Daniel Garcia, who was promoted to assistant principal (AP) at Donegan ES one year ago, was named principal at Lincoln ES at the June 22 BASD school board meeting. Garcia replaces the popular Benita Draper, who is the district’s new head of early learning programs. The board also approved Julissa Jimenez as the new AP at Donegan, filling the position vacated by Garcia. All members except Mike Faccinetto were present; all motions passed 8–0.

The board recognized Kathy Halkins, supervisor of health services, and Cleo Millheim, the outgoing head of the BASD Childcare, for their many years of service. “Kathy has been absolutely instrumental in leadership over the years,” Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy said in his remarks. He commended Millheim for her excellent work, notably in complying with Pa. Department of Health guidelines across multiple sites. “If [BASD] childcare were a standalone business, it would be one of the largest childcare companies in the Lehigh Valley.”

Halkins said that she “looked forward to going to work every day” for the past 33 years. “No two days were ever the same,” Millheim joked, and then thanked everyone for her “incredible BASD journey.”

“I’m proud to call you a colleague as a nurse,” board member Angela Sinkler told Halkins. Board member Dr. Dean Donaher extolled “the work that we did, at the level we did, with Kathy and Cleo both.” Donaher continued, “I’ve never met a person who cared more than Cleo Millheim about the people she supervised.”

The board’s routine business included the payment of monthly bills, the appointment of tax collectors, policy updates discussed at previous human resources committee meetings, and contract renewals discussed at a previous facilities committee meeting.

BASD also approved two settlements: one resolving a dispute with a family over two students eligible for special education, and one with the group of clerical employees represented by Teamsters Local No 773. The district handled the student matter confidentially.

Dr. Donaher reported on Northampton Community College news, including the virtual graduation ceremony June 18. Board member Craig Neiman reported on the most recent Bethlehem Area Vo-Tech School (BAVTS) meeting, including the election of Joseph Kovalchik as superintendent of record for the upcoming school year.

In response to a question from the public, Roy said that BASD anticipates a full opening of school, but that details of the plan to be submitted to the Pa. Dept. of Ed. are still being finalized. The district will release a video including these details this week.