A Whitehall-Coplay School District administrator was tabbed Tuesday night as the next superintendent in Palmerton Area School District.

Angela Friebolin will take over Dec. 2 after the school board voted 7-2 to approve a three-year contract running through June 30, 2027.

The contract calls for Friebolin, who is currently Whitehall’s director of personnel, to receive a starting annual salary of $135,000 for the 2024-25 school year. Her salary will increase by 3.5% for each of the following two years. In addition to her base salary, Friebolin will be eligible for performance-based bonuses, contingent on her annual evaluations. The contract also includes a benefits package including health insurance, retirement contributions, and graduate tuition reimbursements.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and honor to the board of directors for placing confidence in me for the superintendent of schools position for this great district,” she said.

A lifelong resident of the Northern Lehigh area, Friebolin said has a deep connection to the region and experience working within similar school districts.

“When you come in as a new superintendent, the thing not to do is just make huge changes and sweeping changes. You should employ “listen, learn, lead,” she said, outlining her short-term goals for the district.

Friebolin acknowledged some tense moments during Tuesday’s meeting as all but one of around 10 public commenters, which included teachers and community members, before the vote specifically voiced their support for one of the other finalists, Ryan Kish.

“I was prepared for that,” Friebolin said, “and I knew that there are a lot of very strong opinions and feelings. I do respect that and I don’t hold any ill will to anyone who spoke out on behalf of Ryan. He’s a wonderful person, and I am very much looking forward to working with him.”

Kish, Palmerton’s business manager, has been serving as interim superintendent since July 6 when Dr. Jodi Frankelli left after four years to become the executive director of early learning at Allentown School District.

“Probably Ryan’s greatest attribute is that he has been able to communicate not only with parents, teachers, and the community, but also fellow administrators,” Butch Acierno, a sixth-grade teacher, said. “In my experience, if you contact Ryan about an issue, you get a response from him and then the person heading that department within that same day. In 32 years we haven’t had that.”

Acierno also described watching Kish help carry items for the construction crew working on S.S. Palmer renovations this summer.

“I just think, if he cares that much about our district, and he cares this much as an interim superintendent, what will he do as a superintendent?” Acierno said. “It’s true that he doesn’t have an educational background. However, if you watch the news or read the paper, maybe somebody with business sense is a quality we need. He already is familiar with our finances. He understands what the district spends. He understands what the district needs.”

School board members Earl and Danielle Paules said the district had a points system as part of the superintendent selection process, which Palmerton contracted with the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21 to help conduct. Paules and his wife, who were the only two directors to vote against approving Friebolin on Tuesday, said Kish tallied the most overall points.

“I’ve been involved in the school district for 11 years now,” said Michelle Gordon, a district employee. “I went to the town hall for the superintendent. I’m here today to urge you to remember those results. The board encouraged public participation, and it doesn’t seem that those results are being reflected. The whole point of the event was to engage a community. But as a community member, we feel that our voices are not being heard.”

Palmerton director MaryJo King said while the board did have a rubric as it went through the process, it was never meant to be the only metric by which a candidate was chosen.

“The rubrics were always meant to be a talking point, not the sole determining factor,” King said. “We all agree Ryan is doing a great job in his interim position. As a board member, I’ve taken this process very seriously. It was not a waste of time and it was not a waste of money. I’ve been in education a long time. I want what’s best for these students and staff as well.”

Mary Farquhar said she felt like she asked “stupid questions” when she began coming to school board meetings.

“Ryan didn’t make me feel stupid, and he volunteered to give me whatever information I needed, which I really appreciated at the time,” she said. “Everybody seems to like him. He knows all the financials, so he’s already starting way ahead, and I really think he is the right man for the job. And I would really hate you guys to miss out on that opportunity to get the right person.”

Attending the meeting by phone, Board President Sherry Haas acknowledged Friebolin was not her first choice. She’s confident, however, Palmerton’s administration will be willing to work with her.

“When you talk to her on a personal one-on-one level, Angela is ready to hit the ground running,” Haas said. “I’m confident the finalists we had were the best candidates. Angela 100% has my support.”

Living close, Friebolin said, has allowed her and her family to spend quality time in Palmerton, a community for which she has fond admiration.

“There’s a tremendous amount of pride here,” she said. “I think it’s evident just from the way they’ve been able to maintain their town. It’s a beautiful town. We started coming to football games when I became integrated into this process, and I just feel like the support is very evident.”

Friebolin said she plans, hopefully starting this week, to meet with members of administration and the board.

“I want to listen to their needs, learn from what they’ve already been doing, and then really prepare a leadership plan moving forward,” she said. “You don’t really know a district until you’re integrated in it, and you start working with the people.”