On Monday, November 13, the Northampton School Board convened for another lengthy meeting.
During personnel/voice vote, the board unanimously approved the following items: the revised job descriptions for the personnel secretary, benefits specialist, unified track coach and curriculum secretary; three resignations; one retirement resignation; five leave of absences; one medical sabbatical, two educational sabbaticals; additions and deletions to the substitute list; and the revised master district volunteer list.
Under personnel/roll call vote, the board unanimously approved the following: the revised list of building substitute teachers at a per diem rate of $187.84; the revised mentor/inductee list; the revised list for extra-curricular and supplemental positions; the revised credit recovery monitor list and pay rate; the mandatory attendance of Officer Charles Phelps at the 2023 Basic School Resource Officer Training Course in December at a cost of $894.75; for six teachers/coaches and 18 Northampton cheerleaders to attend the National High School Cheerleading Championship in February at a cost of $939.18; for seven teachers/coaches and 32 student athletes to attend spring training at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach in March at a cost of $939.18; for three teachers to attend the Pa. Educational Technology Expo and Conference in February at the Hershey Convention Center at a cost of $2,475.33; the list of winter season head coaches and assistant coaches; and the reorganization of the benefits specialist position to the Act 93 group.
The board also unanimously approved the following hires: Jared Hunsberger as long-term substitute business/computer/information technology teacher at the high school; Adam Mazarul as 1:1 special education instructional assistant at the high school; Kelly Beck as LTS special education instructional assistant at the high school; Melinda McCann as long-term substitute gifted support teacher at George Wolf and Moore Elementary Schools; Maria Nicklas as school crossing guard; Nelson Matias as custodian at George Wolf Elementary; and Maria Rubino as cafeteria monitor at the high school.
Next, the board unanimously approved the Title III program “Embracing English for Adults,” which provides English instruction to parents, as well as the retirement of Policy 623 – Financial Control of Minor Funds.
In other business, the two items listed under facilities passed by majority vote with the only directors voting against the items being Kim Bretzik and Doug Vaughn.
Additionally, Vaughn made a motion to table the two items until after the December reorganization meeting when the new board member(s) are sworn in to prevent “outgoing directors from subverting the will of the voting taxpayers.”
Bretzik seconded the motion, but all other directors voted in opposition of tabling the items.
By majority vote, the board approved the acceptance of the conditions of approval of the East Allen Township Board of Supervisors resolution from October 26 for the NASD Route 329 land development final plan for the new elementary school and education center.
By majority vote, the board also approved the prime construction contracts for the following contractors and amounts which include the base bid and recommended alternates: the general construction contract for Penn Builders Inc. for $43,864,800; the mechanical construction contract for Tri-County Mechanical Inc. for $9,522,000; the electrical construction contract for Boro Developers Inc. for $9,444,000; the plumbing construction contract for Vision Mechanical Inc. for $3,112,000; the construction testing services contract for Kleinfelder Inc. not to exceed the amount of $196,450; and the commissioning verification authority and testing-adjusting-balancing services contract for Butler Balancing Co. Inc. not to exceed the amount of $84,000.
Following, the board unanimously approved the items listed under finances, which included the following: the resolution indicating the Board of School Directors will not raise the rate of any tax for the 2024-2025 fiscal year by more than the district’s Act 1 Index of 6.6%; the disposal of obsolete technology equipment, parts and components; appointment of Business Administrator Craig Neiman as the primary voting delegate for the Northampton County TCC and re-appointment of Assistant Business Administrator Jason Williamson as alternate; bills for payment totaling $4,993,175.74; the treasurer’s report; and the settlement agreement and release for a special education student.
Last, under miscellaneous, the board unanimously approved the following agenda items: the revised NASD Health and Safety Plan; the revised list of active First Student drivers/operators; the revised list of after-school tutoring program lead teacher/coordinator, teachers and instructional assistants and their reimbursement; the creation of the Debra J. Brobst Memorial Scholarship Fund; the creation of a high school student activity account – In Her Element; the creation of a NAMS student activity account – NAMS Orchestra; the creation of a NAHS student activity account – Japanese Club; one expulsion hearing waiver; and authorization for the administration to develop a girls wrestling program at the start-up cost of approximately $36,151.40.
In addition to the reorganization meeting, the next Northampton School Board regular monthly meeting will be held Monday, December 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the NAHS auditorium, located at 1619 Laubach Ave.
