Emmaus High School Principal Dave Piperato and Supervisor, Secondary Level Curriculum Laura Witman gave a presentation to the East Penn School District board members on the summer learning academy program at the April 11 meeting.

The five week hybrid model introduced in 2015 provided attendance flexibility, pre-assessment, differentiation and mastery based learning, reduced staffing issues, credit recovery, Keystone remediation and retesting.

In 2014, 170 courses were offered in face-to-face classes. Piperato said more students were interested in participating in the summer academy in 2015.

In 2015, 26 students opted to retake the Keystone tests – 50 percent of those students moved to proficient after the five week period.

According to Piperato, students said the hybrid model was much more rigorous. Statistics for the district show a 90 percent success rate.

Piperato and Witman proposed moving to eLearn21 for the 2016 summer learning academy with 250 courses proposed.

eLearn21, a Carbon Lehigh Virtual Learning Program supported by the Intermediate Unit, is used by Lehighton, Northern Lehigh, Salisbury Township and Southern Lehigh school districts for virtual learning as well as seven state intermediate units and 90 Pennsylvania school districts.

Piperato said the program provides local control, an integrated reported system, on-demand tutoring, multiple course vendors vetted through the consortium and a cost savings to the district.

Included in the summer learning academy are National Collegiate Athletic Association approved courses as part of the acceleration program. Piperato said currently two students are interested in the NCAA courses. A driver’s education class is also included.

Board member Francee Fuller asked how the program is being promoted to students and parents and Piperato said a brochure will be issued, it will be noted in the principal’s newsletter and will be part of an e-blast to parents.

For remediation, eLearn21 has a diagnostic tool to gauge what the student knows in that subject so the entire course will not have to be repeated and the remediation will be designed to meet each student’s needs.

Witman said students are still required to attend a lab staffed by teachers at the school available 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday. Students must attend lab three hours a week.

Piperato said more students are interested in taking acceleration classes to free their schedules for additional classes the following school year.

Assistant Principal Josh Miller will be in charge of the summer learning academy program and was introduced to the board members.

In other school news, fourth grade students from Macungie Elementary School attended the meeting to show board members the results of a recent math-a-thon to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Teacher Jennifer Thomas told board members the children raised $1,780. Students told the board it takes $1.9 million a day to run the hospital and St. Jude sees 200 patients a day. Over the past nine years, the students have raised $24,329 which is the cost of one day of chemotherapy or one ultra-sound for one patient.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Schilder thanked Thomas and the students for their humanitarian efforts. “There is a tremendous giving spirit in this district,” Schilder said.

The collective bargaining agreement between the East Penn School District and the administrative assistant, instructional/staff assistant and health room nurse employees was approved effective July 1 through June 30, 2020.