The Salisbury Township School Board approved a 2.5 percent tax increase for the 2013-2014 school year at its June 19 meeting.

The board was originally slated to approve a 2.2 percent tax increase, but uncertainty over payments from two organizations caused the board to bump up the increase to 2.5 percent.

"It was our intention to have a 2.2 percent millage increase, but because of very recent developments with our revenue streams and potential risks to an important stream from next year, we're feeling compelled to protect our budget by slightly increasing the millage that was in the proposed final budget," Board President Russell Giordano said.

Board member Brian Bobeck made the motion to amend the budget to include the 2.5 percent increase. The amended budget was approved 7-0 by the board.

"There was an agreement with Kidspeace and now that they've declared bankruptcy there's some question as to whether or not we can expect those things to come to fruition on the normal schedule," Giordano said.

KidsPeace was scheduled to use classrooms in the Salisbury Township School District to hold programs this summer, but the program is now in jeopardy after KidsPeace filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy May 21, just six days after the school board approved its preliminary final budget.

Giordano said the district is also still waiting for a late payment from Lehigh Valley Hospital.

"They're behind and we think we're going to get it, but we don't operate with a whole lot of extra money lying around," Giordano said. "We're small, so every source of income counts. We're protecting our budget for next year and this additional millage really helps."

Although the board changed from a 2.2 to a 2.5 percent tax increase, it is still under the 2.99 percent increase originally recommended by the administration at the May 1 operations committee meeting, which is the maximum increase allowed to the district.

The school board also recognized the retirements of teachers Laurie Ehrlacher, Susan Quigg, Richard Marsico and Debra Roeding.

Quigg, who taught English at Salisbury Middle School, will be replaced by Margaret Scholl, who previously served as a full-time reading specialist at the middle school.

Roeding, who was an instructional support teacher at Harry S Truman, will be replaced by Diane Kasaczun, who previously served as a learning support teacher at HST.

Robyn Balsai (English/reading), Mary Kate Agnew (social studies), Sherry Wetherhold (family consumer sciences-business), Cathie Meholic (mathematics), Ruth Smith (science/technology education), Rachel Reinecke (arts) and Laura Dos Santos (world languages) were named department chairs for the 2013-2014 school year and will receive a $3,000 contractual stipend.

The board also accepted with regret the resignation of Jason Reinhard as swimming coach and winter strength coach. Reinhard coached the boys swim team to the state title this past season.

The school board does not meet in July. The next school board meeting is Aug. 14. There will also be an operations committee meeting Aug. 7 and a curriculum meeting Aug. 26, the first day of the 2013-2014 school year.