The East Penn Board of School Directors gratefully accepted a $10,000 donation from Dolly Corradetti to fund an annual monetary award of $500 for the recipient of the Emmaus High School Dr. Herman J. Corradetti Academic Hall of Fame Award at the April 12 virtual regular meeting.

Corradetti is the widow of the popular former principal of EHS who died in 2017. The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior for “outstanding scholastic achievement.”

School Superintendent Kristen Campbell expressed gratitude to the Corradetti family and spoke kindly about her experiences working with the former administer. “He is fondly remembered for being an advocate for students, for being deeply committed to our East Penn community,” Campbell said.

Business Administrator Robert Saul, assisted by Campbell and other administrators, presented the board with a 2021-2022 preliminary budget update.

They reminded the board $10 million had been transferred to the capital reserve fund as a one-time 2020-2021 budget adjustment.

Adjustments to the 2021-2022 projected revenue include a change in a previously proposed 3.6 percent millage rate increase in taxes, tied to the Act 1 Index, to a reduced 3.0 percent increase. Saul figured there would be less state reimbursement for Social Security and retirement than previously expected.

Among projected expenditure adjustments is $220,000 for consumable math resources that could be paid for with grant funds.

Saul described additional factors that may continue to affect the 2021-2022 budget including real estate assessment changes, employee retirements, insurance premiums for property, liability and workers’ compensation and tuition for cyber and cyber charter schools.

Campbell said one elementary and one secondary teacher position needs to be restored to the budget for $103,700 each. She mentioned the projected cost for summer maintenance and technical staff has been reduced from $100,000 to $46,000.

The superintendent, along with Supervisor of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction Michele James and School Psychologist Noelle Gecik proposed $65,000 be budgeted for a new Panorama Social Emotional Learning program.

The educational resource assists districts with gathering data to identify needs, support professional development and provide programs on creating an equitable supporting learning environment. Fostering positive social, emotional, coping, solving problems and goal setting skills are among the program’s components.

James said students would be screened via a survey in June, with faculty professional development on the Panorama platform happening in August. Additional surveys of additional “stakeholders” would be conducted during the school year followed by a “soft implementation” taking place in spring 2022.

Board members were supportive, but expressed concern about not knowing what the recurring costs of the program could be. They were told that the program should not exceed the projected high estimate, but the SEL program would be tailored to fit the needs of the district, once the data has been collected and analyzed.

While still an ongoing process, the final budget for the next school year is to be voted on in June.

In her district update, Campbell said students from kindergarten through grade 8 have returned to the classroom for 5-day in-person instruction. She added the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Education has updated rules on school closures over COVID-19 cases. “The duration of a recommended school closure has been shortened,” she said.

In personnel matters, the directors acknowledged the retirement of Shoemaker Elementary School third grade teacher Laurie Hillanbrand and Eyer Middle School wellness/fitness teacher Susan Carraher effective June 15. Wellness/fitness teacher Lisa Decker from Shoemaker Elementary School and Wescosville Elementary School retires June 15 as well.

After praising them for their work in the district, Campbell called the retirement of these three longtime educators “bittersweet.”

After being briefed by Director Alisa Bowman, the board unanimously approved the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit Facilities Plan 2021-2022. Vice President Paul Champagne announced Lehigh Career & Technical Institute recently received a $200,000 state supplemental equipment grant and Camp LCTI is planned for the summer.

Champagne said LCTI has reopened for four days of classroom instruction per week and asked when EHS vocational students will be able to take part. EHS Principal Kate Kieres responded the administration had only recently been notified about the change and are in the process of reaching out to hybrid students, their families and working out midday transportation for those who are interested.

President Ken Bacher announced an executive session was held before the public forum on “personnel and negotiations.”

No members of the public addressed the board during this session.

The East Penn School Board will next meet 7:30 p.m. April 26. The public can access documents through BoardDocs and attend meeting online via a link on the district website.