At the May 11 Salisbury township School Board meeting, Carol Klinger, chair of the curriculum and technology committee, called for a roll-call vote to approve the purchase of Pre-Calculus textbooks which was presented to the board during the May 4 work session meeting. The board unanimously approved.

The board also approved Muhlenberg College student teacher Rebecca Clark to work with Salisbury Middle School teacher Katie Royer during the fall term of the 2022-2023 school year.

Approval to waive tuition payments for five students who have moved from the district but will finish the year in Salisbury was also granted.

During the operations committee portion of the meeting, the board approved the closing of an Apple warranty repair account, the renewal of a 5-year contract for SaphhireK12, Inc., and use of facilities for the Drum Corps International.

Operations committee co-chair Joseph Gnall nominated board member Christopher Freas for the position of board treasurer which the board also approved.

Salisbury Township School District Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten provided an update on the increase in COVID-19 cases in the district. The data is being tracked for a second week and it is highly probable it may be necessary to move to Tier 2 on the Tiered Mitigation Matrix. This will involve masking during transitions and on transportation in the elementary school only.

The proposed final budget passed by a vote of 7-2 with dissenting votes from board members Klinger and Rebecca Glenister. In order to attempt to close the gap on the $1.5 million deficit, the budget included eliminating a librarian, a part-time Spanish position and realigning the director of transportation position duties. An elementary teaching position which was initially considered for elimination was retained.

The proposed cuts saved approximately $115,000.

This budget decision and its impending repercussions was discussed at length by board members before the vote was taken. At the suggestion of Freas a finance committee will be discussed at the next work session. Freas proposed to the board the committee’s goal should be to address the budget deficit without cutting personnel and find ways to make deductions and create revenue.

Personnel changes approved by the board include the retirement of Donna Besz, part-time instructional assistant at SES, Tami Johnson, part-time instructional assistant at SES, Trudy Murray, part-time ESL teacher at SES and Susan Bast, full-time administrative assistant at SMS. Tendering their resignations are Latasha Snyder, part-time nursing assistant at SHS and Linda Shultz, part-time instructional assistant at SES. The transfer of Kyle Gangewere, part-time instructional assistant at SMS to SHS was also approved.

New hires approved by the board are Molly Riley-Cygan, full-time special education teacher at SMS, Kathleen Kelleher, full-time special education teacher at SES and Paul Ziegenfus, head girls basketball coach.

Extended school year staff hires include teachers Lucy Reinsmith, Melissa Cerco, Beth Neitz, Vicky Everner, Karen Orlemann, Zachary Williams and Ashley Merkel. Carol Monaghan will provide nursing services. Instructional assistants include Bevin Beckage, Erin Alulis, Nancy Fenstermaker, Kristi Kichline, Briana Lighting, Michele Miller, Wendy St. John, Jaclyn Williams and Bama Bhashyam.

In her superintendent’s report, Lynn Fuini Hetten addressed concerns she has heard in the community concerning class sizes and special subjects in the elementary school. The district does have special subject teachers for next year and class sizes range from 18-21 students in grades K-3 and 19-26 students in grades 4-8.

Fuini-Hetten took the time to recognize the nursing staff in the district as May 11 was National School Nurse Day. She also acknowledged teacher appreciation week and thanked the faculty and staff for all they do to provide the best for the district’s students.

The board will meet for a work session meeting 7 p.m. June 1 at the administration building, 1140 Salisbury Road, Allentown.