Superintendent Mary Anne Wright is a member of the Lehigh Valley Workforce Executive Council and chairman of the Youth Council.

She told Northwestern Lehigh School Board members Sept. 12 subcontractors are being used to train workers for jobs available in the Valley.

Henkels and McCoy will work with youth ages 15 to 24.

It has a three-part program of work-based learning, work readiness and occupational skills training. The company works in construction for the communications field.

St. Luke's Health Network will "hopefully give more youth jobs," Wright said. "But manufacturing is the biggest push in the Lehigh Valley. Workforce is learning what jobs are available."

A Veterans Initiative will verify jobs go to qualified veterans first.

In other matters, teacher evaluations at all levels are being changed in the school code.

The state has developed the program and is working on details for the Danielson Framework, which includes planning and preparation, knowledge of content, knowledge of students, instructional outcomes, knowledge of resources, coherent instruction and student assessment.

A conversation is to be initiated between the teacher and evaluator. Maintaining accurate records is taken into consideration. Principals will do the observations.

Half of the evaluation is based on what is seen and heard in the classroom. The other half is based on performance measures.

Data will be compared from one year's class to the next year, as in one seventh grade to the next one; and for the same students in class six and seven.

Board member Willard Dellicker said documentation will be required to prove there is no favoritism.

Teachers were asked to volunteer for the program as a learning tool for the evaluators.

There were more volunteers than could be used.

High School Principal Aileen Yadush said time will be a concern, 50 minutes per teacher twice a year, and it is even recommended three times a year would be better.

Dr. Mark Scott, director of student services, said non-teaching professionals should not be evaluated when they are working with a student.

Leann Stitzel, director of technology, said it is still an unknown which electronic tools the state will approve.

There will be four rating levels: distinguished, proficient, basic and unsatisfactory.

Presently there are only two levels.

Board member Ron Morrison asked what other districts are doing.

Wright said four or five schools locally have started the program.

"Our people are welcoming to having other people in the classroom," she said.

The superintendent and assistant superintendent contracts will include evaluation and performance standards, conditions of employment terms and whether it will renew automatically if no board action is taken within 150 days of expiration of the contract.

In the event of termination, it includes buyout and severance information.

In other business, Scott reported special education classes are in compliance with state standards for the Individuals with Disabilities Act.

"We met all standards," he said.

Pat Reiter resigned from her position as a bus driver after 24 years.

A member from the board is needed to join the Federal Relations Network, which meets quarterly and the trip to Washington, D.C. is at the member's expense.

The next meeting will be Jan. 27-29. Christopher Ford and Dellicker volunteered as member and alternate.

The item was expected to be listed on the Sept. 19 agenda for making an appointment.

The Department of Education sent a letter summarizing program changes to the school lunch, which will be phased in over the next year.

A contract was signed with Dr. Lu for dental exams at a $4 fee per student. This amount has not changed for many years.

Homecoming will be celebrated Sept. 28.

Middle School Principal Laurie Hoppes said the school held Pride activities during open house.

Morrison said the open house was so well attended there was no place to park.

Board member LeRoy Sorensen added he liked the new high school open house format and enjoyed the activity tables for clubs rather than just for sports.

Weisenberg Elementary School Principal Marc Dobbs reported to the board an outdoor classroom being built as an Eagle Scout project is half finished.

The school now has two elementary-friendly Tiger logos, he said.