Panther Valley School District will return to a full, in-person schedule with no mask requirements during the coming school year.

It is also partnering with the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit for its online classes.

“We’re excited about having everyone back,” said Superintendent David McAndrew Jr.

School board members voted unanimously Wednesday night to approve a health and safety plan for the 2021-22 school year. The biggest changes to the plan are the relaxing of mask requirements, and a full-day schedule.

Students will once again eat lunch in the cafeteria. Last year, they were dismissed early and took home lunches.

One of the reasons students went home early last year was so teachers could teach remote students online during the afternoon. This year, district teachers will be teaching in-person only.

The district is partnering with Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit and its eLearn21 program to oversee remote learning.

McAndrew said the program is an alternative for students who are considering going to cyber charter schools, but at a reduced cost to the district.

He said students at PVLN will be able to participate in extracurricular activities like the prom, and receive a Panther Valley diploma.

“We know there’s going to be a chunk of kids who haven’t been to school and will want to stay online. Rather than going to a cyber charter, we’re offering them something,” he said.

In other business:

The board hired new teachers for the elementary and high school. They appointed Colleen DeFuso and Roxanne Person to positions the elementary school; and Kimberly Bayer, Adam Kreuzen, Hannah Mordaunt and Megan Hine to high school teaching positions. All will receive at the starting salary of $37,899. Steven Christ was hired as high school music teacher at a salary of $40,459.

The board approved the paving of the bus parking lot at a cost not to exceed $75,000.