Pocono News Section

Judge Makes New North Schuylkill Ruling

Judge Makes New North Schuylkill Ruling - Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 8:00PM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 @ 08:00pm EST
A Schuylkill County judge appointed four members to the school board this afternoon. The judge says this will provide immediate relief.

This removal is the first of it's kind in Pennsylvania. The North Schuylkill School Board is taking shape after it was wiped out.

On Thursday a Schuylkill County judge appointed four new board members. They are Grace Glowacki, Debra Hampton, Robin Hetherington and Kelly Moran.

This comes two days after eight members were kicked off the board. People in the district petitioned for their removal after Interim Superintendent Mark Semanchik was placed. Semanchik was the school board solicitor. Petitioners say Semanchik is unqualified and claim the board destroyed qualified candidate applications.

In Thursday's ruling, a judge said the appointments will provide the district immediate relief. The district has not passed its near 24 million dollar budget. Other personnel issues could have been jeopardized without a sitting school board.

One member of the board was not removed. Robert Orth has been in Harrisburg the past two days, meeting with state Department of Education officials.

He's trying to map out a plan after a removal the state school boards association calls the first of its kind. On July 22nd, the same judge that ordered this removal will review applications for the remaining board seats.