The Salisbury Township School Board welcomed student representatives to its regular meeting Sept. 16.

Salisbury High School seniors Anna Bitar and Janeida Johnson reflected on the first few weeks of virtual instruction from a student perspective for the board and attendees via Zoom.

“It’s hard learning online – we’re not really getting hands on activities and it is making it much harder for teachers to teach us,” Johnson said. “The teachers are doing extremely well with the outlines and activities they have been giving us.”

Bitar expressed gratitude toward the teachers as well as for having sports as an outlet, but also mentioned she hopes the administration would consider a switch to a hybrid learning model as soon as the public health situation allows.

The agenda was laden with personnel changes, with special emphasis on the retirement of the district human resources coordinator, Nancy Spadt. Spadt worked with Salisbury schools for the past 27 years, starting out as a typist and advancing through several different administrative posts. Board Secretary Michael Taylor said of Spadt, “She understood the meaning of community and in my two years [here] she has been a tremendous asset and has continued to perform at the highest level to support our staff during these tough times. Thank you for everything you have done for our school district.”

Spadt appeared via Zoom to express her gratitude, saying, “I loved my years at Salisbury and working with all of you. It is a great district.”

In other personnel updates, the district accepted the resignation of several staff members, including Stephen Hilaire as a full-time science teacher at Salisbury Middle School, Ryan Yurchick as a part-time physical education/health teacher at SMS, Nancy Thomas as the interact club adviser, Kelly Wetherhold as a co-golf coach who will continue on in a volunteer capacity and Margaret McGinty as an assistant cross-country coach.

Employment was approved for Jennifer Dunn, of Downingtown, as a full-time learning support teacher at SMS, Cassi Williams, of Schnecksville, as a full-time science teacher at SMS, Barry Frick, of Allentown, as the Key Club adviser and Amy Wood, of Allentown, as a part-time health/physical education teacher at SMS.

The board also voted to approve the employment of several new sports coaches such as Jack Repyneck, of Allentown, as the middle school football co-coach, Michael Pennella, of Allentown, as the golf co-coach and Janice Zellin, of Allentown, as the assistant cross-country coach.

The following volunteer positions were voted on and approved: Max Purzak, of Allentown, as a volunteer boys soccer coach, Kalman Sarkozy, of Bethlehem, as a volunteer varsity boys soccer coach and Brittany Evans, of Bethlehem, as a volunteer varsity cheerleading coach. Louis Bottitta and Stanley Fidrych, of Allentown, received approval as returning volunteer coaches for girls tennis and Christina Young, Susan Sentz and Amie Banham as returning volunteer assistant twirling coaches for 2020-2021.

One building transfer for Jessica Bean, of Emmaus, as a full-time special education teacher at SMS to a full-time learning support teacher at Salisbury Elementary School earned approval from the board. Laura Ede and Melissa Cerco also acquired approval as mentors in the district induction program for 2020-2021.

New business brought before the board was presented by board member Sarah Nemitz, who proposed that board meetings recorded via Zoom be made readily available and accessible for the public in the wake of a heightened community interest in school board processes.

Her suggestion was to regularly post the recorded meetings either to the district website or YouTube, as opposed to the current method of keeping the recordings on file and accessible only via right-to-know procedures.

After discussion about legalities and possible technology needs to support something like this, the board decided to discuss the options with their solicitor and hold a vote once a clear policy is created.

The next regular school board meeting will be held Oct. 7 via Zoom, directly following the operations committee meeting.