A grant that provided services to students in the Northern Lehigh School District has been eliminated.

Karen Nicholas, assistant to the superintendent, told the school board on Monday that the Safe and Drug-Free Schools grant has been discontinued.Nicholas said the $6,000 grant serviced about 50 students, 25 each at the high school and middle school."It's a program that's very supportive to our students," Nicholas said.She said it's been suggested to the district that it utilize its Accountability Block Grant funds to recoup the money it won't get."However, our ABG (Accountability Block Grant) is maxed out," Nicholas said. "And our technology teacher's salary is outpacing the amount of money that's in that grant."Nicholas said the ABG funds support the district's Head Start preschool program, three full day kindergarten teachers positions, and a technology teacher who works in both Peters Elementary and Slatington Elementary.Business Manager Jeremy Melber said the district may have a $5,700 surplus from the 2010-11 budget, part of which he said could possibly be used to help offset the loss of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools grant.Superintendent Michael Michaels said he was very concerned about the issue.Also on Monday, the board on an 8-0 vote agreed to approve a resolution for the 2010-11 Lehigh Carbon Community College sponsor contribution budget.Total expenditures equal $6,297,132, which represents a $180,000, or 2.9-percent increase over the 2009-10 budget.Northern Lehigh's share of the total budget is $243,565, which represents a $608, or .0.3-percent increase.The district's enrollment is 165.5 FTE, an increase of 4.7 percent.The board also approved, on a 7-0 vote with one abstention, a resolution for the 2010-11 Lehigh Career & Technical Institute budget and academic expenditures.Director Lauren Ganser abstained from the vote because she said she sometimes works as a substitute.The general fund budget is $22,168,580, which represents a $448,760, or 2.06-percent, increase over the 2009-10 budget.Northern Lehigh's portion of the general fund budget is $915,755.The expenditures for the Academic Center Budget for the period of July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011 total $1,248,000, which represents a $54,730, or 4.59-percent, increase.Director Raymond Follweiler was absent.In an unrelated matter, directors Mathias Green and Ganser were recognized by the Pennsylvania School Board Association for their years of service to the board.Michaels thanked Ganser, who has been on the board for eight years, and Green, who has been on the board for 32 years, for their dedicated service.In other business, the board:- Approved the submission of PlanCon Part D & E to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the additions and alterations to Slatington Elementary School.- Authorized administration to enter into an agreement with Haw Integrated Solutions for the replacement of broadloom carpet in six classrooms at Peters Elementary. The cost for the project is $23,058.69 (state contract price), paid for from the Capital Projects Fund.- Agreed to allow administration to solicit quotes for the installation of a new well at Peters Elementary, pending the state Department of Environmental Protection's review and approvals.- Accepted the retirement resignation of Diane McMullen from her position as a Peters Elementary School 2nd grade teacher, effective the end of the work day, Oct. 1, 2010. At this time, she will begin her retirement from the district after 27 years of service.- Approved the noninstructional appointment of Clifford Rehrig to second shift maintenance position, at a rate of $9 an hour Tuesday through Saturday, from 2:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., effective March 5, 2010. Rehrig, whose appointment is pending verification of missing clearances, will replace Harold Kline, who resigned.- Acknowledged that teacher Amanda Beer has completed the requirements per the Collective Bargaining Agreement that would entitle her to a salary increase for the second half of the 2009-10 school year from Step 6B + 24 to Step 6M.- Approved the request of Dawn Mayer, Peters Elementary kindergarten teacher, to take an unpaid leave of absence on March 31 and April 1, 2010. She is requesting to use these two unpaid days in conjunction with her four personal days on April 6, 7, 8, and 9, 2010, so she can visit her daughter, who is studying abroad in Rome, Italy. Correspondence received from the Education Association states that this request will not be considered as precedent setting for future requests.- Approved the request of Tracy Ettinger, Peters Elementary 2nd grade teacher, to take an unpaid leave of absence on April 1, 2010. She is requesting the leave of absence so she can visit out of town family members over the Easter break. Correspondence received from the Education Association states that this request will not be considered as precedent setting for future requests.- Approved the request of employee #870 to take a Family Medical Leave beginning on or about May 4, 2010, to care for a family member. She will be using her accumulated sick days in conjunction with the FMLA leave. The anticipated return date is on or about May 11, 2010.- Approved a Family Medical Leave for employee #3180 beginning on March 1, 2010 for medical reasons. She will be using her accumulated sick days in conjunction with the FMLA leave. Her anticipated return date is on or about March 15, 2010.- Approved Angela Smith, Elementary, Ashley Kline, Social Studies, Kenneth Eck, Jr. Earth & Space Science, as substitute teachers for the 2009-10 school year at the 2009-10 substitute teacher rates as approved on the Supplementary Personnel Salary Schedule. Their hirings are pending verification of missing paperwork.- Approved the cocurricular appointment of Gabrielle Grube as Musical Choreographer.- Granted Julie Everett permission to attend the 58th NSTA National Conference on Science Education on March 18-19, 2010, in Philadelphia, PA. Registration is $220, Meals, $70, Travel, $42, and Lodging, $174, for a total approximate cost of $506. Funding will come from out of the high school budget.- Granted Theresa Cinicola permission to attend the 58th NSTA National Conference on Science Education on March 18-19, 2010, in Philadelphia, PA. Registration is $220, Meals, $70, for a total approximate cost of $290. Funding will come from out of the high school budget.- Granted Sharon Sherman permission to attend the 41st PAPFC Annual Conference on March 21-22, 2010, at Hershey Resorts, Hershey, PA. Registration is $200, Lodging, $178.53, Travel, $83, and Meals, $25, for a total approximate cost of $486.53. Funding will come from Title I.- Approved the recommendation of the high school administration to increase the number of high school Wellness/Fitness graduation requirements from 2 to 3. Classes will now be held every day during a semester. Previously, Wellness/Fitness classes were held every other day during a semester.- Approved administration to enter into a partnership agreement with Northwestern Lehigh School District in order to provide the district's students with greater options to earn concurrent high school/college credit. The term of the Dual Enrollment Partnership Proposal between Northern Lehigh School District and Northwestern Lehigh School District will be from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011.- Approved administration to enter into a partnership agreement with Lehigh Carbon Community College in order to provide the district's students with greater options to earn concurrent high school/college credit. The term of the Dual Enrollment Partnership Proposal between Northern Lehigh School District and Lehigh Carbon Community College will be from Aug. 10, 2010 through June 30, 2011.- Approved a resolution to adopt the 2010-11 Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit Facilities Plan Committee Report that was unanimously adopted by the CLIU Facilities Plan Committee on Jan. 29, 2010. In addition, the board reaffirms its commitment to the original construct of the Facilities Planning, approved Nov. 1, 1989, which consists of a series of prioritized inquiries to be considered in determining future locations of the CLIU and school district special education classes.- Approved a tuition fee of $25 per student for a six-week elementary summer band program, and also approved a stipend for summer band program director, Camille Vernarr, of $1,000. There is no increase to this stipend over last year. The summer band program will run on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from July 6, 2010 to Aug. 12, 2010.- Approved a one year renewal of the district's contract with PenTeleData for a point-to-point T1 line between Slatington and Peters Elementary schools. The telecommunications line is used to connect the telephone system at Peters Elementary to the rest of the district's schools, and allows four digit extension dialing between Peters and the other schools. The cost of the line is $400 per month, or $4,800 per annum.- Authorized the proper officials to solicit bids for diesel fuel, #2 heating oil, and unleaded gasoline for the period of July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011.- Accepted the 2008-09 audit and management report for the single audit ending June 30, 2009. A copy of the audit was distributed at the Feb. 8, 2010 school board meeting.- Approved the 2009-10 Northern Lehigh District Salary Schedule as presented.- Approved the first reading of a new school board policy #113.3, Programs, Screening, and Evaluations for Students with Disabilities, as presented after first reading.- Approved the first reading of school board policy #808, Operations, Food Services, as presented after the first reading.- Approved the first reading of school board policy #808.1, Operations, Point of Sale, as presented after first reading.- Approved the second reading of school board policy #705, Property, Safety, as presented after second reading.- Approved the second reading of school board policy #718, Property, Service Animals in Schools, as presented after second reading.- Approved the second reading of school board policy #815, Operations, Acceptable Use of Internet and Information Systems, as presented after second reading.- Approved the second reading of school board policy #907, Community, School Visitors, as presented after second reading.