Board seeks steering‑committee members for comprehensive plan, adopts several policies and approves personnel moves

Administration provided updates on the district comprehensive planning process, seeking broader stakeholder participation and noting that three board members — Mrs. Glenister, Mrs. Klinger and Mrs. McKelvey — have agreed to serve on the steering committee. Administration outlined a tentative schedule that begins in mid‑June with subcommittee meetings through the summer, major data work in the fall when PVAS information arrives, a draft in January, public posting, and board approval in February to meet a March submission requirement tied to the Department of Education tool.

Policy chair (speaker 20) reported final adoption of school board policy 2E.9 on educational opportunity for military children and presented a first reading of multiple policies (student discipline, unlawful harassment, nondiscrimination, eligibility for extracurriculars, acceptable use of network resources) to align with a Lehigh County nondiscrimination ordinance taking effect in June.

Personnel committee items were approved by voice vote. The board accepted the retirement of administrative assistant Sherry Panella and approved hires including a new middle‑school gym teacher, a special‑education teacher, and a JV girls volleyball coach. The board also extended hiring authority to administration to make interim hires between meetings to avoid losing candidates and authorized sending a grievance response to the teachers union.

Solicitor (speaker 21) briefed the board on recent legal developments — Title IX amendments effective Aug. 1 requiring updated grievance procedures and coordinator training, ADA Title II web‑accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) with compliance dates tied to local population, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s acceptance of Parkland School District’s appeal related to the Sunshine Act — which will require policy updates.