Students from the school district presented updates and details on upcoming events at the March 13 Salisbury Township School District Board of Directors meeting.

Seventh grade students from Salisbury Middle School, Zackary Baab and Dominic Popovich, provided an update on the school fundraiser “Pennies for Patients.” The school raised $2,000 and will reward students with a pizza party.

Salisbury School District was one of 45 companies named 2019 Top Workplace of The Year by The Morning Call. Salisbury placed sixth on the mid-size companies’ category and was one of only two school districts earning the distinction.

Coordinator of Human Resources for Salisbury School District, Nancy Spadt, presented the board with the award.

The selection was made based on surveys about the workplace completed by Salisbury employees.

In other meeting news, operations committee chair George Gatanis presented a motion to approve three items: the preliminary proposed budget changes for the refinancing of the 2014 Series Bond presented by Chief Financial Officer Michael Taylor at the operations committee meeting March 4, the district’s local audit report for fiscal year 2018 and requests for facilities usage with charges to Lehigh Christian Academy and Drum Corps International. These were approved.

In personnel news, Patrick Lundy was approved as a full-time long-term substitute art teacher at Western Salisbury Elementary School and Harry S Truman Elementary School for the remainder of the 2018-2019 school year and through the end of the first trimester of the 2019-2020 school team replacing a teacher on leave.

Mandy Simon was approved, pending completion of requirements as a four hours a day, part-time intervention instructional assistant at WSE effective March 1.

Michele Miller was approved, pending completion of requirements as a four hours a day, part-time one-to-one instructional assistant at WSE effective March 13.

Janine Brown was approved, pending completion of requirements, as a part time 7.25 hours a day nurse assistant not to exceed 21.75 hours a week at Salisbury High School and Salisbury Middle School effective March 27.

Emily Killian was approved, pending completion of requirements, as a full-time instruction in the home/temporary medical excusal teacher and special education teacher at WSE effective April 2.

Kelly Paxton was approved, pending completion of requirements, as a full-time special education teacher at WSE effective May 6.

Andrew Makhoul was approved, pending completion of requirements, as a full-time special education teacher at SMS effective at a date to be determined.

The transfer of Debra Saeger from a full-time learning support teacher at SMS to a full-time special education teacher at WSE effective March 18 was approved.

Julie Sentz was approved, pending completion of requirements, as the assistant twirling coach effective Feb. 19.

Justin Aungst, the assistant varsity baseball coach was approved for a revised stipend.

Amie Banham and Julie Sentz were approved, pending completion of requirements as volunteer assistant twirling coaches for the 2018-2019 school term.

Robert Sopki was approved as a volunteer varsity baseball coach for the 2018-2019 school term.

Thomas Cunningham was approved as a volunteer varsity baseball coach for the 2018-2019 school term.

The following individuals, pending completion of requirements, were approved as volunteer softball coaches for the 2018-2019 school term: Justin Torres, middle school softball, Kassandra Beckage, assistant varsity softball, Marissa Costa, assistant varsity softball.

The following individuals, pending completion of requirements, were approved as volunteer tennis coaches for the 2018-2019 school term: Stanley Fidrych and Louis Bottitta.

David Petrie was approved as a volunteer middle school softball coach for the 2018-2019 school term pending completion of requirements.

Policy committee chair Audrey Frick moved for approval new board policies for bullying/cyberbullying and building security policy specifically key control.

Joseph Gnall, chair of the student activities announced a change in the football league beginning academic year fall 2020. Colonial league will join forces with the Schuylkill league to gain a more competitive advantage over other school teams with larger rosters. The leagues will be broken down into four divisions based on team size and demographics that will enable a more balanced pairing of teams.

Board Member Mary Ziegler made a motion to approve the special education intergovernmental agreement between Salisbury School District and Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit which ensures all services needed to support the special education population are provided. She also presented for approval to adopt the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit’s policies and procedures and use of funds policies. The motion passed.

Director Samuel DeFrank reported on the student government at Lehigh Carbon Community College. The students started a food pantry to fill a need for students unable to purchase food which was well received and has gotten a high degree of usage. They plan on expanding the pantry over the next year.

DeFrank also reported the LCCC Foundation provided $863,000 in scholarships to 839 students. They were able to raise $182,000 through several fundraising events. The events include The Clay Shoot, The Golf Classic and the Fall Fitness Festival with proceeds going toward helping local students.

The LCCC 2019-2020 Operating, Debt Service and Capital Expenditures budget in the amount of $6,186,337 was approved. Salisbury’s portion of the budget is $203,334.

Board member Susan Lea reported on the Pennsylvania School Boards Association legislative policy council’s house judiciary committee decision to unanimously advance a bill on banning vaping on school property and to make it illegal to sell vaping products to anyone under 18 years old.

Superintendent Dr. Randy Ziegenfuss discussed the wellness committee meeting held virtually recently. The group will work on four initiatives, the first being mindfulness and how to bring it into the schools for children as well as adults. They will also work on healthy nutrition, alternatives for parents to provide healthy snacks for children and an upcoming presentation on vaping given by the Center for Humanistic Change. There will be parent workshops.

Associate Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten reported on the $5,000 Team PA grant awarded earlier in the year for Salisbury Township School District and Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit to work together to create a networking group for career readiness and to create opportunities for business partnerships to benefit the students. This initiative will tie into the overall goal to strengthen community partnerships.