The Upper Adams School Board restored its membership to full strength Tuesday, appointing Michael Waldron and Micaiah Van Evera to fill two vacancies following a series of public interviews during a special board meeting.
The appointments came after the board accepted the June 18 resignation of board member John Lindemulder, leaving two open seats to be filled by board vote. The other position being filled was Kay Hollabaugh’s resignation. Eleven residents applied for the positions, although several did not appear for interviews. The board interviewed candidates in open session before selecting Waldron and Van Evera.
Waldron, a 45-year resident of the Upper Adams School District, said he decided to seek the appointment after years of encouragement from friends and now that he has retired. His three children attended Upper Adams schools, and he now has three grandchildren enrolled in the district.
A retired manager whose career included work in the forest products industry and at Hanover Foods, Waldron said his experience balancing the needs of employees and management prepared him for board service. He also pointed to years of volunteer work with youth organizations, church programs, the local library and community activities.
Asked how he would approach serving on the board, Waldron stressed fairness, listening and keeping the focus on children. He recalled coaching youth softball and choosing not to enforce a technical violation by an opposing team because it had been an honest mistake.
“Adults, get out of the way,” he said, explaining that youth activities should put children ahead of winning. He also said every resident deserves to be heard and that listening is one of the most important qualities of public service.
Van Evera, a pastor and newly certified teacher, told board members he moved into the district in 2020 with his wife and three children. Two of those children will attend Upper Adams schools this fall.
Van Evera currently serves on the Menallen Township Council and previously served on the Possum Valley Municipal Authority, experiences he said gave him familiarity with public meetings, budgeting and local government. He recently completed the coursework required to become a certified teacher after working as a pre-kindergarten assistant teacher and serving as a long-term substitute in life skills and autistic support classrooms.
Van Evera praised Upper Adams’ academic performance and graduation rate, saying he hoped to help the district continue improving while ensuring that both students and teachers feel supported. Responding to a question about handling differing viewpoints, he said his work in ministry has taught him to listen carefully before speaking and to approach disagreements with openness and integrity.
Other candidates interviewed by the board included Dafer Salem, Bert Eisenberg, Andrea Wolfe-Lady and Dennis Cope. Their backgrounds included project management, nonprofit leadership, education and school administration. Several additional applicants did not attend the meeting for interviews.
The appointments concluded a meeting that also saw the board approve a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Upper Adams Education Association, adopt a new artificial intelligence policy, and debate whether to advertise for an assistant principal position at Biglerville High School before ultimately voting to post the opening as an anticipated vacancy.