The Northampton School Board met Monday, November 14 to welcome the new Northampton Community College president, to update residents about the Comprehensive Plan and rescheduling of the Act 34 Hearing, and to discuss agenda items.
During the meeting, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michelle Schoeneberger updated residents on the Comprehensive Plan, which is a process of a continuous cycle of improvement and long-range planning for the school district that is updated every six years. The updated plan is posted on the district website accompanied by information about how the public will be able to make comments and provide feedback. The plan will be posted for a minimum of 28 days. Then, after considering public feedback, the board will approve the plan in January, which will go into effect July 2023 following approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education in March.
Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik also updated residents that the Act 34 Hearing has been rescheduled for Thursday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the Northampton Middle School.
Next, the board welcomed the new president of Northampton Community College, Dr. David Roth.
Roth expressed that he was a community college graduate himself, so he understands the challenges that community college students face. Roth said he believes in the value of a community college education and that he is appreciative of the partnership that Northampton has with the college because it provides access to affordable, high-quality education for students.
Superintendent Kovalchik also shared a heartfelt thank you to Business Administrator Matthew Sawarynski, who will be resigning in January. Kovalchik thanked Sawarynski for his assistance and efforts over the last seven years.
Under new business, the board unanimously approved the revised list of professional and support staff transfers for the current school year, six leave of absences, the resignation of maintenance employee Paul LeBlanc for the purpose of retirement effective Jan. 2, 2023, the resignation of Secretary Dawn Croom effective Nov. 11, 2022, the resignation of Secretary to the Business Administrator Elizabeth Diaz effective April 3, 2023, the resignation of Cafeteria Monitor Nuchanat Slanina effective Oct. 28, 2022, the resignation of LTS School Counselor Denise Booth effective Oct. 13, 2022, the resignation of Custodian Shea Killeen effective Oct. 22, 2022, the resignation of LTS Social Studies Teacher Charles Hutterer effective Oct. 14, 2022, the resignation of High School Custodian Thomas Hildebrand effective Jan. 31, 2023, the resignation of Assistant to the Athletic Director Daniele Bowman effective Nov. 24, 2022, the resignation of Business Administrator Matthew Sawarynski effective Jan. 11, 2023, additions and deletions to the Substitute Listing for the current school year, and the revised Master District Volunteer List for the current school year.
Also under new business, the board unanimously approved the following agenda items: the revised listing for extra-curricular and supplemental positions for the current school year; the revised Credit Recovery Monitor List for the current school year, which includes the teachers and their respective pay rates; the revised listing of 2022-2023 Winter Season Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches with their designated payments; the list of stage and lighting staff and their reimbursement for the current school year; Heather Royer as Long Term Substitute Kindergarten Teacher at Franklin Elementary School through the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year; Lynette Meister as Short Term Substitute Special Education Teacher at Siegfried Elementary School through April 12, 2023; Janine Bonham as PE Science Teacher at the middle school; Joseph Winter as Long Term Substitute Special Education Teacher at the high school through March 31, 2023; Elizabeth Lees as Special Education Instructional Assistant at the middle school; Seth Lisa as Long Term Substitute Technology Facilitator at the high school for the second semester of the 2022-2023 school year; Taylor Schmoyer as Long Term Substitute Reading Teacher at the middle school for the second semester of the 2022-2023 school year; Alexander Skrapits as Long Term Substitute Chemistry Teacher at the high school for the second semester of the 2022-2023 school year; Ian Luberti as Long Term Substitute Business/Computer/Information Technology Teacher at the high school for the second semester of the 2022-2023 school year; the voluntary transfer of Janel Diehl from Cafeteria Monitor at Siegfried Elementary to Lehigh Elementary; Jacob Hunsberger as Assistant to the Athletic Director for the fall season of the 2022-2023 school year; the attendance of Elizabeth Grammes and Kaitlyn Doddy at the PA PBS Implementer’s Forum Conference; John Isaac as Swimming Announcer/Meet Manager for the 2022-2023 school year; and Abir Azar as Cafeteria Monitor at Siegfried Elementary School.
Next, the board unanimously approved new or revised policies for Policy 236.1 – Threat Assessment, 805 – Emergency Preparedness and Response, and 805.2 – School Security Personnel.
The board also unanimously approved the item listed under curriculum to approve the Title III Program, “Embracing English for Adults,” which will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from Feb. 28, 2023 through March 22, 2023 at no cost to the district.
Under finances, the board unanimously approved the following agenda items: the vendors for Fuel Oil for the 2023-2024 school year; the execution of a one-year subscription with Clever, Inc. for an identity management subscription; the Substitute Teacher Service contract to provide instructors for Homebound and Instruction in the Home services; the partnership between Mid-Atlantic Rehabilitation Services and NASD for the 2022-2023 school year to provide counseling, student support services, and remedial programming for the Student Assistance Program at no cost to the district; the Memorandum of Understanding for services between Valley Youth House and NASD for the 2022-2023 school year to provide additional counseling services at Northampton Area Middle School, Moore Elementary, George Wolf Elementary, Lehigh Elementary, and Northampton Borough Elementary School at a cost not to exceed $68,830, which will be paid for through the American Rescue Plan grant and the Title IV grant.
The board also unanimously approved the following clubs for the 2022-2023 school year: George Wolf Tinker Tank Steam Club; Moore Elementary Theater Club; Moore Elementary After School Book Club; Northampton Area Middle School Science Olympiad; and Northampton Area High School Japanese Club.
The next Northampton School Board monthly meeting will be held Monday, December 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the NAHS auditorium, located at 1619 Laubach Ave.
