Construction of the new Lehigh Elementary School continues apace.

Northampton Area School District Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik reported at the May 18 board of education teleconference meeting that 22 to 45 workers are on site daily at the Lehigh Elementary project along Blue Mountain Drive, Lehigh Township, and are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pennsylvania Department of Health and Pennsylvania Department of Education protocols.

Construction of the $35.7 million school stopped March 20 after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s March 19 order halted non-life-sustaining businesses in the commonwealth. Following March 27 guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, phased construction resumed April 15. A subsequent order from the governor’s office allowed construction projects to resume May 1.

Kovalchik said the $2.4 million heating, ventilation and air conditioning project at Siegfried Elementary School, Northampton, was expected to have begun May 26.

In other news, the pickup of students’ personal items by parents and guardians went well May 18 at Siegfried Elementary, according to Kovalchik. Security was in place. Cars pulled up to the curb. Items were placed in vehicles’ trunks. Social distancing guidelines were followed.

Next, parents may pick up students’ items at George Wolf Elementary School, Bath; Moore Elementary School, Moore Township; and Franklin Elementary School, Northampton.

In June, student items at Northampton Area Middle School and Northampton Area High School in the borough are expected to be available for pickup.

The school board is next scheduled to meet 6:30 p.m. June 8 when a vote on the final general fund budget is expected to be on the agenda.

With Northampton and Lehigh counties expected to be approved June 5 for the governor’s yellow phase, the meeting may return to its regular format in the administration building, if 25 or fewer attend.

The proposed budget has been available on the NASD website after a 7-2 vote of approval by the school board at the May 4 meeting.

School directors, citing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business closings, job losses and possible reductions in earned income tax and other revenue on district finances, backed a zero-percent property tax increase.

The June 8 vote would be on the 2020-21 general fund budget of $113,155,699; athletic fund of $258,743; and food services budget of $2,504,747.

Kovalchik said the high school Every Student Succeeds Act mandated plan for Northampton Area High School A-Targeted Support and Improvement for special education students is posted on the district website for a 30-day review period. The plan is expected to be on the June 22 school board meeting agenda for consideration.

In other business at the May 18 meeting, school directors voted 8-0 to approve:

• Rescinding educational sabbatical, Meghan Bleiler, first semester, 2020-21 school year, and approving half-year sabbatical for Bleiler, for professional development, first semester, 2022-23 school year

• Resignation for retirement for Sheila Mengel, effective June 4, including early retirement incentive

• Appoint Jason Williamson, assistant business administrator, as school board treasurer, July 1-June 30, 2021, at no additional compensation

• Rescind election of Matthew Sawarynski, school board secretary, July 1, 2019-June 30, 2023, and approve appointment of Sawarynski to fill unexpired term of Terry Leh, who retired, effective July 1-June 30, 2021

• Appoint Michael Baird and Chuck Longacre, voting delegates, Pennsylvania School Boards Association Delegate Assembly, 9 a.m. Nov. 7, Mountain View Middle School, Cumberland Valley School District, or via Zoom

• One-year extension of agreement between NASD and Chief Wilfred Williams, effective July 1-June 30, 2021

• One-year extension of Act 93 agreement between NASD and Act 93 administrative group, effective July 1-June 30, 2021

• One-year extension of Northampton Area Security Association agreement between NASD and Northampton Area Security Association, July 1-June 30, 2021

• Alicia Gialanella, 12-month school psychologist, effective July 1, pending receipt of proper documentation, at $66,000, with benefits

• Adoption of class rank policy, effective May 18

• Revised secondary and elementary school handbooks, 2019-20 school year

• Accept 2020-21 property tax reduction of $1,469,751.02 to reduce property taxes and set homestead/farmstead exclusion at same fixed amount

• Adopt 2020-21 Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School budget of $12,554,241 with NASD portion of $2,219,554

• Insurance coverages and amounts for 2019-20 fiscal year: property, general liability, abuse, crime, boiler and machinery, Utica, $142,745; automobile, Utica, $20,539; excess liability, Utica, $12,228; school board errors and omissions, AIG, $28,990; workers’ compensation, WR Berkley, $223,474; cyber liability, AIG, $11,240; fiduciary, Chubb, $4,371; law enforcement, CRC Swett, $5,362

• Authorize administration to pay final invoices applicable to the 2019-20 fiscal year and make necessary budget transfers to close fiscal year in conjunction with Gorman and Associates, P.C.

At the May 4 school board meeting, directors voted 9-0 to approve:

• Policies: the Families First Coronavirus Response Act emergency leave provisions; tax assessment appeals; rename to nonschool organizations, groups, individual; flier information and distribution; Title I parent and family involvement; George Wolf Elementary and Borough Elementary Schools parent and family involvement guidelines

• Authorize school board president to execute deeds and easements of development agreement between NASD and JW Development Partners for improvements along Route 329 and the new Seemsville Road

• Five-year contract, July 1-May 31, 2025, between Access Security and NASD at a first-year cost of $2,055 per month

• Three-year contract, June 1-May 31, 2023, between Direct Energy and NASD

• 2020-21 supply bids: cleaning, $76,454.54; maintenance, $44,715.63; total, $121,170.17

• Lunch prices for the 2020-21 school year: student, elementary, $2.40; secondary, $2.60; student entrée only, $2.25, elementary; $2.40, secondary; student milk (one-half pint), 60 cents (elementary and secondary); adult, $3.75; adult entrée only, $2.50-$3.50; a la carte prices

• Bids for paper and janitorial supplies, $83,497.32, awarded by Northampton, Monroe, Pike County Joint Purchasing Board

• Appoint NASD as tax collector for Allen Township, Bath Borough, East Allen Township, Lehigh Township, Moore Township, Northampton Borough and Chapman Borough to collect real estate and per capita taxes for 2020-21

• Approve settlement of real estate tax assessment appeal filed in Northampton County Court of Common Pleas by NASD against Century Commerce Center LLC for tax parcel, effective for school district tax year, July 1, 2020, pursuant to the settlement stipulation