Six people are listed on the ballot for four seats on Lehighton Area School Board.

On the ballot for four-year terms are Timothy M. Tkach and Lory A. Frey, who both won Democratic and Republican nominations in May, Democrats Alex Matika and Kasara B. Weinrich, and Republicans Joy Beers and Duane Dellecker.

William Holland is unopposed for a two-year seat.

Two candidates who didn’t make the ballot are conducting write-in campaigns. They are Darin Dotter and Denise Hartley. Candidates were asked to provide background and answer questions, with a maximum of 100 words for background and 75 words for the questions. Here are their replies in alphabetical order.

Background

Joy Beers: I have been on the school board for eight years and have watched our district convert from a corrupt, wasteful government parasite rife with cronyism into a student-focused, fiscally-conscious community servant. This conversion has come at great cost to the school board directors, parents, staff, and community members who have donated their time to make this happen. I ask voters to maintain the current school board in order to continue this great work. Re-elect me and Duane Dellecker. Write-in Denise Hartley and Darin Dotter for 4 years and Darin Dotter for 2 years.

Duane Dellecker: Over the past year, we have addressed numerous issues that should be of concern to all parents and taxpayers. Notably, a nepotism policy, ensuring that the best employees are hired regardless of their connections to staff, administrators, or board members; addressing the woke and DEI agenda, safeguarding that our administrators/teachers concentrate on fundamentals such as reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and civics; and developing a facilities maintenance plan, ensuring taxpayer investment is properly managed. We should be considerate of taxpayer dollars, ensuring those dollars are used in the best interest of our youth, with consideration for those who pay the bills.

Darin Dotter: I graduated from Lehighton in 1983. I’ve been a Purchasing Agent for 28 years in the mining industry. My wife, Janet of 35 years and I have two children. Our daughter graduated from Lehighton and our son graduated from Carbon County Vocational Technical School. I currently serve on the following: Sunday School Teacher, Board Member, Mahoning Valley Ambulance, Executive Committee, Carbon County GOP, State Committee, PA GOP. I was the past President, East Penn Little League.

Lory A. Frey: I was born and raised in Lehighton. Graduated from Lehighton in 1978. Recently retired from Lehighton Area School District after 30.65 years. Working at the middle school and administration gives me an over view of all facets in the district — I am a cancer survivor, church volunteer and prior worship leader for a praise band.

William Howard: Background: I’ve been a dedicated community member and successful business owner for over 25 years. I earned my Doctor of Dental Medicine from New Jersey Dental School in 1997, followed by a 2-year postgraduate program through Harvard Medical School, working at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. Since 1999, I have proudly served the Lehighton community in my dental practice. I am married to Suzanne Howland; Suzanne is currently the Lehighton Area High School Principal and a district employee since 2000. We raised two children who graduated from LASD in 2019 and 2025.

Denise Hartley: I am a 1994 graduate of Lehighton Area High School. The foundation I received as a student at Lehighton helped me be successfully as a college student at Arcadia University where I graduated with a degree in psychology. I spend over 20 years as a social worker in nursing homes assisting the elderly and their families. In the last ten years I have worked in the financial area involved in nursing homes. I look to bring my desire to help others and financial sense to the Lehighton School board.

Alex Matika: I’m a 2010 graduate of Lehighton Area High School, East Penn Township resident, and father of two children entering the district. Following graduation, I obtained my Doctor of Pharmacy at Wilkes University, and completed two years post-graduate residency training specializing in infectious diseases at Jefferson-Abington Hospital. I’m currently an infectious diseases specialist at St. Luke’s University Health Network, where I also serve as an adjunct professor for the Temple-St. Luke’s School of Medicine. In my spare time, I enjoy relaxing with my wife, children, and two dogs, watching Philadelphia and Penn State sports, and volunteering as a youth baseball coach.

Timothy M. Tkach: I lived my entire life in Lehighton, enjoying 39.5 yrs. in the field of education. Started as a Business Education Teacher at Bethlehem Catholic in 1982 and then went to Stroudsburg SD in 1984. I returned to Lehighton in 1997 in administrative roles, as the Middle School, Asst. Principal, MS Principal, HS Principal, Director of Curriculum & Instr. and Asst. to the Supt. before retiring in 2022. We raised four boys and have 6 grandchildren that will be attending this school district. I’m active in our community and church, serving as a lector at SS. Peter & Paul RC Church.

Kasara Weinrich: A 2008 graduate of Lehighton Area High School, Weinrich returned home in 2014 to raise her two sons, Rowan and Sullivan, in the same community that shaped her. She was recently promoted to Senior Director of Transformation Readiness at ADP, teaches graduate courses and leadership seminars at Moravian University, and is pursuing a PhD in Anthropology and Artificial Intelligence. A 2022 MBA graduate, Kasara is passionate about using data-driven decision-making and responsible leadership to strengthen Lehighton’s schools. She’s committed to supporting teachers, listening to community members, empowering students, and ensuring every child has access to opportunities needed to thrive.

Questions

1. The board approved a 2025-26 budget that reduces property taxes by one mill. If elected, how would you balance managing property tax rates with maintaining or improving classroom programs and services?

Beers: Previous to the current school board, our students had books that were falling apart, and building maintenance was disregarded. With the current school board, we are repairing the buildings and buying curriculum for our students with a budget surplus. We lowered taxes because we are taking care of all District needs with money left over. The answer to the question is: common sense and ethical decision-making will provide all that we need without tax increases.

Dellecker: We are supposed to be stewards of taxpayer money, making sure taxpayer dollars are used effectively and efficiently, while providing a quality education for our youth. Nationwide, only 60% of our population is proficient in reading and math. We need to focus on basic traditional education that works, concentrating on core subjects with historical proven outcomes. LASD taxpayers spend over $20,000 per year per student. We can do better by focusing on traditional education practices.

Dotter: I would like to add shop classes to the middle school program. I feel parents and students should have a voice in this matter. One way to save money is by managing our buildings and grounds efficiently. If we watch our spending we should be able to stabilize taxes.

Frey: The district can optimize their budget by implementing cost saving measures to free up funds for classroom needs. We can apply for state, federal and foundation grants to support specific programs. Community partnerships with local businesses and organizations could also provide assistance. Prioritizing and addressing maintenance issues proactively instead of waiting for expensive emergency repairs. The district could also utilize cooperative purchasing programs for larger orders at better pricing.

Hartley: There is no easy answer to this question. First, continue the current work the school board has made by making ethical decisions which is what allowed for the tax reduction. Next, monitor expenses so that the students will not be at risk for a loss in programs. If the budget is monitored, there is no reason not to be able to continue to provide the services and programs the school students to benefit students.

Howland: While lowering tax rates sounds appealing, reducing revenue was a mistake that limits our ability to sustain quality programs, services and retain staff especially during our current rate of inflation. We must be fiscally realistic. Strong school districts rely upon stable funding and responsible budgeting that prioritizes classrooms, not cuts, and expanding programs like the Lehighton Virtual Academy — to keep the students and our tax dollars in Lehighton.

Matika: Most residents understand the tax reduction for what it was — a disingenuous attempt to buy votes while ignoring the concerning 5-year financial outlook for the district. If elected, I will work to minimize the need for tax increases, advocating for such only after exhausting alternative solutions. Unlike our opponents, I’m not focused on making decisions for the sake of handcuffing my successors, rather making decisions that benefit the students, faculty, and the community at large.

Tkach: Let me state that the one mill reduction they did for the current budget was a political ploy. They were not fiscally responsible in any manner. Look at the 85 budget transfers they did at the Oct. 27th meeting. That amount of transfers in the first four months of operation is totally unacceptable. We need to get the wants and needs from our educational staff and then compare our fiscal responsibilities to prior years and prioritize them and the costs to accomplish academic achievement.

Weinrich: I know our community expects both great schools and fair taxes. I’ll deliver both by making every dollar count. We can keep taxes affordable through data-driven budgeting that cuts waste, not classrooms. Unlike the current board’s spending on buyouts and legal disputes, I’ll prioritize grants and resources that support instruction. Long-term stability also means planning ahead, with transparent budgeting, rigorous audits, and trimming non-classroom waste to ease the tax burden while expanding student opportunities.

2. Over the past year the district has debated access to certain library materials. Where do you draw the line between parental concerns about materials and students’ First Amendment/academic access?

Beers: Parental rights trump government indoctrination every time. Students primarily rely upon their parents as their guide in this world to become successful adults. Students do not have any rights to information that parents deem age-inappropriate. When it comes to curriculum and library materials, the school board needs to listen to parents. If parents cannot trust the District to respect parents’ decisions for their children, they will choose charter or home school.

Dellecker: Library materials should be age-appropriate … period! There is a vast difference between providing educational materials and indoctrinating or grooming children. The 1st Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, not academic access to pornographic or other age-inappropriate materials. I will not support twisting words or interpretations to support wokeness. Parents are free to teach their children in non-traditional ways. But they should not expect the taxpayers to pay for it either.

Dotter: Materials need to be age appropriate.

Frey: The district needs to establish a clear transparent policy that respects the parents right without giving them the power to censor materials for all students. Provide a framework on how parents can request limitations on their own child’s access by implementing an “opt-out” system. For sensitive topics, send home letters or emails to inform the parents and explain the material.

Hartley: Parents need to be the leaders in letting the school know what materials their children are coming across in the school. It is a parents decision what their child reads out of school that should not change when their child comes to school.

Howland: Lehighton’s new Policy 109.1 — created under the direction of the current board and a public community committee — sets a fair, transparent process for selecting and reviewing materials. Parental input is welcome at the committee level. It ensures students can access research tools that enhance their education, while still providing reading materials for pleasure. When these resources are excluded from budgets or debated for political reasons, it limits students’ First Amendment right to learn and think independently.

Tkach: There are policies set up and in place that need to be followed. Our librarians follow these policies and enforce them. As a public school and institution of knowledge, materials need to be present for students and staff to do their research or reading. If parents have a concern about “age appropriate” materials or readings they have the opportunity to limit their child’s access to them. However, we should not be limiting the “AVAILABILITY” of information to students. That’s a decision between them and their parents/guardians.

Weinrich: Parents deserve a voice in their own child’s reading choices, but we cannot let personal beliefs censor library content for everyone. Our students have First Amendment rights to access information, and I’ll always put students’ right to learn first. Rather than divisive book bans, I’ll promote open communication and explore tools that to help parents guide their children and provide access to choice for their learning, while protecting academic freedom for all students.

3. Will you support clearer parental opt-out policies for lessons a parent finds objectionable? If so, which subjects would be eligible for opt-out and how would you ensure opt-outs don’t stigmatize students or harm required learning standards?

Beers: Other Districts are installing “opt-in” policies where parents must explicitly opt-into certain curriculum. This should be the standard in schools. An example of this is sex/gender based ideology where children are being taught that biology can be ignored or changed. Parents need to be in the driver’s seat of what their children are exposed to and when the exposure happens, so they are able to guide their children based on their values and morals.

Dellecker: Rather than expecting parents to take the time to write opt-out letters for objectionable lessons, I support creating opt-in policies for any questionable materials. That would put the onus on the administration and school board to prove the lessons are worthy of support. We should not be wasting taxpayer dollars on teaching inappropriate DEI or woke nonsense. Parents should be confident that schools will provide their children with valuable and useful information.

Dotter: I would recommend an abbreviated class syllabus be sent home two weeks prior to sensitive information being taught regarding reproductive health, along with a permission form for parents to sign. This would allow time for parents to discuss what will be covered with the teacher in advance.

Frey: To ensure opt-out programs don’t stigmatize or compromise learning standards, school must focus on communication, alternative instruction and administrative discretion. We need transparent communication with parents about curriculum details, design alternative lessons that align with learning standards and train staff how to handle opt-out requests respectfully.

Hartley: Instead of opt-out I would suggest the opt-in option as being down in other school districts. An example would be a parent opting in regarding the gender/sex ideology.

Howland: Lehighton already has clear policies in place. Under Policy 105.1, parents can review curriculum materials, and Policy 105.2 allows students to be excused from instruction that conflicts with religious beliefs. These systems protect family choice while maintaining academic integrity. From my understanding, few families use them, so I’d focus on better communication and collaboration — helping parents understand their options without creating new policies that might disrupt learning or isolate students.

Matika: Local debates regarding this topic have unfortunately been politically motivated. Those initiating the conversations have invoked ideas from highly partisan groups with ulterior motives. While parental concerns should always be heard by the board, I would ultimately rely on educators to make decisions regarding the availability of educational content that is in accordance with state guidelines and curriculum standards.

Tkach: Parents have always had an option to opt out their child, if they found educational material to be offensive to them or their religious beliefs. As a former classroom instructor, you only present the facts and not your opinion. You present facts, teach them how to think for themselves and make educated decisions based upon the facts and information. This is America and we are all different and that’s ok. We need to respect each other because we are all human-beings!

Weinrich: For truly sensitive topics, I support clear opt-out options so parents can choose what aligns with their values while remaining consistent with state law. However, I am steadfast in my belief that core academics are not optional. If a parent requests an opt out, there must be an equivalent, private alternative assignment. That way the student isn’t stigmatized and still meets our required learning standards.

4. Pennsylvania and many local districts are facing teacher recruitment/retention problems. What strategies will you pursue to recruit and retain the best teachers for Lehighton?

Beers: Our District has no problem with hiring. This school board negotiated a contract with appropriate salary increases, coupled with appropriate recognition of incoming experience. Due to this great contract, our District has had numerous great applicants. In many cases the applicants have expressed the fact that our District is their preferred choice over other Districts. This school board has changed our culture such that Lehighton is a “go to” place for teachers.

Dellecker: The interview and selection process should be based on what one knows, not who one knows. Our conservative school board is focusing on traditional academic subjects (reading, writing, grammar, arithmetic, geometry, science, civics, and music). A stable focus on traditional teaching, combined with eliminating nepotism, is attractive to dedicated teachers and administrators. Due to these policies, we have a real challenge choosing from the many excellent candidates applying for positions in the LASD.

Dotter: The School Board and District Administration can meet with faculty to discuss improvements they feel would benefit the teachers and help attract new teachers to the district.

Frey: The district can recruit and retain teachers by offering competitive compensations, provide meaningful professional development and provide a positive and supportive school environment.

Hartley: This is not a issue that Lehighton has faced as of currently. The reason is because teachers and support staff recognize the support provided to them by the administration and school board. The knowledge of this support draws excellent candidates to the district.

Howland: Recruiting teachers is harder in rural communities like Lehighton, where travel, limited industry, and higher Lehigh Valley salaries create competition. We must market our district’s strengths — a close-knit staff, well-behaved students, excellent facilities, and strong support — to attract educators who value community. Expanding Memorandums of Understanding with universities for student-teaching placements can also help us grow our own pipeline and retain quality teachers long-term while essentially giving them a working interview in the process.

Matika: Lifelong learning is a key factor for enhancing professional development and career satisfaction in any profession. Providing cost-effective avenues to facilitate this is a crucial component to promoting teacher recruitment and retention. Additionally, demonstrating a willingness to negotiate contracts in good faith while offering compensation and benefits that are, at the very least, competitive regionally may assist with retention of the highest quality educators.

Tkach: Our community, its people, parents and students are our biggest asset when it comes to recruiting teachers. New teachers always wanted to come to Lehighton, but that hasn’t been the case the past few years with the constant school board turmoil. We will bring stability, transparency and support to the staff and kids with fiscal responsibility. The numbers are slim, but with a competitive salary scale, our community and school opportunities people will want to be here.

Weinrich: Great teachers don’t just stay for a paycheck, they stay for culture. To recruit and retain talent, we need respectful leadership, a collaborative environment, and a school board that values teachers. I’ll champion mentorship, recognition and communication, not micromanagement or fear. Competitive pay matters, but culture keeps people. By building a climate of trust, stability, and shared purpose, we’ll make Lehighton a place where educators are engaged and respected, driving an environment for student success.

5. What are the top two most important factors to you when measuring the district’s progress? Examples include graduation rate, standardized tests, attendance, discipline disparities, postsecondary enrollment. It does not have to be one of those examples. It can be something else.

Beers: The first measure is making sure that the students are cared for. Caring for students is defined as: are the children fed, are the children safe, and are the children learning resiliency skills. We have free breakfast and lunch, and I am committed to making sure it never goes away. The second measure would be academic achievement.

Our superintendent with the support of the board is hiring learning rehabilitators and purchasing curriculum to address shortfalls.

Dellecker: Improvements need to be measured using all the available tracking tools and giving appropriate weight to each factor. Considering the abysmally low national averages in basic K-12 education, the LASD has only a slight advantage over those averages. The current board leadership has been working diligently to create an early intervention system to get our children up to speed. Based on desire and abilities, vocational and collegiate education can both produce productive members of society.

Dotter: I think the best way to measure progress is by performing yearly benchmark testing for Reading, Writing, and Math, as well as implanting Exit Interviews for Seniors and students transferring out.

Frey: Standardized local testing can be used to measure student growth. Using the Graduation Cohort gives inform on the number of graduates, dropouts and the number of years it takes a student to achieve graduation.

Howland: I believe progress is best measured through student growth and readiness for everyday life after graduation. We have data on student growth but readiness for life after graduation is less tangible. This measurement is assessed with active community engagement combined with community feedback. A healthy, motivated student body supported by a dedicated staff reflects real progress — students who leave Lehighton prepared, confident, and connected to their community.

Matika: Many metrics contribute to the assessment of a school district’s performance and progress. Amongst the most crucial indicators of school district wellbeing include student achievement scores, as measured by standardized test scores, graduation rates, personal student growth score, and postgraduate employment and higher education rates (collegiate and trade), among others. Staff satisfaction scores and retention rates are valuable for assessing career fulfilment. It is prudent that these metrics are both compared regionally and trended longitudinally.

Tkach: Two factors are: Interpretation and use of Grade-Level Standardized data. The staff needs to be trained to interpret and use this data in their daily classroom instruction. This data will address the deficiencies and strengths of students. This aids the staff in how they can present to the students, in their different learning modalities, so they achieve individual student progress. Attendance is another important factor, if kids aren’t in school, they can’t learn.

Weinrich: As a parent of young learners, I know early engagement drives lifelong success. Students supported by teachers, curricula, families, and their community, show up, stay curious and keep going. I would focus on both early literacy and graduation rates. Third-grade reading isn’t just a benchmark, it’s the beginning of a path that leads to confident graduates, ready for college or careers. Our job is to make that path strong, clear and consistent.

Hartley: First, would be students feel safe and cared for. This is achieved by providing students meals and the basic skills needed to succeed. Second, is academic achievement.