Lehighton Area School District is now accepting school taxes from Mahoning Township residents.

The decision to collect taxes from township residents came about after the recent resignation of Mahoning Township Tax Collector Richard Swarcheck due to illness.Solicitor William Schwab said Lehighton School District will accept payments for School District Real Estate, School District Per Capita and School District Occupation taxes.Payments may be mailed to "Lehighton Area School District, Mahoning Tax Payment, 1000 Union St., Lehighton, PA 18235," or dropped off in person at LASD Administration Building, from 9-11 a.m. and 2-4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Checks are to be made payable to "Lehighton Area School District."Schwab reminded taxpayers that taxes are due by Thursday and must be postmarked or dropped off in person by that date. Payments received starting Friday will be in default.Payments that were mailed to or dropped off at the Mahoning Township tax collector's office are currently being processed by the district.LASD will only accept payments for Mahoning Township. All other district residents should continue to use their local elected tax collector.In a related matter, the school board voted to authorize business administrator J. Michael Malay Jr. to hire another bonded tax collector or accounting firm to perform accounting and auditing services after any vacancy of a tax collector of LASD. The business administrator will have in his sole discretion the right to grant discounts and waive penalties for unprocessed payments.In other business, the board acted on the following items:• School board President Rocky Ahner recognized a number of fall student-athletes who have been selected to Mountain Valley Conference All-Star teams thus far.Anthony Rossino, who broke the school record with 32 career goals, and James Farano were selected to the first team for boys soccer.For field hockey, Gwen Remaley was selected to the first team; Maris Stern was selected to the second team; and Emily Mantz was selected as an honorable mention.Allison Andrew was selected to the second team for girls soccer.For volleyball, Jackie Jordan was selected to the first team; Taylor Yurasits was selected to the second team; and Tiffany Thompson was selected as an honorable mention.In addition, Lehighton Area High School had two runners place at its league meet. Michael Blacketter took fifth place and Jenny Beers earned seventh.• It was also noted that the Lehighton Indians/Jim Thorpe Olympians football game has been selected as part of PCN's "Game of the Week" schedule. The game will air live statewide on PCN at 7 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 1. A replay will air at 9 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 2.• The school board approved the increase of the daily rate of pay for professional substitutes (teachers/nurses) from $80 per day to $90.• Tenure was approved for Natasha Brown, middle school family consumer science teacher. She was hired July 26, 2010.• Richard Bennett and Sharon Leitzel were approved to teach the Keystone Remediation Classes in the beginning of November for a total of six hours per subject area. According to LAHS Principal Craig Reichl, these courses are necessary in order to meet graduation requirements.• The school board approved the recommendations to hire Sarah Fink as long-term substitute elementary school Title 1 math teacher and Christina Brong as paraprofessional.• The board also accepted resignations from Verna Dunbar as part-time cleaner and Renee Garrison as paraprofessional.The next regular meeting of Lehighton Area School Board is 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 18, at LASD Administration Building, Conference Room A.