There were four requests to address the East Penn Board of School Directors on the subject of tolerance and equity at the Feb. 27 regular meeting.

“The Black history theme for this year is Black resistance,” Bart Bailey, of Macungie, said. “What that means to me is that my joy is part of my resistance. Your appreciating my humanity is part of my resistance,” he explained. Bailey mentioned some community members running for the school board oppose diversity and social emotional learning. “Be very mindful about how fear, ignorance and intimidation affect all of us,” he said while seeking support for “our collective humanity.”

Three Emmaus residents spoke on related topics.

Gab Klotz expressed gratitude for Bailey’s commentary, as well as to the board for their budget transparency and for the hard work educators do to make all children be included.

Mary Ellen Jackson, the mother of two high school students, sought recruits for Parents for Equity in East Penn Schools (PEEPS). She described the organization as a resource for the schools, parents and the community. The group promotes high quality education, school safety and inclusion.

Emmaus graduate Jess Denke, a librarian at Muhlenberg College, encouraged the administration to prioritize the hiring of qualified minority applicants to better reflect the diverse backgrounds of East Penn students. She shared a metaphor about books to make her point.

Treasurer and Business Administrator Robert Saul provided a 2023-2024 budget expenditure overview to the directors as another piece in the budget process.

He listed a summary of expenses including wages, group insurances, workers’ compensation, Social Security payments, retirement contributions, educational alternatives (VESPA), energy costs for facilities, special education, curriculum materials for existing programs, charter and cyber school tuition, Lehigh Career & Technical Institute contribution, transportation, and other expenditures. Saul highlighted 13 areas where expenses are predicted to go up, especially in liability and cyber insurance premiums.

So far, the estimated total anticipated expenditures for the 2023-2024 budget is $178,276,108. Factoring in revenue, expenses and budgetary reserve, this leaves a deficit of $2,298,406. Subtracted from the fund balance of $23,489,535, the ending fund balance would be $21,191,129.

Newly-hired Director of Educational Alternatives Jennifer Carolla assisted with fielding questions on charter schools. She explained the office is working on finding ways to encourage East Penn students currently in charter schools to return to the district’s brick-and-mortar schools or to sign up for VESPA, the district’s cyber program.

Director Alisa Bowman suggested “exit interviews” should be conducted with families who pull their students from district schools to enroll them in private charter or cyber schools. This would help the administration learn how to make changes to possibly retain pupils.

In future meetings, the board will continue to be presented with different portions of the proposed budget including a long-range fiscal and capital plan, along with funding and program priorities. A final presentation and adoption of the final budget is scheduled for June 12.

In personnel matters, the board accepted the retirements of Wescosville Elementary School third grade teacher Sherry Rose, effective June 10 and Alburtis Elementary School night foreman Kenneth Stofanak, effective July 7.

District Superintendent Kristen Campbell remarked on the dedicated service to the district provided by Rose and Stofanak. “I wish them both continued happiness in their retirement,” she said.

The directors acknowledged the resignation of Emmaus High School Earth & Space Science teacher Rachel Baxter, effective April 4.

During her district update, Campbell described one Eyer Middle School student scoring a win as a spelling champ, as well as EHS students doing well in a Mock Trial, PMEA District 10 Band and LCTI skill competitions. She touched on wrestling and track and field successes and named several graduating seniors receiving congressional nominations for West Point, Annapolis, the Air Force Academy and Merchant Marine Academy.

Campbell announced kindergarten registration begins March 1 for the upcoming school year.

The Career Exploration Fair will be held March 28 at EHS and Campbell encouraged local business owners and professionals to volunteer or be sponsors.

Campbell said nominations for Outstanding Seniors for Grad Spotlight close March 15 and the East Penn Education Foundation has 2023 graduation lawn signs for sale for seniors and for “graduating” eighth graders.

There were no changes made to the 2022-2023 district student/teacher calendar since it was reviewed previously. The board is expected to adopt it at a future meeting.

With no new changes made since the previous meeting, the board quickly adopted new policies on students experiencing homelessness, foster care and other educational instability and unmanned aircraft systems – drones, as well as updates on principles for governance and leadership, enrollment of students, eligibility of nonresident students, attendance, graduation, dress and grooming, suspension and expulsion and transportation.

The directors unanimously approved the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 2023-2024 General Operating Budget, Lehigh Carbon Community College 2023-2024 Operating and Capital Budgets and Lehigh Career & Technical Institute 2023-2024 General Operating and Academic Center Funds Budgets.

Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit Board Member William Whitney reported the unit’s health and safety plan remained the same.

LCTI Joint Operating Committee member Paul Champagne spoke about student participants doing well in the recent Skills USA competition. Fifth grade tours are happening in May. He noted there has been an increase in district students enrolling in classes at the tech school.

President Joshua Levinson mentioned a 6:30 p.m. executive session was held before the public forum on “personnel and litigation.”

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled 7:30 p.m. March 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.