The Jim Thorpe school board has named a new high school assistant principal, and a new facilities director.

During a meeting Wednesday night, board members hired Paula Hromyak as high school assistant principal, and Randy Smale as director of facilities. Both votes were unanimous. Pearl Downs-Sheckler was absent from the meeting.

Hromyak is currently employed as principal with the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit. She works with students up to age 21, many of whom deal with disabilities and emotional support issues.

She replaces Mark Rosenberger, who became the assistant principal at L.B. Morris last month. Parents and alumni opposed moving Rosenberger out of the high school at the time.

On Wednesday, board member TJ Garritano said that he personally would prefer Rosenberger return to the high school.

“I really didn’t like the way this went down with the assistant principal shuffle,” Garritano said.

Hromyak is also the president of the Schuylkill County Safe Schools Coalition, which includes representatives from education, law enforcement and emergency services.

Hromyak said that her style as an educator is to do what is best for the children.

In her current position, she tells parents and students that she will treat them like she would treat her own child.

“I feel like I do my best if I do that,” she said. “They get the love, the compassion, the fairness, the strictness. They get everything they need.”

Hromyak’s annual salary will be $80,000. She will remain at her current job for 60 days, or until a replacement is found.

Smale is a school district resident currently employed by the Pleasant Valley School District. He also has experience as a homebuilder.

His salary was set at $71,000. He will start Feb. 7.

The district liked his range of experience, including maintaining sewage treatment facilities for Pleasant Valley. JTASD’s Penn-Kidder Campus has its own sewer facilities.

“He’s done it all,” Superintendent John Rushefski said.