Northampton Area School District’s COVID-19 relief funds are paying for the Summer Bridge program and the hiring of at least nine teachers for the 2021-22 school year.

The NASD Board of Education voted unanimously 9-0 at its July 19 meeting to approve the revised list of NASD Summer Bridge teachers, nurses, guidance counselors, technology lead teachers, instructional assistants and reimbursements in accordance with collective bargaining agreements effective June 14-Aug. 12, with salaries paid through the ESSER III grant.

ESSER stands for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund. The funds are to help school districts to safely reopen, sustain the safe operation of schools and address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the meeting, NASD Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michelle Schoeneberger said 500 students are participating in Summer Bridge in June, July and August.

“As a result of the pandemic, our students have experienced an inconsistent schedule of instruction over the past year,” the NASD website states. “In response, Northampton Area School District will be offering free summer programs for all incoming NASD students K-12.”

Programs include the NASD Summer Bridge program for kindergarten through grade 12; the Ready for Kindergarten video series for incoming kindergarten students, posted July 23; and high school, college and career readiness workshops for grades 9-12.

Among NASD teachers hired, the ESSER III grant is paying the salaries of nine teachers, scheduled to report Aug. 23.

Also at the July 19 meeting, the school board voted 9-0 to hire Ashley Gulla, teacher, Siegfried Elementary School, at $55,555, with benefits; at its June 18 meeting to hire Lori Pellegrino, special education teacher, Northampton Area Middle School, at $63,303, with benefits; and at its May 24 meeting to hire Jonathan Lynch, mathematics teacher, NAMS, at $58,703, with benefits.

The board voted 8-0 at its May 10 meeting to hire Erin Sakelaridos, teacher, Moore Elementary School, at $58,703, with benefits; John Toman, mathematics teacher, Northampton Area High School, at $55,555, with benefits; Morgan Bear, kindergarten teacher, Franklin Elementary School, at $56,355, with benefits; Carley Andrejack, grade 1 teacher, Siegfried Elementary, pending receipt of proper documentation, at $58,703, with benefits; Mary Ann Weaver, grade 3 teacher, Siegfried, at $55,555, with benefits; and Rachel Laird, teacher, Lehigh Elementary School, pending receipt of proper documentation, at $55,555, with benefits.

The latest funding is from the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law March 11 by President Joe Biden. Earmarked is $122 billion for the ARP ESSER Fund.

Funds are provided to state educational agencies, which pass along the funding to local educational agencies, of which NASD is one.

ESSER revenue received, according to the April 12 NASD 2021-22 budget presentation, includes:

• ESSER I: Coronavirus, Aid, Relief & Economic Security Act (CARES). The NASD allocation, $495,782 in spring 2020, was used for Chromebooks, teacher laptops and the reading program.

• ESSER II: Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA). The NASD allocation is $3,227,353, of which $2,648,103 is being used in the 2021-22 budget and $1,146,000 is being set aside for future use.

“We’re keeping some back in case we need it this fall or next year,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said at the April 12 board of education meeting when the ESSER funding was announced.

• ESSER III: American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The NASD allocation, $6,418,988, is not in the 2021-22 budget.

At the April 12 meeting, Kovalchik emphasized ESSER funds are limited in terms of what they can be spent on.

A minimum of 20 percent must be spent on “student learning loss,” Kovalchik said.

ESSER expenditures in the 2021-22 NASD budget include the Summer Bridge program, remediation/enrichment program and curriculum and technology resources purchases of $800,000; curriculum and technology expenses of $1.8 million; NASD Cyber Academy at a $160,000 increase; cyber/charter schools at a $150,000 increase; and possible personnel additions in special education and instructional assistants.

Kovalchik said HVAC improvements are under consideration at George Wolf Elementary School and NAHS.

“They’re encouraging us to use some of the ESSER money for HVAC,” Kovalchik said April 12.