A moment of silence in memory of student Craig James Salomon was observed at the start of the Dec. 14 virtual East Penn School District board meeting. School Superintendent Kristen Campbell expressed sympathy to the family of the eighth grader from Eyer Middle School who died Dec. 8.

While the state is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases, the East Penn Board of School Directors voted 6-3 to update the district’s health and safety plan. Director Ziad Munson’s amendment to the plan will have the district return to all remote learning through Jan. 11, 2021. Director Naomi Winch’s added ‘friendly amendment’ has the virtual learning model beginning Dec. 16 to allow time for the administration to notify parents and staff.

President Ken Bacher and Directors Allan Byrd and Jeffrey Jankowski provided the dissenting votes. They argued the decision should rest with the administration.

Those in favor of returning to the virtual learning model, including Munson, expressed concern for the recent spike in COVID-19 cases across the commonwealth. Winch mentioned Lehigh Valley ICU beds are quickly filling up.

While expressing confidence with the district administration, Director Adam Smith and Vice President Paul Champagne said the sudden starts and stops associated with the hybrid plan being adjusted to accommodate changing circumstances have created confusion among staff and families of students.

Much of the discussion centered around the benefits of in-person learning within the safer and more controlled environment found within the schools versus the rising community infection rate. Severe weather interruptions and possible outages were also a worry. Both board and administration acknowledged the predicted storm for later this week.

Approved updates to the health and safety plan contain changes to quarantine rules for those who have traveled or had been exposed to the coronavirus. Building closure rules were adjusted to be stricter than state guidelines.

Before the vote, 10 requests to address the board were granted.

Stephen Toth, a technology teacher at Lower Macungie Middle School informed the members “morale among the staff is low.” Dealing with the extra work, frozen pay and uncertainty of the pandemic has left them stressed and depressed.

James Beuttel suggested the directors begin meeting face-to-face again. He said by meeting virtually, while staff provided students with person-to-person instruction, created an impression of a double standard.

Edward and Gretchen McClain described fallout they and the Emmaus High School students received after attending an unofficial homecoming dance at Brookside Country Club. They criticized a district teacher and a board member for “shaming” the attendees.

Most public comments regarded race relations within the district by members of East Penn School District Equality. This coalition of students, parents and other supporters requested the district provide staff with anti-racism training.

White members, including EHS students Olivia and Madeleine and district graduate Fionnuir Ni Chochlain said they spoke on behalf of their minority peers, because their friends “didn’t feel safe” enough to speak for themselves. They described their classmates’ feelings of being “invisible,” “unwanted” and “excluded.” Mariska van Aalst, parent of a former and a current student in the district called for the district to “challenge systemic inequality.”

African-American parent Shonta Ford and her daughter, an Emmaus senior, spoke of their shared experiences with racism. They asked for the board and administration to take the initiative on programs celebrating diversity and staff training to help eradicate systemic racism.

Campbell thanked them for speaking out. Board members agreed the district should make diversity a key goal.

Campbell and the directors congratulated the EHS field hockey team for achieving the status of 2020 State Champions.

Emmaus Student Government Association member Grace Comfort spoke of plans for a virtual trivia game for mid-January 2021.

Change order proposals for the EHS stadium turf and track project were unanimously approved. These include $13,471.37 for sinkhole repair and $67,055.63 for storm sewer relocation and track repairs.

In personnel matters, the directors acknowledged the retirement of Willow Lane Elementary School fourth grade teacher James Best, effective June 2021.

New hire Jordan Purdy was approved as a special education teacher at Lower Macungie Middle School beginning Feb. 16, 2021.

Bacher mentioned an executive session was held before the public session on “personnel and negotiations.”

He announced the district will be closed Dec. 24 through Jan. 1, 2021 for winter break.

The East Penn School Board meets 7:30 p.m. generally on the second and fourth Monday of each month. The next regular board meeting is scheduled Jan. 11, 2021. The public can access documents through BoardDocs and attend meetings online via a link on the district website.