At the June meeting of the Salisbury Township Board of School Directors, Superintendent Michael Roth and administrators summed up the 2013-2014 school year.

Administrators cited a successful school year despite the many challenges school districts faced throughout Pennsylvania. All commended students for their efforts this year.

Roth agreed public education faces continuing challenges.

"Throughout the course of this year, our teachers, administrators and staff members worked with incredible effort to ensure successful administration of PSSAs to our students in grades three through eight and Keystone Exams to our students in grades nine through 11. They have navigated the intricacies of a new teacher effectiveness evaluation system, assumed the daunting task of the Pennsylvania Value Added Assessment System roster verification and learned the ins and outs of a new school performance profile, replacing traditional Adequate Yearly Progress reporting for federal requirements.

"They have intently focused on learning new requirements of Mandated Reporting for Child Abuse and Educator Misconduct, adapted to what appears like weekly changes to data collection and reporting requirements for special education students, accessed dwindling Title I funds to provide support for students who struggle, and fought hard for Medical Access Funding due to us, but caught up in a system of bureaucratic red tape and political machinations that seem no longer to be the exception, but the rule.

"Teachers and administrators have been introduced to student learning objectives and continued to align curriculum and instruction to PA Core Standards. We have all been asked to do more with less, and walk a funding tightrope that continues to narrow in supporting all students and families who call Salisbury their home.

"In terms of operations, we have wrestled with finding the proper balance to meet federal nutrition standards while staying fiscally responsible and appealing to student choice in our cafeterias. We have provided transportation to 45 schools, as required by state law, although only four buildings are maintained by the district. And, unfortunately, parents and students heard my voice on the phone around 5:30 a.m. on 19 occasions this winter, telling them school was either delayed or closed, and one call alerting parents and guardians their children would be coming home early from school to avoid potential foul weather. All these items, to a certain degree, make Salisbury 'non-exceptional.'"

Roth also noted what makes Salisbury exceptional.

"The first and foremost is the tenacity and positive attitude in which those who learn in Salisbury met each of the challenges this school year held. Our students have continued to excel in the classroom, creating and sharing their collaborative work that has provisioned them for this ever-changing world."

At the elementary level, Roth noted the Leader in Me program and students interest in charities and organizations supporting members of their community.

Roth also pointed out the successful Pre-K Counts/Headstart program at Harry S Truman Elementary School introducies young learners and their families to the district and prepares them for kindergarten.

"At Salisbury Middle School, students continued to wow us with what they are able to do with the technology afforded to them and were again generous with their time and talents in supporting fundraising efforts for the Preager Cancer Center and the Race for Adam," Roth said.

"At Salisbury High School, students from No Place for Hate gave of their time and talents to fifth grade students at Western Salisbury Elementary School to teach them about working together and growing into role models."

Roth said the partnership with CLIU 21 yielded a successful establishment of the multiple disabilities support classroom, which is making a difference in the lives of those involved in the program, but with other students and staff as well.

"Our students' accomplishments in the classroom, in academic competition, on the athletic field and on the stage through performance have been wonderfully shared by our student representatives of the board and demonstrate the high levels of commitment students have to their learning and teachers have to the students," Roth said.

Roth said in terms of the adults who are stakeholders in Salisbury Township School District, a superintendent could not ask for a more exceptional group.

"Parents have been wonderfully supportive of our programs by turning out to the art shows, parent teacher conferences, PTA/PTO events, concerts, athletic events, plays, volunteering in our schools, giving of their time to advisory councils and providing feedback for our strategic planning process. Our support staff has been flexible as our teachers and administrators have navigated new PDE mandates, and have been a tremendous asset to all our efforts. The custodial and maintenance department met the challenges of this winter, including significant facilities issues at both Western Salisbury Elementary and Salisbury High School with dedication and resolve that is second to none, and meant that a heating system failure and a frozen sprinkler head may have caused inconvenience, but not interruption to the learning process.

"Our coaches, both paid and volunteer, have brought notice to our district yet again by supporting our dedicated athletes who have proven how competitive our programs are through league, district and state level accomplishments. Our community partners, such as Al Douglas and St. Luke's, Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, CLIU 21, LCTI, LCCC, Seton Hall, Moravian, Lehigh, DeSales. Each have contributed to the success of our students and our programs.

"Our teachers have been, yet again, stellar in bending like palm trees in the winds that continue to blow from the state, readily taking on the challenges of new curricular materials, new instructional demands, and supporting our students to demonstrate learning that goes beyond that which is measured on a standardized test. Their positive energy is felt everyday in our buildings, and contributes immensely to an atmosphere of collegial respect and student-focused actions. Behind them all the way is a phenomenal administrative team, who gives many hours of time and commitment not always seen, in supporting all functions of the district to ensure that teachers have what they need in order to be successful in their instruction. They are a group of folks committed to the idea of 'what if' versus 'we can't.' Their approach makes the difference.

Roth also commended the advocacy and support of the school board, which he said "is paramount to our all of our success. As a professional and dedicated group of volunteers, three who are new and have hit the ground running, you have provided the resources necessary to realize the vision and mission of the district yet again, and have been dedicated and focused to make the tough decisions that will open another exciting chapter for Salisbury in your support of TL2020. I know there will be more exceptional moments in the future, and I thank you for making that possible."

In closing, Roth reminded the school board, teachers and administrators to consider the mission of the district: Salisbury Inspire, Think, Learn, Grow… Together.

"We definitely saw that mission evidenced in the 123 of the 130 graduates who we celebrated at commencement at Symphony Hall, not only by the $1.5 million in scholarship monies earned, but the resilience, intelligence and positive attitude demonstrated in each of their accomplishments.

"Thank you for another year filled with the positives of what public education should be about. It has been exceptional," Roth said.