At the Whitehall-Coplay School Board meeting Sept. 9, London Club adviser Joseph Krempasky introduced Whitehall High School students Kayleigh Moyer and Megan Kelly, who presented a slideshow of their 2019 trip to Eastern Europe. Students traveled through Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland.

Moyer’s most memorable part of the trip was the visit to Auschwitz.

“I can genuinely say this was the most life-changing thing I’ve ever done in my entire life,” she said.

“It just touched me and stayed with me ever since then. Just seeing that and seeing what all of those people went through for no reason - I don’t know - it just really touched me,” she added.

Dr. Sandy Rex, Whitehall-Coplay School District supervisor of curriculum and instruction, also gave a presentation on the district’s summer reading program.

Whitehall-Coplay students entering kindergarten through third grade who showed a need for added reading support were able to attend Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for three weeks. This year, the program was hosted by Cora Snyder, Steckel Elementary principal.

Children worked on high-frequency and sight words, reading fluency, writing skills and other topics, depending on their grade level. Every week, each student was able to bring home a new book and earn a second book for perfect attendance.

One of the special events they had during the program was a visit from a mystery reader.

“The Allentown Fair queen came and she read ‘Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type,’” Rex said. “I selected that book because [The Great Allentown Fair] mascot is Moodonna the Cow, and we wanted to give them some thanks for giving us three family fair packs that we gave away on the very last day to people who had perfect attendance for the whole entire program.”

In other news, the board approved field trip requests from Matthew Tanzos, marching band director at WHS, for the band to travel to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia to perform in a pregame parade Sept. 9, at the cost of one bus and truck with driver, and from Student Council adviser Michelle Brownback for the Student Council leaders to travel to Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Sept. 26 at the cost of one school van.

The board approved the resignations of Olivia Bobyak, WHS security; Trevor Pinho, school psychologist at Whitehall-Coplay Middle School; Jennifer Chanitz, WCMS paraeducator; Steven Adams, Model United Nations adviser at WHS; Cheryl Rabenold, districtwide bus driver; Nicholas Bender, WCMS social studies teacher and Ski Club adviser; Joshua Fick, Science Olympiad adviser at WHS; and Cheyanne Haycock, paraeducator at Steckel.

The board approved the retirement of Lori Jo Rassler, paraeducator at Steckel.

New appointments include Candace Zona-Slaw, school psychologist at WCMS, rate to be determined; salaried substitute Theodore McMahan, WHS chemistry teacher, at the rate of $49,345; long-term substitute Mary Nehme, WHS family and consumer science teacher, at the rate of $150 per day; Cynthia Urso, Gockley cafeteria monitor, at the rate of $13 per hour; Laura Tiers, emotional support paraeducator at Steckel, at the rate of $19.15 per hour; Tricia Brosky, Steckel reading paraeducator, at the rate of $18.03 per hour; Lina Abi-Daher, one-on-one paraeducator at Gockley Elementary, at the rate of $19.15 per hour; Cheyanne Haycock, emotional support paraeducator at Steckel, at the rate of $19.15 per hour; Marinellye Burgos, long-term substitute ESL paraeducator at Gockley, at the rate of $18.03 per hour; Robert Hontz, school bus mechanic, at the rate of $29.26 per hour; Elie Seeman, bus driver; and Shawn Clary, volunteer assistant football coach.

Also approved was teacher induction participant Justin Tice, mentor to Theodore McMahan, at $1,250.

Approved club and extracurricular activity advisers include Carolyn Radon, Varsity W Club, at $500; Christina Figueroa and Julie Tonnies, Anime Club, at $350 each; Fiana Spangler and Radon, Class of 2023, at $595.50 each; Kelly Lesh, English National Honor Society, at $700; Brittney Jackson, Science Olympiad, at $925; Edward Hong, spring musical producer, at $1,650, and spring musical music director, at $1,355; Monique Haney, spring musical stage director, at $1,650; Melissa Zimmer, spring musical choreographer, at $950; and Matthew Tanzos, spring musical pit orchestra conductor, at $850.

Committee meetings on finance/personnel, education/student activities and operations/transportation will be held 4 p.m. Sept. 23 and Oct. 28.

The next school board meeting will be held 7 p.m. Oct. 14.