North Catasauqua resident Kim Jarrah, whose daughter attends Catasauqua Middle School, remains unsatisfied with the middle school's grade policy.

She again appeared before the Catasauqua Area School Board Oct. 9 to express her concern with how the grading policy adversely affects children like hers.

She said while conducting her own personal research she found only one school district in the Lehigh Valley with a grading policy similar to the Catasauqua Area School District.

"Most of our surrounding districts use a traditional grade scale," Jarrah said. "Salisbury is the only one similar to the CMS grade scale."

The CMS grading system uses an honor roll grading system where an A is 93-100; a B is, 85-92; a C is, 77-84; a D is, 70-76; and an F is anything below 70.

Jarrah continues to contend she does not recall any mention during the middle school orientation sessions or at Meet the Teacher Night informing parents about the middle school's grading policy.

"It's the grade scale that really hurts some kids," she said.

School board member Dawn Berrigan told Jarrah that due to the CMS grade scale, she had to invest money to help her children maximize their performance while attending the middle school.

"This is not a new problem," Berrigan said.

Also speaking during the meeting was Amy Ahart, mother of a fourth-grade Sheckler Elementary School student. She told board members she, along with a few other parents, attended the meeting to educate themselves on the issues.

"We're trying to be proactive and learn," Ahart said. "As parents, as mothers and fathers, we're frustrated because each year it gets harder."

Ahart urged the board to work toward making improvements.

"Let's all start being proactive," she said. "Let's all come up with a better idea."

School board President Penny Hahn told the parents the school board and administration will discuss issues similar to the grading policy in the future after the district receives the results from the needs-based assessment it plans to distribute to parents and teachers.

Superintendent Robert Spengler echoed Hahn's comment.

"I think it's very timely, all these issues," Spengler said. "The board will have to wrestle with a number of issues that will come up with the needs assessment."

The needs-based assessment will be formulated and distributed districtwide within the next few months.