Familiar faces are shifting seats within Lehighton Area School District’s administrative team.

Craig Reichl’s departure as high school principal for the same position at J.T. Lambert Intermediate School in East Stroudsburg set off a domino effect that has Suzanne Howland, Dr. Mark McGalla and Jennifer Evans changing roles.Howland, previously Franklin and East Penn elementary principal, was hired to replace Reichl at a salary of $92,000.Taking Howland’s position will be former middle school principal McGalla. He will keep his current salary of $95,141.To round out the changes, Evans, former assistant high school principal will succeed McGalla at the middle school at a salary of $83,500.All three will start their new positions on Aug. 7.Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said all three were selected for their respective positions for specific reasons.“Jen is going to the middle school where she can help students in their transition to high school, where she has worked for us,” Cleaver said.“In our new elementary center, Mark will be handling grades 3-5 and fifth grade is actually in the middle school right now, so he has a lot of familiarity there and can bring that experience. Sue’s buildings have been at the forefront of our STEAM education initiatives and with our SmartLab coming to the high school, it’s a natural fit.”Howland said Monday night she was excited to continue the great things Reichl and Evans have going on at the high school.The 2017-18 school year will be the last for the four individual elementary schools before grades K-5 come together in Lehighton’s new elementary center.“The district is in the midst of a big transition and we felt this staff alignment would be the biggest benefit for our students, staff and community,” Cleaver said. “The interesting thing was in talking with all three individuals I felt like I had a pretty good list of reasons why they would be a good fit, but they added to that list as I talked to them.”Cleaver extended three yearsThe board also renewed Cleaver’s contract as superintendent for three years Monday night by a 7-0 vote. Board members Wayne Wentz and Andrew Yenser were absent.Cleaver, who is currently making $135,000, will receive $140,000 for the 2018-19 school year, $145,000 for the 2019-20 school year and $150,000 for the 2020-21 school year, according to the motion.“I want to thank each person on the board for their vote of confidence,” he said. “This is the first year since I have been here that my evaluation was completed by every board member and I thank them for taking the time. The students come first here and that makes it such a joy for people to work here. Our administration, staff and students are really who makes this district tick. It’s a privilege to be able to help move this district forward.”According to the board’s 2016-17 evaluation of Cleaver, which is posted on the district’s website, the superintendent met each of his annual goals including student growth and achievement, organizational leadership, staff supervision and community engagement.“One of the great achievements this past year has been the ability for Mr. Cleaver to work in tandem with Lehigh Carbon Community College and high school administrators to bring the high school-LCCC honors program to the district — the first in Carbon County,” board members wrote in Cleaver’s evaluation.“Cleaver is very supportive of staff and continues to communicate with union leadership, engages in assisting with staff observations, and is willing to create an educational environment that improves student opportunities and academic achievement.”The board extended Cleaver through the 2017-18 school year in 2015.Lehighton hired Cleaver as superintendent in June 2012.He was first employed at Berwick as a special-education teacher in 1999. He then held dean of students, acting assistant principal, assistant principal, and principal positions at Berwick High School.ProjectsIn December 2010, Cleaver became Lehighton Area School District’s coordinator of curriculum, instruction and grants.Since coming on board as superintendent, Cleaver has overseen the development and implementation of a districtwide STEAM program for grades K-12; a collaboration with Lehigh Carbon County Community College for the High School Scholars Program; the development of the Lehighton Area Virtual Academy, which has saved the district on average $150,000 per year in cyber/charter payments.He has led a complete renovation of the high school program and building; a complete renovation of the middle school program and building; an energy savings project that is estimated to save the district over $80,000 per year; the construction of a new multi-purpose stadium, construction of a new K-5 elementary building that will house all district elementary students; the ACE grant program, which brought in $4 million toward the cost of the districtwide building projects; and the Qualified Zone Academy Bond grant program, which allowed the district to take out interest-free bond loans that will save the district over $5 million for the life of the bonds.During Cleaver’s tenure, the National Education Foundation has also named the district its National STEM Plus Academy of the Year.