The East Penn School Board approved the preliminary 2017-2018 budget in the amount of $148,834,963 with the tax levies of 18.3625 mils on the assessed valuation of real estate, 0.5 percent Act 511 Earned Income Tax and 0.5 percent Act 511 Real Estate Transfer Tax at the Feb. 13 meeting. The approval was 8-1 with Director Chris Donatelli voting against.

District administration was authorized to apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for exceptions permitted under Act 1 of Special Session 2006 as amended.

Director Charles Ballard said the preliminary budget is “solely to see if you [school district] can get exceptions for Act 1, not for any other reason.”

Director Kenneth Bacher said, “There is a full budgetary reserve, unlike years past... we are making up for a deficit from last year and that is part of the additional expense. I am happy with what the superintendent has done.”

“It is a process that has to go forward, so that we can refine these numbers. We are on the right track and will get to where we need to be,” Director Rev. Waldemar Vinovskis said.

Director Rebecca Heid offered her support in the preliminary budget but said she “will not support anything over the index in approvals further.”

Donatelli said, “We have the benefit of the excess of over $400,000 last year... I think we are getting away from us teaching our kids, throwing money at things that does not fix them. What level of tax increase is not acceptable? How high can we go? My elderly neighbors ask me about this whenever I see them and they are concerned.”

In other business, a presentation was made to board members by Timothy Mulligan, CEO, and Michael McCorristin, executive vice president of Communities and Schools, an organization who “for nearly 40 years... has been helping students achieve in school, graduate and go on to bright futures. Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.”

The two presenters detailed how Communities in Schools could help the students of the East Penn School District with the difficulties they face, “whether it’s food, school supplies, health care, counseling, academic assistance or a positive role model.” They said Communities in Schools brings “community resources inside public schools where they are accessible, coordinated and accountable.”

Mulligan said they help struggling students, such as those exhibiting difficulties in academics and work with the students in the public school system, up to high school if needed. Their mission is to surround the students with a community of support and help them complete school.

“Before they even come to school each day they face unstable homes,” McCorristin said. “Where you find a troubled student, you often find a troubled family, anxiety, substance abuse...they are just not ready to come to school each day.”

Communities in Schools helps the “teachers to teach” by allowing teachers to work with a site coordinator to address certain designated areas of student need and help the student learn effectively. Communities and Schools also helps with “truancy support, college and career readiness, targeted academic and non-academic support, counseling on grief and loss, sexual identity, anger management, as well as life and coping skills.”

The plans which each can have in the same district can be distinct to suit their individual needs, with an evaluation to determine the plans at the end of the year. The plan CIS uses is “student focused” and features “one-on-one case management of identified at-risk students.”

The program is structured to handle 65 or more students, each with “individual student plans, regular check ins, a strong emphasis on parental communication, as well as “in-depth” communication with district personal and referrals to outside services, all of which would be “monitoring and adjusting services as needed.”

Director Ziad Munson said, “There are some students that we have had referred that have maintained a high grade point average, but clearly were in trouble. What would you do to help that student?”

McCorristin said, “If students are referred to us, it is because things are not going well... whether it is academics or behavior. Improvement is measured by attendance, disciplinary referrals or referrals by the school faculty... and provide for a wide foundation of support to suit a wide array of needs.”

CIS staff would be clearance aligned with Act 168 and would also be board approved.

Vinovskis asked if there “would be any overlap of services...will this free up guidance?”

Mulligan said the primary focus in, for example, an emotional crisis, would be for CIS to “focus on aftercare and coordinate closely with counseling and school faculty. Guidance counselors would need to approve assessment questions,” with the assessment to determine care for the student done at least annually.

Because schools are closed in the summer, CIS provides a summer program separately; however, according to Mulligan,” it’s a matter of finding the vehicle or venue in which to offer it...the schools are not typically staffed in summer months.” Parental permission is required for the proposed program and parents can decline involvement if they so choose.

No decision was made on CIS following the presentation.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Schilder reported that the finance section of Dashboard (which was pending completion) is now active and open to the public for viewing.

Schilder said there is a presentation for full day kindergarten scheduled for May, highlighting “what the full day program would look like...what a school day would look like.”

Schilder said Eyer Middle School’s “Rock-A-Thon raised $22,753.50 for the Justin Jennings Foundation. The students accomplish this by being sponsored to “sit on rocking chairs and Rock the Night Away.” The event has presently raised $103,319.65 in the last five years.

Schilder also announced that the National High School Coaches Association has selected Sue Butz-Stavin, head field hockey coach at Emmaus High School as its National High School Field Hockey Coach of the Year. “It’s the second time that Butz-Stavin, who is America’s all-time winningest high school field hockey coach, has won the award.”

Butz-Stavin, who was the NHSCA National Field Hockey Coach of the Year in 2007, led her school to its second straight Pennsylvania Class 3A state title in 2016. The Hornets finished undefeated for the second straight season and now have a 55-game win streak.

“I think it’s because we take pride in what we do, starting from the grass roots,” Butz-Stavin said. “Our middle-school program is coached by our varsity kids, so we have role models upon role models upon role models. I can remember all these kids coming down the pike with their own train of players looking up to them. And our indoor program has supported the whole thing.”

Butz-Stavin, who has been coaching for 40 years, is now seven wins away from 900 lifetime coaching victories. This year’s state title was the 12th for Emmaus under the legendary coach.

Ballard reported Washington is “in absolute chaos at the moment...House and Senate are back in session March 13 and March 20; Bill 229 is not to the house yet, but has passed through Senate successfully it seems. Bill 76 is dead and has been.” Bill 229 applies to public school sick and sabbatical mandates, and if passed it would no longer be state law that such provisions be given in contract, which Ballard cautions could be part of bargaining later. Ballard also reports the budget gap on a state level is still open, even after the governor’s fixes.

The next school board meeting is scheduled 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 in the East Penn School District board room, 800 Pine St., Emmaus.