When a Jim Thorpe Area School District mathematics teacher resigned in September, the board hired a long-term substitute and advertised the position as open.

Two months later, the board has decided to reappoint the teacher who resigned, raising eyebrows from at least one parent in the district.

On Monday, the board voted 6-3, on the recommendation of the administration, to appoint Amy Serfass as a mathematics teacher at a salary of $47,345. Serfass previously worked in the same position from September 2017 to September 2018.

Pearl Downs-Sheckler, Clement McGinley and Dennis McGinley voted against.

Before the vote, teacher and parent Lisa McArdle, who said she was speaking only as a parent, expressed concern that Serfass had resigned from her position previously, and didn’t want to see it happen again.

McArdle said the current long-term substitute has been doing a great job in the position and should be commended, despite the fact she doesn’t want the position. She asked if there were any other applicants considered for the position.

“How can you reassure me as a parent that this new teacher would not be resigning again in the middle of the year?” McArdle said.

Superintendent Brian Gasper said Serfass represents the best option for a continuation of services. In regard to her previous resignation, Gasper said it was discussed during the hiring process, and the district is confident it won’t happen again.

“I can’t hold people to anything of that nature, but that conversation has taken place,” he said.

Gasper later said that it’s very difficult to find math teachers, and he recently spoke to a district where they had posted a math position three times and still failed to get quality interest in the position.

“We really want to get the best person in front of our students — and that’s the most powerful teacher,” Gasper said.