Catasauaua Middle School technolgy education teacher Bill Bond believes the middle school is not in compliance with Pennsylvania Academic Standards (Chapter 4).

Bond appeared before the Catasauqua Area School Board May 23 and read a statement in which he urged the district to keep the district technology course in the district curriculum. This year's proposed 2013-14 budget calls for putting the technology course on hold for one year.

"Eliminating the middle school program will put us further out of compliance with Chapter 4 regulations," stressed Bond. "With tech ed you get more bang for your buck than anything else in the curriculum."

CASD Director of Curriculum and Assessment Kristina Lutz-Doemling told school board members the district is required to meet science and technology standards, but it is not required to offer a separate technology program.

"That is currently what we're doing," she said.

District Superintendent Robert Spengler told Bond and the board he has researched the issue to ensure all requirements are being met.

"I have confirmed with [Pennsylvania Department of Education] that we are in compliance," Spengler said.

Bond said he has spoken to someone who indicated the district is out of compliance.

"I do have a contact person and they disagree with what you are saying," Bond said.

Bond argued one of the reasons why some students in the district are gravitating toward charter schools is because the district is not providing a more thorough educational experience.

"Why are they [students] going to the charter schools?" asked Bond. "Because we are providing a basic education.

"We need to move forward, not behind ... we need to stop cutting things," Bond added.

School board member Don Panto praised the quality of the course offered by Bond as all three of Panto's children have enrolled in the course and enjoyed it. However, he said, the district also understands the consequences of developing a budget.

"We're not cutting fluff anymore," Panto said. "We're cutting meaningful things."

Board member Dawn Berrigan stressed to Bond the difficult economic situation the school district currently faces.

"Part of our problem is we live in a community that has seen pay cuts, medical increases and all kinds of increases," she said. "It's not that we don't care."

Board President Penny Hahn asked Bond where he thinks the money should come from to support the position.

Bond commented the assumption is another position would be needed. He said the district could split the technology education teacher between the middle and high schools or pull one teacher out of one class to teach another. The district, Bond said, would still meet Chapter 4 regulations.

Spengler cautioned the board and Bond on such a course of action because teachers must have particular certifications to teach specific courses.

"We really are in a position where, when we add something, we have to take away from something else," Panto said.

Lutz-Doemling emphasized all teachers in the district are teaching to the state standards.

"I'm not sure we have the resources to support this at the time," she said of reinstating the technology course for the upcoming school year.

Panto suggested and the board agreed to review the information Bond provided before the final budget approval meeting, set for June 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the district administration office board room.

Also during the meeting, CHS special education teacher Margaret DeMarchi told the board she was disappointed she would be pulled from teaching special education and placed elsewhere, to fill a need.

"We're making replacements in areas where you need people with that passion," she said. "Passion has to be a big part of teaching."