Northern Lehigh School District will file for a pair of referendum exceptions that would enable it to raise next year's spending plan by up to 2 mills.

The district will apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the special education and retirement exceptions, as relayed by Sherri Molitoris, co-director of business affairs/human resources, to the school board on Monday.As a result, Molitoris said that the board would have to approve its preliminary budget ahead of time, and noted that the matter would likely be listed for action on either the board's January or February meeting agenda.School districts that adopt a preliminary budget with real estate taxes that exceed its index may seek approval for referendum exceptions to increase taxes by more than its adjusted index.If one or more referendum exceptions are approved by PDE, a school district may increase the rate of a tax levied for the support of public schools by more than its index without seeking voter approval.Last month, Molitoris said that because of Lehigh County's reassessment, the district was locked in at 1.7 percent, with an adjusted rate of 2.3 percent.In June, the board adopted the 2012-13 spending plan with a zero-mill increase after it agreed to utilize $715,000 from the fund balance to stabilize the budget.As part of that budget, 46 aides in the district saw a one-hour reduction in their hours this school year, as their hours have been reduced from 5 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours per day, which will save the district $350,000.The $28,106,782 budget left the property tax rate unchanged at 64.37 mills in Lehigh and Northampton counties, which means a person with a home valued at $100,000, and assessed at $50,000, will again pay $3,219 in property taxes to the district.In other business, the board:- Approved the administrative transfer of Connie Zellner, from Peters Elementary School head cook, to Slatington Elementary cook's helper, at a salary of $14.87 per hour, 5 1/2 hours per day, for 180 student days per year, plus additional cleaning days as needed (2009-2013 Educational Support Personnel Association CBA), effective Sept. 10, 2012, with a 60-day probationary period ending Nov. 8, 2012.- Approved the administrative transfer of Debbie Peters, from Slatington Elementary Cook's helper, to Peters Elementary head cook, at a salary of $17.43 per hour, 5 1/2 hours per day, for 180 student days per year, plus additional cleaning days as needed, with no change in salary (2009-2013 Educational Support Personnel Association CBA), effective Sept. 10, 2012, with a 60-day probationary period ending Nov. 8, 2012.- Approved the administrative transfer of Jennifer Sheridan from part-time middle school cook's helper, replacing Sheila Andrews, who resigned, to high school cook's helper, at a salary of $8.80 per hour, 5 1/2 hours per day, for 180 student days per year, plus additional cleaning days as needed (2009-2013 Educational Support Personnel Association CBA), effective Oct. 9, 2012, with a 60-day probationary period ending Dec. 7, 2012.- Appointed Steven Jonkman, temporary vacancy replacement, as Slatington/Peters Elementary music teacher, replacing an employee on family medical leave, at a salary of substitute teacher rate days 1-30; Day 31 and beyond $44,000 prorated (Step 1 Bachelors on the 2012-13 CBA Salary Schedule), effective Sept. 24, 2012, with a termination date on or about Jan. 14, 2013.- Appointed Robin Blocker as PCA for Student #2390122 at Peters Elementary School, at a salary of $11.40 per hour Monday through Friday, from 11:20 a.m to 3:50 p.m., up to 180 student days a year, plus an additional 20 hours for staff development, according to language in MOU (This rate is in effect until a new Memorandum of Understanding is in place), effective Sept. 24, 2012, pending verification of missing documents and a 60 day probationary period ending Nov. 22, 2012.- Appointed Kayla Perkowski as PCA for Student #2390122 at Peters Elementary School, at a salary of $11.40 per hour Monday through Friday, from 11:20 a.m. to 3:50 p.m., up to 180 student days a year, plus an additional 20 hours for staff development, according to language in MOU (This rate is in effect until a new Memorandum of Understanding is in place), effective Sept. 24, 2012, with a 60 day probationary period ending Nov. 22, 2012.- Appointed Patricia Ingles as high school special education aide, replacing an employee who resigned, at a salary of $12.77 per hour Monday through Friday, from 8:50 a.m. to 1:20 p.m., up to 180 student days a school year, plus an additional 20 hours for staff development, according to language in MOU (This rate is in effect until a new Memorandum of Understanding is in place), effective Oct. 4, 2012, pending verification of missing documents, and a 60 day probationary period ending Dec. 2, 2012.- Appointed Schelene Fritzinger as part-time middle school cook's helper, replacing Beth Gabovitz, who resigned, at a salary of $8.50 per hour, two hours per day, five days per week, up to 180 student days per year, plus additional cleaning days as needed (2009-2013 Educational Support Personnel Association CBA), effective Oct. 9, 2012, with a 60 day probationary period ending Dec. 7, 2012.- Accepted the resignation of Holly Fiske, Peters Elementary library aide, effective Sept. 29, 2012.- Accepted the resignation of Lindsay Hoppes, Peters Elementary Office Aide, effective Sept. 22, 2012.- Approved the request of employee #1260 to take a family medical leave to care for a family member. She will be using 14 sick days and three personal days beginning Sept. 24, 2012. She will then be requesting a 12-week family medical leave beginning on Oct. 17, 2012, and her anticipated return date is Jan. 14, 2013.- Acknowledged that teachers Jeremy Battista, from Step 5B to Step 5B+24, and Jamie Bigley, from Step 7B+24, to Step 7M, have completed the requirements per the Collective Bargaining Agreement that would entitle them to a salary increase for the 2012-13 school year.- Approved Katherine Ache, Elementary; Katie Baskin, Elementary; Laura Gregson, Elementary, Michele Harrison, Elementary; Jacquelyn Kinsella, Elementary & ESL; Natasha Lewis, Language Arts; Susan Miller, Elementary; Zachary Moyer, Health & Physical Education; and Katrina Wehr, Communications, English, Business/Computer Information Technology, and Technology Education, as substitute teachers for the 2012-13 school year, at the 2012-13 substitute rate as approved on the Supplementary Personnel Salary Schedule. Ache, Gregson, Harrison, Kinsella, Lewis and Moyer are pending verification of missing documents.- Approved Lynne McGeehan as an unpaid volunteer aide in the Peters and/or Slatington Elementary school for the 2012-13 school year, pending verification of missing documents.- Appointed Theresa Cinicola and Julie Everett as freshman class advisers, each at a rate of $635, as part of shared stipend in the amount of $1,269.