The Salisbury Township School Board held a curriculum and technology committee meeting June 14 where agenda items included a teaching and learning update from building administrators as well as the progress of the Salisbury High School targeted improvement plan.

Board members also recognized three recently retired district employees.

The first order of business for the board was to recognize the achievements of teacher Michelle DeOliveira who has made a difference in the lives of many students over her 28 year tenure. Also recognized were administrative assistant Susan Mixa who among her many responsibilities cheerfully greeted students, staff and parents in the high school for 21 years and Joanne Marzola who tended to students’ needs for the past nine years as a nursing assistant.

A proclamation was read for each retiree and administrators as well as board members shared memories and offered well wishes for a much deserved retirement.

SHS Principal Heather Morningstar presented a plan to address the high school’s designation for targeted school improvement. This designation was due to the performance of the special education subgroup for both achievement and graduation rates. Morningstar explained how COVID-19 affected achievement scores due to the fact the state gave students the option to forgo testing which caused participation rates to be poor. The plan will be posted for public comment and brought back to the board in August for approval. The plan must be submitted to the state by Aug. 31.

During the teaching and learning update portion of the meeting, Assistant Superintendent Kelly Pauling began by addressing the phonics gap identified at the third grade level in the Wit and Wisdom reading series. After researching two programs, it was decided the best option was the Phonics for Reading program which is currently being used as an intervention tool and will be a cost effective approach to fill the gap at the third grade level.

Pauling also informed the board administrators and staff are looking into moving from a discrepancy model to identify special education students to a model that focuses more on the rate of growth. Encouraging steps are being taken to bring this to fruition and there may be grant monies available that must be board approved in order to implement this model.

Middle school Assistant Principal Robert Sawicki was excited to introduce the board to the new positive behavior intervention program which will kick off in the fall. The online program’s main goal is to recognize and encourage positive behaviors and reward students with “zings” which can be traded in for prizes. Staff can recognize any student anywhere and at any time for exhibiting amazing behavior.

While this program is geared to middle level students it provides great continuity between a schoolwide behavior program already in place at the elementary level.

The next meeting of the curriculum and technology committee will be held 7 p.m. Sept. 13 at in the administration building, 1140 Salisbury Road, Allentown.