The East Penn school board of directors voted in favor of beginning site improvements to Willow Lane Elementary School March 11.

The board's resolution is the next step in the process of making Willow Lane safer for students who walk to the school. The plan will now be presented to the Lower Macungie Township board of commissioners. Upon township approval, the construction phase of the plan will be put out for bid.

Board member Francee Fuller clarified the board's motion and confirmed the board's decision only effects changes to the property; traffic management will be handled separately.

Dr. Thomas Seidenberger, superintendent for the school district, pointed out this decision had already been delayed two weeks. On Thursday March 14, he is scheduled to meet with a committee from the township.

Seidenberger said the district will not be able to proceed with the project without approval from Lower Macungie Township.

"We'll go back to the old system and not move forward with this [without the support of LMT]," Seidenberger said.

New traffic lanes, proposed by the school district engineer Paul Szewczak, are being designed to decrease heavy traffic on Sauerkraut Lane. The project is aimed at relieving a concern of the Lower Macungie Fire Department about emergency vehicle's access to the road.

Susan Coenen, a Willow Lane parent who has vocalized her concerns at recent meetings, generated a report citing guidelines from the Safe Routes to School program and showed maps highlighting what she called problem areas.

Coenen said the district's improvement plan is in some points directly contradictory to the SRTS guidelines, including narrow sidewalks and traffic patterns forcing students to cross up to four lanes of moving traffic within school property.

The proposal "flips" the existing operations so cars, including parents dropping off, will enter from Mill Creek Road and buses will enter exclusively from Sauerkraut Lane.

New drop off locations for students include a narrow two-lane stretch between the two large parking lots east of the school. Bus drop off will be along the Sauerkraut Lane side of the building. Engineer Paul Szewczak said some things still need to be worked out with the 11 buses coming and going along the drop off lane.

The new proposal also brings cars close to a narrow sidewalk between the driving lane and a fence separating the walking path from a high retaining wall.

Coenen said she believes there is a possibility of a distracted driver driving over the sloped curb and endangering students on the sidewalk.

Donna Jurado also spoke before the board to propose a plan to bring cars closer to the building in what she referred to as a "hug" concept.

Jurado said she wants to see the cars drive around the school and drop off on the sidewalks adjacent to the building rather than forcing children and parents to cross lanes of traffic and the parking lot. She said it would be "a complete redo of the proposed process."

"So I beg you, we are willing to work with you and come up with different solutions," Jurado said.

Another survey has been completed and Seidenberger confirmed a volunteer committee will be formed including approximately 17 parents.

District initiative videos can now be found on the website under a box titled EPSD Informational Videos. These include videos made by the Emmaus High School TV Club on Autism Awareness, S.T.E.M., Instructional Rounds, and Keystone Exams.

Board president Charles Ballard reported the district will have to be "very cautious" in approaching the budget as Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) obligations will increase by $2.1 million this year.

In addition, Ballard said certain unfunded mandates are under consideration by committees and local legislators should be urged to consider "upfront funding of anything they want to fund."

Ballard also said the district is legally obligated to provide transportation and funding for charter schools, including busing up to ten miles outside of its boundaries. According to Ballard, 80 percent of charter school funds come from local taxpayers.