Tuesday is decision day in Palmerton Area School District when it comes to its next superintendent.

An agenda for the district’s board of directors meeting, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Parkside Education Center, includes a motion to approve Angela Friebolin as superintendent for a maximum of three years pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in a contract negotiated between the two parties.

Friebolin, currently the director of personnel in the Whitehall-Coplay School District, was one of three finalists for the position including Palmerton’s business manager and current interim superintendent, Ryan Kish, and Danville Area School District Assistant Superintendent Jason Moser.

Friebolin

During a public presentation earlier this month, Friebolin emphasized her commitment to the education profession and her personal investment in the role.

In presenting her vision for enhancing the district’s climate, Friebolin used the analogy of a tree to explain her approach.

“You have your roots, which are the fundamental concepts that you need to have in place before you can really work on developing those leaves and limbs, which will allow your district to flourish,” she said.

Her focus, she added, is on creating a safe and supportive environment for students.

Friebolin proposed conducting systematic reviews of the district’s facilities and safety protocols, emphasizing the importance of clear communication with both students and staff.

“Safe kids are happy kids,” she said, noting that students need to feel secure to thrive academically and socially.

Friebolin stressed the need for a districtwide communication audit to ensure that parents receive consistent information across multiple platforms.

“Our parents are busy people, and we want to make sure they get the information they need in a predictable and concise way,” she said.

Friebolin also placed a strong emphasis on collaborative leadership, proposing the expansion of leadership opportunities beyond administrators to include teachers and even students.

“Your teachers are at the interface with the kids and they can be a huge part of your leadership model,” she said, adding that students’ voices should be integrated into decision-making processes to create a more inclusive school environment.

Her community engagement plans included forming a “Bomber Advisory Committee” composed of various stakeholders, including students, businesses, and community members.

Friebolin, who holds several certifications and is completing her Ph.D. in strategic leadership, also highlighted her qualifications and extensive experience working with diverse student populations, including English language learners.

Interim

The position has been open since July, when Dr. Jodi Frankelli left after four years to become the executive director of early learning at Allentown School District.

Kish was tabbed as interim superintendent, while keeping business manager duties, by the board of directors and started on July 6.

Director Earl Paules has been vocal in the days leading up to Tuesday’s meeting about his desire to remove the interim tag for Kish and promote him to the superintendent chair on a permanent basis.

In a “Letter to the Editor” published today, Paules said Kish had the most overall points in the metric the district was using throughout its interview process.

“The state decided years ago that business managers were capable of being superintendents,” Paules said in the letter. “There are about 20 schools in Pennsylvania that have a business manager as a superintendent, so this is not uncommon. As a business manager, (Kish) has saved the taxpayers millions of dollars. I believe he deserves a chance to lead this district in the right direction. He is willing to listen and open to suggestions.”