Schuylkill Valley board creates Education Center principal post, approves internal transfers and hires
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Summary
The Schuylkill Valley School District board voted unanimously to create a principal position for the Schuylkill Valley Education Center and approved several personnel actions including the transfer of Middle School Principal Dr. Joshua Keener and new hires; the board also accepted retirements and rescinded one retirement.
Schuylkill Valley School District board members on April 29 voted 9-0 to create a principal position for the Schuylkill Valley Education Center and approved a slate of personnel actions, including internal transfers and new hires.
The newly created principal position — to lead the Schuylkill Valley Education Center, a district facility that includes the former youth center and programs for students with specialized needs — was approved after the board discussed the role’s responsibilities and the qualifications the district sought. The board moved the creation of the position by motion (mover: LaSch; second: Clafell) and recorded a 9-0 vote in favor.
The board then approved the transfer of Dr. Joshua Keener from Schuylkill Valley Middle School principal to principal of the Education Center, effective July 1, 2025. That motion (mover: not specified; second: Bendigo) passed 9-0.
Other approved personnel actions included the appointment of Ms. Macedo as executive secretary to the superintendent and board recording secretary, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Susan Christman; the board approved the employment contract for Ms. Macedo by a 9-0 vote (mover: Clafell; second: Bendigo). The board also accepted resignations and retirements, including the retirement notice from second-grade teacher Kathleen Gwiazdowski (effective at the end of the 2024–25 school year) and the resignation of part-time special education paraprofessional May Roudenbush (effective March 26, 2025).
Separately, the board approved a rescindment of the retirement for kindergarten teacher Mary Ellen Coomer so that she will remain on staff; that motion passed 9-0. Multiple employment recommendations were moved forward during the personnel portion of the meeting, including hires for teaching, support, substitute, extracurricular and volunteer roles; those were advanced as routine personnel approvals.
Board members and administrators emphasized the workload associated with launching and operating the Education Center and thanked staff who supported the transition and the hiring process. In remarks introducing the principal position, district leaders described the role as requiring experience with special education, familiarity with K–12 operations, and capacity to manage programs that reach beyond a single building. The board also noted that the Education Center will interface with county facilities and regional programs.
The board did not discuss any amendments to the posted motions and recorded votes for each motion at the meeting.
Looking ahead, the district said it will post the Middle School principal vacancy and proceed with hiring processes for any positions created by internal moves.
