By SUSAN RUMBLE

Special to The Press

Bob Bold, who served on the Parkland School Board from 1999-2019, has been appointed to fill the unexpired term of Marie Maritch, who resigned effective March 23.

Bold’s tenure will run April 20 to the first Monday of December.

Newly elected board officials will take their seats Dec. 7.

Director of Community Relations and Development Nicole McGalla said Maritch’s term would have expired this year, but she did not express an intention to file for re-election.

Maritch, a North Whitehall resident, served as Parkland’s representative on the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit board of directors.

The vacancy created by her resignation will be filled by school board member Lisa Roth.

Maritch also served on the Joint Operating Committee of the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute.

Bold will occupy her former position at LCTI until his time on the school board concludes.

Bold, who had a 52-year career as an educator, was president of the board five times and vice president three times.

He was president of the CLIU board of directors for 10 years.

He supported endeavors for children with special needs and worked to provide opportunities for their advancement.

Bold was well known for his participation in Read Across America Day and traveled to every elementary school in the district to read to the children.

He played a large role in establishing the education foundation which has brought in more than $1 million for Parkland schools.

When Bold left the board in 2019, then-president, Lisa Roth, commended him for devoting an entire lifetime to children.

“Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow,” Bold said at his last meeting as a board member.

“The kids we have today have 70 to 80 years of tomorrow.”

“It’s up to us to make sure they have good tomorrows.”

Bold received the Friend of Education award from the local unit of the Pennsylvania State Education Association in 2018.

“I hope I can continue serving children in Parkland School District for awhile yet,” he said at that time.