At the June 14 virtual Whitehall-Coplay School Board meeting, the board approved the final adoption of the Whitehall-Coplay School District 2021-22 general fund budget and enactment of taxes for the July 1-June 30, 2022, fiscal year.

The budget, totaling $83,621,499, rose 9.2 percent from the previous year.

The new budget requires an increase of 0.6608 mill for a total real estate tax rate of 19.5417 mills, adding approximately $115.50 in taxes to the average residential property. Voting for the budget were board members Wayne Grim, William Fonzone Sr., Patty Gaugler, George Makhoul, Nichole Hartman, Eileen Abruzzi and George Williams. Tina Koren was opposed, and Joseph Shields was absent.

The state tax gaming rebate of $173.30 will be given to approved homestead and farmstead properties.

Also at the meeting, the board was presented with an overview of the six-step pandemic recovery plan for the 2021-22 school year. The plan includes summer learning activities for students to address the issue of learning loss caused by COVID-19.

An 11-session summer school program for K-5 students will run 9 a.m.-noon June 21 to July 8.

The grades 6-8 program will be 8-11 a.m. June 21 to July 15. It includes 50 minutes of daily instruction in reading, math and science and 40 minutes of social studies twice a week. The program is divided into nine sections, and special education support will be available.

The programs for students in K-8 will run Mondays through Thursdays.

Whitehall High School will offer Educere online coursework to help reduce learning gaps and to give students an opportunity to recover failed credits.

The district will be offering ongoing academic support during the school year, including diagnostic screening, reading and math IST, in-school interventions, after-school support, assistance for English learners and special education and STEM opportunities.

Whitehall-Coplay Middle School and WHS will be using diagnostic screening and benchmarks. They will be offering math and reading support, after-school assistance, in-school interventions, clubs, activities and an Infinity Lab.

Providing social emotional learning and mental health support is also a priority. WCSD formed a district social emotional learning committee and researched and recommended SEL programs for the 2022-23 school year.

Mental health supports will include programming from the Center for Humanistic Change, Kellyn Foundation and trauma-informed care professional development.

The district will also offer a student assistance program, child study teams and building-based programs. It will be using Valley Youth House services to implement the Bounce Back programming for K-4 students and CBITS for grades 5-8.

WCSD will also expand its use of Lehigh Valley Health Network’s outpatient counseling.

Staff will be provided with technological professional development, curriculum revisions and the assistance of a district tech specialist.

Facility upgrades will include bi-polar ionization systems in all buildings, addressing needs listed in the capital improvement plan and replacing furniture.

To improve upon communication between administration and parents, information sent to families June 15 included the summer health and safety plan and links to the WCSD pandemic recovery plan and the 2021-22 school year website. A final health and safety plan will be approved at the Aug. 9 school board meeting.

Instructional models for the upcoming school year will allow elementary school parents to choose between in-person learning five days a week and the WCSD virtual learning program. Secondary schools are offering five days a week in person, the learn-at-home program and virtual learning.

Instructional models can only be changed at the end of each quarter, and the deadline to sign up for virtual learning is July 9.

General questions can be emailed to questions@whitehallcoplay.org. These questions will be used to create a FAQs page on the district website.

“I’m looking forward to seeing everything that we’re planning for put into effect and implemented well,” WCSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Steckel said.

In other news, Michael Malay, WCSD business manager, thanked Lehigh Valley Educators Credit Union for its Snack Pack Pals donation.

The board approved the authorization of Fox Rothschild LLP to enter into an agreement for the property located at 2001 MacArthur Road, Parcel ID 549872328571 1. The property was assessed at $13,634,400 for the 2021-22 school tax year and for subsequent years until a change in the property’s assessment pursuant to applicable law.

The board approved Dr. S. John Salivonchik as the school dentist for the 2021-22 school year at a rate of $6 per exam.

The board approved the integrated services contract between Communities in Schools of the Lehigh Valley and WCSD for the 2021-22 school year.

Also approved was WHS’ additional targeted support and improvement plan.

The board approved the expansion contract for Read 180 with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, St. Charles, Ill., and the expansion contract with Navigate 360.

The board authorized the administration, D’Huy Engineering and Breslin Architects to resume planning for construction of a new K-1 elementary school building.

The board approved a radio service contract with TuWay Communications, Bethlehem.

Also approved was a request from Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 to use 16 classrooms at WHS, including the nurse’s suite, gym, ISS room and family and consumer science room, for an extended school year program July 6-29. The program is scheduled to run 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. three days per week.

The board approved change orders from Myco Mechanical Inc. for the high school addition and renovations project and from ASL Refrigeration Inc. for the high school football stadium improvements project.

The board approved the contract with Frontline Education to migrate employee data and provide evaluation management and the contract with 5th Generation Sports Medicine and Sponsorship with St. Luke’s University Health Network.

The board approved the resolution accepting the bid for the WCMS access road repair project. Payment will be made from the capital reserve account. Also approved was a resolution accepting the bid for the new entrance at Steckel Elementary School.

The next board meetings will be held 7 p.m. July 12 and Aug. 9 in the LGI room at WHS. The public may attend these meetings in person.

Committee meetings on education/student activities, operations/transportation and finance/personnel will be 4 p.m. July 28 and Aug. 23.