Northwestern Lehigh School District Superintendent Mary Anne Wright briefly showed a third-grade video made by Northwestern Elementary music instructor Shawn Fies called "The Giving Tree."

The video told the story of a tree that loved a boy."

Wright said the drama programs are still community events and many community members helped with the successful presentation of "Footloose." They were thanked.

A video, "What's Cool about Manufacturing," will be shown at the April school board meeting with the teacher who made the video present.

Wright said the last day of school will be on June 16.

Graduation is scheduled for June 7 in the morning at Stabler Center. Rental is $6,920.

There was no other weekend time available until June 21.

Members of Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Units 20 and 21, legislative representatives of Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton counties, along with the school districts met to discuss special education funding and cyber and charter school reform.

"Reform does not address all the issues," Wright said. "We are to let them know if we think of anything else."

The state has added $20 million to special education funding, but legislators have said many unfunded mandates come from the federal government.

The Foreign Language and International Cultures Club will travel to France and Italy between June 12 and July 4.

The final date has not been set.

Students have to start fundraising even before they know if the trip will happen.

The 2014-15 student calendar has four snow days built in and tries to protect Nov. 28 and Dec. 26, 29 and 30.

A contract was approved with Brandywine Transportation for extracurricular trips and a limited number of regular bus runs as needed.

This will require the same staffing of two full-time mechanics, one full-time transportation coordinator, one part-time scheduler and one part-time office assistant.

As more CDL licensed drivers are becoming available, there may not be as many trips to outsource to Brandywine as had been expected.

The board gave approval to start bidding for tires for district vehicles, and for the purchase of one bus and three vans.

In addition approval was given for an agreement with Daniels Sharpsmart Inc. for disposal of medical waste.

The bid was awarded for the proposed sanitary sewer wet well project at Weisenberg Elementary.

Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Holman said the school did not receive a Safe Schools grant.

She said 110 schools received grants.

Holman said the lack of break ins and gang activity probably affected the decision.

E-rate contracts were approved with SchoolWorld for the website and Internet and with Line Systems for phones.

Weisenberg Elementary kindergartners will travel to the Lehigh Valley Zoo May 21.

The cost is $735, which will come from the student activities fund.

The Northwestern Lehigh Educational Foundation served 168 breakfasts at Applebee's and earned $1,800.

The annual 5K run-walk will take place at Ontelaunee Park this year.

Through the school's participation in United Way, the foundation received $688.

Mini-grant proposals are being accepted from the teachers to purchase classroom materials outside the school budget.

Enrollment continues to go down.

Board member Greg Sanders asked if Wright checked to see why parents choose to homeschool, which is also decreasing.

She does not, though she checks about cyber school which is increasing.

Homeschooling is at the parent's cost and cyber-charter school is at the district's cost.

She said the in-house cyber school costs about half what it does from outside companies.

Board members would like to visit the site of Circle of Seasons Charter School at the former Penn State campus in Weisenberg Township.

Board member Ron Morrison reported state Sen. David Argall, R-29th, has introduced Senate Bill 1187 for an Army Combat Infantry license plate with the badge.

He also will look at a possible Marines Combat Action ribbon on the plates.

Argall commended all services for their service.

Board member Paul Fisher said Lehigh Carbon Community College is also seeing a decrease in enrollment, especially in Carbon County, where more online classes are being sought.