Pennsbury School Board Appoints Next Director Of Special Education

The Pennsbury Board of School Directors appointed Robert F. Mehalick as the next Director of Special Education for Pennsbury during their meeting Thursday night.  

Mehalick will replace Interim Director, Israela Franklin, on a date to be determined, according to a news release.

Franklin was named to the position temporarily after Diane Paul resigned from the director position in June.

Mehalick will report to Pennsbury Superintendent Dr. Kevin J. McHugh and will serve as a member of the superintendent’s cabinet. According to the news release, his duties also include providing supervisory oversight of all special education programs, as well as the development, implementation, and administration of all aspects of the special education and gifted education programs. He will also oversee psychological and behavioral services, speech and hearing support, as well as occupational and physical therapy. In addition, Mehalick will be responsible for directing and overseeing the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 processes, and make recommendations for action to the Board of School Directors.

Since 2006, Mehalick served as as director of special education and student services in the Southern Columbia Area School District in Catawissa, Pa. prior to joining Pennsbury.

From 1999-2006, he was a special education teacher in the Hazleton Area School District and has also served as a member of the adjunct faculty in the education department at Lehigh Carbon Community College, where he taught evening classes to students in the field of Special Education.

Mehalick currently serves as an elected member of the Hazleton Area School District Board of Education.

Mehalick is currently enrolled in a doctoral program in educational leadership at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He holds a master of science degree in special education from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, and a bachelor of science degree in Special Education from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.