School Superintendent Dr. Kristen Campbell announced the eighth grade family welcome night is rescheduled for 6-8 p.m. Jan. 24 during the regular meeting of the East Penn Board of School Directors held Jan. 22. The event had been disrupted by last week’s winter weather.

“This is a great first step to begin that transition,” Campbell remarked as she encouraged families of students who would be transitioning from middle school to high school soon to register online. There are two sessions being held at Emmaus High School.

The high school is also hosting an event in the school library Feb. 7 to help walk families through applying for federal financial aid for college-bound students.

Emmaus High Student Government Association School Board Student Representative Elizabeth Samer reported on winter sports and on an Interact Club fundraiser held at a recent Phantoms game featuring the EHS choir and East Penn therapy dogs.

A pop-up thrift shop near the high school auditorium is scheduled Jan. 24 and 25 to raise money for Keep America Beautiful.

Samer mentioned a recent arts career day which introduced EHS art students to professionals who work in the arts.

In her district update, school Superintendent Dr. Kristen Campbell congratulated the record number of Emmaus students from Lehigh Career & Technical Institute for being inducted into the National Technical Honor Society. She also praised several EHS students whose work is exhibited online by the Pennsylvania Art Education Association. If they score awards, their pieces will be on display at the State Capitol.

She called attention to the Rotary Supplemental Feeding Program with food pick-ups scheduled for January and February.

Campbell encouraged seniors living in the district to sign up for free spring community courses.

January is school board appreciation month in Pennsylvania and Campbell expressed gratitude to the nine school directors currently serving the district.

The Lower Macungie Middle School council honored the directors with “survival kits.”

East Penn is still seeking crossing guards for paid positions at Lincoln and Jefferson elementary schools.

In personnel matters, the board accepted the retirement of Bonnie Benner, an Eyer Middle School food service support staffer effective April 1.

Campbell noted Benner was with East Penn for five years. “It was during the pandemic, probably one of the toughest times for many in education and I appreciate she stuck with us through that time,” Campbell remarked.

The directors acknowledged the resignation of Home School Visitor/School Social Worker Karla Matamoros from her administrative position effective March 7.

Lower Macungie Middle School psychologist Peter Slay reconsidered his December 2023 resignation and will return to the district by March 11 or sooner.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Douglas Povilaitis answered questions during a second reading of new policies and updates of current policies. These include board meeting policies; handling supplemental discipline records; acceptable use of Internet, computers and network resources and suicide awareness, prevention and response.

Other policies discussed involved “students experiencing homelessness, foster care and other educational instability.”

In response to board input from the previous meeting, Povilaitis tweaked one of the meeting policies to add “the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order” among other minor adjustments.

Povilaitis explained he could not rework some of the wording of other policies as they are taken directly from state school code. School solicitor Marc Fisher backed him up, including where language that identifies students living in “trailer parks” appeared to be considered “homeless.”

Campbell assured the directors the district does not view families who own or rent mobile homes any differently than those who own or rent houses or live in apartments.

There was one request to address the board.

Emmaus resident Mary Ellen Jackson promoted a spaghetti dinner fundraiser to benefit East Penn Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Hosted at the Emmaus Moravian Church, dinner is served 5 and 7 p.m. Feb. 10. Money from the ticketed event aids families experiencing housing insecurity.

President Dr. Joshua Levinson mentioned an executive session was held prior to the public forum 6:30 p.m. on “matters pertaining to personnel and safety and security.”

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12. The public can access documents through BoardDocs via a link on the district website.

Live streaming of meetings is available on the district’s YouTube channel.