At the Oct. 11 Catasauqua Area School District Board of Education meeting, board members voted 6-2 to adopt a resolution renewing Innovative Arts Academy Charter School for an additional five-year term.

IAACS, 330 Howertown Road, was originally approved in February 2016 for a three-year charter. The charter was to expire at the end of the 2018-19 school year, and IAACS is seeking a five-year charter renewal. The school includes grades 6-12.

Hearings on whether or not to renew the charter have been ongoing since May 2019. During the Jan. 14, 2020, board meeting, CASD board members voted unanimously not to renew the charter. Shortly after, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the CASD board allowed the school to continue operating until things settled down a bit.

The hearings resumed at the June 14 board meeting to allow IAACS representatives to provide new information.

“With the latest round of hearings completed, the time has come to decide,” board Solicitor David Knerr said.

Superintendent of Schools Robert Spengler reported the administration recommended approving the charter renewal with stipulations. IAACS CEO Brad Schifko and Attorney Marc Fisher agreed with the recommendation.

The vote passed 6-2, with board members Dale Hein and President Duane Deitrich voting against and Donald Panto absent.

In other business, Catasauqua Middle School Principal Melissa Inselmann introduced the September Roughie of the Month honorees. The students are Gabriel Gonzalez, fifth grade; Jaxon Beaton, sixth grade; Dailenny Espada, seventh grade; and Leonardo Rodriguez Batista, eighth grade.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Christina Lutz-Doemling reported on the district’s efforts to implement the new science standards set by the state in July.

She noted the district has a three-year plan to add these new standards into the curriculum. The state set the 2025-26 school year as the deadline to have incorporated the standards.

Lutz-Doemling added the district is using PAsmart grant funds to incorporate more STEM and STEAM programming across all grades. This will help with the new standards as well. Additionally, CASD is using a PAsmart Advancing grant for training in inquiry-based and project-based learning.

“In the area of science, we are making great strides with those standards,” Lutz-Doemling said.

Lutz-Doemling also reported she and Ashley Schmidt, CHS career facilitator, were recently asked to give a presentation at Lehigh University about how the school is working to encourage and focus on employability skills in the district. Lutz-Doemling noted how important it is the district is being recognized as a leader in career education.

Eric Dauberman, the district’s new director of academic recovery, said he is working with a team to identify students who may be in need of remediation. Benchmark testing has been completed on 448 students at CMS. The CHS testing was expected to start shortly.

He noted the team is also working to streamline the district’s attendance efforts and suggest potential changes to the attendance policy.

According to Dauberman, they are also looking into after-school programs in the district and identifying any necessary changes or needs.

Spengler reported the track is completed at Alumni Field, with only a few small items yet to be finished. He thanked Thomas Moll, director of student activities, for all of his efforts in helping to get the project finished.

Spengler’s finance report included the announcement of the Pennsylvania adjusted index rate for CASD - 5.3%. The district administration will start building next year’s budget around that number.

Spengler also reported the efforts to introduce busing for fifth- and sixth-grade students is moving along. The district has identified bus stops and is planning to implement the new busing system the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

The biggest challenge, according to Spengler, is finding bus drivers for the new routes.

Board members approved the donation of a memorial bench from Krista and Kyle Martell in honor of the CASD staff members who helped save the life of their son, Steel, when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest April 21.

The bench specifically names Jenn Churetta, Dauberman and Bill Cecchini “in recognition of the heroism” for performing “lifesaving CPR and AED resuscitation.”

The bench will be placed under a tree at CMS facing Alumni Field.

A number of personnel changes were approved during the meeting, including the appointment of Stacey Coomer as a guidance counselor at CMS at $79,770.

“As soon as she finished her interview, we knew,” Inselmann said, sharing her excitement at having Coomer join the team.

Coomer mentioned she is also excited to join the district.

Amy Dymond-Jones, CMS counselor, will serve as Coomer’s mentor teacher, at a stipend of $750.

Approved extracurricular positions include Mark Seremula as head girls basketball coach at $6,265; Jacquelyn Garner as assistant girls basketball coach at $800; Robert Skipper as volunteer assistant girls basketball coach; Julianna Grate as volunteer assistant field hockey coach; Jenarosa Auriemma as CMS newsletter coordinator at $565 and CMS activities coordinator at $1,025; Christina Weaver as CMS book fair coordinator at $142 and CMS audio visual coordinator (35% share) at $666.05; Kyle Rusnock as CMS audio visual coordinator (25% share) at $475.75; and Colleen Mashett and Jordyn Gutai as CMS yearbook coordinators at $282.50 each.

The short-term substitute rate of $180 per day was approved for Abbey Shiffert, effective approximately Oct. 28-Jan. 20, 2023, and Eric Snyder, effective Oct. 3.

The resignation of David Ascani as game worker, effective Sept. 15, was also approved.

Other approvals included the first reading of the updated policy on the public use of school facilities, the establishment of the Digital Media Club student activity account, overnight student activity trips, an intergovernmental agreement with Pennsylvania State Police and CASD contracting with BusPatrol American to enforce civil violations and an agreement with DW Consulting Services for student psychological services and additional van or bus stops at Behavioral Health Associates branches.

The next school board meeting is set for 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, 4500 Education Park, Schnecksville.