District to see substantial hike in share of LCTI budget

Northern Lehigh School District will see a substantial increase in their share of the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute's budget.

Director Lori Geronikos informed the school board on Monday that LCTI's budget is expected to result in a 5.81-percent increase for the district.

And in years to come, that percent is expected to swell to even greater lengths, cautioned Geronikos.

"This year is okay, but, you need to know this is the last year you're going to see increases like 5.81-percent," Geronikos said. "You need to know that this is coming."

In the meantime, Geronikos said LCTI will attempt to be as diligent as it can.

"They may look at legislation to see if there's a law that will allow them to keep more money," she said. "We're looking at some different ways that we can help LCTI."

Also on Monday, the board approved a new salary and benefit agreement between the district and the its clerical staff, as well as a new compensation agreement between the district and the confidential secretary to the superintendent.

Both agreements were approved by a 5-2 measure, with directors Lori Geronikos, Gregory Williams, Raymond Follwieler, Donna Kulp and board President Edward Hartman in favor, and directors Donald Dengler and Gary Fedorcha opposed.

Directors Mathias Green and Lauren Ganser were absent.

In other business, the board:

- Appointed Deborah Magnotta to a temporary vacancy replacement as a Slatington Elementary Title I Reading Teacher, replacing a teacher who was granted a family medical leave. Magnotta's salary will be at the Subsitute Teacher Rate Days 1-30; Day 31 and beyond $41,500 prorated, on the Step 1 Bachelors on the 2009-10 CBA Salary Schedule), on or about March 5, 2010, upon exhaustion of teacher's 12 week leave on approximately June 1, 2010.

- Accepted the retirement resignation of Jean James from her position as cafeteria worker at the middle school, effective the last day of school, June 2010. At this time, she will begin her retirement from the district after 26 1/2 years of service.

- Accepted the resignation of Harold Kline from his position as a second shift maintenance worker, Tuesday through Friday, effective the end of the work day, Feb. 6, 2010. Kline has accepted a position with Lehigh County.

- Accepted the resignation of Paul Eible from his position as a personal care assistant at Peters Elementary, effective the end of the work day, Feb. 11, 2010. Eible is leaving because of educational obligations.

- Accepted the resignation of Christine Lutz from her position as instructional aide at Slatington Elementary, effective the end of the work day, Feb. 9, 2010. Lutz accepted a position with Lehigh Valley Hospital.

- Accepted the resignation of Rebecca Druker from her position as assistant girl's varsity soccer coach.

- Granted approval to Karen Nicholas to attend the 41st PAPFC Annual Conference March 21-24 at Hershey Resorts, Hershey. The cost of registration is $360, lodging, $535.59, travel, $35, and meals, $66, for a total approximate cost of $996.59, to be funded from Title I.

- Acknowledged that teacher Amanda Bashore has completed the requirements from Step 5B + 24 to Step 5M per the Collective Bargaining Agreement that would entitle her to a salary increase for the second half of the 2009-10 school year.

- Acknowledged that teacher Michael Mengel has completed the requirements from Step 7B + 24 to Step 7M per the Collective Bargaining Agreement that would entitle him to a salary increase for the second half of the 2009-10 school year.

- Approved substitute teachers Jared Case, elementary, Christi Dengler, elementary, Ashley Krutsick, elementary middle level math, Charley Ortiz, elementary, Angela Trainer, elementary, and Joshua Wuchter, elementary, for the 2009-10 school year at the 2009-10 substitute teacher rates as approved on the Supplementary Personnel Salary Schedule. Dengler, Ortiz, Trainer, and Wuchter's rates are pending verification of missing paperwork.

- Approved the first reading of PSBA recommended school board policy #113, Programs, Special Education, as presented after first reading. This policy will replace the district's current policy $113.

- Approved to reaffirm the school board standards and code of conduct referenced in school board policy #011, local board procedures, board governance standards/code of conduct, as recommended by the Pennsylvania School Board Association.

- Authorized administration to dispose of old text books according to school district board policy #706.1.

- Authorized administration to dispose of old computer equipment according to school district board policy #706.1.

- Approved the fifth grade at Slatington Elementary School to attend a field trip to the State Museum & Capital Building in Harrisburg on June 10, 2010, to be funded through the PTO and student fundraising efforts.

- Approved upper level German classes at the high school to attend a field trip to Ellis Island in NY on Feb. 20, 2010, to be funded through the Northern Lehigh Education Foundation grant.

- Approved Anatomy & Biology II classes at the high school to attend a field trip to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA, on Feb. 24, 2010, to be funded through students and department.

- Allowed administration to advertise and hire six summer workers. The rate for the summer workers will not exceed $9 per hour.

- Approved abatement/ exoneration requests of per capita taxes, for the residents that fall within the guidelines.