The Carbon and Schuylkill SHINE Afterschool Program will be in Palmerton Area School District for the first time this fall.

Superintendent Scot Engler said Tuesday that after several years of trying, the program will debut at Parkside Education Center from 3-6 p.m. on Monday through Thursday starting in mid-September."We've never had a center-based program in Palmerton, and last year we got the green light that the funding was available and then the state budget didn't pass until the spring," Engler said. "That meant we couldn't get it going then, but we're very happy to be starting it this year at Parkside."Founded in Carbon and Schuylkill counties, SHINE emphasizes Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.It also serves children in the Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, Panther Valley, Shenandoah and Mahanoy school districts. A middle school Carbon Career and Technical Institute career academy serves students from the five Carbon County school districts.Around 25-30 Palmerton students will participate in the program at Parkside."It's a wonderful enrichment opportunity and a focused curriculum under the STEAM program," Engler said. "The statistics have shown it's extremely beneficial and I have personally seen students come out of it that have really come into their own."Two Palmerton staff members, Erin Brown and Michelle Davis, will be the teachers.Other businessIn action items on Tuesday, the Palmerton school board:• Approved a contract with Pediatric Therapeutic Services for the 2016-17 school year• Approved an agreement with Carbon-Monroe-Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission for the 2016-17 school year for $14,000• Approved Dylan Hofmann, Jena Smith, Megan Gower, Sydney Schafer and Lynn Hager as substitutes• Approved the following teacher transfers: Amber Kistler from fourth to second grade at S.S. Palmer Elementary School, Amy Negley from kindergarten to first grade at Parkside Education Center, Jennifer Ramaly from grades 3 and 5 to grades 3 and 4 reading specialist at S.S. Palmer Elementary School, Sara Samok from second grade at Towamensing Elementary School to first grade at Parkside Education Center, and Jessica Silfies from grades 4 and 6 to grades 5 and 6 reading specialist at S.S. Palmer Elementary School.