The East Penn Board of School Directors learned how Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund funds were utilized at the May 23 regular meeting.

Treasurer Robert Saul presented a revised 2022-2023 proposed final budget incorporating updated figures for COVID-19 relief funds.

Saul said a state relief grant of $438,415 paid for HALO disinfecting foggers, electro atomitizing backpack sprayer, Apple iPads, management console and literacy resources.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security ESSER I School Health and Safety Grants totaling $258,437 provided the district with Chromebooks and Chrome OS Management Console.

A $626,664 ESSER fund paid for teacher wages from 2020-2021.

The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund and Special Education COVID-19 Impact Mitigation Grant provided $102,623 for remediation and intervention services and software.

Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act funds paid $2,785,177 for high school science and social studies teachers.

Other COVID-19 mitigation grants include $5,633,607 for elementary interventionists as well as English, math and science teachers; $312,765 for social-emotional learning and reading interventions; $62,551 for summer school teachers and support staff; $62,551 to cover salaries and benefits for after school programs; $371,653 for various positions including special education, emotional support teachers and K-12 psychologists support; $28,775 to assist homeless children and $4,400 for MacBook Air computer purchase reimbursements.

Saul provided a summary of where CARES Offset funds were spent including a grant award of $598,498 for technology purchases, social distancing measures, personal protective equipment and disinfecting supplies, etc.

There is still leftover funding available through 2023 and Saul provided estimates on how that money would be spent. The ESSER funds must be spent no later than 2026.

Regarding changes to the proposed final budget, the previously requested tax increase of 3.6 percent was reduced to 3 percent with the new calculations, according to Saul.

The proposed final budget will need to be approved at an upcoming board meeting.

In public comments, Macungie resident Keri Crawford said she was following up on a “right to know request” regarding a “situation” in February involving her son and the head coach of the boys varsity basketball team.

Macungie resident and former board director Jane Fretz spoke in support of the teachers and board. She said, “It has come to my attention that there is an active group, newly formed, in East Penn who want to limit the ability of teachers to teach.” Citing “disinformation” across the country “perpetrated by the far-right,” Fretz said an educator should be able to discuss current events such as the racially-motivated shooting in Buffalo, N.Y. without fear of being reprimanded or fired.

For their last appearance for the school year, Emmaus High School Student Government Association representatives Katelyn Cole and Maggie Machulsky reported on a recent senior ice cream social, a weather-delayed “extreme field day event,” baseball and softball wins, as well as other sports news and the 15 Freddy Awards nominations for the spring musical the “Addams Family School Edition.”

Superintendent Kristen Campbell and President Joshua Levinson thanked the students for their service at the board meetings. “I wish you the very best in the next steps you take,” Levinson said. A graduating senior, Cole is bound for Temple University.

In personnel matters, the directors approved the retirement of LMMS food service coordinator Anne Crossley, Shoemaker Elementary School instructional assistant LyneDee DiPietro, staff assistant Charlotte Moser and instructional assistant Lori Staniewicz from EHS.

Employee appointments for replacing retired personnel were approved for Kevin Rhodes as social studies teacher at EHS, Kevin Gee as school counselor at Eyer Middle School, Andrea Heimsoth to teach health/wellness/fitness at Eyer, Kyle Grim to teach the same subject at Shoemaker and Kate Petcavage as school counselor for Shoemaker. All are effective Aug. 18.

Also hired, after his predecessor’s transfer, is Omar Haddad as math teacher for EHS effective Aug. 18.

According to Board President Joshua Levinson, an executive session was held before the public meeting 6:45 p.m. on “negotiations, litigation and confidential matters.”

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled June 13. The public can access documents through BoardDocs via a link on the district website. Livestreaming of meetings is available on the district’s YouTube channel.

Editor’s note: An additional article on Seven Generations Charter School from the meeting will be in the June 1 edition of The Press.