Palmyra school district asks for resumes to fill 3 board vacancies

The Palmyra school district is requesting resumes from members of the community to fill three board vacancies after one-third of the board resigned on Friday.

A statement released by the district asked residents interested in serving to submit a letter of interest and a resume detailing their qualifications for the position to Mike Frentz, board secretary, at mike_frentz@pasd.us. 

“Candidates are being accepted until the vacancies have been filled through appointment by the Board of School Directors under Section 315 of the PA School Code,” the statement said.

State law requires they fill the positions within 30 days of the vacancy.

The upcoming school board meeting scheduled for June 25 was postponed due to not being able to meet a quorum. In a nine-member school board, a majority of five people is required to vote on district business. The board now consists of six members — Larry Geib, Corey Andrew, Seth Steinmetz, Sue Gilligan, Dave Laudermilch, and Christine Fisher.

Superintendent Bernie Kepler did not answer questions about when the meeting will be rescheduled or a specific timeline for accepting applications, doing any necessary public interviews, and holding a vote to fill the vacancies.

“The board is working through these questions at this time,” he said via email.

The new board members would replace Jill Martin, Alicia Haldeman, and Cynthia Spondello, who resigned on Friday and sent statements to LebTown.

Martin, former president of the board, said the following:

Please accept this letter as my resignation from the Palmyra Area School Board of Directors, effective immediately.

It has been a privilege to serve this community. However, I can no longer support the direction the district has taken on certain issues, and therefore I believe it is appropriate for me to step aside. I am grateful that during my service this year we were able to adopt a zero-percent tax increase budget, thanks in large part to greatly increased state funding and creative cost saving measures, and reach a collective bargaining agreement with our teachers, accomplishments that reflect the hard work and dedication of many individuals. I thank the community for the opportunity to serve and with the district, its students, staff, and families continued success moving forward.

Please note, I will no longer be checking this email address after this message is sent.

Respectfully,

Jill Martin

Haldeman shared the following:

Dear PASD School Board Directors and Administration,

Consider this my formal resignation. I appreciate those who voted for me & entrusted me to represent them. As a result of the decisions I have made as a school board members, my children have been bullied & ostracized. It’s a sad state of affairs when parents drag my young children into this. I have reached the point where this volunteer position is not worth the stress that it puts on me & my family. I simply refuse to allow my family & I to be a target of the hate in this community any longer.

Respectfully, Alicia Haldeman

Spondello shared the following statement: 

On June 12^th, I submitted my formal resignation from the Palmyra Area School Board of Directors. I wish the Palmyra district community success despite the divisiveness, total dysfunction and vitriol from several members of the board. I am saddened because I am stepping away from serving on a board that I hoped would be diverse, yet unified. A board with a team of 9, each with their own special talents, who would work together to best serve the students, teachers, and community. I was so hopeful that the new school board would be able to work cohesively regardless of opposing opinions. Rather, several members created a great divide that no matter what, unification would be impossible to attain and therefore was not working for the betterment of the community and the district. I, however, remain proud that we passed a budget with a 0% tax increase and I am also pleased with the successful negotiation of the teachers’ contract. I wish the teachers continued success with their careers and the best for the student body at large. I have no further comments.

Regards. Cynthia Spondello

All three former board members said they would have no further comments regarding the resignations.

The resignations came the day after a board meeting where residents spoke during public comment, demanding vice president Andrew’s resignation. With Martin leaving her post as president, Andrew will step into the role of running meetings.