Treasurer and Business Administrator Robert Saul provided a continuation of the 2024-2025 budget overview at the Feb. 26 East Penn School District board of directors meeting. With a focus on expenditures, Saul provided a detailed look at how the projected budget for 2024-2025 is likely to increase to $195,984,498 compared to the 2023-2024 budget of $188,035,431. It would go up by 4.23%, an increase of $7,949,067. Included in his summary of expenses are wages and benefits; group insurances; property, liability and cyber insurances; curriculum materials for existing programs; special education and athletics allocations and charter and cyber school tuition, among others costs.

More presentations are to come with a final vote and adoption scheduled for June.

The directors cast unanimous votes approving budgets for three educational entities during the meeting. These include:

•Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 2024-2025 Proposed General Operating Budget of $3,619,735. There was an overall increase of $119,864 for salary and benefits, but no increase in East Penn’s contribution of $819,040.

•The Lehigh Career & Technical Institute 2024-2025 General Operating Fund and Academic Center Fund budgets. The $31,964,195 General Operating Fund includes a 4.10% increase over the previous budget. Member districts will see a 5% increase of $1,168,250 which includes the $3,039,106 debt services payment for the school’s 2005 modernization and expansion and funding for improvements obtained in 2017.

The Academic Center Fund Budget of $2,525,433 represents an 8.35% increase above the previous budget of $194,644. Member districts’ increase will be $142,029 or 6.90%.

As in previous years, member districts’ shares will be decreased by unexpended funds returned after a fiscal year audit.

•Lehigh Carbon Community College’s 2024-2025 Operating, Debt Service and Capital Budgets totaling $894,953 for East Penn’s expenditure were quickly approved after Trustee Ann Thompson said, “This is the 10th year we are not asking you for any more money.” She mentioned Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed a blueprint for a new governance system eliminating duplication yet preserving local leadership.

In her district update, Dr. Kristen Campbell spoke about Emmaus High School student artists with pieces in the “Hope for Healing” exhibit at the Allentown Art Museum.

Campbell announced high school seniors can apply for local scholarships through the district’s website with a deadline of March 18. Campbell promoted the sale of EPSD Education Foundation high school and middle school graduation signs.

Kindergarten registration has begun for children turning age 5 by Sept. 1.

Campbell mentioned the EPSD Education Foundation Career Exploration Fair runs 6-8 p.m. March 26 at the high school gym.

Emmaus High School Principal Beth Guarriello, along with students Jackson Kreiner, Abraham Fink, Kya Van Der Sluis and Sylvia Jennings described the newly-established high school mentoring program. The group has experienced success with helping incoming freshmen.

EHS Student Government Association School Board Student Representatives Julena Patel and Elizabeth Samer reported on sports, club activities and the upcoming spring musical.

Macungie resident Shannon Naylor submitted an alternative to the district’s proposed facilities plan. She proposed a “realign and repurpose plan” that includes building a new high school, with the existing high school becoming a junior high school for grades 7 and 8 for the entire district. Lower Macungie and Eyer middle schools would be for grades 5 and 6 with kindergarten through fourth grades remaining at the elementary schools. “The cost is less,” she said. “You only have the cost of building the high school, you save the $66 million dollars in repairs and expansions to the middle schools.” This would also cause no disruption to student learning, Naylor reasoned.

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled 7:30 p.m. March 11. 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.