Lehighton Area School District rounded out its board of directors Wednesday night by appointing Brian Shaner to fill a vacant two-year term.

Shaner, who has been attending meetings for the past several years, submitted his resume and answered the board’s interview questions last week when two other seats were open.

Though Shaner wasn’t appointed to one of those two seats, board President Joy Beers said he was the leading candidate behind eventual directors Jeremy Glaush and April Walker, leading to a motion for him to join the nine-member governing body.

During the interviews before the board, candidates were asked how the district could improve the academic achievement of students and the professional development of the staff and what they think is the best way to address and reduce bullying within the district.

Shaner said the district should put more of a focus on academic and professional development discussions during board meetings.

“I’ve been coming to board meetings a long time and I think sometimes we lose focus on that while we go off on discussions about other things,” he said. “I’m also a big believer in not reinventing the wheel. I think we can look at other successful districts when it comes to academics and professional development and see if we can pick their brains.”

Giving students more “real life” opportunities, Shaner said, would help them put into practice what they have learned and see how those skills will be beneficial in life after graduation.

On the topic of bullying, Shaner favors more education for students, staff and parents.

“We can focus in on educating students of the harm of bullying, how it impacts students and the best ways to handle a bully,” Shaner said. “On the staff side, we can help educate them on being able to identify behaviors of bullying and give training on how to conduct proper investigations. Bullying has always been around and unfortunately we will never be able to fully stop it. For the board, it starts with consistent enforcement of policy. Otherwise, it sends the wrong message that the board does not take this issue seriously.”

Shaner also brings union contract negotiating experience from his time in the human resources field. He currently works as a supervisor of colleague relations for Lehigh Valley Health Network.

The two-year seat came open when Walter Zlomsowitch won it, along with a four-year seat, in the 2021 general election. Zlomsowitch chose the four-year seat.