During the Jan. 18 Salisbury Township School District board meeting at the administration building, students and faculty recognized and thanked school board members for their efforts.

Prior to the start of the meeting, student Dana Thompson and principal Grace Hartman from Western Salisbury Elementary School placed large construction paper flowers with petals of appreciation, created by the students at the school, at each board member’s seat.

Agostino D’Ancona, Rania Nimeh, Anna Bishop and Vivian Rogers from Salisbury High School presented board members with a cake and refreshments.

Bishop began the student report highlighting the efforts of recent district band and chorus achievements and the upcoming Skills USA competition for Lehigh Career and Technical Institute students to be held Feb. 1.

The high school play will be “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

D’Ancona followed Bishop, reporting the football team was recognized for their fundraising efforts and information for Salisbury scholastics is listed on the school website at www.stsd.org. D’Ancona also thanked the board for “serving the community, the teachers, staff and students.”

Salisbury Middle School students took their turn at the microphone, beginning with Kaitlynn Macauley who reported the Interact Club held a dodgeball tournament for Dream Come True and raised $300 for the charity, which was presented on RCN. Students also donated food to a ministry food pantry and collected toys for Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital.

SMS student Brogan Shay told the board students will be selling paper roses for Valentine’s Day.

The ski club at SMS started in January and has 19 members.

Harry S Truman Elementary student Valerie Wood reported students were treated to a performance of the Nutcracker Suite at Symphony Hall in Allentown in December 2016.

Western Elementary School student Dana Thompson reported the kindergarten classes went to see “Pip the Mouse” in December 2016 and gave the show “two thumbs up.” Thompson thanked the board for “all they do to help the students.”

School Board President Frank Frankenfield thanked Thompson and the other students for their reports.

Salisbury Middle School student Chase Watto displayed a large nail, yarn and wood crafted falcon she constructed and presented to the board on behalf of the students at the middle school.

Salisbury School Board members are unpaid, volunteer positions, Salisbury Superintendent of Schools Dr. Randy Ziegenfuss said.

“Thank you all very much for the service you give.”

The board invited all the attendees to partake of the refreshments provided by the students.

The meeting resumed after refreshments.

Board Secretary Robert Bruchak said the business office is busy wrapping up the fiscal year and preparing W-2, 1099 and 1095c forms to meet the Jan. 31 deadline.

The 2015-2016 STSD audit was “clean” continued Bruchak and completed Dec. 20, 2016. The audit was reported on the Electronic Municipal Electronic Access where financial information is stored to comply with bond issues.

Bruchak thanked the board for their continued support for the district.

Director Carol Klinger, chairperson of the curriculum and technology committee, asked the board to approve an overnight trip for the wrestling team to go to Lansford to attend a tournament Jan. 27 to 28. This was approved.

King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul LLC was approved as the board’s solicitors 2017 through 2020.

A change order net decrease of $5,877.36 for the administration building generator was also approved.

The board also approved for an RFP to be issued for acceptance of a food service contract.

In personnel news, Elena Steidinger has resigned as supervisor of the special education department and Michael Vacaro was approved as her replacement.

Director Mary Ziegler reported that during the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit board meeting and holiday dinner held Dec. 19, 2016, a group of children entertained the board in song and by acting out “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.”

“As always, these kids are absolutely amazing, and they are such a treat to watch,” Ziegler said.

Frankenfield said LCTI held its reorganization meeting in December 2016 and new officers were chosen. Skills USA, a showcase of the student’s work, will be held at Agricultural Hall at the Allentown Fairgrounds Feb. 1. Frankenfield invited all of the board members to attend.

Frankenfield also said LCTI arranged a refinancing plan on existing debt of $6,610,000 allowing additional funds for capital improvements. The board was asked to make a motion to approve the financing plan which would bring LCTI’s total debt to $49,000,000 which the board unanimously approved.

Frankenfield also asked for a motion to approve Lehigh Carbon Community College’s operations debt. All of the board members were in favor and the motion was approved.

Director Susan Lea reported on the state of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and stated it was a “scary time for public schools at both the federal and state levels” citing the confirmation hearing for Betsy Devos and Devos’ much publicized opinion on the public school system.

On the state level, continued Lea, “There is a push for the Property Tax Independence Act to eliminate property taxes, Salisbury’s primary source of income and raise other taxes to pay for the school system.”

Ziegenfuss told the board the district and representatives from the public works department of Salisbury Township met to discuss the township’s snow removal efforts and it was a successful meeting as they continue to build a stronger relationship.

Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Lynn Fuini-Hetton reported she was invited to Harrisburg to share some ideas about aspiring to leadership for individuals interested in “moving into a commissioned officer position.”