The administration received a reluctant approval for a 1.2 percent tax increase in their 2020-2021 final budget from the East Penn Board of School Directors at a lengthy virtual meeting June 8. The vote was 7-2 with Vice President Paul Champagne and Ziad Munson voting “nay.”

With a projected $6 million budget deficit for the 2020-2021 district budget due to the pandemic, School Superintendent Kristen Campbell and Business Administrator Robert Saul provided updates on their proposed cuts to expenditures for the upcoming school year to plug the hole while reducing the tax increase to 1.2 percent from the originally proposed 1.5 percent tax increase.

The budget adjustments include a 10 percent reduction in building and department budgets for a savings of $800,000. Generous wage concessions granted by the Education Association, Act 93 (representing the administrators) and Teamsters union Local 773 provided $1,750,000 in savings. The district realized another $1,270,250 less in expenditures with staffing reductions through attrition. The eliminated positions include two elementary teachers from Shoemaker and Macungie elementary schools, four high school teachers, four instructional assistant positions, one student information system coordinator, one part-time technical specialist, one summer maintenance staff position, one health room nurse and a custodian.

Additional adjustments include $100,000 in transportation cuts, $100,000 in cuts to conferences and substitutes, a $10,000 savings from a renegotiated copier contract, a capital reserve contribution of $500,000 and $500,000 in fund balance, plus $950,000 in debt restructuring. A 1.2 percent tax increase will allow for a balanced district budget.

Although sympathetic to taxpayers, those who approved the budget for adoption expressed concern for possible future financial hardships to district budgets if the increase wasn’t passed.

The Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Rebate Program was unanimously approved. Those 65 and older would receive a maximum rebate of $650 if they earn a total household income of $10,000 or less. A $500 rebate would go to those earning between $10,001-$15,000, $300 for those with incomes between $15,001-$18,000 and a $250 rebate to those with total household incomes of $18,001-$22,000.

The 2020-2021 Homestead and Farmstead real estate tax reduction resolution was unanimously passed.

In other business, Emmaus High School Principal Kate Kieres previewed a proposed block schedule and program of studies revisions for fall 2020.

Kieres explained students would attend four classes per day on an A/B rotation, with half of their classes on A days and the other half on B days. One credit courses run full year while half credit classes are a semester in duration. Six minutes of passing time would be provided between classes.

An “advisory” period would be added daily to the third block and would take the place of homeroom. This would allow for some embedded study time for students and for complete periodic building-wide or grade-specific activities.

The “Hornet Period,” twice per week before period 1, would allow a flexible opportunity for study, enrichment, remediation and intervention or club meetings based on individual student needs and choice.

Kieres provided examples of two A/B block bell schedules. One with the 43 minute long “Hornet Period” would include four blocks of instructional time lasting 71 minutes to 143 minutes. Four 31 minute lunch periods would begin 10:46 a.m. with the last lunch ending 1:08 p.m.

Without the “Hornet Period,” the four blocks of instructional time would run around 85 minutes with a longer one of 146 minutes. Four 32 minute lunch periods would begin 10:27 a.m. with the last lunch ending 12:53 p.m.

“Implementation of schedule/format may be further modified for 2020-2021 only to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions,” Kieres said.

Kieres also presented the board with a “use of time” final report. She mentioned a report completed by Hanover Research in 2014 which stated: “Scheduling appears to have a negligible long-term effect on achievement and the best approach to evaluating scheduling models involves building consensus around district priorities.”

After receiving input from a variety of sources including staff, faculty, parents, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute and the food service department, Kieres said the committee, “selected the A/B block schedule as the one that best meets our needs and priorities.”

Kieres highlighted adjustments to the high school program of studies. These include removing additional lab requirement for Fundamentals of Algebra and resequence additional lab support for those students who need it for Algebra 1.

College Preparatory and Honors Courses would have lab activities embedded into the block schedule and reduce the number of credits from 1.4 to 1.

Kieres mentioned possible changes to courses in biology, chemistry and genetics/microbiology honors. Adjustments in the health well fit department for running a more efficient schedule are being contemplated.

To ensure some advanced placement courses have the time to implement more complex lab activities and address all necessary material for the AP exams, courses would change from 1.4 to 1.5 or 2 credits depending on subject matter.

The .25 credit driver education course would remain as a graduation requirement, but adjust the modality of the course for most students from face-to-face to online. Some sections of the course would still be offered in an in-class format to meet the learning needs of specific students.

Kieres was joined by Director of Special Education Linda Pekarik to outline how the district has been working to bring East Penn in state compliance with a Targeted Support and Improvement plan for students with disabilities. The pair said there was a need to bring up the numbers a bit for attendance. Pekarik said they recognize there is room for growth and are working toward that goal.

Assistant Superintendents Laura Witman and Douglas Povilaitis presented a three option 2020 school opening plan to the directors. At one end is the “traditional” mode of operations which the district practiced prior the pandemic. At the other end, the “remote” mode where all students are learning from using online coursework.

Between them is the “hybrid” mode which combines the face-to-face traditional methods for students who aren’t vulnerable to health risks with virtual learning for those who may have compromised immune systems.

Since the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic remains fluid, the administrators and their team planned for the worst case scenario where the country is experiencing a second wave of infection. Their initial proposal for remote learning online would provide increased face time with teachers, additional structure in the day, formalized grading and specific grade level content for elementary learners.

Secondary education students would be using Schoology Learning Management Software with remote instructional minutes equal to face-to-face instructional minutes. They would be graded traditionally and would be served by the advisory period at EHS or Period 9 at the middle schools.

There would be continued flexibility for families and students for complex situations.

The initial proposal for “hybrid” learning reflects current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state guidance. High school starts at home and EHS 7:25 a.m., ending 2:35 p.m. Students with last names starting with A-E attend school in person Monday, F-K Tuesday, L-R Thursday and S-Z Friday. All students learn remotely Wednesdays as do the students who are not physically in the school building on the other days.

The middle school plan has A-K attending school in person Monday and Tuesday. Students L-Z report to school in person Thursday and Friday. All students learn remotely Wednesdays as do the students who are not physically in the school building on the other days. The day for these middle schoolers runs 7:35 a.m. through 2:35 p.m.

The elementary “hybrid” model is the same as the middle school, except for Wednesday. On that day the schedule alternates weekly between who goes to school and who learns at home.

Campbell announced the contingency plans for reopening in the fall would be available online and the administration would welcome public input June 9-16.

Adam Smith’s public statement resolution on the recent racial unrest across the country was unanimously passed:

“We, the Board of School Directors for the East Penn School District, as elected representatives of our community, feel it is important to publicly comment on the events of the past few weeks and their impact on our local community.

“These events have shaken us, just as they have shaken many of you. The recent tragic killings of Mr. George Floyd, Ms. Breonna Taylor and Mr. Ahmaud Arbery - just three of the many acts of violence committed against people of color - force us to confront the ways in which racism, hatred and bigotry remain ever present in our country today.

“We stand with Americans across the nation in expressing our deepest condolences to the families of Mr. Floyd, Ms. Taylor and Mr. Arbery. We stand in solidarity with persons everywhere who have been the victims of racial inequities and injustice. We stand in support of our staff and students of color and their families and we want you to know that we value your voices.

“We embrace this opportunity to amplify those voices. We are taking this opportunity to actively seek input from our community to better understand how to achieve our shared vision of a safe and inclusive teaching and learning environment for all of our staff and students. Help us to see how to make East Penn a better place to live and learn. We are listening.”

Director Allan Byrd said he was, “Looking forward to dialogue with the community.” The other board members expressed similar sentiments.

Requests to address the board were granted to Nigel Watt and Julie Shook.

Watt, an Emmaus resident, suggested the position of school resource officer could be cut to help balance the district budget.

As a district employee, Shook asked if the administration had developed plans for reopening schools in the fall. Her questions were later answered during one of the presentations.

President Ken Bacher announced there was no executive session held before the public meeting which finally ended sometime after midnight.

The East Penn Board of School Directors will hold a special virtual meeting 7:30 p.m. June 22. The public can access documents through BoardDocs and register to attend the Zoom session via a link on the district website.