A new comprehensive plan is being worked on for Northampton Area School District.

“It’s going to take the entire school year and into the next year school year. It’s a very detailed plan,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said at the Oct. 11 board of education meeting.

Dr. Michelle Schoeneberger, NASD assistant superintendent, said in order to prepare the district comprehensive plan, there will be a staff self-assessment, a steering committee, focus areas and subcommittees.

“We will be getting parents’ and community input,” Schoeneberger said.

The plan is to be board approved in November 2022, Kovalchik mentioned.

In other business at the Oct. 11 board meeting, school directors voted 9-0 to approve:

• Continuation of the Community Education Program with Sandra Bischof as coordinator, at $500, for fall 2021. Also approved: water aerobics class, instructor and lifeguard stipends for fall 2021

• A letter of agreement between NASD and the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 for remedial instruction in reading and math to nonproficient students in nonpublic schools at $30,522 for instruction and $308 for parent-involvement programming. The IU-20 administrative fee is 3 percent of total amount. Costs are covered by a 2021-22 Title 1 grant.

• Charles Hutterer, short-term substitute social studies teacher, Northampton Area Middle School, at $125 per diem, effective retroactive to Oct. 4 for reminder of the first semester of the 2021-22 school year

• Voluntary transfer of Kathy Magditch from special education instructional assistant to study hall instructional assistant, Northampton Area High School, with no change in salary, effective Oct. 14

• Resignation of Danielle Cloward, Spanish teacher, NAMS, effective Oct. 8

At the June 28 board meeting, school directors voted 9-0 to approve:

• Janelle Schaeffer, assistant principal, NAHS, effective July 19, at $83,000, prorated, with benefits

• Jennifer Gensits, English as a Second Language elementary school teacher, effective Aug. 23, at $79,194, with benefits

• Christopher Creyer, long-term substitute social studies teacher, NAMS, effective Aug. 23, for the first semester of the 2021-22 school year, at $295.51 per diem

• Caralie Seward, social studies teacher, NAHS, effective Aug. 23, at $56,966, with benefits

• Meagan Sherry, family consumer science teacher, NAHS, effective Aug. 23, for the 2021-22 school year, at $56,355, with benefits

• Steven Wagner, natatorium instructional assistant, NAMS, effective Aug. 23, at $17.28 per hour

• Contract renewal with Providastaff-EDUHealthcare for speech and language services at Siegfried Elementary School and/or other district buildings based on student needs at a cost not to exceed $75,600

• Assistants to the athletic director for the 2021-22 school year: Daniele Bowman, fall season, $4,120; Michael Missmer, winter and spring seasons, $4,120 per season

COVID-19 data

The NASD website COVID-19 data dashboard seven-day building totals, Oct. 12-18, as of Oct. 18, are: NAHS, 7; NAMS, 7; Borough Elementary, 3; Moore, 2; Lehigh, 1; George Wolf, 4; and district administration, 1.

The board of education next meets 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25 in the NAHS auditorium, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton. Face masks are required. Attendees’ personal items will be checked, and attendees will walk through a metal detector at the school lobby entrance.