Panther Valley Elementary School will have a new principal when students return from the winter break.

The Panther Valley school board voted unanimously Thursday night to appoint Robert Palazzo as principal at Panther Valley Elementary.Palazzo replaces Mary Figura, whose last day was Oct. 14.Figura resigned in order to take an administrative position at a school district in Schuylkill County.Administrators have split the responsibilities of principal since Figura left.Palazzo’s salary will be set at $72,000 per year.Superintendent Dennis Kergick said that Palazzo was chosen from nine ‘extremely qualified’ candidates, and that two other finalists for the position had been chosen.“The selection of Mr. Palazzo was unanimous and we are very happy and proud to have Mr. Palazzo join our school district,” Kergick said.For the past eight years, Palazzo has been employed by Palmerton School District, most recently as a school psychologist and unofficially served as an assistant principal.He is certified as a school psychologist and holds master’s degrees from Wilkes University and SUNY Oswego.Palazzo thanked the school board for the opportunity.“I look forward to working with the students and the families as well as the teachers and the Panther Valley community, once I get started in a couple weeks here. I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.The school board also voted to add a new half-time ESL teacher, Barron-Lynne George, at a starting salary of $17,642.50. George started the position Oct. 26.They also accepted the resignation of instructional aide Kristin Fritz, Junior High Boys Basketball Coach Frederick Herling, and Head Football Coach Matthew Davis.