Palmerton Area School District’s board of directors will enter 2025 with a new president after Earl Paules was appointed to the post Tuesday night.

Paules secured the five votes needed for the leading role, with the 2024 president, Sherry Haas, and Kris Schaible each getting two votes.

Voting for Paules were himself, his wife, Danielle, Stacey Connell, Erin Snyder and MaryJo King. Haas garnered votes from herself and director Brandon Mazepa. Schaible cast a vote for herself and gained another from Alyson Krawchuk.

Following the vote Tuesday, Paules said he looked forward to the opportunity in front of the board in 2025.

“We have a new start in 2025 and a new president and vice president,” Paules said. “So far, so good. I’ve been looking forward to new leadership for a long time and we have that opportunity now. I will do everything I can for this board to make sure it goes smoothly.”

It’s a time of sweeping change for Palmerton as Angela Friebolin started earlier this week as superintendent. She was hired in October under a three-year contract running through June 30, 2027.

King won a tight 5-4 race for the board vice president seat.

She got her own vote and others from Earl Paules, Danielle Paules, Snyder and Connell.

Schaible got votes from herself, Mazepa, Haas and Krawchuk.

“We have to remember that we are the board as one,” Paules said. “We might be divided a little bit, but we’re going to pull it together.”