Northwestern Lehigh School District's preliminary budget has been worked on since last November, Superintendent Mary Anne Wright said at the April 16 board meeting.

Final adoption will be in June with a proposed final adoption 7:15 p.m. May 7, so the spending plan can be viewed for the required 30 days.

Assistant Business Director Christine Staf-ford said some of the deficit in the $37,358,704 budget is being made up from $1.6 million of the fund balance with $400,000 kept in reserve.

The inflationary index by which millage can be raised without referendum is 2.4 percent. Expenses are $39,521,617. This leaves a shortfall of $2.1 million.

Assessment appeals have led to $22,635 in additional revenue. Teacher salaries ($299,915) and benefits ($139,696) have dropped with the number of retirees replaced by new employees at lower cost to the district.

Changes in revenue from the 2013-14 budget to this 2014-15 budget are $276,086 local funding, $245,451 state funding and negative $8,650 in federal funding.

Net expenditures have gone up by $2,222,702.

In other matters, a server that has come to its end of life needs replacement by May 2015. The server costs $59,222 and extra memory will be $24,252.

The money was taken out of this year's budget with a recommendation to purchase. A tractor and snowplow from 1965 are still working but will be included in the budget on a state contract at $50,000.

Wright asked approval to accept $24,000 worth of books and crayons from Lehigh Career and Technical Institute's First Books program that provides books for students across the Lehigh Valley. The school will receive 2,575 books and 504 boxes of crayons to give to students.

Wright said she is on a team to determine what is available in the Lehigh Valley workforce and to prepare students for those jobs.

The team is part of the STEM Leadership Council program. STEM is science, technology, engineering and math.

The meeting at the Da Vinci Center, Allentown, asked the question "What does the Lehigh Valley need?"

Board member LeRoy Sorensen asked what qualifications there were for a teacher to take a sabbatical.

Sorensen was told the teacher needs to be with with the district for at least 10 years.

While on sabbatical the teacher will receive half pay and benefits.The time is devoted to career development or medical leave, among other purposes.

Sabbaticals can run for one semester or up to a year.

Curriculum Director Leann Stitzel said curriculum documents were available for English, language arts and literacy.

Work began 1-1/2 years ago. More nonfiction is included. By high school, nonfiction should be raised to 70 percent. Greater use of evidence should be used in writing.

The program is designed so students grow as they move from level to level.

"We will not implement the entire program next year, just start to meet Pennsylvania Code standards," Stitzel said. "We will focus on up to 10th grade because the Keystone test at that level will be required for graduation."

The documents are on the web and open for comments. The board will vote for approval in May.

Board member Ron Morrison said there are no references to textbooks. Stitzel said there will be texts only for sixth, seventh and eighth grades.

Students in ninth and 10th grades will use novels, online material and library resources.

Wright said texts are brought for approval but not other materials. If a board member wants to look at a random sampling he should talk to the building principal.

She said students need skills to read on the Internet. Teachers take into account the students who do not have computers.

Board member Paul Fisher asked if the books being displayed would remain timely for 10 years.

Stitzel said the curriculum process begins again in eight years.

Fisher reported Brian Kahler was approved as vice president of finance and facilities at Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville.

The board approved the contract with Brandywine Transportation for some district transportation needs.

Board member Willard Dellicker said the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute budget was approved by all nine school districts.

The co-op program is being expanded with businesses and industry providing rotational internships for students. They have four-week rotations among four companies.

LCCC's presidential search committee is working on a final list of candidates and a decision is expected by the end of the month, said Fisher.

David Hunsicker has been on the LCCC board of trustees for 15 years. He was honored for his dedicated and faithful service to the college, which wishes him good health, happiness and fulfillment.

As a trustee he served on many committees.

When computers are replaced with Windows 7, the old ones can be wiped clean and donated to children who need them, said Darryl Schafer.

There is question of donating something purchased with taxpayer money, Morrison said.

Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Holman will look into it.

Activities Director Jason Zimmerman said there are 185 kids who went out for track and field, the largest group ever.

He will be taking a group to Special Olympics at Whitehall to help and to participate.