The Salisbury Township School District Board of Directors held a curriculum and technology committee meeting March 19 to receive student reports, hear recommendations for new science textbooks and a teaching and learning update and discuss three different versions of the district calendar for the 2025-2026 school year.

Salisbury High School student reporter Soledad Lausch summed up the happenings at the high school starting with the successful run of the Salisbury Theater Department’s showing of “THE HELLO GIRLS.”

Winter sports have all but wrapped up their seasons with members of the girls swim team and the Unified Bocce team participating in post season play at the state level.

In other news, SHS seniors recently enjoyed a senior breakfast, National Honor Society will soon induct new members and the Student Government Association will host a staff appreciation breakfast. Plans are also in the works for the popular Mr. Salisbury competition slated for April 25.

Lehigh Career & Technical Institute student Josh Orach announced senior students recently completed the performance portion of the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute exams. Students are also required to complete the NOCTI written exams at a later date.

Of special note, Alpine skier and LCTI student Alysa Jones has qualified to compete in the Special Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Students Eden Klocek and Lillian Pojanowski highlighted middle school events starting with sixth grade students who learned about inertia and friction as they glided downhill in a snow tube at Blue Mountain Ski Resort.

Eighth grade students have been busy learning about the court system, participating in debates, mock trials and visiting the courthouse.

The March for Adam fundraiser is taking place this month at the middle school. Pretzels and T-shirts are being sold to benefit ongoing research of the rare disease Niemann-Pick Type C.

Students in seventh grade are looking forward to a field trip to the Challenger Learning Center where they will have an opportunity to participate in several interactive experiences like navigating and landing a spacecraft on the moon.

Salisbury Elementary School students Abigail Martling and Morgan Klocek reported students participated in a February band concert, enjoyed book centered activities and a book raffle during Read Across America week and held student-led conferences sharing their progress toward their individual and class goals.

Upcoming SES events include a book fair, wear yellow and blue for Down syndrome awareness and Falcon Pride Day.

The next topic of discussion centered on science textbook recommendations aligned with the new state science standards. As of July 1, the new science standards are expected to be fully implemented for the 2025-2026 school year and many of the current science textbooks are dated 2002.

Due to a recent change in the program of studies, all ninth grade students will now take environmental science and ecology rather than biology which has created a need for more textbooks in this area of study. Assistant Superintendent Kelly Pauling and SHS science teacher Megan Basile have researched textbook samples, digital licenses, pricing and estimated the number of textbooks needed. They are recommending new textbooks in the areas of Environmental Science, Chemistry I, Chemistry II and Biology for a total cost of $59,210. Basile noted biology textbooks would need to be purchased at a later date as they are currently under revision.

Three different versions of the district calendar for the 2025-2026 school year were presented to the board by Pauling. After receiving input from both parents and staff, versions of the calendar were created with fewer early dismissal days during parent conferences and different options for snow makeup days. A discussion ensued with the intention of retaining the most learning hours for students while attempting to provide predictability for parents and staff during the Presidents Day holiday, spring break and at the end of the school year.

Leading the teaching and learning discussion for SES, Assistant Principal Brian Muschlitz announced SES will be recognized for its successful implementation of all three tiers of the School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions at the PAPBS conference in the fall.

He also noted teachers Kristy Weid and Kaitlyn Kolasensky have been recommended to lead a professional development session at the 2025-2026 STEM summit in Hershey after facilitators from the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit observed them teaching experimental, hands-on STEM projects with their classes.

Students in Shannon Stokes class will have the opportunity for in-depth study in both biology and architecture due to several grants she has been awarded this year.

Salisbury Middle School Principal Ken Parliman talked about the free eighth grade Shreducation program in cooperation with Blue Mountain Ski Resort. The program aligns with health and physical education standards and gives all students an opportunity to learn to ski or snowboard. Staff members even visit the school during physical education class and lead activities geared to snow sports.

SHS Principal Heather Morningstar reported this year SMS students who are native speakers were given Spanish placement tests so they can be more appropriately placed in Spanish classes at the high school.

Morningstar also explained in detail the instructional opportunities and support for English language learners at the high school level and she informed the board about the professional development session led by high school ESL teacher Clare Murphy.

Also providing support at the high school are trainers and dogs from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs who visit the school helping students with emotional regulation and social interactions.

Lastly, Dr. Tracey Jacoby, director of special education, highlighted some of the parent workshops offered throughout the year such as the early intervention transition workshop held for students transitioning from early intervention to kindergarten.

The next workshop planned is Supporting Students With IEPs through Community Resources 6 p.m. May 1 in the SMS library. Parents will be provided information and assistance enrolling their child in specialized programs offered by Lehigh County Office of Intellectual Abilities and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.

The next meeting of the curriculum and technology committee will be 7 p.m. April 23. All meetings are held in the administration building, 1140 Salisbury Road, Allentown.