Salisbury Township School District board members took the March 30 curriculum and technology committee meeting on the road to Western Salisbury Elementary School and were treated to a demonstration by students on the Apple iPads.

Principal Grace Hartman introduced to the board members the iPad mini which is used to supplement and enrich instruction in the kindergarten and first grade classrooms. Each iPad mini has Internet access, a camera and a microphone.

Board members and administrators visited various stations where students explained how they use the iPads in the classroom for such subjects as reading, math and geography.

Board members were impressed with the programs used on the iPads. Sam DeFrank said the programs add fun to redundancy to learn the needed skills.

Audrey Frick said the students get instant feedback on their work with all of the "cool colors."

Russell Giordano was impressed with the social studies app he observed. He said the students get to choose what they are interested in and have to read in order to choose. If they get stuck, they can go to a peer or a teacher or can use a program which can read to them.

Administration has updated the 2014-2015 school calendar which is expected to be approved at the April 15 board meeting. It reflects the eight snow days used this year and adds four days to the end of the school calendar.

The proposed 2015-2016 curriculum and technology committee meeting calendar was also approved. Meetings are held at each of the four school buildings as well as alternating between Lehigh Career and Technical Institute and Lehigh Carbon Community College. Chairperson Mary Ziegler asked for Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit to be on the rotating schedule.

Assistant Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten presented a proposal for the enVisions math program to be extended to sixth grade students. The expense enhances the curriculum currently used for kindergarten through fifth grade students and includes vocabulary, books and digital access.

Board members also heard a proposal from Fuini-Hetten on the data tool STAR purchased last year for elementary school students. This tool gives benchmarks on students' progress, identifies weaknesses, finds deficiencies and targets instruction. The additional purchase is for early literacy for the kindergarten and first grade students.

Fuini-Hetten also provided an update on the educator effectiveness evaluation. A full presentation is available on the school website at www. stsd.org/supervision.

Superintendent Dr. Randy Ziegenfuss provided a Teaching and Learning 2020 update. Two new surveys are being introduced this week. Parents are asked to complete the surveys as soon as possible. Ziegenfuss will then follow-up with focus groups and provide a presentation to the board at the May meeting.

Giordano asked what has happened since the board decided on full-day kindergarten.

Ziegenfuss said, in addition to the press, the information has been relayed via social media. Ziegenfuss is working with the current teachers to develop curriculum and schedules. A May or June parent meeting is planned as well as kindergarten orientation in August.