Following the earlier announcement the East Penn School District has shifted temporarily to remote learning for secondary students, the board of school directors voted unanimously to make minor changes to the district student calendar at the Aug. 24 virtual regular meeting.

Three scattered Act 80 days were moved to the beginning of the school year to allow for those half days to be available for the continued professional development of staff adjusting to the new learning models. Oct. 30, Feb. 5, 2021 and May 28, 2021 will now be full days of student instruction.

In her district update, Superintendent Kristen Campbell reported on the staffing issues that compelled the administration to move to fully remote instruction only for all secondary students beginning Aug. 31.

She explained that unforeseen staff resignations and temporary leave of absences have left the district scrambling for replacements. East Penn is experiencing intense competition for finding professionals with specialized certifications with other school districts seeking to fill their vacancies.

“We have been working with local staffing agencies, pursuing emergency professional certification through the Pennsylvania Department of Education and are reaching out to retired employees as a short-term solution,” Campbell said.

She said new staff hires, hailing from other districts, may need to remain with their current employers through October to fulfill professional obligations, per Pennsylvania School Code.

“LMMS, Eyer and EHS will still bring in smaller alphabetical cohorts to our buildings, as communicated by principals, for an orientation the week of Aug. 31 through Sept. 3,” Campbell said. There are also resources available to students and their parents on the district website to help them navigate the new learning environment.

Campbell informed the board the hybrid model is still in place for elementary and special needs students.

While secondary professional staff are to report to their home buildings for remote instruction, there is a possibility that some secondary support staff may be transferred to fulfill staffing needs at the elementary level.

“Our goal is to return our middle and high school students back to school buildings for the hybrid model of learning Oct. 26 with an option for any secondary student to remain fully remote,” Campbell said.

Campbell related that, while following guidance from the East Penn Conference and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, golf, tennis and cross-country student athletes have begun training. Football and other higher-risk autumn sports programs can hopefully be phased in as soon as circumstances allow.

Before the superintendent’s update, requests to address the board were granted to four members of the community, Christopher DeJohn and Kristen Wassel, both members of the Green Hornet Touchdown Club, Jennifer Roth, of Macungie and Ed Chase, of Allentown. All encouraged the district to proceed with fall sports. They praised the administration’s previously approved District Fall 2020 Health and Safety Plan. DeJohn, Wassel and Roth assured the board they observed student athletes and coaches successfully following the guidelines.

Roth said Whitehall and other school districts have decided to continue with fall sports. She expressed concern that the risk of long-term psychological damage to children who have been denied participation in sports may be greater than the risk of possible COVID-19 infection or other medical issues.

Chase weighed in with, “I do implore you to not take any more away from our children at this point,” adding, “They have already lost in-person learning due to unfortunate circumstances.”

After questioning Facilities Director Steve Onushco and Business Administrator Robert Saul about a change order proposal for the Emmaus High School Stadium turf and track project, the directors unanimously approved paying $29,753.60 to Skepton Construction for pressure grouting repairs to a sinkhole that opened up under the bleachers caused by recent heavy rains.

Although the turf field was still intact and there was no damage to the bleachers or other assets, Onushco said there may be a need to make adjustments to improve drainage around the perimeter of the stadium.

Saul said the capital fund balance can be drawn from to handle emergency repairs. He is awaiting word from the property insurer if any of the repairs are covered.

In personnel matters, the board acknowledged the recent resignations of 13 district staff, including health room nurses Dana Brndjar from Jefferson Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School, Kaitlyn Frey from Shoemaker Elementary School, Susan Kristan from Willow Lane Elementary School and Natasha Rossi from EHS, all effective in August.

The directors authorized new hire Emily Houck as a seventh grade language arts teacher for Eyer Middle School. Also approved were Megan Colletti and Debra Resh to fill certified school nurse positions, with Colletti at Lower Macungie Middle School and Resh at EHS. All three are expected to start Oct. 26.

Alisa Bowman reported the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit, “is no different from us and that they also had a lot of staff turnover over the summer.”

President Ken Bacher announced there was an executive session held 6:30 p.m. before the public meeting, as well as Aug. 17 and 18, on “personnel and real estate.”

The East Penn School Board meet regularly 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month. A regular board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 14. The public can access documents through BoardDocs and virtual meetings online via a link on the district website.