The collective bargaining agreement between the East Penn School District and the East Penn Education Association was approved at the Aug. 26 regular meeting of the East Penn School Board.

The approved contract is effective July 1 through June 30, 2028. The previous contract expired June 30.

“This agreement represents a substantial amount of hard work and challenging conversations on both sides,” school board Director Adam Smith said about the conclusion of negotiations between EPEA and the district.

“I know the board was very much in favor of providing our teachers with a contract that would be fair and reasonable,” school board Director Jeffrey Jankowski said as he and other board members thanked those who participated in the contract talks.

They agreed with school board Director Timothy Kelly when he said, “I am very proud of our teachers in the district here and I hope this contract helps them see the value we hold for them.”

School board Director Shonta Ford expressed gratitude to the community for its patience.

School Superintendent Dr. Kristen Campbell and Business Administrator and Treasurer Robert Saul provided a budget update that made the approved EPEA collective bargaining agreement agreeable to all parties.

Campbell pointed out a month had passed between the district’s budget being approved June 10 and when Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the 2024-2025 state budget July 11.

“The proposed state subsidies that we will now be receiving in East Penn exceeds the amount we had originally included in our 2024-2025 budget by about $2 million.”

Saul provided additional details on the unexpected state windfall. “There was an increase to the basic education funding and special education funding. A new adequacy supplement was created via the existing Accountability Block Grant program,” Saul said. He explained additional funding is coming to the district through a new Cyber Charter School reimbursement program and a continuation of the Mental Health and School Safety Grant.

The district is allocating approximately $550,000 to be utilized for the recently-approved teacher’s contract. Around $140,000 has made it possible to transition 14 part-time instructional aides into full-time positions. The previous budget had room for only six.

The balance of the monies is proposed by the administration to go into the capital projects funding plan. This will help with the middle school realignment and related construction, staffing and operational costs.

“We had a great first day of school today,” Campbell said as she reported on the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year. She expressed appreciation for the district’s 1,200 employees, including administrators, faculty, support staff and 50 newly-hired teachers who welcomed 8,000 returning East Penn students.

She gave a shout out to Student Transportation of America which is contracted to provide student transportation “for helping make this first day a success.”

Campbell explained a new security routine for those who visit district schools. Visitors must provide a valid driver’s license or government-issued ID to the receptionist as they enter the building. This will be scanned into a “Safe ID” database and screened before a visitor’s badge is issued. “First and foremost, this is about maintaining safety and security in all our buildings,” she said.

“There are a lot of reminders tonight,” the superintendent said as she asked parents and guardians to go to the district website and fill out the online returning student form for the 2024-2025 school year. The PowerSchool online process replaces the traditional yellow emergency contact information paper forms and Google forms issued in the past.

The SNAP health portal, a digital platform for communicating student health information to the school nurses is now available.

Sponsored by Emmaus Rotary and other partners, the supplemental feeding program continues with distribution of nonperishable food items 10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesdays at Emmaus High School (by the administration building entrance) and 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside of Lower Macungie Middle School.

Registration continues for the fall community education program available to East Penn senior citizens with classes starting Sept. 9.

The superintendent promoted the East Penn School District Education Foundation’s Sept. 30 golf outing fundraiser at Brookside Country Club.

Campbell encouraged job seekers to apply online at the district’s website for open part-time positions for crossing guards for Lincoln and Jefferson elementary schools as well as support staff.

Other contracts, including continuing Communities In Schools received approval.

Curriculum revisions for math and English language arts, which had been presented at the Aug. 12 regular meeting were approved after some discussion. Some of the board members requested clarification on revisions to the K-8 math curriculum.

These changes are part of a pilot program for seventh graders.

In personnel matters, the board accepted the resignation of Emmaus High School Supervisor of Special Education Daniel Cullen effective Oct. 14.

All voting was unanimous.

During a second reading, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Douglas Povilaitis mentioned no changes were made after the previous meeting’s first reading on a new policy addressing Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence and updates to existing policies on Trauma-Informed Approach, Student Discipline, Weapons, Terroristic Threats, Controlled Substances/Paraphernalia, Controlled Substance Abuse, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Relations with Law Enforcement Agencies, School Security Personnel and Child Abuse.

Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit board member Dr. William Whitney reported 32 students recently graduated from CLIU programs, two of which are from the East Penn District. He briefly described the unit’s G-Club summer camp for girls which is supported by the CLIU Foundation.

There were no requests to address the board.

Levinson mentioned an executive session was held 7 p.m. prior to the public forum on “negotiations and confidential matters.”

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9. 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.