EASTON, Pa. – During a special meeting preceding its standing committee meetings Tuesday night, the school board of Easton Area School District made some personnel changes.
Heather Gaumer was approved to serve as the next Easton Area Middle School principal. Superintendent Tracy Piazza discussed how Gaumer acquired the position after about 20 years in various capacities at EASD.
“It was an arduous process,” Piazza said. “She spent lots of hours and nights here having many conversations with the group you see before you and coming to that decision. We have 100% faith that she will take on this challenge and move the school forward.”
Gaumer will begin her position Jan. 20. She will receive $127,025 pro-rated annual compensation.
The board hired also Jeffrey Bauder to serve as director of transportation.
“This is a huge task and huge role within in the district,” the superintendent said.
Bauder will receive a $118,000 pro-rate annual salary.
The board also accepted the retirements of three long-time employees.
Tanya Morgans and Susan Hughes, both teachers at EAHS, will retire after 32- and 25-year careers.
Public comment
During the special meeting public comment session, a mother of a sixth-grade student at EAMS, Mary Ann Sofronie, alleged her daughter had been “the victim of bullying” since she started “in the public school system in August 2025.”
Sofronie stated her dissatisfaction with EASD’s handling of more than one dozen complaints of alleged bullying incidents.
“The way the district has handled the issue at hand is gross incompetence,” she said. “I expect there to be change as we are in month six of bullying.”
Sofronie said the district was more concerned about disregarding her than addressing the complaints.
“This needs to change immediately,” she said. “I’ve reached out to the superintendent three times to discuss this. I’ve reached out to the assistant three times to discuss this. I’ve been ignored every single time.”
EASD officials offered no response to Sofronie’s statements Tuesday night.