The East Penn Board of School Directors voiced support for the administration’s modified health and safety plan at the virtual regular meeting March 8.

Citing greater overall knowledge of COVID-19 and revised safety protocols, a return to five day, in-person instruction for students may be possible in late March and early April. Kindergarten through second grade students would possibility transition back March 29, while grades 3-5 return April 6.

School District Superintendent Kristen Campbell walked the directors through the proposed plan for reopening the schools while adhering to health and safety guidelines. She and the board agreed the state’s announcement all school employees and contractors are expected to begin being vaccinated starting mid-March is a “game changer.”

East Penn educators have been allocated 400 slots in the queue for the first round of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccination, Campbell said.

She was grateful for the more than 7,000 responses to the district’s family commitment survey which helped with decision making. Based on new rationale, the plan would call for 3- to 6-foot social distancing. Masks would still be worn, except during meals and breaks.

Community transmission levels affect the learning models. Campbell said Lehigh County is currently listed at “Substantial.” The shift to the five day in-person model would be based on the county’s transmission level hitting “Moderate.”

Assisting with the presentation were Assistant Superintendents Laura Witman and Douglas Povilaitis, Director of Special Education Linda Pekarik, Director of Student Services Thomas Mirabella, Facilities Director Steve Onushco and Director of Information and Instructional Tech Lisa Manzo.

Special needs students and elementary school children are priorities for five day classroom instruction. With 3-foot social distancing, a greater number of students would be able to return to classrooms. Six-foot social distancing presents a greater barrier.

Topics covered included sanitizing, ventilation and social distancing in classrooms, buses, bus stops and lunchrooms for elementary, middle level and high school students. Milder and warmer spring weather is a factor for changes to the plan.

The updated plan is to come before the board for a vote at the next meeting in two weeks.

Requests to address the board were granted to three residents advocating the return to full-day, in-person instruction. They also supported remote learning for families that would choose to continue with that model.

Dr. Behrang Saminejad, of Lower Macungie Township, specifically requested elementary schools be transitioned to five full days of in-person learning. He stated statistics showing children ages 6-12 were less likely to catch and spread the coronavirus. He mentioned there were rare outbreaks happening in school settings.

Although members of her family suffered health issues that could potentially leave them vulnerable to COVID-19, Emmaus resident Megan Foerst called for resuming five day instruction. “This is a virus. It will never go away,” said the mother of four. “Kids need to be kids,” she added.

Jason Jenkins, parent of a student at Eyer Middle School, complained about the partitions set up in the cafeteria to shield the children from each other. “It’s one of the most humiliating and demoralizing things I‘ve ever seen,” Jenkins said as he told of pulling his daughter out of hybrid learning. He asked the district get back to “as much normal as you can.”

All three speakers expressed concern over the mental health issues facing children from the enforced isolation and missed experiences.

In other business, the board unanimously approved the East Penn School District student/teacher calendar for the 2021-2022 school year.

With 184 student days and 191 teacher days, there are three inclement weather make-up days already built into the calendar. To accommodate potential additional inclement weather days needed beyond the three days, April 13, 2022 becomes a full day (if closing occurs on or before March 31, 2022) then April 14, 2022 becomes early dismissal.

Five days from June 13-17, 2022 are designated as make-up days, if needed.

The last day of school will be June 9, 2022 if fewer than three inclement weather days are used.

Treasurer Robert Saul presented a revenue overview of the 2021-2022 preliminary budget in a series of steps toward the adoption of a final budget planned for June 14. He projected a 6.41 percent increase of local revenue from real estate taxes, transfer taxes earnings on investments and other sources.

“Real estate tax collections for the current year have remained strong and are not showing signs of increased delinquency as we had anticipated,” Saul said. The estimate also includes a 3.6 percent millage rate increase in real estate tax in keeping with the adjusted Act 1 Index.

Earned income tax revenue has also remained strong, despite the pandemic’s affect on the economy, according to Saul. He said lower wage earners and those in part-time jobs were hit hardest by COVID-19 while workers of all income levels had been hurt by the recession of 2008.

Saul estimated a 2.21 percent decrease in state revenue due to the state legislature’s resistance to Gov. Tom Wolf‘s budget.

He was optimistic federal revenue may increase by 3.82 percent. Saul qualified his numbers as only estimates, as the situation was still somewhat fluid.

In her district update, Campbell announced online kindergarten registration for 2021-22 continues.

She highlighted the accomplishments of the Emmaus High School Mud Club, PA Region 6 History Day 2021 participants and the Pennsylvania News Media Association’s Keystone Media Awards scored by the “Stinger” student staff.

In personnel matters, the directors acknowledged the retirement of Wescosville Elementary Wellness and Fitness Teacher Lisa Decker effective June 15.

The board approved the appointment of Drew Hinkel as director of human resources effective March 9. Hinkel replaces Jessica Afflerbach, who recently resigned. Campbell introduced Hinkel to the others at the Zoom meeting as she praised his qualifications.

The collective bargaining agreement between East Penn School District and the Foodcrafters Association ESP/PSEA/NEA employees was unanimously approved by the board. The contract is effective July 1 through June 30, 2025.

Lehigh Career & Technical Institute Joint Operating Committee member Paul Champagne reported Camp LCTI for this summer is still being debated.

The directors agreed to nominate Daniel Bosket as a candidate to be submitted as a trustee-at-large nominee for Lehigh County Community College’s Board of Trustees.

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

The East Penn School Board next meets 7:30 p.m. March 22.