Palmerton Area School District will relocate its administrative offices this week as part of a major construction initiative that it says will free up classroom space for students and modernize district facilities.

District administrative office staff will vacate the third floor of the Parkside Education Center on Tuesday with the official move taking place Wednesday and Thursday, according to Superintendent Angela Friebolin.

By Friday, all administrative staff will be working from their temporary location at 3295 Forest Inn Road, Suites 3 and 4. The district has signed a two-year lease agreement for the space at $3,800 per month.

The administrative offices will be unavailable for in-person visits from Wednesday through Friday during the transition.

“Please direct all inquiries and concerns either to the email address of the staff member you are trying to reach, or call and leave a voicemail message,” Friebolin advised. “Our voicemails will be automatically routed to the correct email address.”

The move is part of a planned comprehensive $14 million construction that includes a two-story high school addition and a new 11,000-square-foot permanent district administration office. The vacated third floor of the Parkside Education Center will be repurposed to create 7,700 square feet of additional classroom and staff space for student use beginning in August 2025.

The district’s long-term plan includes constructing the new administrative office space adjacent to the high school gym, along with a secure entrance renovation and improvements to the existing high school administration area.

“Thank you for your patience as we complete the move and set up our offices in our new, temporary location,” Friebolin said in her message to the community.