Hazleton Area Superintendent is now Dr. Uplinger
May 23—Hazleton Area Superintendent Brian Uplinger has a new title.
Doctor.
Uplinger learned Wednesday that he completed requirements for a Doctor of Educational Leadership, which will be presented May 29 at Wilkes University.
The school board revised his employment contract to reflect his achievement on Thursday while making other adjustments to the administration.
Patrick Patte, who also has a doctorate, was promoted from director of curriculum to assistant to the superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment. He will assume some of the duties of another assistant to the superintendent, Anthony Ryba, who will retire Aug. 15.
Kris Bonomo will move from assistant principal at Hazleton Area High School to supervisor of curriculum for kindergarten to sixth grade.
Uplinger said the district is large enough for two curriculum specialists so he assisted Patte in the past few years.
"I jump in where I need to help him out," Uplinger said.
Now Patte can concentrate on curriculum for grades seven to 12.
Bonomo will oversee the curriculum for 10 elementary and middle schools.
Uplinger said he completed his doctorate in three years while working full time for the district and going "through a pandemic."
"It's a labor of love and hate all wrapped up in one," he said.
He studied students on the autism spectrum as they move from a classroom, say, to a lunchroom or gymnasium.
"Some of them are not happy that they have to move," he said.
Even shifting from a desk chair to a seat on a rug can upset their routine, he said.
"They're not adjusted. They can't understand why they're doing it," said Uplinger, adding that little research previously had been done on transitions that those students make at school.
He said his findings will help with the education of students now in Hazleton Area schools and of district students who travel to other schools to receive support for conditions such as autism.
Those are students for whom Uplinger and the school board want to create programs in Hazleton Area schools.
To offer those programs, Hazleton Area would have to hire specialists and teachers plus find classroom space.
One recent suggestion is to establish those programs in rooms now filled by Hazleton Area Arts and Humanities Academy, which is within Hazleton Area High School.
That of course would require the board to find a new home for the arts and humanities students.
"There's definitely a lot of discussion on how to proceed, what direction to go," Uplinger said.
Also he said Hazleton Area has to proactively prepare for growth as developers carry through plans to construct warehouses and industrial buildings in the region.
"There is going to come a time when we're going to hit a huge influx of students because of factories," Uplinger said.
He started working with the district in September 2017 but hopes that the board will renew his contract when it expires next year.
"This is where I want to be. My family and I, we love it here," he said. "We've felt welcomed since the day we moved here."
The board raised his salary by $6,000 because he earned a doctorate. In 2017, he started working as superintendent for $135,000, which was $15,000 lower than the outgoing superintendent Craig Butler. His contract allows for annual raises of 1% to 3% depending on evaluations.
As Bonomo advances from assistant principal to supervisor, his salary will increase $2,000.
Bonomo is no relation to board member Tony Bonomo, but is son-in-law of board member Robert Fiume.
Fiume abstained from the vote to appoint Bonomo as a supervisor.
Contact the writer: kjack
son@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3587
