Leechburg Area appoints new board member, prepares for return to in-person classes

Leechburg Area School District has a new school board member.

Teresa Edinger, 51, of Leechburg, was appointed during a virtual Zoom meeting Monday night. She replaces Lisa Gregory, who resigned Dec. 9 with one year remaining on her term.

Edinger previously was employed by the district as business office manager for almost seven years and is currently the assistant business manager at Kiski Area School District.

A Leechburg native who graduated from Leechburg Senior High School in 1987, Edinger said she is “excited” about her new role.

“Working in a business office gives me knowledge of budgeting, taxes and retirement costs,” Edinger said. “I want the district to flourish.”

Edinger was one of three candidates.

The other two were Ashley Coudriet, a former educator with more than 20 years of experience in public schools, and Andrew Pallus, a freshman at Carlow University.

Edinger’s community service includes serving as secretary with the Leechburg-Gilpin Lions Club.

School board members are volunteers and do not receive compensation from the district.

“I’m ready to hopefully make a difference and help with the future of Leechburg,” she said.

In other business

Superintendent Tiffany Nix updated the board on the status of vaccines scheduled to arrive for district staff members.

“We have been told that they are coming and we are on a list to get them, but we don’t know when that will be,” Nix said.

Nix said students are scheduled to return to in-person instruction on Monday, Jan. 11.

All students in the district are learning virtually this week. Virtual teaching on Wednesdays will continue, with students learning remotely from home to allow for a districtwide sanitizing and deep cleaning of all district buildings.

“I am comfortable with students coming back to school Monday,” Nix said.

Sports and extracurricular activities resumed this week.