Special Education teacher Michael Vacaro began the May 20 curriculum and technology meeting with a presentation outlining the achievements and progress the work-based learning program has made during the school year. There are approximately 180 students in the program and the district partners with 165 local businesses throughout Lehigh and Carbon counties to help match students with appropriate employment.

The aim of the program is to expand vocational skills and help aid in the development of responsibility, independence and social skills. Students with individualized education programs or students who are transitioning are eligible for this program.

A 10th-grade student enrolled in the program gave a short presentation on his experience. He gave a very professional and thorough speech of his own journey at Ollie’s and the soft and hard skills he is learning while employed there one day a week. He says after completion of the school year, he will be ramping up to three days a week. It was noted two students graduating in the program have received full-time positions. Thanks and congratulations were given to all the administrators, teachers and aides that have made this program a success.

In other news, a schoolwide update was presented on the projects students are working on throughout the district.

First grade students at Western Salisbury Elementary School were challenged to do more than read a book about endangered elephants. Instead, the students researched activities and fundraisers, created infomercials and other promotional materials to raise awareness, collected and counted donations and completed a self-reflection on what they learned as a whole.

At Salisbury High School, four students gave Capstone presentations to recap their student internships. The students who presented were all education interns and spent time at Harry S Truman Elementary School, although internships ranged from classroom instruction to insurance brokerage.

Director of Teaching and Learning Kelly Pauling followed by presenting the over-the-summer professional development courses and summer camps being offered. Instructional aides and assistants are given a variety of options for over-the-summer professional development courses to help build educational skills benefiting students in the future, such as roundtable discussions, book talks, online courses and learning bootcamps.

Students are also given an assortment of fun activities to do over the summer. Some of these endeavors include making slime, rock painting, gardening and creating their own low-budget mini-movies.

On a related note, student activities have been aided by the help of the SEF mini-grant, which is from the Salisbury Education Fund for $500 per school. With this grant, students were able to build a gaga pit, which is a fast-paced, dodgeball style game that is fenced in a small octagonal or hexagonal court. This helped teach students vocational skills, as well as give them a fun, new game to play.

Updates to the student handbook have been made for the upcoming school year. Changes reflect a few policy updates in the bullying section, a change in healthcare and the addition of the Safe2Say tipline, amongst a few more minor shifts.

The next curriculum and technology meeting in June has been postponed. Council will reconvene for a meeting 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at the administration building.