The East Penn Board of School Directors was pleased to hear at the Aug. 26 meeting the district saved $448,963 by refinancing their outstanding General Obligation Bonds, Series A of 2012 and General Obligation Bonds, Series of 2014.

The newly created General Obligation Bonds Series of 2019 has $12,170,000 in principal with an overall arbitrage yield of 1.352253 percent. According to Business Administrator Robert Saul, there will be $427,473 in savings realized during the first year, with the remainder “sprinkled throughout the remaining nine years” of the 10-year bond issue.

The board had approved the sale within a set of parameters established at the July 8 meeting. They would give a green light to the refinancing if a minimum of $160,476 in savings could be achieved. The $448,963 in savings greatly exceeded those expectations.

At Director Charles Ballard’s request, the board discussed access to copies of resignation letters. Currently, members have access to copies of redacted letters of retirement and resignation of district employees as part of the board agenda package. Secretary Janine Allen edits parts of those letters which may violate the writer’s privacy rights.

When district Solicitor Attorney Marc Fisher said legally, the board is entitled to names and dates, Ballard and others suggested they consider just going that route. Director Joshua Levinson said they should continue listing positions and buildings, as well.

Referring to letters from longtime employees who have reflected positively on their tenure in the district, Director Adam Smith said, “I still would enjoy reading those.”

President Ken Bacher said the matter would be put as a motion on the next board agenda.

During her district update School Superintendent Kristen Campbell announced, “Today, August 26, we welcomed approximately 8,300 students to our schools.” She informed the board 20 new teachers were welcomed at the district’s teacher orientation fair Aug. 15.

Campbell told the directors there was a “significant number” of new children registered to attend district schools, especially for kindergarten at Willow Lane Elementary School.

“As of today, we have 104 kindergarten students who would be divided among four different kindergarten sections,” she said. At 26 students per classroom, Campbell said that number was too high. She pointed out an addendum to the agenda listed Marissa Formica as a new full-time substitute kindergarten teacher for Willow Lane Elementary School. She said there was a classroom available at that building. Campbell added, based on the enrollment figures, the district may need to retain that teacher for the future.

Citing the situation at Willow Lane Elementary School, Levinson and Ballard encouraged the administration to conduct a demographic survey of the district as soon as possible.

“While speed may be important, I think quality is more important,” Director Ziad Munson said. He cited a previous study saying “It wasn’t very good.”

Campbell closed with a short video celebrating the beginning of the school year.

In personnel matters, the directors accepted the retirement of night foreman Robin Buss from Wescosville Elementary School, effective in September. Jayne Erdman’s retirement from her position as administrative assistant at elementary libraries is effective in November.

The board approved the resignation of Emmaus High School Guidance Counselor Jennifer Carolla, effective Oct. 7. Ballard noted with a chuckle he and Linda Ballard, an instructional assistant at Eyer Middle School, who recently resigned, were not related.

In addition to Formica, approved new hires for the district include Jessica Thacher as an assistant principal at Emmaus High School and Elaine Haddad as a special education teacher for Wescosville Elementary School, both effective Oct. 28. Also approved was Steven Marlin who started teaching social studies at Lower Macungie Middle School in August.

Director Alisa Bowman reported the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit’s educational foundation purchased around a dozen 3-wheel adaptive bicycles with funds raised at a recent golf tournament. These were distributed to children in Carbon County who would not be able to ride 2-wheel bikes. Bowman said the CLIU is looking to do the same for children in Lehigh County.

Ballard remarked the state legislature was “concentrating on the elections.”

There were no requests to address the board.

Bacher announced there was an executive session prior to the public meeting on “personnel and litigation” matters.

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 Sept. 9. The public can access documents through BoardDocs via a link on the district website. There is free WiFi available for audience members during the meetings in the board room of the administration building.