School Superintendent Kristen Campbell announced the district is seeking applicants to handle crossing guard duties for Willow Lane Elementary School at the July 11 regular meeting. These would be paid positions, as the recent call for volunteers patterned after a program that currently exists in the Borough of Emmaus garnered “minimal interest.”

Since 2013, Lower Macungie Township has employed crossing guards for Willow Lane Elementary School. East Penn partnered with the township to provide 50 percent of the financial costs associated with the program. Lower Macungie Township has since decided to no longer provide crossing guards at that location.

Campbell said the district has around $36,000 budgeted for the positions. A proposal for Lower Macungie Township to provide matching funding to continue the program under the school district’s management will be presented soon to Township Manager Bruce Beitel.

Campbell noted the administration’s need to maintain the safety of the students and their families at the busy intersections near that elementary school.

Assistant Superintendent Laura Witman provided a preview of proposed changes to the district’s discipline code. Currently there are different codes for primary and secondary levels. The team of administrators and others has envisioned a code that applies to all levels.

Witman described the need for a transitions room and a process that provides consequences for disciplinary infractions while addressing equity and pro-active support for students and their families. Citing recent studies, she spoke in general terms on goals and ways to reconnect “disconnected” students.

A Multi-Tiered System of Supports for working with students exhibiting persistent inappropriate behaviors would be employed.

For example, a student caught vaping would be required to attend a smoking cessation program as a consequence.

A test group of 25 Lower Macungie Middle School “frequent flyer” students showed this “check in, check out behavioral strategy” appears to work. Witman said by the fourth quarter, none of them experienced behavior issues.

While currently a work in progress, a draft will be made available to the board and public in August.

The East Penn Board of School Directors voted unanimously to approve the revised Lehigh Carbon Community College Dual Enrollment Agreement. Effective July 1, it can be canceled by either party before the end of the school year.

The nonremedial courses can be accessed by students who satisfactorily meet high school graduation requirements and demonstrate readiness for college level coursework in the intended subject area of study.

These college credit courses have a strong record of transferability to other institutions.

District social media accounts for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube were reviewed and approved.

During her district update, Campbell introduced Jennifer Carolla to the directors. She will be assuming the new position of director of educational alternatives beginning Sept. 12. “We knocked it out of the park,” Campbell said, adding Carolla had been employed as an Emmaus High School counselor for a dozen years before taking a job as an assistant principal in Quakertown.

In other personnel matters, the directors consented to the resignations of special education teacher Peter Jenkins from Lincoln Elementary School and Jefferson Elementary School effective July 5 and Willow Lane Elementary School teacher Megan Roeder effective June 29.

Lisa Dunleavy’s retirement as an instructional assistant from Shoemaker Elementary School was accepted by the board effective June 27.

Additional new hires include Robyn Gurnari as the district’s speech and language pathologist, Susan Bryan as kindergarten teacher and Kristin Wessner as special education teacher for Willow Lane Elementary School and fourth grade teacher Susan Racek for Lincoln Elementary School.

The board approved special education teacher Emily Mantz for Lower Macungie Middle School, along with physics teacher Jacob Kistler and earth and space science educator Sarah Tomkinson for Emmaus High School.

All are effective Aug. 18.

Parent of two, Chris Fanning, of Lower Macungie Township, addressed the board regarding the need to maintain crossing guards at Willow Lane Elementary School.

Speaking to the directors, Emmaus resident Mary Ellen Jackson and parent of two sons in high school spoke of how a “parent connection group” she belongs to has reached out on social media to help heal division within the district.

School Board President Joshua Levinson announced an executive session was held before the public forum on “personnel matters.”

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 8. 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.