School Resource Officer Richard Nothstein provided his annual report to the Salisbury Township School District School Board directors at the Oct. 10 meeting.

During the 2017-2018 school year, Salisbury Township police responded to 283 calls for service. Those calls resulted in 34 arrests.

The types of calls included alarms, assaults, assists, bullying, bus issues, checking welfare, child abuse, criminal mischief, crossing guard, custody, cyber bullying, damage to property, dances and disorderly conduct.

School resource officer calls also included disturbances, drug complaints, EMS, fire drills, found property, harassment, information, Internet issues, vehicle lockouts, parking complaints, programs, checking residency, suspicious activities, thefts, threats, tobacco violations, truancy, underage drinking and weapons.

The arrests included two for criminal mischief, one for cyber harassment, 13 for disorderly conduct, four for drugs, five for theft, one for a threat, five for truancy and three for weapons.

“Numerous residency checks were completed during the school year with findings turned over to the school administration,” Nothstein said.

Nothstein also attend 103 school events during the year including open houses, sporting activities, a K-9 demonstration, homecoming parade, dances, driving simulator and Simulated Driving Impaired Experience events, prom, Falcon period and graduation.

Nothstein also attended meetings for district safety, building safety, Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit and school resource officers.

Nothstein also keeps up-to-date on training including adolescence mental health, school safety conference, advanced school resource officer and crisis prevention.

Director George Gatanis asked about the truancy law changes. Nothstein talked about the laws concerning truancy and the programs in place to prevent truancy including available services and counseling.

“Thank you for keeping our students safe. Please thank Chief Stiles as well,” School board President Frank Frankenfield said.

Nothstein also thanked the board and district, noting his ninth year in the partnership. “We have a great working relationship,” Nothstein said.

In other business, student representatives provided reports on building activities.

Taliah Martinez, Melinda Rivera and Olivia Hoeing provided the report on homecoming activities at Salisbury High School.

Alexandra Lea and Macy Newman provided the report on activities at Salisbury Middle School. Students have traveled to Bake Oven Knob and the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. All middle school students also participated in the Global Read Aloud. The first school dance will be held Oct. 19 at the school with proceeds being given to the Western Salisbury Elementary School to benefit the teachers who lost resources due to mold.

Zavyan Mendez provided a thorough report on actvities at Western Salisbury Elementary School. He said the students were glad to be back in their building after having classes temporarily in Harry S Truman Elementary School and SMS. Zavyan reported some students noted they enjoyed seeing what it will be like to attend SMS after WSE.

Shelby Tenzer provided a report on HST activities including the annual kindergarten trip to the Seiple Farm pumpkin patch. The annual elementary school Halloween parade will be 2 p.m. Oct. 26 and everyone is invited to attend. A special Veterans Day celebration will be held 1:30 p.m. Nov. 12.

In personnel news, Steven Wagner resigned as a junior varsity baseball coach effective Sept. 25. Patrick Lundy was approved, pending completition of requirements, as a full-time, long-term substitute art teacher at WSE effective Oct. 1. Lynn Welliver was approved as a part-time nurse assistant at SHS.

Director Samuel DeFrank reported enrollment is up 2 percent at Lehigh Carbon Community College. Credit hours are up three percent. Staff are at all campuses to provide emotional support. Distance learning is up dramatically.

Director Susan Lea, in her Pennsylvania School Boards Association Legislative Policy Council report, said Senate Bill 1095 regarding Keystone testing includes an amended solution to widen the net for students to graduate. Lea said the board briefly discussed this during an executive session held earlier in the evening.

Frankenfield noted an executive session was held to discuss personnel issues.

In his report, Superintendent Dr. Randy Ziegenfuss announced a press conference will be held 11 a.m. Oct. 22 at SHS. The joint press conference between the district and the Salisbury Township Police Department will be held during National Safe Schools Week and will recognize Salisbury’s school resource officer program by the National Association of School Resource Officers.

NASRO has recognized Salisbury as one of only nine Model Agency programs across the nation.

The award is given to organizations who “exemplify the NASRO triad concept in their training policies and standards. The triad describes an SRO’s role as mentor, guest lecturer and law enforcement officer. Model Agency Award recipients also demonstrate creative and innovative approaches to school-based policing.”

During citizen’s comments, former school board member (1999-2003) and Salisbury resident Alan R. DeBona addressed the board.

Alan DeBona attended the Sept. 19 school board meeting and asked what the board’s stance was in allowing teacher participation in committee meetings. He was told the committee meetings are open to the public and all are invited.

At that time, Alan DeBona said, “I believe the board is sending mixed signals.”

He said a number of teachers attended the Sept. 10 operations committee meeting to express their dismay over the persisting mold issues at the school. WSE teacher and union secretary Kathy DeBona, Alan DeBona’s wife, addressed the board with the teachers’ concerns.

Following that meeting, Alan DeBona said, “A board member contacted the union regarding their dismay about the teachers attending the meeting. In my mind, this is unacceptable behavior,” Alan DeBona said.

“I would recommend you get to the bottom of the mixed messages sent,” Alan DeBona said. He suggested the board decide how they want teachers to participate in meetings.

At the Oct. 10 meeting, Alan DeBona asked board members “What did you decide on teacher participation in committee meetings?”

Frankenfield said he was unclear on Alan DeBona’s question and asked him to put the question in writing to the board.

“You have a golden opportunity to share and build actions which were successful with stakeholders using a lessons learned after action review,” Alan DeBona said.

Alan DeBona said the purpose would be to make things better.

Alan DeBona said he produced after action reviews while working at Air Products and volunteered to do an after action review on the mold problem at WSE for the district.

In this volunteer capacity, Alan DeBona estimated about 40 hours to prepare a proposal, preparation work, conduct session, summarize data and present to the board. He asked to make a 30 to 45 minute presentaion to the board at a future meeting to discuss the proposal.

“As a Leader in Me school, it gives the district the opportunity to ‘talk the talk,’” Alan DeBona said.

Frankenfield said the board would take Alan DeBona’s presentation into consideration.

Solicitor Attorney Kristine Marakovits-Roddick, with King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC, stated Alan DeBona’s request could be discussed at a committee meeting or the board could make a motion to allow Alan DeBona to present his proposal at a committee meeting. No motion was made at the Oct. 10 meeting.

Frankenfield told Alan DeBona he would be notified after a decision was made by the board.

Members of the board again noted their intent to take time to consider the offer.

The next curriculum committee meeting will be held 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at LCTI.

The next operations committee meeting will be held 7 p.m. Nov. 5.

The next board meeting will be 7:30 Nov. 14 in the administration building.