Northern Lehigh School District has agreed to part ways with its present transportation service provider despite pleas from the company to retain them.

The school board on an 8-0 vote Monday approved a five-year student transportation contract with Gross School Bus Service, Inc. Director Lori Geronikos was absent.The contract is for the school years 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15. The firm will also lease the bus garage on the property at a cost of $18,000 per year, or $1,500 per month, for the duration of the contract.Prior to its vote, the board heard from several firms in attendance who asked them to consider their stance.Wayne Goeslon, of First Student, told the board his firm's proposal would result in a "significant savings" for the district.Russ Leibensperger, of Paragon Transit, told the board his firm served as the district's transportation service provider for 15 years from 1987-2002.Afterward, the board still chose to approve the contract with Gross School Bus Service Inc.Last month, the district received six requests for proposals for the districtwide transportation services contract.The district's current contract with First Student ends on June 30. The new contract with Gross School Bus Service will go into effect on July 1.Also on Monday, Director Mathias Green announced during his Lehigh Carbon Community College report that ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, will visit the college's Schnecksville campus tonight at 7 p.m.Green said the purpose of the visit is two-fold: to celebrate former NL graduate Jake Waylen's 1,000 point milestone on the LCCC basketball team, as well as to celebrate the birthday of men's basketball coach Darryl Dawkins, a former NBA player.In other business, the board:• Approved the position of Food Service Director to be added within the Act 93 Agreement effective July 1, 2010, at a starting salary of $49,000.• Rejected an Early Retirement Incentive Plan for 2009-10 for all eligible professional employees, on a voluntary basis, for the 2009-10 school year.• Approved the High School Program of Studies Book for the 2010-11 school year as presented and recommended by administration.• Authorized administration to advertise a Request for Proposal for District Wide Trash Removal, effective July 1, 2010. The district's current contract with Waste Management expires on June 30, 2010.• Approved budgetary transfers for the 2009-10 fiscal year as presented.• Resolved that the Board of Education approves Portnoff Law Associates as delinquent real estate tax collectors for the Northern Lehigh School District for the 2009 tax year.• Approved the resolution directing the Northampton County Tax Claims Bureau not to collect delinquent taxes on behalf of Northern Lehigh School District as presented.• Approved the resolution directing the Lehigh County Tax Claims Bureau not to collect delinquent taxes on behalf of the Northern Lehigh School District as presented.• Agreed to enter into an agreement with OAA Orthopedic Specialists for a middle school sports athletic trainer in the amount of $1,200 for services from Dec. 18, 2009 until June 15, 2010.• Accepted the resignation of Nancy DeFrain from her position as Middle School Special Education Aide, effective Dec. 3, 2009. Mrs. DeFrain is resigning due to health reasons.• Accepted the resignation of Tammy Patterson from her position as Slatington Elementary Special Education Aide, effective Dec. 31, 2009. Mrs. Patterson is resigning for an employment opportunity outside of education.• Accepted the resignation of Kathy Mohrey from her position as High School Library Aide, effective Dec. 4, 2009. Mrs. Mohrey has relocated out of state.• Accepted the resignation of Margaret Blose, Peters Elementary Personal Care Assistant, effective the end of the work day Jan. 11, 2010.• Approved an administrative transfer for Grace Reppert from middle school personnel care assistant to middle school special education aide to replace DeFrain, who resigned. Reppert's current salary is $11.67 an hour, plus a $1 increase for Highly Qualified Status as per the 2008-12 Educational Support Staff Memorandum of Understanding, effective Jan. 12, 2010.• Appointed Caitlin Flaherty as Slatington Elementary Special Education Aide, to replace Patterson, who resigned. Flaherty's salary will be $10.15 per hour, 6 1/2 hours per day, 180 days per year, plus a $1 per hour increase for Highly Qualified Status as per the 2008-12 Educational Support Staff Memorandum of Understanding, effective Jan. 12, 2010.• Acknowledged that teacher Jamie Hillegass 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 4B to Step 4B+24.• Acknowledged that aide Tara Hengst has achieved Highly Qualified Status on Nov. 13, 2009, and has supplied proof of such status to the Superintendent's office. Hengst is entitled to a $1 per hour salary increase per the Memorandum of Understanding with the Educational Support Staff.• Appointed Susan Bachman to a cocurricular appointment in the 2009-10 school year as Elementary Scholastic Scrimmage at a rate of $422.32.• Appointed Adrian Mohrey as a cocurricular volunteer in the 2009-10 school year as a middle school/high school dance team adviser.• Approved Alden "Chub" Farber as a Game Worker for the 2009-10 school year. Game workers consist of ticket sellers and takers, game announcers, scoreboard operators, timers, field judges and scorekeepers. Rate of pay is consistent with the rates approved on the 2009-10 Supplementary Personnel Salary Schedule.• Approved the request of employee #2540 to take a 12-week Family Medical Leave beginning on or about March 26, 2010. Mrs. Binder will be using her remaining sick days in conjunction with her Family Medical Leave. Barring no unforeseen circumstances, Mrs. Binder plans to return to her current teaching position on the first teacher day of the 2010-11 school year.• Approved the request of Susan Mendes, Slatington Elementary Special Education Teacher, to take an unpaid leave of absence on Feb. 10 and 11, 2010. She is requesting to use these two unpaid days in conjunction with her two personal days on Feb. 8 and 9, 2010, so she can attend a friend's wedding in St. Thomas in which she is a bridesmaid. Correspondence received from the Education Association states that this request will not be considered as precedent setting for future requests.• Approved Anthony Tulio, Elementary, Nicholas Sanders, Social Studies, and Virginia Stevenson, Music, as substitute teachers for the 2009-10 school year at the 2009-10 substitute teacher rates as approved on the Supplementary Personnel Salary Schedule. Sanders appointment is pending verification of missing paperwork.• Approved Theresa Hall as a substitute cafeteria worker for the 2009-10 school year at the 2009-10 substitute rate as approved on the Supplementary Personnel Salary Schedule.• Approved Hall as a substitute custodian for the 2009-10 school year at the 2009-10 substitute rate as approved on the Supplementary Personnel Salary Schedule.• Granted permission to Karen Nicholas to attend the PASA Aspiring to Leadership Workshop Jan. 13-14 at the PASA Offices in Harrisburg. Cost of registration is $149, lodging, $120, travel, $79, and meals, $8, for a total approximate cost of $356 to be funded from the district's Curriculum & Instruction budget.• Granted permission to Rhonda Frantz to attend the A/CAPA Spring Conference March 18-19 at the Hotel Hershey, Hershey. Cost of registration is $175, lodging, $225, travel, $97, and meals, $16, for a total approximate cost of $513 to be funded from the district's Business Office budget.• Granted permission to Sherri Molitoris to attend the PASPA 2010 Annual Conference Feb. 24-26 at the Sheraton Harrisburg/Hershey Hotel, Harrisburg. Cost of registration is $500, lodging $220, travel, $94.60, and meals, $14, for a total approximate cost of $828.60 to be funded from the Superintendent's Office budget.• Granted permission to Heather Rehrig to attend the Smarter Brains: Using Brain Research to Increase Student IQ and Achievement Feb. 18-20 at the Fairmont Hotel, San Fransicso, CA. Cost of registration is $545, for a total approximate cost of $545, to be funded from the Psychologist budget. All other expenses, such as lodging, travel, and meals, will be paid for by Personal Funds with no reimbursement from the district.• Approved school board policy #705 - Property - Safety, as presented after first reading.• Approved school board policy #718 - Property - Service Animals in Schools, as presented after first reading.• Approved school board policy #815 - Operations - Acceptable Use of Internet and Information Systems, as presented after first reading.• Approved school board policy # 907 - Community -School Visitors, as presented after first reading.• Approved school board policy #103.1 - Programs - Nondiscrimination - Qualified Students with Disabilities, as presented after second reading.• Approved school board policy #113.1 - Programs - Discipline of Students with Disabilities, as presented after second reading.• Approved school board policy #113.2 - Programs - Behavior Support, as presented after second reading.• Approved school board policy #114 - Programs - Gifted Education, as presented after second reading.• Approved school board policy #237 - Pupils - Electronic Devices, as presented after second reading.• Granted homebound instruction for a 6th-grade student, Student No. 1670500, for five hours per week, effective Dec. 18, 2009, and continuing until outplacement is obtained.• Granted homebound instruction for a 4th-grade student, Student No.; 1890153, for five hours per week, effective Dec. 17, 2009, and continuing until approximately March 21, 2010.