On Jan. 22, the Salisbury Township school board held its monthly meeting opening with reports presented by Salisbury Township School District students.

First, Jason Deppner and Nora Young, students from Western Salisbury Elementary School, updated the board about happenings at their school, including their school-wide efforts to raise money for koalas in Australia, affected by the wildfires.

From Salisbury High School, Nayeli Mendez announced the spring musical at the high school will be “Into the Woods,” running March 12, 13, 14 and 15. Also, there will be a cornhole tournament sponsored by the SHS yearbook 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 22 at the high school old gym.

January happens to be school board appreciation month, so a chocolate cake was supplied in celebration of all of the directors’ hard work and dedication.

When normal meeting business resumed, Alexander Diamond, of Allentown, spoke in objection to pending personnel issues regarding library staffing. He eloquently proposed articles pertaining to the removal of three library assistants from their positions be rescinded. Diamond voiced his concern over the state of libraries in the district, mentioning only one of the Salisbury schools has a full-time librarian. He said these library assistants help to achieve continuity for students and staff, complete clerical tasks, as well as bolster the ability of the library to adopt current technology.

Library staffing was cut back significantly in 2011, and until now, the libraries have been able to stay above board with the help of these assistants.

Associate Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten thanked Diamond for his remarks and for his concern about library staffing. However, in the district, there is an increase in special education student population. These children need greater instructional assistance. With this in mind, the board was put in a position to make a challenging decision to cut the library assistant posts.

“The libraries will receive less support, but will still receive support on a weekly basis. Because of this increased need, we made the difficult choice to reallocate resources,” Fuini-Hetten said.

In other business, the board approved the 2020-2021 proposed preliminary general fund budget reflecting total expenditures in the amount of $42,703,087 requiring a real estate tax levy of 22.0594 mills and authorized the administration to apply for all referendum exceptions for which the district may qualify.

In other personnel news, the board approved the retirement of three district staff members. Loretta Becker, a full-time nurse at WSE, Abbey O’Dor a full-time third grade teacher at Harry S Truman Elementary School and Kathy DeBona, a full-time fifth grade teacher at WSE, effective at the end of the 2020 school year.

In hiring news, Justus Foehrkolb, of Allentown, was approved as a part-time, one-to-one instructional assistant at WSE.

Audrey Frick, chair of the policy committee, outlined a new board procurement policy. She mentioned it had been brought up to standards with current law, and the board in turn adopted it.

The board accepted the resignation of Marietta Bartel as a 4-hours a day, part-time library instructional assistant at Salisbury Middle School effective retroactive to the end of the work day Dec. 20, 2019.

They also accepted the resignation of Allison Lipson as a part-time (49 percent) ESL teacher at HST effective retroactive to Jan. 14.

The board accepted the resignation of Theresa Bruns as the assistant track coach effective Jan. 14.

The board approved hiring Brittany Evans, of Allentown, as a full-time long-term substitute library media specialist and reading teacher at SMS effective retroactive to Nov. 1, 2019, through the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year

Donna Ritter was transferred from a part-time 3.5-hours a day library instructional assistant at SHS to a part-time 3.5-hours a day library instructional assistant at SMS, HST and SHS effective retroactive to Jan. 6.

The board approved the assignment and building transfer of Donna Besz from a part-time 4.5-hours a day library instructional assistant at HST to a part-time 4.5-hours a day one-to-one instructional assistant at WSE effective retroactive to Jan. 6.

Also approved was the assignment transfer of Anita Gopen from a part-time 4-hours a day library instructional assistant at WSE to a part-time 4 hours a day one-to-one instructional assistant at WSE effective retroactive to Jan. 6.

A sabbatical leave for a teacher and librarian at SMS for the second semester of the 2019-2020 school year was approved.

Steven Linn, of Allentown, was appproved as the middle school softball coach for the 2019-2020 school year at the 2019-2020 contractual rate of pay for this position.

Lastly, Fuini-Hetten reminded those in attendance that the initial Community Visioning Session with Fielding International will take place 6 p.m. Jan. 30 in the SHS library. Those who participate will have the opportunity to share their visions, hopes and thoughts about the future of education in the Salisbury Township School District.