Panther Valley School Board named Robert Palazzo as assistant to the superintendent during its meeting on Wednesday.

His title had been supervisor of curriculum, student and community services.

“This title change reflects the expanded scope of responsibilities assigned to the position,” said Ronald Yuricheck, chairman of the board’s personnel committee. “All other terms and conditions of Mr. Palazzo’s employment, including salary and benefits, shall remain unchanged unless otherwise approved by the board.”

The superintendent is David McAndrew.

Palazzo has been an employee of the district since 2017 when he was hired as elementary principal.

He was promoted to supervisor of curriculum, student and community services in 2024.

During 2025, he filled in for a brief period as an interim superintendent for McAndrews.

Last month, it was announced that besides serving as supervisor of Curriculum, Palazzo would also have the duties of school psychologist.

In October 2022, Palazzo was honored in Washington, D.C., by the National Association of Elementary School Principals as one of 41 “National Distinguished Principals” from across the nation.

In other business:

• Amber McFadden was named dean of students at Panther Valley Elementary School, effective Aug. 18, at a salary of $56,905 plus an additional $5,000 stipend.

• Sarah Hartung was hired as an occupational therapist at a salary of $80,000.

• Abigail McGinley also was hired as an occupational therapist at a salary of $65,000.

• The board granted permission to Kailee Heffelfinger, elementary teacher, to take a course at Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 on “an introduction to special education and exceptional learners.”

• Mary Barndt, a junior-senior high school teacher, will take two courses at Kutztown University. One is data driven assessment and decision making. The other is critical theories and professional practice.

• Jillian Frank, a junior-senior high school teacher, will take a course at Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 on supporting English learners in any classroom.

• Hannah Spillman, a junior-senior high school teacher, was approved for courses at Kutztown University. One course is applied behavior analysis. The other is legal, historical and philosophical foundations of multicultural education.

• Carly Romankow, a paraprofessional, will take a course at Lehigh Carbon Community College on child development.

• Tyler Mangold, an intermediate school teacher, will take a course on characteristics and etiology of autism spectrum disorder at Bloomsburg University.

• Paula Jones, elementary school principal, will take a course on DL field experience/internship at King’s College.