It was a double meeting for the Northwestern Lehigh School Board on Dec. 5. First came a short reorganization meeting.

President Pro Tempore was Joseph Fatzinger. During his short reign, he asked for nominations for president.

Bill Dellicker won the nomination and election. Todd Hernandez was elected to the position of vice president.

As the regular meeting began, Dellicker asked everyone to give a thought to former President George H.W. Bush during the moment of silence that follows the Pledge of Allegiance.

During the board president’s report about accomplishments of the past year, he said the board was not afraid of initiatives - the high school was modernized, full-day kindergarten was decided to be the way to go, everyone is comfortable with the staff and respectful of others and those who come before the board.

The board is dedicated to the staff and students, and responsible to the taxpayers, Dellicker said.

Superintendent Jennifer Holman said she and others went to the New Tripoli Bank which had donated $100,000 to the Northwestern Lehigh Educational Foundation as a result of the state’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program.

The foundation turned the money over to the school district where it will be used to support education programs that might not otherwise receive funding and gives students the tools and skills they need to thrive in an increasingly digital-focused world.

Funding will support the SMART Board project that works to supply SMART Boards to classrooms in the district, the Digital Immersion Program that provides Chromebooks to students, the Virtual Reality Program allows students to access Virtual Reality Google Expedition kits for enhanced learning opportunities and the Model-Based Inquiry Program purchasing equipment for real-world projects in math, engineering and STEAM lab classes.

Rick Babyak gave a presentation about artificial track and field turf. Terraform Engineering and D’Huy Engineering representatives were in attendance.

The turf purchase will be open for bid and other companies may do so, too. There were samples of four different types of turf depending on height and tightness.

Babyak said the school chose the workhorse of turf because it lasts longer. At Salisbury, where Babyak is a coach, he said they have 12 years and may make it to 13.

Rubber crumb and sand are used as infill which is what the athletes’ feet touch. A little rubber must be added each year in conjunction with professional grooming.

The turf, which comes in 15-foot-wide rolls and is stitched together, should be professionally groomed every 100 hours of use.

The hardest use is for lacrosse, the middle of the football field and soccer in front of the net.

A little color is lost from the turf due to UV light. Adding new pieces may not exactly match.

Salisbury only lost two days of use due to heat in one year, although the material generally remains cool.

The turf can be used shortly after rain, so more games can be scheduled on a field.

Submission to the Heidelberg Township Planning Commission is expected to be 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17.

Business Manager Leslie Frisbee listed capital projects under consideration: water tanks, infrastructure, phones, sewer drainage from the roof, track and field turf, and a field house. The total is estimated to be $8.5 million.

Not included on the list are a roof and bus replacements. The field house is a future project. Frisbee said she will narrow down the list by prioritizing.

Operations Manager Arthur Oakes told the board the baseball and softball fields need work.

The baseball field needs infield mix. Both items fit in his budget.

Bieber Transportation Group transported the Science Team to Washington, D.C. on Dec. 8 for $2,103.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction LeAnn Stitzel said $9,000 has been received from the education foundation for mini grants.

During the time for board member sharing, Todd Leiser congratulated Dellicker for his third term as president.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 16, 2019, in the board room.