The Salisbury Township school board held its regular meeting June 20 with a full agenda as this was the last school board meeting of the academic year.

The board honored retirees, discussed the district’s graduation rate and voted on the final budget.

At the top of the meeting, the board recognized three staff members who retired this year namely business/computer science teacher Sherry Wetherhold, who was not in attendance, middle school English teacher Beth Prokesch and ESL teacher Kathleen McNally.

Board members and administrators spoke of the impact each teacher had on students and thanked them for their dedication and unyielding service to the school community.

During the citizens comments portion of the meeting, Salisbury resident John Schmidt pointed out that with the potential adoption of the 2024-2025 budget this will be the 16th consecutive property tax increase. He expressed his concern about the financial sustainability of the school district which he stated has the third highest millage rate in the Lehigh Valley area.

According to his calculations he indicated Salisbury spends more than twice the national average per student and questioned whether taxpayers are getting their money’s worth when students appear to be falling short of the growth standard in three areas.

He encouraged the board to be better stewards of tax dollars and control costs and he referenced the renovation project discussions at Salisbury Elementary School.

Resident Sean LaSalle reiterated many of the points expressed by Schmidt but added his research yielded a figure of $12,237 as the national average spent per student compared with STSD which spends $20,432 per student.

He commended the “phenomenal teaching staff” and fully supports teachers receiving salaries that both attract and retain teachers. He posited whether there are line items in the budget the district can do without to lower expenses without affecting teacher salaries.

He questioned whether the district is spending tax money wisely when it has the third highest millage rate in the Valley but not the third best rated school district in the Valley.

He ended his comments based on his knowledge as a Realtor by stating, “the number one reason people move to a community is great schools. The number one reason they move out of a community is high taxes.”

After the board granted approval to pay bills and accept the treasurer’s report, board Secretary and Chief Financial Officer Dawn Nickisher announced the district has recently qualified for the Pennsylvania Department of Education Community Eligibility Provision which will provide free breakfast and lunch to all Salisbury students for the next four school years.

During the curriculum and technology portion of the meeting, the board discussed changes to the district’s student handbook for all schools. Two changes of significance are the elementary and middle school dress code which has been changed to more closely align with the dress code at the high school level and a more restrictive cellphone usage policy at both the middle and high school levels utilizing a pouch or locker system. More specific information will be sent to families before the start of the school year.

The board went on to approve the 2024 graduation list, the adoption of an AP World History textbook, an agreement with Seton Hall University Project Acceleration High School Program, a dual enrollment agreement with Moravian University and a Lehigh University affiliation and student teacher addendum.

The board also approved Moravian University clinical student teachers Amanda Aloia and Jillian Cabrera who will work with speech and language therapists Ashley Merkle and Cara Sepcoski, respectively.

East Stroudsburg student Elizabeth Kantzaridis was approved to complete her supervisory internship for special education with Dr. Tracey Jacobi and Lehigh University student teacher Hira Bhatti was approved to work with Salisbury Elementary School teacher Shannon Stokes.

Director Joseph Gnall brought several items to the board for approval namely depositories for the 2024-2025 school year, authorizing administration to pay invoices before the August meeting, an agreement with Frontline Education, Berkheimer exoneration from collection of 2023-2024 school per capita tax, authorizing the turnover of delinquent per capita taxes to Berkeimer, approving the 2023-2024 graduate additions list, certifying the 2024-2025 per capita tax, approving Nickisher as the primary Act 32 voting delegate and Kelly Pauling as an alternate. All motions passed.

Additionally, the board approved an agreement with General Healthcare Resources, LLC, a KidsPeace Compensation Agreement, a KidsPeace Act 30/316 one-year contract, an agreement with Community Services for Children, Inc. and the district health and safety plan.

The board also approved the proposal from D’Huy Engineering, Inc. to perform the design and administration construction services for the reconfiguration and enclosure of the library at Salisbury Elementary School to increase safety.

At this time Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten clarified that reconfiguration and library enclosure project is not to be confused with the $1.7 million for an additional classroom nor is it the $600,000 pod renovation. Administration provided pricing of those projects at the request of the board but administration did not recommend either of those options.

The board passed a motion to commit portions of the fund balance for specific purposes, authorized administration to make budget transfers and approved the Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion resolution in the amount of $212.84 during the finance portion of the meeting.

A roll-call vote was taken to approve the 2024-2025 budget reflecting expenditures in the amount of $46,255, 898.51 and a tax levy of 23.9449 mills. The budget passed 5-2 with Directors Laura McKelvey and Thomas Spinner dissenting.

It should be noted Directors Joseph Gaither and Ian Riccaboni were not in attendance to cast votes on the final budget.

Personnel committee chair McKelvey made a motion to approve several personnel changes

The board voted to approve the retirement of Kathleen McNally, Beth Prokesch and Sherry Wetherhold.

The board accepted the resignation of Salisbury High School Assistant Principal Justin Tice.

New hires include Sarah Oswald as director of student activities, Certified School Nurse Carly Smith and Autistic Support teacher, Ashley Shiroff.

Kyle Lash and Elionaid Vasquez were hired as summer custodial help.

New coaching staff approved by the board include Nicholas Trask, assistant varsity football coach, Leon Kukura, JV football coach, Abbey Byrne assistant twirling coach and Byrne and Eric Smith, co-band front instructors.

The following were approved as building substitutes for the 2024-2025 school year: Kaitlyn Bird and Joseph Lynn.

Title I teachers and instructional assistants approved for the Title I/Project Leap Summer programs include Dara Ackerman, Jane Brennan, Diane Kasaczun, Jennifer Kowalski, Cynthia Long, Angela Shaffer, Susan Young, Kristin Zellner, Kaitlyn Bird. Michelle Peters will serve as Project Leap school nurse.

Erin Alulis was approved as an instructional assistant for extended school year employment.

Educational liaisons approved for the 2024-2025 school year include Heather Cumello, Diane Kasaczun, Laura Nogueira and Michael Posch.

Also approved by the board to serve as department chairs are Megan Basile, Angela Xander, Anne Ruiz, Laura DosSantos and Tanya Kennedy.

Independent contractors agreements were approved for Dr. Janine M. Wargo for school psychology services, Donna Hopstetter, speech consultation services, Susie Sepulveda for school psychology services and evaluations and Elite Educational & Therapeutic Services.

An increase in substitute pay rates was also approved.

Approval of central office nonunion confidential support staff/administrative assistants salaries as well as Act 93, coordinator of HR, CFO, assistant superintendent and superintendent salaries were also approved.

Roll-call votes were taken for the Salisbury Educational Support Staff Personnel Memorandum of Agreement and the Salisbury Educational Support Personnel Association agreement. Both passed with seven total votes.

Several policies related to student discipline, harassment, home education, extracurricular activities, eliminating/reducing positions and acceptable use of computers were also passed.

The board also approved a 2025 legislative platform proposal, a dual enrollment agreement with Lehigh Carbon Community College and an agreement with Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit for the overdrive consortium in the amount of $2,275.

In her superintendent’s report Fuini-Hetten reported federal funding for Title I, II, III, IV programs has been reduced and the district is looking for ways to close a $75,000 gap.

Currently there are 86 students registered for kindergarten which is higher than usual but may be due to the significant community outreach.

Fuini-Hetten then addressed the recent report on graduation rates for SHS students.

The 2023-2024 graduating class had 114 of 132 students who graduated resulting in a graduation rate of 86.5%. Eighteen students did not graduate. Of the 18 students that did not complete graduation, six dropped out and 11 of the 12 remaining students are special education students who have the right to attend school until age 22 which means they will not graduate in four years and may be participating in alternate programs.

She also said a student who starts school in ninth grade has four years to graduate. If they begin ninth grade in a neighboring district and move into Salisbury and must repeat ninth grade, they will not graduate within the four years and this affects Salisbury’s graduation rate.

In another instance, if a student comes to Salisbury at the end of his/her senior year and has an insufficient amount of credits to graduate, this also will affect Salisbury’s graduation rate.

In summary, calculating graduation rates is not as clear cut as it seems and because of the district’s small numbers, a few students who drop out or transition through the district and move on have a negative impact on graduation rates.

In response, administration is stepping up efforts to reduce the dropout rate by personally meeting with students considering dropping out and connecting them with social workers and counselors, working with special education students who may be credit deficient to exact changes or accommodations to help them succeed and students are also encouraged to complete credits for graduation during the summer.

Fuini-Hetten noted there are several open positions that need to be filled over the summer including a business/IT teacher, an ESL teacher, a school nurse/nurse assistant, a school psychologist, a student activities/athletic administrative assistant, a utility maintenance worker and full- or part-time instructional assistants.

Upcoming meetings include an operations/finance committee meeting which will be held Aug. 7 and a regular school board meeting Aug. 21. Both meetings will take place 7 p.m. in the administration building, 1140 Salisbury Road, Allentown.