that, I came to realize that Whitehall had an MIA during Vietnam.”

Wieand quickly realized there was no POW/MIA flag on the Whitehall-Coplay School District campus.

According to Wieand, Captain Charles Barnes graduated from Whitehall High School in 1960. He lived in Fullerton, where he married and raised a family. Barnes was in Vietnam in 1969 when his plane disappeared into the triple canopy jungle due to a monsoon and poor communications. His remains and dog tags were discovered in 1999.

“In 2012, he got an official burial in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors, and his name is now listed on the Vietnam Veterans’ Wall,” Wieand said. “I just thought it was appropriate that Whitehall raise that flag somewhere on this property, and I think a football game is a great way to start.”

Members of local veterans groups, along with 25 to 30 of Barnes’ classmates, will be there to help raise the flag.

“For a Vietnam veteran, after what we went through when we came home - and what I got called when I got off the plane - this is too good to be true. So I want to thank you, and I want to invite all of you to be there,” Wieand said.

In other business, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lorie Hackett expressed her gratitude to the congregation at St. John’s United Church of Christ, Fullerton, and the Rev. Dr. Becky Beckwith for donations of school supplies and snacks and to Whitehall Area Rotary Club for donations of backpacks and school supplies for students attending Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative’s summer breakfast camp.

The board approved the appointment of Patricia Fried and the reappointment of Joan Coringrato Shafer to Whitehall Township Public Library’s board of trustees to fill three-year terms on the library board.

The board approved the amateur license agreement between R&H Theatricals and WCSD for the high school musical.

Also approved were contracts between Homewood Suites by Hilton and WCSD for the purpose of holding prom May 8, 2021, and May 7, 2022.

The board approved field trip requests from Matthew Tanzos, WHS band director, for the band to perform in Cavalcade of Bands competitions at Pittston High School, Yatesville, Oct. 5 and at Hershey Park Nov. 9, both at the cost of two buses.

The board approved the resignations of Coral Suppan and Robert Peter Kiefer, chemistry teachers at WHS; MaryBeth Kline, cafeteria monitor at Gockley Elementary School; Katie Lantaff, salaried substitute guidance counselor at WHS; and Karen Rennie, bus driver.

The board approved the retirements of Carol Morgan, learning support paraprofessional at Gockley Elementary, and Brian Hartman, utility maintenance worker at Whitehall-Coplay Middle School.

The board approved the appointments of Kendra Kramer, temporary WCMS music teacher, at the rate of $49,345; Daniel Woodman, temporary districtwide ESL teacher, at the rate of $54,591; Elyse Glose, fourth-grade substitute at Zephyr Elementary School, at the rate of $52,666; Sarah Talianek, WHS substitute guidance counselor, at the rate of $49,345; Gayle Ganser, first-grade substitute at Gockley, at the rate of $52,666; Steven Strzyzynski, special education inclusion substitute at WHS; Kevin Rota, WCMS attendance, receptionist and security, at the rate of $18.03 per hour; Donna Gaetaniello, secretary at Steckel Elementary School, at the rate of $18.03 per hour; Maryrose Bowen, districtwide nurse assistant, at the rate of $20.27 per hour; Roscaline Lesisko, nurse assistant at Zephyr Elementary, at the rate of $20.27 per hour; Pauline Meouchi, districtwide English language paraprofessional, at the rate of $18.03 per hour; Megan Desthers, Gockley activity paraprofessional, at the rate of $18.03 per hour; Lawrence Jones, special education paraprofessional at Steckel Elementary, at the rate of $19.15 per hour; Shane Kralik, districtwide utility maintenance worker, at the rate of $21.18 per hour; William Edwards III, security at WHS, at the rate of $17.31 per hour; Farha Farraj, cafeteria worker at WCMS, at the rate of $13.25 per hour; Monica Gumlock and Cheryl Rufe, cafeteria workers at Steckel, at the rate of $13.25 per hour; Robert Becker, bus driver; and William Brosky, districtwide bus aide, at the rate of $14.52 per hour.

Teacher induction will be held 8:30 a.m. Aug. 19 in the LGI room at WHS. The first day of school for teachers is Aug. 20, with a keynote speaker presentation in the WHS auditorium 1 p.m.

The board will hold committee meetings on education/student activities, operations/transportation and finance/personnel 4 p.m. Aug. 26 and Sept. 23.

The next school board meeting will be held 7 p.m. Sept. 9.