Jim Thorpe Area School District has filled a long-vacant choir director position.

The school board hired Sean P. Parrish as choir director at the high school and Penn Kidder Campus at a stipend of $2,140.97 per year.

The schools have been without a choir director since last June. Board President Scott Pompa said the board has been unsuccessfully looking for someone to take the job since then.

“It’s nice to finally have a candidate to fill the position,” Pompa said.

Prior to the vote, a district parent spoke about the benefits of having chorus available to students.

Rich Strack cited a report which stated students who participate in chorus do better academically and socially. He said the program fits with the district mission statement which emphasizes the need to acknowledge and respect students’ individual uniqueness.

“It should be an educational priority to provide enrichment in addition to the education program and sports program we have in place,” Strack said.

Strack said that having a choir director will also benefit the district’s drama club, because most high school plays are now musicals. Without an established chorus program, it could be harder to attract students to perform in them.

“Our neighboring schools have figured the numbers in their budgets and have strong music programs in place,” he said.

In other business

The school board:

Accepted the retirement of Dr. Jerome Brown, director of technology; Brigetta Taddei, ESL/ELD teacher; Nancy Fields, Title I math teacher; Wesley Holmes, elementary teacher; Regina Yaich, confidential administrative assistant to the superintendent. All retirements take effect in June.

Appointed attorney Scott Etter to serve as special counsel. Board members said they could not discuss further details due to possible litigation.

Allowed graduates who are enlisting in the military to wear military sashes with their graduation attire.

Voted to seek candidates for superintendent, as well as technical education teacher.

Donated $3,500 to the 2022 Rotary recreational summer program at Memorial Park.