Jim Thorpe school board members are facing questions about when they will fill a vacant principal position.

Penn-Kidder Principal David McAndrew Jr. will leave the district next month to become superintendent of Panther Valley School District.

On Monday, current Penn-Kidder Assistant Principal Randy Engle asked the board to post McAndrew’s position sooner than later because planning is already underway for the next school year.

“To move this forward, I’m hoping we’re going to make the decision to post the position so we can get started on planning for next year,” Engle said.

Board President Gerald Strubinger asked if Engle was able to handle the building by himself during the coronavirus. He said the board’s policy and personnel committee plan to discuss the position on June 1.

Engle said Penn-Kidder and L.B. Morris each require two principals because they each include grades K-8. He added that this summer is particularly important because there is so much uncertainty surrounding the next school year.

Engle said it’s likely that students will return to school in fall based on news out of Harrisburg. However he said they have to plan for a return as well as remote learning and possibly a combination of the two.

“Not only do we have to come up with our typical schedule, we have to probably come up with 3-5 different scenarios on what might happen next year,” Engle said.

McAndrew echoed Engle’s thoughts that the building requires two administrators. He recalled a time when Engle had to go on medical leave and he was in charge of managing the entire school without a second administrator.

“It was exhausting. It wasn’t good for my health, it wasn’t good for my well-being,” McAndrew said.