Pleasant Valley High School has a new assistant principal.

The school board approved hiring Zachary McMichael for the position. He takes over for Jeremy Byrd, who left at the end of last school year.

This will be McMichael’s first position as principal. He is coming to Pleasant Valley from William Allen High School in Allentown where he was a math teacher at the high school. McMichael said he loved the math department there, and taught a variety of math classes for nine years. He decided to move into administration because he wants to help people.

“I’ve seen a lot of situations where there’s been a kind of a revolving door leadership, here included, and I want to be part of the solution,” McMichael said. “I’m just looking forward to being a bear. That’s about it. I’m really happy to be here. I appreciated the warm welcome for everybody I’ve met so far.”

McMichael’s new salary will be $88,920. He joins a team of administrators that include Principal Brian Boylan, and assistant principals Amber Chiafulio and Ariella Mease.

Personnel

Other personnel changes include:

• Change to current assignment — Julie Harris, from director of special education to special education teacher at PVMS, Step 14, $99,242, effective Aug. 20, replacing Lauren Black (change of assignment); Andrea Moore, from administrative secretary-registration to administrative secretary-curriculum, administration building, effective July 21, replacing Lorraine McCutchan (retired); Jodi Swanson, from PVIS building secretary to administrative secretary-registration at the administration building, Step 4, $39,203, effective July 28, replacing Andrea Moore; Cindy Johnson, from administrative secretary-special education to confidential executive assistant to the director of Human Resources, administration building, $59,564, effective July 28, replacing Magen Snyder; William Calhoun, PVHS Custodian, change in hours, effective July 28, replacing Nikolas Snyder; Crystal Bristol, PVHS monitor to PVMS, effective Aug. 20; Christine Abrams and Sharon Wawrzeniak, PVMS monitor to PVHS, effective Aug. 20;

• Hiring of professional staff — all effective Aug. 20: Alexis Nemeth, special education teacher, PVIS, Step 1, $52,642, new position; Victoria Tedesco, special education teacher, PVIS, Step 3, $57,742, replacing Chelsea Markes (change of assignment); Michael McGlinn Jr., science teacher, PVMS, Step 11, $70, 742, replacing Victor Quesada (resigned); Kelly Montalvo, chemistry teacher, PVHS, Step 11, $60,542, replacing Pace Abrams (resigned); and Colin Irwin, physical education and health teacher, PVHS, Step 4, $54,402, replacing Drew Davis (retired);

• Hiring of support staff — Leah Freeman, administrative assistant-special education, administration building, $36,227, effective July 28, replacing Cindy Johnson (change of assignment); Tina Keppel, paraprofessional, PVES, $27,586, effective Aug. 20, replacing India Johnson (change of assignment);

• Intramural advisers — Hanna Doerner; girls lacrosse (5th and 6th grades and 7th to 12th grades); and Angelica Zimmerman, girls basketball;

• Resignations — Julia Mininger and Gwendolyn Harris, building secretaries, PVMS; Amanda Menghini, teacher, PVIS; Lisa Maderic, administrative secretary-technology, PVHS, and Corinne Morris, paraprofessional, PVES;

• Salary Adjustment — Lucy Meyer, special education teacher, from M/30, Step 12, $77,742 to M/54, Step 12, $88,242

• Supplemental contracts: athletic (2025-2026 school year) — Football: Jarered Salazar, freshman assistant, Step1, $5,642, and Jason Beck, middle school assistant, Step 1, $2,096.50 (split stipend); and Matthew Gould, track and field, Step 3, $3,626.

• Supplemental contracts: athletic non-coaching (2025-2026 school year) — Mike Walters and Michelle Piontkowski, fall, varsity, junior varsity and middle school worker, $45,$41 and $36 respectively;

• Supplemental contracts: nonathletic (2024-2025 school year) — PVHS Diversity Club, co-advisers, Jamie Hyde and Danielle Brandes, $320 (split stipend); and PV Cub Academy substitute paraprofessional, Nancy Ryan, $23 per hour;

• Supplemental contracts: nonathletic (2025-2026 school year) — ESOL department chair K-12, Susanne Rasely-Philipps, $2,800; 12th grade class adviser, Julie Burchfield, $2,550; 9th grade class adviser, Catherine Britton, $2,050; PVHS Yearbook adviser, Elizabeth Negron, $2,910, with co-advisers Amber Chiafulio and Ariella Mease, $2,910 (split stipend); PVHS Art Honor Society, Elizabeth Negron, $750; PVHS Math Club, Daniel Muir, $650; World Language 6-12, Liliana Lear, $2,800; Art K-12, Elizabeth Negron, $2,800; PVHS National Leo Club, Amanda Altemose, :$1,310 (split stipend), co-adviser with Susanne Rasely-Philipps; Social Studies PVHS department chair 9-12, Anthony Chupa, $2,800; and Math PVHS department chairs 9-12 Daniel Muir and Jenna Wernett, $2,800 (split stipend), and;

• Volunteers — Felicia Bontempo, Kelly Stout, Adam Krupka and Brian Mularski Jr.