During the Dec. 6 Salisbury Township School Board meeting, the first order of business was to address the issue of appointing a temporary president so the meeting could proceed. Due to a pending legal challenge concerning mail-in ballots in one Lehigh County race, the Lehigh County Board of Elections voted to defer certifying the election which left the board with three holdover members namely Carol Klinger, Sarah Nemitz and Sam DeFrank.

Without certification of the election no new member could be sworn in which left the school board with no president or vice president in attendance.

Solicitor Attorney Kristine Roddick suggested a temporary president could be appointed to preside for this meeting only. Director Sam DeFrank was nominated and the motion was passed.

The first issue on the agenda was to approve the appointment of Christine Stafford as school board secretary to replace former Chief Executive Officer Michael Taylor. The motion was passed.

Assistant Superintendent Kelly Pauling gave an update on the English Language Arts (ELA) pilot program Wit and Wisdom. Pauling met with teachers who are piloting the program and the feedback was largely positive.

Teachers remarked the students benefited from reading authentic text as opposed to the more commonly used basal reader and there are many opportunities to actively work in large and small groups.

The arts component of the program is engaging for students and serves to build background knowledge especially for the English Language Learners.

While no program is perfect and the pacing of lessons is an area that needs improvement, the program enhances and builds on the structured phonics program and Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Program already in place.

Pauling further explained this program coincides with the current trend, in many states, toward the adoption of highly qualified materials.

Personnel changes approved by the board include the resignation of Kim Rutt, substitute at the high school and Kristine Alder, part-time high school instructional assistant. New hires include high school building substitutes Chad Saylor and Erin Bross as well as Behavioral Interventionist Lauren Zielinski, who will serve as a long-term substitute at Salisbury Elementary School. Riley Mang was also approved as assistant middle school basketball coach.

Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten reported on the ongoing process of hiring a new chief financial officer in the wake of the resignation of Taylor. A multi level interview process was utilized in the selection process and it is anticipated a new hire will be presented to the board for approval in January 2022.

In new business, the question of unmasking middle school students during athletic competitions was posed. At present high school students are permitted to remove masks while competing but this does not extend to middle school athletes. The board agreed students in seventh through ninth grades have had ample time to be vaccinated if they choose to do so, making unmasking at this level a reasonable request.

Athletic Director Monica Deeb further clarified the masking policy currently under effect and requested the rules for high school masking be extended to the middle school as well as the Salisbury Youth Association. She went on to ask the board to consider the possibility other programs will refrain from competing in our facilities if our policies are more stringent than their own programs.

After much debate and clarification a motion was put forward to state no mask is required when actively engaged in practice, scrimmage or competition in grades 6-12 and all SYA youth programs when using the district facilities. There was no second so the motion did not pass. At issue was this inclusion of the SYA in the motion.

A new motion was then made to not require masks during competition, scrimmages or practices for grade 6-12 only. This motion was passed and the masking as it relates to SYA programs was to be discussed during the Dec. 13 reorganization meeting when newly elected members of the board will be sworn in allowing for a more in-depth discussion and debate.

With the mask ruling already passed, the floor was open to citizens’ inquiries and comments.

There was much debate over the current masking policies both in school and on athletic teams. Emily Pojanowski reminded the board the order of the acting secretary of health as it relates to masking for athletes does not apply to a specific age group. She read the order verbatim which states there is an exception to the masking requirement when students are participating in an activity or event whether indoors or outdoors. Her question to the board was: “So what are we following?”

Board member elect Rebecca Glenister opined masks should be worn at all times whether practicing or competing and we should be proud of the fact we are the only school masking. She said the point of masking and vaccinating is because it is a risk for the community. “Doctors want us to wear masks and we should do it.”

Resident Jodie Finney remarked she does not understand why we are masking during games and the decision to mask or vaccinate her child is up to her.

The board respectfully listened to all comments and after a brief discussion decided any further discussions about masking for the SYA youth programs will be put on the agenda for the reorganization meeting which scheduled Dec. 13.