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Board approves middle‑school softball co‑op with Central Catholic; transportation and trip‑driver shortages flagged
Summary
The board approved a cooperative middle‑school softball agreement with Allentown Central Catholic; Central Catholic will provide coaches and uniforms. The board also heard reports about limited trip drivers and transportation constraints, and approved the LCTI budget (Salisbury share $1,227,503.17).
The Salisbury Township School District board voted to approve a cooperative sponsorship for middle‑school softball with Allentown Central Catholic on Feb. 19. Under the agreement Central Catholic will serve as the primary sponsor and provide coaching and uniforms, and the team will play under Central Catholic’s banner.
Board members discussed family transportation challenges and practice logistics during the Q&A. Administration (speaker 6) said the district historically has not provided buses for cooperative activities when students travel to partner schools and that transportation will generally be the responsibility of families; Central Catholic also indicated it does not provide transportation for visiting students. District staff said they are working with Central Catholic to push game times later where possible and offered conditional use of the Salisbury middle‑school field for some practices to reduce travel burden.
Transport staffing shortages
Administration and the board noted a separate but related operational issue: a shortage of available trip drivers. On a recent Friday with multiple after‑school events, the district had limited trip drivers available through its contractor (Paragon), forcing staff to prioritize which groups received transportation. Administration said this was the first week with a notable trip coverage issue and they are evaluating short‑term and longer‑term options.
LCTI budget approval
In the same meeting, the board approved the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI) 2025–26 budget as recommended by the joint operating committee. Salisbury’s proportional contribution was recorded in the packet as $1,227,503.17 and the motion carried.
Implications
The cooperative sponsorship expands opportunities for middle‑school athletes but leaves some family transportation coordination to caregivers; the district is exploring scheduling and facility options to mitigate transportation burdens. The trip‑driver shortage also highlights a system‑level constraint affecting multiple activities.
