After more than three hours of answering questions – mostly details about bus and building practices, including masking; many from disgruntled parents or taxpayers who wanted fully in-person education; and repeated questions from people totally opposed to any in-person education or bus riding – the BASD school board approved the district’s reopening plan at its Aug. 10 meeting. All nine members were present.

At the request of board member Angela Sinkler, “to the extent feasible” was removed from the third point of the “Return to Music” plan. She also questioned the unusually large number of experienced hires at higher rates; BASD Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy explained that these individuals were a particularly good fit for the positions they were selected to fill.

The reopening plan passed 7-2 (“nay” votes from Winston Alozie and Angela Sinkler); the summer music plan, personnel items, and emergency calendar passed 9-0.

In order to comply with Pa. regulations requiring 180 days (or 900 hours) of instruction at the elementary level and 180 days (or 990 hours) of instruction at the secondary level while not providing face-to-face instruction five days per week, the district – like many others across the state – is taking advantage of an emergency provision in section 520.1 of the state school code.

The personnel items approved include the retention of former health services director Kathy Halkins as a health services consultant at a rate of $400 per day. Details of the reopening plans, emergency calendar provisions, and personnel actions are available on BoardDocs (https://go.boarddocs.com/pa/beth/Board.nsf/Public).

As covered in previous editions of the Press, BASD students may choose a hybrid (two days of in-person instruction and three days of online instruction per week) education, virtual education through BASD Cyber Academy, or virtual education with BASD teachers through a new initiative through eLearning/eClassroom.

While attending in person, students will wear masks all day, with limited breaks, from the time they board the bus until they return home; all work spaces will be six feet apart, per the preferences of Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine. Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera, who had opposed all-day mask wearing for students maintaining six-foot distancing, resigned in early August and was replaced by his deputy, Noe Ortega, who has signaled his support for Levine on social media.

Student temperature screenings will be conducted at home by parents; visitors will be screened by school health personnel upon entering district buildings. Plans for handling staff and student illnesses, sanitizing of buses and schools, and other provisions are available on BoardDocs.

Although not a mandate, a recommendation that schools not leave the hybrid or fully online environment until their counties have a seven-day average of fewer than five positive coronavirus tests per 100,000 population was unveiled earlier in the day by Levine and Rivera at a press call.

Press were given two hours’ notice; no follow-up questions were taken; question time expired before all media outlets could be heard.

The board also held its combined committee meeting, at which it discussed items to be voted on at the Aug. 24 meeting, including an anti-racism resolution, a lease extension with Neighborhood Health Centers of the Lehigh Valley (serving the Donegan Family Center), a subcontract with Jennings Transportation for supplemental busing services, and the extension or renewal of several other contracts and programs. The anti-racism resolution includes a commitment by the board to reform the curriculum, review the School Resource Officer (SRO, or police officer) program, and to create restorative listening circles (sessions conducted by a facilitator to discuss negative events in the community, their impacts, and what is necessary to correct these problems). Roy commented that BASD graduates who are now in college have approached him and asked why they were never taught about the role racism has played in American history, and said he would like to see history and literature curricula change to reflect the importance of race in America. Sinkler pointed out that the Pa. School Boards Assoc. (PSBA) will hold an equity summit Oct. 13 (likely a virtual event this year), and encouraged board members to participate.

Dr. Roy also presented a fall sports plan for middle schools that shortens the season by delaying the start from Aug. 17 to Sept. 14, and have competitions involve only intra-district games, rather than traveling outside the district. Although it’s unclear whether the plan requires board approval, Roy wanted to present the information to the board for discussion.

The finance committee presented information on the resignation of David Arner from the BASD Authority, which facilitates interest rate transactions for the district, and from the Bethlehem Area Vo-Tech School General Authority, which plays a similar role for BAVTS. The board will vote on a replacement for Arner for each position Aug. 24; the board is accepting names for consideration.

During the “Courtesy of the Floor” segment of the second meeting, a current BASD student asked what actions would be taken to address racist behavior on the part of faculty and staff. Roy indicated that he would follow up with the student individually.