The East Penn Board of School Directors voted unanimously to approve all of the personnel items recommended by school superintendent Dr. Michael Schilder at the July 10 meeting. These include the 2017-2018 co-curricular appointments for high school and middle school coaches, assistant coaches, equipment managers and a full-time floating substitute.

Prior to the vote, Emmaus resident John Donchez addressed the board urging them to vote against the co-curricular appointments. Donchez complained, “All the added amounts that get added to the teacher’s salaries, they also get calculated into their pensions.” Targeting the new position of full-time floating substitute teacher, he said the cost was too high. Donchez told the directors, “You have total control of this.”

Board President Alan Earnshaw said afterward, the floating sub position was an experimental answer to the shortage of substitute teachers. “When we have an employee who will be out for a week, say they are going for an outpatient procedure …” Earnshaw said, “We can bring in the one substitute and say this is your one assignment for the whole week.” This would maintain continuity in the classroom. Otherwise, since many subs work for more than one school district, it could require two or more available subs to cover for the absent teacher.

Harold Fairclough, recently hired as the Emmaus High School football head coach, equipment manager and weight room coordinator, will serve as the district’s first full-time floating substitute teacher. “They [the administration] will be evaluating it each step of the way to make sure it will make financial sense for the district and logistical sense in managing the substitutes,” Earnshaw said. He remarked state law dictates pension contribution policies.

Board member Carol Allen squared off against Schilder for blocking her efforts to observe a summer school orientation session scheduled June 23. When she called the superintendent’s office a few days in advance, Allen said she was told it was, “inappropriate for a school board member to attend a summer school orientation.” When she and Schilder argued in the parking lot on the day of the event, Allen claimed, “I really felt bullied by the superintendent,” when he again refused to grant her permission to attend. She asked, “How can I evaluate programs if I cannot see them?”

Earnshaw responded with, “It would be achieved by working with the curriculum office.”

Schilder replied “I take great exception at being characterized as ‘bullying.’” The superintendent said course content was not part of the event. “It was about logistics, it was about passwords. I did not feel, and still don’t feel that it would be appropriate for a board member to sit there and watch it.” He suggested Allen make an appointment with the summer program supervisor to learn about it.

The school board accepted the retirement request of Paul Valent, who taught chemistry at EHS, effective June 26.

Nichole Smith was approved as a new hire to teach English as a second language at Lower Macungie Middle School starting Aug. 21, replacing Sandra Teplitz who retired.

Rebecca Heid announced Attorney Thomas Traud retired from Lehigh Career & Technology Institute after 31 years. She mentioned LTCI information technology programmer Paul Lichty was honored for 18 years of perfect attendance.

Regarding Pennsylvania legislative news, board member Charles Ballard said, “I wish I had something good to report.” He informed the board Gov. Tom Wolf intends to let the Pennsylvania budget go into effect without his signature and a companion bill that would provide actual funding has not yet come out of the legislature.

Ballard said, “The Republicans don’t want to tax anybody and the Democrats don’t want to cut any major funds.”

A 15-minute executive session was held on personnel matters prior to Monday’s public board meeting.

The East Penn Board of School Directors meet regularly 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 14 in the board room of the administration building because of summer recess.