The Panther Valley School Board reorganized Wednesday, welcoming two new members and retaining key leadership roles ahead of its December meeting.

Daniel Matika will remain as board president with Shawn Hoben as vice president. New board member Kim Laird will serve as board secretary and Pat Leonzi will serve as board treasurer.

Board member Michael Alabovitz will serve as a member of the joint operating committee of the Carbon Career and Technical Institute, representing the board for three years.

New board member Ron Yuricheck will serve as an alternate on the CCTI joint operating committee.

Superintendent Dave McAndrew welcomed the new board members, Laird and Yuricheck. Solicitor Bob Yurchak administered the oath of office to all incoming board members before reorganization.

Success

The board hired Joseph Zukowski as a student success specialist at a salary of $49,996, a position funded by Bitfarms Ltd., the Canadian-based company that operates the Panther Creek facility in Nesquehoning.

Superintendent Dave McAndrew said that this position is a key resource in promoting student attendance, engagement, and overall well-being.

“This role focuses on decreasing student truancy, helping families decrease barriers to school attendance and provide ongoing family case management,” he said.

“The specialist works collaboratively with school staff, students, families and community agencies to remove barriers to student success, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive academically, socially and emotionally,” McAndrew said.

Robert Palazzo, supervisor of curriculum, student and community services, told the board that Zukowski, who has experience with a similar position in Upper Dauphin, will be working out of the elementary and intermediate schools.

The staff is excited to welcome him aboard as well, he said.

Playing up

The board approved both boys’ and girls’ basketball to play up a classification from 4A to 5A for 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.

McAndrew explained that the district’s enrollment has bumped them up a classification.

“We are no longer considered a small school in sports,” he said. “In the playoffs, we will be playing schools like Blue Mountain and Pottsville.”

Other

The board, in other business, approved:

• Hiring Jonathan Byers as an eighth-grade science teacher at a salary of $47,686, per the union contract and pending paperwork.

• A three-credit course for Jacob Taras, a junior-senior high school teacher.

• Winter sports workers at $30 an event, Robert Yager, score book, and Kaley Kovac, fill-in.

• Business manager Greg Gauronsky as assistant board secretary.

The board’s next meeting will be Jan. 21.