Even though Northampton County is still in the yellow phase of the state-mandated COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Northampton Area School District officials are preparing for the 2020-21 school year.

The first day of classes is to be announced. Specifics of the mode of instruction in NASD is to be determined.

Meanwhile, the Northampton Area High School Class of 2020 graduation ceremony is planned for July 24. The format of the event at Al Erdosy Stadium is uncertain. A stadium filled with students, parents, relatives and friends is unlikely. If and when the county moves into the green phase, gatherings are expected to be limited to 250 or less.

For more than three months, the coronavirus pandemic has dominated discussion, planning and events in the district, where the last day of in-person classes was March 13, as well as in most school districts throughout Pennsylvania.

NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik first alerted parents and guardians of concerns about the coronavirus in a Feb. 26 letter.

Kovalchik has updated district constituents with video chats on the NASD website. The next video chat, planned for the week of June 22, is expected to include details about the stadium graduation ceremony.

The NASD Board of Education is next scheduled to meet 6:30 p.m. June 22, again by the Google Meet online platform. It is the last board meeting for the district fiscal year.

The July school board meeting, 6:30 p.m. July 13, might return to the administration building, 2014 Laubach Ave., Northampton.

In his report to the school board at the June 8 meeting, Kovalchik said NASD staff development sessions were held virtually the week of June 1 during what would have been the last four days of the 2019-20 school year.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf outlined “Preliminary Guidance for Phased Reopening of Schools” June 3 whereby elementary and secondary schools in the yellow and green phases may resume in-person instruction and activities July 1 under a phased reopening approach that requires schools to develop health and safety plans based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Pennsylvania Department of Health.

According to the Pennsylvania government website: “Plans must encompass several elements, including identifying a pandemic coordinator or team to lead response efforts; steps to protect high-risk children and staff who may be at higher risk; processes for monitoring students and staff for symptoms; guidelines for hygiene practices; processes for cleaning and disinfecting; guidelines for the use of face masks; protocols for social distancing; and procedures for restricting large gatherings.

“The plans must be approved by local boards of directors and posted on the school or district public website before a school reopens. The plans must also be submitted to Pennsylvania Department of Education,” the website continues.

In a phone interview after the June 8 meeting, Kovalchik said the pandemic coordinator is to be appointed July 24.

“It’s going to be someone internally. We’re not going to be hiring anybody,” Kovalchik said.

Kovalchik also said he expects to discuss the NASD 2020-21 school year reopening plan at the 6:30 p.m. Aug. 10 school board meeting.

“The priority at this time is to develop a schedule that is safe and academically sound, which will allow our students to move forward,” Kovalchik said.

Summer school will be held online.

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)-oriented Camp Invention is not being held.

Free lunch distribution in NASD at NAHS in the borough and George Wolf Elementary School, Bath, is extended through Aug. 21.

Pickup of elementary students’ personal items has been completed. Pickup of middle school students’ personal items was to have been completed June 10. Pickup of high school students’ personal items began June 8 and is to be completed by June 19.

Kovalchik said results of the school instruction preference survey by parents and guardians will be discussed via video chat during the week of June 22.

Three formats for instruction are under consideration: in class; a hybrid of in class and remote learning; and remote learning.

“The survey results will be part of the (reopening) plan. I will talk about the survey in the video for parents and guardians the week of June 22,” Kovalchik said. “I don’t believe right now it’s going to be all in class. It’s going to be some form of hybrid.”

Added costs for transportation by NASD school bus contractor, First Student, are not anticipated, according to Kovalchik.

“As long we don’t have double the runs, there’s not going to be an extra cost nor even if we have a staggered start time,” Kovalchik said.

First Student will undertake additional cleaning of school buses, Kovalchik added.

NASD will need to implement cleaning protocol in district schools, accomplished with existing maintenance staff. Purchase of materials such as hand sanitizer, temperature-taking devices, face masks and personal protection equipment is expected.

In other news, at the board meeting June 8, school directors voted 8-0, with one director absent, to approve:

• Sports medicine services and sponsorship agreement between St. Luke’s University Health Network, St. Luke’s Physician Group Inc. and NASD, effective July 1, for an initial term of five years and an automatic renewal term of three years, unless notice of termination is given by NASD at least 90 days in advance of the expiration of the initial term.

The agreement provides athletic trainers and physician services for the NASD athletic programs and other related services as well as monetary contributions to support the NASD athletic programs and higher education scholarship opportunities for each year of the agreement for two deserving students. The agreement supersedes and replaces the existing agreement between the parties, which is to expire June 30.

In the June 8 phone interview, Kovalchik said the sports medicine agreement provides for three athletic trainers, adding, “There’s no cost for the district.”

• Agreement for medical services with St. Luke’s Physicians Group for a five-year term commencing July 1 and ending June 30, unless terminated earlier as provided for in the agreement or unless the parties mutually agree in writing to renew the agreement beyond the initial term. All services will be provided to NASD at no cost.

Under the agreement, St. Luke’s Physicians Group will provide student medical services for which NASD is mandated by law to provide as well as other administrative services that will assist NASD in carrying out its health-related programs and other health-related needs for the benefit of students and staff.

• Revised listing of traffic duty monitors and hourly rates, effective retroactive to Aug. 26 through the end of the 2019-20 school year

• Sarah Aduddell, school psychologist, $38,514 for a maximum of 125 days, with no benefits, July 1 through June 30, 2021

• Summer school instructors and their reimbursement based on the supplemental reimbursement for extra services (curriculum and instruction), effective June 15 through July 23

• Teachers to provide extended school year and Chapter 15, Section 504 services for summer 2020

• Alternate method of billing and payment with Northampton Community College for the 2020-21 fiscal year