Classes resume Sept. 4 for students, but classes for adults won't begin this fall in Northampton Area School District.

After years of discussion and debate about need and costs, the Community Education Program is being suspended.

The program, which posted a loss last year, may resume early next year.

Community Education Program Coordinator Patricia Gaetaniello handed in her resignation, effective Aug. 22.

The NASD school board voted 5 - 0, with four members absent, at the Aug. 27 meeting to "continue the Community Education Program with a modified course listing for the 2012-13 school year, with courses possibly starting in January. The modified course listing would consist of the highest enrolled participants in a course."

The phrase "with courses possibly starting in January" was added to the second option following an approximate 20-minute discussion Monday night by school directors and administration.

The board rejected two other options.

The first option was to "Continue the Community Education Program for the 2012-13 school year." The third option was to "Discontinue the Community Education Program in the district."

The program posted a $1,600 loss during the 2012-13 school year, with 167 adults taking courses.

That compares to, for example, the program making a $3,000 profit during the 2007-08 school year, with 286 adults taking courses. The program was discussed at the Aug. 13 board meeting when school board member Jane Erdo said of the program, "We need to stop doing this."

However, at that meeting school board member Darin Arthofer disagreed.

"I think it [community education] does a lot of good for the community," he said.

Monday night, NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph Kovalchik said Gaetaniello's resignation came as a surprise. He said he spoke with her at length, encouraging her to stay on, but to no avail.

Without a coordinator and with the prospect of it taking several weeks to advertise to fill the job, interview candidates and appoint a successor, school directors agreed there wouldn't be enough time to fill the position in time for what would have been the October start of the program's classes.

"I'm really wondering if we would omit what I call the fluff [then the program could continue]," said school board Vice President Jean Rundle.

Board member Jennifer Miller said she agreed with Rundle and favors reviewing the program to eliminate low-enrollment, money-losing courses.

"I see this as a make it or break it," Miller said.

Kovalchik said Gaetaniello informed him late last week of her plans to resign.

"Ms. Gaetaniello ran the Community Education Program for years," he said. "We weren't ready for that [Gaetaniello's decision]. I tried to talk her out of it, but it didn't work."

Community education courses were to start Oct. 3.

"It's going to be very difficult to get someone [by the program's start]," Kovalchik said.

School board member Dr. Michael Baird recommended suspending the program for one year, until the 2013-14 school year.

"We need to get a plan and we need to know what the plan will look like," said Baird.

Baird said that it would take until mid-October for a program coordinator to be hired and until December for a plan to be developed.

Baird referred to the curriculum at Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School and Northampton Community College where he said courses are offered based on need and popularity.

"We do offer some excellent courses," Baird said of the NASD program.

NASD Business Administrator Terry Leh said the most popular Community Education programs are art and water aerobics. He said one of the least popular courses is jewelry making.

"You can go to Michael's and A.C. Moore and take courses. All you have to do is pay for supplies," said Miller.

The program coordinator was paid an annual $3,746.11 stipend. If a new coordinator is hired, school directors and administrators agreed the compensation should be pro-rated.

Gaetaniello's resignation was approved by a 4-1 vote at the meeting.

However, since the votes in favor didn't constitute a majority of the nine-member board, there was some question as to whether the resignation would be accepted.

School board members Miller, Baird, Judy Odenwelder and school board President David Gogel voted to accept Gaetaniello's resignation.

Rundle cast the dissenting vote.

"We don't have enough votes, so we'll bring it back," said Leh after tallying the vote.

Instead, school district solicitor C. Steven Miller was asked for a ruling and said, "My recommendation is that you don't even have to vote on accepting a resignation."

"Whether you vote or not, you can't prevent someone from resigning," Miller added.